Macwester Rowan 22
Macwester Rowan 22: Lamingo. Photo: Fireball
Macwester Rowan 22: Lamingo. Photo: Fireball
Macwester Rowan 22: Appledore Belle, West Country, 2008. Photo: M Brown
Macwester Rowan 22: Chantilly, Essex, 2010. Photo: Chantilly B
Macwester Rowan 22: Chantilly, Essex, 2010. Photo: Chantilly B
Macwester Rowan 22: Unknown, Sussex, 2011. Photo: M Hitchin
Macwester Rowan 22: Demavend, W Scotland, 2011. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22: Demavend, W Scotland, 2011. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22: Demavend, W Scotland, 2011. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22, Inis Cara, Belfast Lough, 2012. Photo: J Conn
Macwester Rowan 22: Wychen, W Scotland, 2013. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22: Wychen, W Scotland, 2013. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22: Wychen, W Scotland, 2013. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22: Wychen, W Scotland, 2013. Photo: MacW
Macwester Rowan 22: Ellen, Shetland Islands, 2015. Photo: Alan Jarden
Macwester Rowan 22: Ellen, Shetland Islands, 2015. Photo: Alan Jarden
Macwester Rowan 22: Stealaway, North Wales, 2015. Photo: D Lewis
Macwester Rowan 22: Stealaway, North Wales, 2015. Photo: D Lewis
Macwester Rowan 22: Stealaway, North Wales, 2015. Photo: D Lewis
Macwester 
Comment relocated to this page from
https://macwester.wordpress.com/the-beginning/:
The photo of the Mac 22, non standard rudder is I believe our old family boat Lamingo, looking much smarter than the last time I saw her. The blue anti foul looks really tidy, so much better than the old red tiger brand that used to get slopped over her bottom at low tide down at east head. See Mr Wilson replaced her push pit in stainless but left that ugly outboard bracket .The rudder conversion was by the way the single best thing we did to change her from standard. Would recommend it to all Rowan owners, along with the purchase of a large ghosting Genoa, made huge difference to her performance. Great to see her looking loved again, believe she was the first rowan built by Macwesters as she was used for a demo boat until our purchase in 69 or 70. Here’s to her next 43 years.
by David Procter October 25, 2011 at 4:13 am
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Comment relocated to this page from
https://macwester.wordpress.com/the-beginning/:
Lamingo is still called Lamingo. I am currently looking to possibly buying her.
regards Jim
by Jim Quin March 1, 2012 at 6:31 pm
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Hi Jim,good luck with the purchase.John has done her proud with the spruce job.Lamingo named after a reservior dad built in Nigeria back in the late 1950’s,upon which we sailed the first boat the old man built.The name was my mothers idea never that fond of it myself,but don’t believe in changing a boats name far too unlucky.She is a remarkable little boat and sails far beyond her yard stick rating of 98,and were she big enough for a live aboard would buy her back myself in an instant.Very safe sea boat,handled everything the English channel had to offer,not exactly the roaring forties I know but think she would handle that just as well.Best wishes David.
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Hi
I was reading your write up on the Rowan and wondering is you have any better photo’s of the rudder or drawings…. I have a Rowan which I bought about 3 years ago, she is a super little boat but windward performance is a bit lacking and I would like to try some improvements and the rudder might be one
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Hi Jane. May I ask what year your Rowan was built? Lamingo our old boat was the first pre production boat out of the mold and retained by Macwesters as a demonstration boat for the first year to eighteen months of her life,until Dad struck a deal with Mr Roy to purchase her for £1800 in 1970 at the Earls Court boat show..as a prototype there were several differences to the production boats. She was fitted with an air cooled JAP Villiers engine and to aid cooling had a forward facing snorkel fitted in the cock pit just to starboard of the companion way,this was rather in affective and was removed at my fathers request by macwesters and then replaced by my father and myself with an electric fan. Sorry I digress from your Question.
As to the rudder the original rudder fitted to the boat was enormous, very similar in shape to the standard pattern only twice the area into its leading edge was a huge cut away to accommodate the prop a very large two bladed job with considerable power but little top speed. The cut away was necessary as the keel of the boat dropped straight down from the stern onto which the cutlass bearing was mounted,something that was altered in the production boats and the cut away was moved in part into the keel. Anyway the result of this large rudder was quite dreadful the boat under power refused to steer in reverse in forward the helm shook so much that in cold weather it resulted in a condition known as white finger normally associated with tree surgeons and bikers. Under sail the helm shook and the faster her speed the greater the shake resu8lting in considerable drag. Dad decided enough was enough after she refused to come about in a force 7 off Yarmouth Isle of Wight nearly putting us onto the rocks forming the break water. that winter she was taken out and the rudder removed along with the prop shaft and cutlass bearing a cutaway was draw onto the keel and cut out with a large industrial jig saw, made good with GRP and the cutlass bearing and shortened prop shaft reinstated. Dad had been to the bankruptcy sale at Westerlies and picked up a Jouster rudder for next to nothing, However it was far too long and had to be shortened to suit the Rowan we also had to cut a fine notch in the leading edge to clear the prop. These areas were then made good again with GRP and fitted to the boat with new fixings designed and built by dad. The improvement was dramatic to say the least gone was the drag and the dreadful tiller shake,she was also much lighter on the helm and handled in the turns like a dingy.In short the balance of the Helm was a joy and yes she pointed much better in part due to the dynamics of the rudder and in part due to the extra speed she was making without the drag. Dad also invested in a large light airs Genoa , beautifully cut this sail did much to improve the rigs power and also took her even further into the wind. Good sails are really important if you want to get the best from a Rowan. We also used to fit an inner stay sail which did much to improve things and would recommend this, boomed and self tacking set up properly a definite improvement without upsetting the balance of the boat.It was a great shame we never got around to replacing the main sail which got baggy with age and almost certainly lost us a knot or so. and probably a degree or two..Correctly set up and tuned the Rowan is a match for many so called better boats and in the right conditions will leave them red faced and astern. Lamingo was at Dell Quay Chichester the last I heard contact the harbour master and he will give you her current location visit her and take a look for yourself better than pics which I don’t have sorry to say. The last owner was John Wilson on 01243 574698 he might be able to help with pics.. Please let me know how you get on Kind Regards David.
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Jane see photo top of the page by fireball that is lamingo with rudder conversion.
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After reading the notes about Lamingo’s rudder I made one with a larger blade and it works pretty well. If we can get in contact I will send you some details.
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I would be very pleased to see your pics and hear your thoughts and findings now the job completed. P.S. have you thought of a bow sprit at all and the cutter conversion?
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Hi David, there is a brief write up with a couple of photos on my blog site and there is a link to this in the links page in this web site http://chantillyb.blogspot.co.uk/ .
I had thought about adjustments to the rig but this is very low on my list of priorities and I am not sure if any benefit will be derived. If I could be reasonably certain of achieving better windward performance I might be tempted to have a go.
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and finely this
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hello , i have a rowan 22 which constantly settles nose down, is this normal? no engine , fuel tank, or water tank though would that be the problem, also no bilge plates or is it just local conditions? thank you for any helpful suggestions andy
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Hi, personally I’ve never heard of a Macwester that settles nose down. I’ve certainly seen that with lighter boats such as the Hunter Horizons. My guess would be that the lack of engine, fuel, and water could well be the issue as these would make a difference in terms of balance. Alternatively, it could be something to do with your mooring (either where you take the ground or possibly even your ground tackle).
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Hi, you don’t say if you are using legs, or weather or not the mud she sits on is reasonably flat. All things being equal she should settle evenly. .I have noticed without legs lying on her side a very slight forward tilt. But nothing to be unduly worried over. Is your anchor chain locker full? or indeed the lockers under the forward berths. Without motor ,water tank etc this may well effect her balance. Check the mud at low tide is there a hole she might be tilting into.
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thank you, will shift some stuff ,and see what happens
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I am considering buying a MacWester 22 in favour of my Westerly Cirrus, its in a lot better condition and I would save myself a lot of work. In this deal I wouldnt lose money, but I am not sure if I will be happy with the sailing capabilities of a MacWester? I heard they dont point good and tack very slowly.
Im not a racer but how bad is it really?
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I think it depends on what you are comparing it to, my experience with the Westerly cirrus is limited, but the differing keel format of the two boats is bound to provide very different responses.We found with our boat which was the pre production prototype that changing the rudder which unlike the production boats was a huge great barn door of a thing and fitting a very large Genoa bigger than standard, made a substantial difference. When Jim designed the boat he deliberately under powered the Rowan for safe family cruising. After these changes she was much handier in the turns and the problem of stalling in the turns went away. We also made provision for a stay sail which worked well, not too much extra speed but certainly provided needed extra power and improved passage times. The Rowan is a safe capable boat, and with a decent sail set and a little tuning will provide you with really good sailing but no where near the levels of comfort that the Cirrus provides. not a problem if you are only day sailing. As a foot note one Rowan sailing in a storm off the channel islands recorded a speed through the water of eleven knots I doubt the Cirrus could match that. Not sure we ever managed that but regularly got her up to nine knots, not bad for a 18.6 ft WL. plastic fantastic
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Really pleased to read about the macwester 22. I owned one myself but eventually moved up to a prospect 900. Not the best move I did,l would happily sell my prospect and get another Macwester
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