ABOVE—Another view of a Sparrow under sail.


the second pin is in position the forestay can be attached at leisure. The stock rig features mid-boom


sheeting from a bail on the boom to a swiveling fiddle block and cam cleat combo at the molded pad on the com- panionway sill. Launching the Sparrow with its


fixed 22 inches of draſt is slightly more demanding than an equivalent sized centerboarder, but both Sparrows we launched went off and on easily, in part because the shoal keel locates itself well between the roller bunks of the stock EZ Loader trailer.


SEAWORTHINESS: “I think she could benefit fom a few more pounds in her ballast. In heavy seas she sometimes can’t forge through a wave but gets pushed off. She would also benefit fom the deeper draſt that a swing keel would afford; I think she would go to weather better. All this being said she performs well given her size and ballast. I have had her out in a gale; I’ve crossed the Strait of Juan de Fuca and played with all the big boys. David Goldsmith, former owner 1981 Sparrow


The Sparrow has plenty of attributes 64


that imply seaworthiness. Tere’s a rea- sonably conservative cockpit-to-cabin ratio, a seat-level companionway sill, and a self-draining cockpit with only a single cockpit locker (lazarette) with a heavy hinged lid with hasp. She also has substantial fixed ballast with no moving parts below the waterline. We’re told she’s self-righting and, as mentioned, unsinkable. Potential weaknesses include one or


sometimes two thru-hulls associated with a knotmeter and a galley sink. All boats include a bow pulpit, and some fea- tured the optional aſt pulpit, and there are the familiar teak handrails on the cabintop, but the Sparrow lacks any kind of toerail. Fortunately the 8.5” sidedecks and flat cabintop make going forward less disconcerting than on some boats. And while the cockpit is scuppered,


the setup is not perfect. Both 3/4” drains are located in a molded recess at the very front of the footwell. Te drains lead to hoses which run under the entire cockpit and exit the transom above the waterline. In some models the drains connect to a T and merge into a single hose. Going aft, the hose or hoses pass through the lazarette. As a result, they interfere some with stowage and there’s always a chance


a shiſting anchor or other heavy object might damage or displace the hose. We’ve also been told that with three


or more persons in the cockpit the drains sometimes ship water back into the footwell. It’s worth mentioning that the Spar-


row’s hard chines provide good initial stability and the substantial cabin house and deep coamings lend a dry ride. Te Sparrow scores an excellent 166 on our SCA Seaworthiness Test.


ACCOMMODATIONS: “Clearly she’s limited, but for a 16-footer I think it’s quite spacious.” Bill McCoy, former owner QT 1981


“I would guess you could sleep two average adults and two kids OK.” Carl Taylor, 1976 Guppy 16.


Te 63” x 72” cockpit is plenty spacious, and a long tiller helps keep all controls within reach. Te deep lazarette mostly compensates for the lack of cockpit seat lockers. Sitting is comfortable, whether inside the deep coamings or perched atop their 5-inch-wide tops. Inside the cabin there’s a teak or ma- hogany step (builder used both woods


SMALL CRAFT ADVISOR


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