At just under 22 feet, the Sunbeam 22 is a light, slim design with a racer-oriented character. Its modest dimensions, lively sail plan, and choice of keels make it an appealing small boat for sailors who value performance and easy upkeep over cruising comfort.
Design and Construction
The Sunbeam 22 measures 21.98 feet overall, with an LWL of 18.37 feet and a beam of 7.05 feet. It displaces 2,094 pounds and carries 770 pounds of iron ballast.
The hull and deck are both made from hand-laid fiberglass, an approach that requires only minimal maintenance during the sailing season. The solid fiberglass hull has no core.
With a length-to-beam ratio of 3.09, the Sunbeam is slimmer than 79% of similar sailboat designs, according to the YachtDatabase review. That gives it a narrow, lithe footprint rather than the form of a beamy weekender. The slim beam also limits interior volume.
Keel, Draft, and Steering
The Sunbeam S 22 was offered with several keel alternatives, including a fin keel and a daggerboard keel. The fin-keel version draws about 3.77 to 4.07 feet, depending on load. The daggerboard version draws roughly 1.80 to 2.10 feet, and either configuration can tuck into shallow marinas shallow-draft daggerboard version.
A spade rudder complements either the fin or the board. The ballast-to-displacement ratio is 36.77%, higher than that of 58% of comparable designs, helping to keep the boat planted despite its modest beam.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Sunbeam 22 has a masthead rig carrying 204.5 square feet of sail. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 21.04 falls at the lively end of the range for a boat of this weight.
The database also provides practical working-sheet dimensions:
- Jib or genoa sheet: 22 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter
- Mainsheet: 55 feet long and 3/8 inch in diameter
- Spinnaker sheet: 48.4 feet long
These figures describe a small boat that can fly a spinnaker while still being handled on a confined foredeck.
Performance
The Sunbeam 22 has a theoretical hull speed of 5.7 knots. Its displacement-to-length ratio of 151 places it among “light racers,” with 69% of similar designs rated heavier. Relative Speed Performance is 42, meaning it is faster than 42% of comparable designs—a middle-of-the-pack result for a light-displacement boat.
Its Motion Comfort Ratio is 12.1, making it more comfortable than 34% of similar sailboats. It isn’t a soft-riding cruiser, but rather a stiff little planing-type hull.
The capsize screening value of 2.23 would exclude the boat from ocean races. Its immersion rate of 455 pounds per inch shows how little it sinks under the weight of crew or stores.
The wetted surface is about 150 square feet, helping to keep the boat easily driven.
Accommodations
Below deck, the Sunbeam 22 has two cabins and four berths. The layout uses the boat’s 21.98-foot length to sleep a small crew without trying to provide a separate, cavernous saloon.
The production run of 1,200 boats also means the interior molds were standardized across the class.
Verdict
The Sunbeam 22 is a van de Stadt-designed, trailerable racer-cruiser with a hand-laid fiberglass hull and deck, a lively masthead rig, and several keel options. It suits sailors looking for light displacement, shallow-water flexibility, and an easily maintained package.
Its comfort and capsize figures, however, mark it as a sheltered-water boat rather than an offshore candidate.
Pros
- Hand-laid fiberglass hull and deck requiring minimal seasonal maintenance
- Choice of fin keel or shallow-draft daggerboard for marina access
- Light displacement, with a displacement-to-length ratio of 151
- Lively sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 21.04
- 1,200 boats built, so spares and class familiarity exist
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.23 excludes it from ocean racing
- More comfortable than only 34% of comparable boats
- Slim beam and a length-to-beam ratio of 3.09 limit interior volume
