Design and Construction
The Sunbeam 22's hull is made of fibreglass, and its wetted surface measures about 14 square metres (150 square feet), a compact footprint for a coastal cruiser. Schöchl Yachtbau's own history of vacuum lamination from 1958 and serial polyester and epoxy use from 1961 frames the boat as part of a mature early-fibreglass lineage rather than an experimental latecomer. The fin keel and masthead rig announce a deliberate turn toward windward performance and manageable shorthanded handling in a boat of modest length.
Rig and Performance
Out on the water the Sunbeam 22 reads as a slim, light-displacement craft. Its length-to-beam ratio of 3.12 makes it slimmer than 79% of all similar sailboat designs, and a displacement-length ratio of 151 places it among the 'light racers', lighter than 69% of comparable designs. The sail-area/displacement ratio of 19.99 supports that categorisation. The capsize screening value is 2.21, a figure that indicates this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races, and the theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 5.7 knots. The Motion Comfort Ratio of 12.3 is more comfortable than 34% of all similar sailboat designs — modest, but consistent with a narrow light hull. The draft is just about 1.15 to 1.25 metres (3.77 to 4.07 ft) dependent on the load, and the immersion rate of about 80 kg/cm (451 lbs/inch) tells you how readily that draft and trim shift with stores and crew.
Accommodations
The available record offers no descriptive detail on the interior arrangement, berth count, or galley provisions of the Sunbeam 22. As a small fibreglass fin-keel cruiser of late-sixties conception, it belongs to a class where cabin volume was necessarily constrained by beam and length, but the sources here do not document the specific layout, so no claim can be made about its accommodations beyond the hull and rig facts already stated.
Known Issues
No documented structural defects, recurring flooding paths, or drainage problems for the Sunbeam 22 appear in the available record. The capsize screening figure is a design-limitation indicator rather than a fault, marking the boat as unsuitable for ocean-race scrutiny but not implying a construction deficiency. Prospective owners should note that the absence of cited issues reflects the scope of the source material, not a warranty of condition.
Refits and Ownership
The available record does not describe typical refit scope, owner-reported upgrades, or period modifications for the Sunbeam 22. The rigging schedule is documented only in estimated sheet dimensions: jib and genoa sheets of 6.7 m (22.0 ft) at 10 mm (3/8 inch), a mainsheet of 16.8 m (55.0 ft) at 10 mm, and a spinnaker sheet of 14.7 m (48.4 ft) at 10 mm. These lengths are the only equipment-specific data offered and would anchor any renewal of running rigging.
The Verdict
The Sunbeam 22 is a late-sixties van de Stadt design built by an Austrian yard with deep early-fibreglass credentials. Its numbers describe a narrow, light, masthead-rigged fin-keeler suited to sheltered and coastal sailing rather than offshore certification, with a comfort index that betters only a third of its peers. It is an analytically defined small boat, not a voluminous weekender.
Pros
- Fibreglass hull from a yard with pioneering vacuum-lamination history
- Slim, light 'racer' profile (l/b 3.12, DL-ratio 151) with SA/D of 19.99
- Documented rigging dimensions simplify running-rig replacement
Cons
- Capsize screening of 2.21 excludes it from ocean races
- Motion Comfort Ratio betters only 34% of similar designs
- No documented accommodation or refit detail in the source record
