Jaguar 22 Summary

The Jaguar 22 was designed by Frank Butler of Catalina Yachts, USA., in 1969 as the Catalina 22, & is still in production in modified form today. That alone speaks volumes for the design. Under the name of Jaguar, they were built as the first of a line, by Eric Birch of Canvey Island, from the 1970s to the early 1980s. It is thought that 1534 were built.

CONSTRUCTION

As with the 27 & 25, chop stand mat & orthophthalic resins with inner moulding that provides the base for the furniture. The coach roof is balsa cored, & as such can suffer depression under the mast. The deck stepped mast is supported by a kingpost below.

Keel is a swing keel lifted by a winch in the companion way. Some also had glass fibre skegs bolted on to protect the hull when drying out.

RIG

Masthead rig, with fore & aft lowers, all set well inboard. Sail handling is at the mast, & many originally would have had boom roller reefing.. The mainsheet is taken to a horse across the transom. Many rigs by now will incorporate various sail handling modifications.

ACCOMMODATION

A compact V double berth & infill forward under which, thwartships is the infamous sea toilet, whilst gloriously simple, had no seacock, & if the base breaks will flood the boat. Needless to say many will have been replaced! Coming aft on the port side is a half bulkhead, & a dinette that drops to form a small double berth, opposite of which is seating/long berth.

Where the ¼ berth might have been is a clever sliding galley-predating Pegasus boats by several years-which comes over ½ the starboard berth, & inc a sink & usually an excellent 2 burner meths stove. (Origo). Headroom is 4’ 9", topped by a very large hatch that opens the aft end of the saloon right up.

She has plenty of stowage, & a very long cockpit,with a transom hung rudder.

ENGINE

4-6hp longshaft outboard on transom bracket.

SUMMARY

These are truly "little ships", offering surprising accommodation in such a small boat, & excellent coastal sailing. The deep ballasted keel provides stiffness & bite when sailing to windward, indeed I have sailed in the short chop of the east coast in the bottom of a f6 under full sail.(Not recommended, but she’ll do it!) This boat will inspire confidence in the novice. Also, downwind sailing is enhanced by lifting the keel which still provides directional grip as it lies outside the hull.

L Milton