Design and Construction
The hull has continuous chines running aft from a rounded bow. The builder says this shape gives the boat a narrow waterline, reducing wetted surface in light winds and at small angles of heel. As the boat heels farther, the chines are said to engage and add stability.
Above the waterline, the hull is built in foam-cored GRP sandwich, with solid laminate around the keel. The deck is also a foam sandwich. A clean inner liner provides thermal and visual insulation.
The pivoting swing keel consists of a 230-kilogram cast-iron fin, raised and lowered by a 4:1 centreboard-style tackle. Draft ranges from 0.60 metres with the keel fully retracted to 1.40 metres when lowered. A further 200 kilograms of lead plate ballast lies between the centreboard trunk and the bow. In the event of a grounding, the centreboard folds up beneath the hull.
The attached, swivelling “bionic” rudder has a fin shape modelled on the pectoral fins of a baleen whale. It carries three rounded knobs along the lower part of its leading edge and is held in position by two gas struts.
Rig and Handling
The Sunbeam 22.1 carries a self-trimming Bergström rig without a backstay. Its upper shrouds lead directly to the mast rather than passing over spreaders, while diamond stays and spreaders control mast bend and provide rig stability.
The square-top mainsail measures about 17 square metres. A slightly overlapping jib sheets to short, 24-centimetre tracks on the coachroof, and the headsheets and halyards lead to large, self-tailing Harken winches.
Test sailors found that the boat accelerates very well and reaches good speeds in light winds. It also sails at a decent height. However, the narrow keel needs some speed before it generates lift; without it, the boat makes leeway. The reefing threshold is between 12 and 15 knots of wind.
For downwind sailing, buyers can specify a retractable sprit and furling gennaker, or use a conventional spinnaker. The sail-plan options include a 35-square-metre furling gennaker.
Cockpit and Accommodation
The open-plan interior provides four berths. The centrepiece is a forward double measuring a full 2.12 metres long and 1.77 metres wide at the shoulders, tapering to about 50 centimetres at the foot. The saloon settees provide two more sleeping spaces once lockers are fitted.
A wide companionway and large forward hatch improve access and airflow. Two fixed windows in the superstructure add light, although they don’t open.
In the cockpit, the benches are two metres long. The 1.30-metre cockpit lockers can be removed easily for regatta sailing, reflecting the boat’s dual cruising and league role in Austria.
Equipment and Propulsion
Standard equipment includes bow and stern rails, lifelines, a bathing ladder, and self-tailing winches on the coachroof.
Propulsion comes from an outboard mounted on either a conventional bracket or a custom folding rail bracket that tucks the motor aft into a box. Alternatively, the factory offers an E-Pod with a removable lithium battery.
The swing keel is the only keel configuration available.
The Verdict
The Sunbeam 22.1 is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser that trades absolute offwind bite for easy trailering and a genuinely roomy interior for its length. Its chined hull and swing keel suit lake and coastal sailing, while the Bergström rig helps keep short-handed sailing simple.
Pros
- Narrow wetted surface and stabilising chines aid light-air performance
- Retracted draft of 0.60 metres enables shallow launching and grounding recovery
- Forward double berth rivals those on larger boats for length and width
- Removable cockpit lockers suit both cruising and one-design racing
Cons
- Narrow keel allows leeway until the boat builds speed
- Fixed superstructure windows limit ventilation
- Reefing threshold of 12–15 knots is modest for a coastal design
