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Storm22The perfect trailer-sailer?

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BOAT TEST

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ThreemeninaStorm

WHAT SHORE-SIDE onlookers must havethought of three grown men in a boat, all grinning inanely and laughing withexcitement despite a keen Nor’eastersprinkled with sleet and snow showers,probably doesn’t bear thinking about.

The three were yours truly, MartinAppleton, from Maldon, happy because the day we tested the Polish built Storm 22coincided with his first ever sail in his newboat. The last crew member was ClipperMarine broker John Cochran, and he wasjust happy we were happy.

PerformanceWe headed out of Woolverstone Marina onthe River Orwell into the teeth of a fresh,cold NE wind. With full main and jib shetook off like a rocket and only when thewind gusted over an estimated 22 knots

Garth Cooper braves icy winter blasts and comes upsmiling on the new Storm 22 – a trailer-sailer withspeed, accommodation and a great price.

Reaching across theOrwell in the shadow

of its distinctivebridge, the Storm 22

sets a brisk pace.

Proud new ownerMartin Appleton can’tcontain his delight atthe smooth handling

of the Storm 22.

ANGLIA AFLOAT March/April 2010 35

did she tuck up into the wind. Even then, the helm was light and gave considerablecontrol.

In about 17/18 knots of wind she flew,eight knots plus. She remained balancedand in control. She tacks through 50degrees almost like a dinghy, but where alarge dinghy or day boat (Martin’s previousboat was a Hawk 20 Cruiser) might hesitateand almost ‘stand’ for a fraction of a secondat the apex of the turn, the Storm keptturning and at the same time moving ahead.The acceleration was sparkling.

Sailing the Storm 22 is a joy. Everything is lead aft, the main, jib and spinnakerhalyards all lead back to winches on the aftend of the coach roof via clutches. So too dothe single-line reefing lines. The same twowinches can also be used to control theheadsail, which doesn’t come aft of the

mast, and is so light to handle that even in a strong gust you really don’t have to use the winches.

Martin is having two self-tailing winchesmounted on moulded pads at the aft end ofthe cockpit coamings so he can more easilysail the boat single-handed.

The main has a full roach and can besupplied loose-footed. We found that toreduce sail it paid to keep the main full aslong as possible and de-power her by rollingin some jib. There are two deep reefs in the main.

The rig is seven-eighths with singlespreader with the uppers brought to a fittingon the gunnel while the lowers are mountedinboard on a fitting that doubles as a fixingpoint when using the mast-lowering kit. Theforestay is fitted with a headsail furler, whilethe main is stowed in a packaway bag.

She handles just like a big dinghy. Herwide beam is carried all the way aft, givingher considerable stability. Although wedidn’t attempt it, I’m assured she can lie overon her beam-ends and still won’t take waterinto the cockpit.

The boatThere are three versions of the Storm 22trailer sailer available in the UK; theStandard, the Sport and the Saltwater. In Poland they have a Regatta version,which is lighter still and has an even bigger rig. All have the same hull butdifferent rigs and lift keel configurations. It is an ideal boat for someone just startingout sailing, or moving up from a dinghy and with a young family; on the other handit could be a good second boat for racinground the cans.

Fast acceleration,ideal for a youngfamily, and she hasgood looks

BOAT TEST STORM 22

BOAT TEST STORM 22

36 ANGLIA AFLOAT March/April 2010

Hard on the beat: the guys sit out the Storm dingy

The 22 sits comfortably on a two-wheeledbraked trailer and can be towed with a medium-sized 1800cc or two-litre family saloon.

Martin, six foot, has plenty of room when sitting.

Getting all this in one boat is someachievement but Polish designer WojciechSpisak has produced a good-looking boatthat sells at a keenly competitive price. The factory turns out 17 boats a month.

Built in Poland by Storm Yachts and soldin the UK by Clipper Marine, it really is apocket-rocket. The boat I took out was theSport, which has a taller mast and biggersail area than the Standard or Saltwaterversions, which share the same slightlysmaller rig.

With internal accommodation for fouradults in comparative comfort, it features a double V-berth forward, divided from themain saloon by the galley pod to port andthe sink pod to starboard. The main setteesgive seating for four round a drop-leaf tableastride the top of the centre-box. When used for sleeping the feet of the settees tuck under the cockpit side decks. The spacealso makes a good depository for beddingand clothing.

Aft of the berths are two large sealedflotation compartments containing styrenefoam blocks, and aft again are two largelockers entered from the cockpit.

A small chemical loo can be fitted behindthe centre box under the cockpit deck; aswith a lot of these small craft, modesty issacrificed somewhat.

There’s a remarkable amount of storagespace on so small a boat. Martin elected notto have the single burner spirit stove built in;he used a portable self-contained gas burneron his last boat and will fit another to thisboat. There’s a teak shelf unit above, whichhouses the electric switches and fuse paneland has fiddled shelving for crockery andutensils.

The locker under gives access to the 110Ah 12-volt battery and the skin fitting forthe TackTick log/speed transducer.

Opposite on the starboard side is a smallrecessed sink with an electric pump, which

draws water from a built-in ‘soft’ watercontainer. There’s deck filler immediatelyabove. There is storage under all four bunks.

The whole interior is well finished withcloth headliner and lined cabin sides abovethe bunk bases.

Forward there is a glazed hatch, whichacts both as a ventilator and an emergencyescape route for sleepers forward. On eitherside of the forward area are handy clothbags and there’s an overhead locker rightforward.

The glazed main hatch gives easy accessbelow although in choppy conditions it isadvisable to put in the two-part washboardsand close it. The hatch panel is designed toslide right out, opening up the boat in warmand sunny weather.

Launching and retrieving the Storm 22 isno more difficult than with any similar-sizedtrailer sailer. With the Standard versionweighing in at a little over 1,000 kilos, theSport at around 50 kilos more and theSaltwater version 1,100 kilos it doesn’trequire more than an average family saloonto tow her around.

The mast is easily dropped and lies alongthe top of the boat supported on two framesfore and aft (supplied with the boat). TheSport mast is nine metres long, the otherseight and a half metres.

The Standard has a draft of 1.4m, while the sport and Saltwater are 1.5m. You can have the boat with a stainless steel dagger board or a galvanised mild steel swinging lift keel, which is what Martin opted for, as he’ll be keeping the boat in a drying mud berth outside hisquayside house.

ConclusionThe Storm 22 in its various forms shouldbecome a popular boat on the east coast. It’s ideal for the Broads, as well as salt waterrivers, and for coast hopping as well.

Three versionsincluding a topperformer andguide budget £30kincluding trailer

Martin, (63) is a semi-retiredinsurance brokerwho has sailedextensively inthe Med andCaribbean in afriend’s Oyster46. He had aHawk 20 Cruisertwo-berth cuddyversion for fouryears, which he sailedextensively on

the east coast. He lives in a waterside houseon Maldon’s new marina quay where the oldgranary used to be.

He had test-sailed a demonstration StormStandard, but he was highly delighted at theperformance of the slightly racier Sport

version. “I am so very pleased I bought thisboat. The performance on this first sail, whenshe’s not tuned up and we haven’t learnt herlittle ways, is amazing. I can’t get over howwell she tacks, points and how calmly shegybes. She’s going to put in some fastpassages,” he added.

Because he has a berth right outside hisfront door he’s not bought the trailer, but he’salready planning trips up and down the eastcoast. “I used to sail up the Deben, up theOrwell to Ipswich, the Backwaters and ofcourse my home waters on the Blackwater in my Hawk, but I wanted something with thatsort of seaworthiness, good performance,more space below and more comfortableaccommodation. I had the first of the cabinversion Hawks, and I did think of waiting forthe new Hawk 25 cruising version, but theseboats impressed me with their quality, finishand, of course, price.”

The owner

ANGLIA AFLOAT March/April 2010 37

BOAT TEST STORM 22

style. Note the tiller extension enabling the helmsman good vision and a seat on the gunwhale.

Storm 22LOA 6.58mWLL 6.28mBeam 2.49mKeel up (down) 0.26m/(1.46/1.51)Displacement 1,000kg (Standard)Ballast Keel 100kg + 230kg

bonded in the hullBerths 4Headroom 1.52mSail area:(Standard/Saltwater) 21.5 m2

(Sport) 23.5 m2

Price Basic boat ex-works: £26,665 inc VAT.The test boat, including factory-appliedCopperbottom, TackTick instruments,Raymarine VHF, delivery and commissioning,blue hull option, galley pack, spinnaker,cockpit coaming tapes, tiller extension,mainsail pack system, boarding ladder, s/s mast supports and compass, mainsconnection system and battery charger, came out just over £29,000. A trailer wouldcost just over £2,000.Information: Clipper Marine WoolverstoneMarina, Ipswich, Suffolk IP9 1AS. Tel 01473 780266 Also at Hamble Southamption. www.clippermarine.co.uk

Cabin/sofa202 x 65 cm

Cabin/sofa202 x 154/32 cm

Cabin/sofa215 x 65 cmWardrobe

Cockpit length 242 cm

Storm 22Plan of cabins and deck

Wardrobe