adams 13 yacht review

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• Sailboat Guide

Adams 13 is a 43 ′ 1 ″ / 13.1 m monohull sailboat designed by Joe Adams and built by Adams Yachts and NSW Australia between 1978 and 2000.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

One of designer Joe Adams’ most popular, the Adams 13 is well known in Australia. It was introduced in 1978, which is surprising as the boat seems modern even by todays standards. Adams took quite an innovative approach with the Metre series of boats, with the Adams 13 it’s essentially a 36 foot yacht stretched to 43 feet to produce a narrow hull that’s roomier below deck and more slippery through the water. Best of all, the Adams 13 retains much of the affordability of a 36 footer.

The boat is versatile; she’s nimble enough for racing around the buoys, has had a long successful career as an offshore racer, and has also proven to be a competent, seakindly blue water cruising vessel. Most have centerboards, which when pulled up aids down wind performance and usefully draws barely over one metre for cruising into those shallow bays. Not surprisingly owners report the boat is easily handled and fun to sail.

The Adams 13 was penned around 1977-78 shortly after the introduction of her smaller sibling, the Adams 10 Metre. Designer Graham Radford, who was a partner in Adams Yacht Design for a decade during those years, tells us the Adams 10 was the first boat produced in the “Adams Metre” range. These were light displacement, narrow beamed performance cruising yachts.

When we asked about the design goals of the Adams 13 Radford commented:

“It was really just a small but long cruising boat. Not a big volume boat, it’s narrow, it’s long, it’s got the accommodation volume of a 36 footer but in 43 feet of length … The centerboard was to give it very shallow draft for cruising. That style of centerboard we used on quite a few designs from little boats right through to 56 footers. It’s proved very popular and has done a lot of sea miles.”

Interestingly the Adams 13 was a boat Joe Adams initially designed for himself, he invested a lot of time dialing in this particular design. The moulds were funded by a syndicate of five owners including Adams himself. Each put in one fifth of the cost and after the five boats were built the moulds were sold off and since then they have changed hands multiple times.

The very first boat was called Fanny Adams which was built for an owner in Sydney who did some offshore racing with her. Since then an estimated 80 boats have been built by various builders and we hear the last hull to have popped off the moulds was in 2002. The moulds are presently owned by Peter Rigby of Adams Yacht Sales, who are open for new orders.

No history on the Adams 13 would be complete without a mention that although designed as a cruising yacht, the boat has had a successful career as an offshore racer including many entries in the Sydney-Hobart race. She remains competitive to this day.

Configuration & Layout

One look at the Adams 13 and you can tell this is not your average blue water cruiser. Narrow and sleek to an extreme with a nearly straight sheerline, it flies in the face of conventional cruising yacht design circa late-1970s. Her displacement and beam measurements reads that of a regular 36 foot cruising yacht, yet her length is 43 feet overall with a long waterline of nearly 41 feet.

The boat was expressly designed for a couple to sail and see the world, the way Adams went about this goal was to stretch the boat to provide extra room below deck, while retaining the lighter displacement and associated rigging thereby keeping costs closer to that of the smaller boat. The payoff is obvious; speed.

Along the performance theme, the boat employs a fractional cutter rig boasting a healthy 1075 square feet of sail area. The rudder is transom-hung with tiller steering for simplicity and reliability. Below the waterline is a keel/centerboard arrangement which when pulled up enhances downwind performance by reducing wetted area and draws a shallow 1.04m of depth allowing close-in anchoring.

Of note is the mainsheet/traveller system which is located right in the middle of the cockpit and can get in the way of cruising activities; on some boats owners have relocated the sheeting control further forward to open up the cockpit area.

There is an Adams 13E variation of the boat better suited to the needs of offshore racing, the “E” representing “extended cockpit” with an open transom. The centerboard is gone in favour of a fixed keel and the rudder relocated under the hull behind a sturdy skeg with wheel steering.

Interiors vary a lot between boats, this is the case with most Adams boats. Many boats were bought as hull and decks and finished professionally by various boatbuilders or fitted out by their owners. The standard accommodation layout provides for four to six people with 5′ 11″ of headroom. The saloon is forward of the centerboard case and provides a cosy area removed from the working part of the accommodation. There are two large quarter berths aft which may be singles or doubles. The saloon can accommodate two extra in single berths if required and in the V-berth are two single berths or a double. A large toilet/shower compartment is enclosed alongside the centerboard case.

Construction

The hull is of fiberglass sandwich construction using an Airex foam core. The decks are in fiberglass using end-grain balsa coring, though some decks used Airex foam. The stub keel is made from solid GRP skins with moulded lead ballast, the structure is encapsulated in fiberglass and the structural floors are then fitted.

The Adams 13 is easily handled, rather nimble and owners report it as being fun to sail. The boat’s motion is comfortable and seakindly, and it is said crossing oceans in her can often be less effort than a 36 foot yacht. Not surprisingly with such a narrow hull and light displacement, the boat is easily driven. You’ll often find these boats fitted with incredibly small engines, some having 2 cylinder 20hp diesels or even smaller.

They are particularly fast off the breeze with their centerboard up, a useful strength given a decent amount of miles covered when offshore cruising is done off the wind. The tradeoff is the high center of gravity of the ballast in the stub keel, which makes the boat relatively tender which detracts from windward performance. The boat needs to be reefed early despite the large amount of sail area the boat can carry.

Though setup as a cutter rig, the favourite for long distance passage-making, when sailing inshore she is commonly sailed as a sloop with headsails of modest size. Her best point of sail is in a broad reach when most of the sail area can be used in to good effect without reefing.

Buyers Notes

As of 2010, the asking price of the Adams 13M in the used market is in the range of: $110k-$140k AUD.

New hull and deck kits are available from Adams Yacht Sales for $58k AUD.

Links, References and Further Reading

» A History of Graham Radford’s time at Adams Yacht Design on Radford’s official site.

Thanks goes out to Graham Radford of  Radford Yacht Design and Michele Pippen for their assistance in the research of this article.

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Bluewater Sailboat – Adams 13 Metre

The Bluewater Sailboat Adams 13 is one of Joe Adams’ most well-known designs, and it is highly known in Australia. Its 1978 debut is astonishing given how advanced the boat seems even by today’s standards.

With the Metre series of boats, Adams adopted a really novel technique; the Adams 13 is essentially a 36-foot yacht stretched to 43 feet in order to provide a narrow hull that is more spacious below deck and more nimble through the water. The Adams 13 is still largely affordable, which is the best part.

The sailboat is adaptable; she has a long and successful career as an offshore racer, is quick enough for racing around buoys, and has also shown to be a capable, sea-friendly blue water cruising yacht. The majority of them have centerboards, which, when raised, improve downwind performance and advantageously draw just a little bit more than one metre for navigating those narrow harbours. Owners claim that the boat is simple to manage and enjoyable to sail, which is no surprise.

• LOA: 13.14 m. (43′ 1.5″) – 13.5 m. (44′ 6″)
• LWL: 12.38 m. (40′ 7.5″)
• Beam: 3.1 m. (10′ 2″)
• Draft, centerboard up: 1.04 m. (3′ 4.25″)
• Draft, centerboard down: 2.67 m. (8′ 9″)
• Displacement: 6,560 kg. (14,460 lbs.)
• Ballast: 3,630 kg. (8000 lbs.)
• Sail Area: 99.82 sq. m. (1075 sq. ft.)
• Headroom: 1.80 m. (5′ 11″)
• Water: 300 l.**
• Fuel: 160 l.**
• Engine: Various from 13hp upwards
• Year Introduced: 1978
• Year Ended: 2000
• Designer: Joe Adams
• Builder: Adams Yachts, NSW Australia

Soon after the debut of her smaller sibling, the Adams 10 Metre, in 1977–1978, the Adams 13 was written. The Adams 10 was the first boat made in the “Adams Metre” range, according to designer Graham Radford, who spent ten years as a partner in Adams Yacht Design. These were performance cruising ships with light displacement and narrow beams.

The Adams 13’s design objectives are said to be a little, long cruise boat. Not a big volume boat, it is long, slender, and has the same amount of space as a 36-footer but is just 43 feet long. For cruising, the centerboard was supposed to give it an extremely shallow draught. From little boats to 56-footers, that sort of centerboard is used on many different designs. It has racked up a lot of sea miles and proven to be highly popular.

It’s interesting to note that Joe Adams spent a lot of time perfecting the design of the Adams 13, a boat he first built for himself. A syndicate of five proprietors, including Adams, paid for the molds. Each contributed one-fifth of the total cost, and after the five boats were constructed, the molds were sold off. Since that time, their ownership has changed several times.

The first vessel, Fanny Adams, was built for a Sydney-based owner who participated in some offshore racing with her. Since then, multiple builders have reportedly constructed 80 boats, with the latest hull to pop off the molds occurring in 2002. Adams Yacht Sales’ Peter Rigby currently owns the molds and is accepting new orders.

The fact that the Bluewater Sailboat Adams 13 has had a successful career as an offshore racer, including numerous entries in the Sydney-Hobart race while being built as a cruising yacht, must be mentioned in order for the history of the boat to be considered comprehensive. She is still competitive now.

The hull is made of sandwiched fiberglass with an Airex foam core. Some of the fiberglass decks used Airex foam, but most used end-grain balsa coring. The structure is encased in fiberglass, the structural floors are installed, and the stub keel is constructed from solid GRP skins with molded lead ballast.

Performance

The Adams 13 is simple to handle, and quite nimble, and its owners say it’s enjoyable to sail. It is stated that because of the sailboat’s smooth motion and sea-friendliness, crossing oceans in her frequently requires less work than in a 36-foot yacht. The boat is simple to drive, which makes sense given its tiny displacement and thin hull. These boats frequently have relatively tiny engines, some of which have just two cylinders and 20 horsepower (hp).

With their centerboard up, they are especially quick off the breeze, which is a strength considering the significant number of miles covered when offshore cruising off the wind. The boat is relatively fragile due to the high center of gravity of the ballast in the stub keel, which reduces windward performance. Despite the boat’s ability to carry a lot of sail area, the reef needs to be put in early.

Although designed as a cutter rig, preferred for long-distance passage-making, she is typically sailed as a sloop with moderate size headsails when sailing inshore. Her optimum point of sail is on a broad reach when she can effectively utilize the majority of the sail area without reefing.

Looking for a used sailboat for sale? Check out the Bluewater sailboat data and specs to make an informed decision. Ocean Wave Sail has data for over 10000+ boats that can help you select one to meet your sailing needs.

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Review of Adams 13m

Basic specs., sailing characteristics.

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Adams 13m is 1.66, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 8.5 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Adams 13m is about 255 kg/cm, alternatively 1430 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 255 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1430 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio) Indicates how fast the boat is in light wind: - Cruising Boats have ratios 10-15 - Cruiser-Racers have ratios 16-20 - Racers have ratios above 20 - High-Performance Racers have ratios above 24 Sail-area/displacement ratio (SA/D ratio): 21.56

Maintenance

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section is reserved boat owner's modifications, improvements, etc. Here you might find (or contribute with) inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what you have done.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Adams 13m it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

The Gezzabelle crew in action. Pic - Bow Caddy Media

Adams 10 one-design racing: The best of both worlds

Tracy Richardson, President of the Adams Ten Class Association of Australia, remembers her first impression of an Adams 10 in 2014 like it was yesterday.

“I have a very vivid memory of coming down the marina at Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC) and going past all these big boats and seeing an Adams 10 at the end and thinking, ‘Oh gosh, it has no rails,’ and, ’What have I got myself into?’,” Richardson said with a laugh.

Any doubts she had quickly flew out the window. She has sailed a range of boats over the years but can’t get enough of these one-design keelboats, which she likens to a “big dinghy”.

“It makes me laugh sometimes, as the Adams 10s go out against a lot of bigger, fancier boats, and we do really well as we’re trained to race them competitively in tight class racing,” Richardson said. “That gives you a great buzz. You can throw them around a lot more than bigger boats. They’re very responsive, and you can take them out in all conditions as well.”

Adams 10 fact sheet

• The Adams 10 is a 10 metre one-design monohull keelboat.
• 105 have been built.
• It can have up to seven crew members on board (in a race format).
• In 2022, Adams 10s are raced out of Sydney, Lake Macquarie, Pittwater, Newcastle, Gosford and Victoria.
• Many of the current Adams 10 crews started their sailing from the various skiff clubs dotted around the harbour.

Joe Adams fact sheet

• The Adams 10 was designed in 1972 by Australian yacht designer, naval architect and sailor the late Joe Adams.
• Adams is also known for designing the Adams 13, 21, 10.6 and 8, the 1973 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race line honours winner ‘Helsal’, and other yachts.
• Adams died tragically in the Philippines in 2012, aged 81.

The legacy of Joe Adams

When sailing the 1987 built ‘Gezzabelle’, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) Commodore Allen Stormon said he felt a strong connection to the Adams 10 class through his late father, John.

John Stormon owned 16 yachts in his lifetime. Allen Stormon said his father “knew and respected Joe Adams” and owned the first Adams 8 and three Adams 10s, including Gezzabelle.

“She [Gezzabelle] has returned home and every time I sail on her, I feel Dad is watching over us,” Stormon said.

Like his father, Stormon “loves the simplicity and competitiveness of Joe Adams’ designs”.

“[Joe] was ahead of his time, and this is proven by the Adams 10 still being competitive against much newer designs of comparable size.”

Adams’ legacy includes “long-lasting” Australian designed yachts, that no doubt will continue to bring out the best of sailors across all levels in the future.

This year marks 50 years of the Adams 10 class. To celebrate, Adams 10 sailors will hold a celebration dinner at MHYC on Saturday November 19 in conjunction with the NSW Championship.

The appeal of ‘one design’ racing

It is not uncommon these days to find that, in many sailing classes, the yachts that have had the most money spent on modifications and professional crew often sit at the top of the leader boards.

But the Adams 10 class is sailing at its grassroots best where there is an even playing field, whatever your experience and however big or small your budget.

“For me the one-design rule was really appealing,” Richardson said. “You get out there and race against people whose boat is the same as yours. You’re competing against people not boats, and I like that.”

Drummoyne Sailing Club’s Sean Inkley, who bought his 1980 Adams 10 ‘Whisper’ in 2019 with Simon Mapstone, said the one-design rule was the “special factor” that drew him to the class.

“There are no handicaps, there’s no messing around with numbers,” Inkley said. “Everything is the same and that’s the most exciting part because it’s not the boat that it comes down to – it’s the teamwork and the skill, that’s really where people do well.”

Lake Macquarie sailor Tom Braidwood, who has raced with and against some of the top sailors in the world, said the strict one-design nature of the class created “great racing”.

“It’s really tight,” Braidwood said. “We’ve always had a lot of good teams. There’s always not much in it. You know the sign of a good one design fleet – if you can get around the top mark just in front of the pack, then you know the pack will eat themselves up and you can sneak away a bit.”

Stormon agreed: “It’s as tight as the racing in other one design classes; you make a mistake, you get buried. Knowing how and when to change gears is imperative.”

Braidwood said the class rules were inclusive for sailors of all ages and physical abilities. They include a 25-knot wind limit, a maximum of three races a day, and no mast head spinnakers. And having up to seven crew members means there’s always room for more support. Or in Braidwood’s case, his son, Eamon, and daughter, Yardley, who sail Flying 11s at Belmont 16s, can come along for the ride on board his Adams 10 ‘Backchat’.

Learning essential sailing skills

Eight years ago, in 2014, Tracy Richardson started out on the Adams 10 ‘No Friends’ out of MHYC, and didn’t hesitate when the opportunity arose to buy into 1/6 of a share in the yacht. This was an affordable introduction into boat ownership and a great way to grow her sailing skills by learning from the other owners. This shared ownership is found in many of the boats that sail in this most ‘Corinthian’ of classes.

At the end of 2020, Richardson bought the Adams 10 ‘Artemis’ with her brother-in-law, Brendan Smid. Richardson races with a mixed crew (men and women) in states, nationals and club races, but also runs an all-female crew for women’s events.

The Artemis all-female crew have had enormous success in the four years they’ve sailed together, winning the 2021 and 2022 Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series, and the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta on ORC and EHC on borrowed Adams 10 ‘2Xtreme’.

Richardson attributed much of her success to the competition and camaraderie in the Adams 10 class.

“If you race in the Adams 10 class, expect to sail against some really experienced, confident, competent racers. It’s been fantastic for me to learn to race as I’ve been around really incredible, very experienced sailors – fantastic role models to learn from.”

Braidwood also praises the veterans of the class, who never fail to bring high-quality sailing to the course.

“The old guys who have been sailing for a long time, sail really well. You’ll be there, fighting really hard, and you see these old buggers going along quite well,” Braidwood said with a laugh.

Experienced sailors love the class

As a professional sailor for almost 20 years, Tom Braidwood’s life was jam-packed with some of the most exciting and prominent races on the international sailing calendar.

He has competed in four Ocean Races, formerly known as the Volvo Ocean Race and before that the Whitbread Round the World Race – arguably one of the toughest races, crewed in multiple America’s Cup campaigns with Syd Fischer AM OBE, and Mini Transat races. And this year Braidwood will compete in his 25th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on board David Griffith’s JV 62 ‘Whisper’.

Due to family commitments, Braidwood stepped back from the professional sailing circuit. Braidwood, who works on tugboats at Newcastle, has been able to spend more time at home on the lake, sailing his Adams 10 ‘Backchat’, which he had his eye on since he was a young bloke. Braidwood co-owns Backchat (1989) with Jason Akers and is an Adams 10 Class Association Committee Member.

Braidwood has won three Adams 10 National Championship titles on board Backchat. He is looking to bring that trophy home again when he and his crew, including his wife Belinda, travel to Pittwater for the 2023 National Championship, to be hosted by RPAYC on February 3-5, 2023.

Affordable and competitive

Braidwood said one of the attractions of the Adams 10 one-design class was its affordability.

For a reasonable price, Braidwood was able to buy Backchat and then refurbish it, getting rid of “countertop winches and crap everywhere”.

“I think any Adams 10 in flat water can be as fast as any other Adams – clean bottom, good sails and get the boat down to weight,” Braidwood said.

“The guy who has a good day, he’ll beat you. A lot of the boats are very evenly matched.

At the end of the day, it comes down to this: as long as they’ve got good sails and the hull’s good.”

States and Nationals

Tracy Richardson will be raring to go when MHYC hosts the NSW Championship on November 19-20, followed by the Australian Championship at RPAYC.

She said at the nationals, the Artemis crew “tends to get put in [their] place as the calibre of sailors is just really strong”.

Stormon and his Gezzabelle crew have high expectations for the Australian Championship at MHYC in February 2022

This February, he said a fleet of around 14 Adams 10 would battle it out on Pittwater. He is hopeful the home advantage will help his crew climb to the top of the leader board.

“[Our goal is] not to come third again,” Stormon said. “No seriously, we have never been higher than third at the nationals, so we want to better that result.”

The NSW Championship and the Australian Championship are both sponsored by sailing and water sports brand Zhik. The Adams Ten Class Association of Australia is excited about the support that Zhik is providing to the class.

Social scene

Richardson praised the versatility of the Adams 10 class; one day she and her crew might compete against America’s Cup sailors while on another they’re chilling with a bevvy in hand during a twilight race.

“My crew and I are having a fantastic time,” Richardson said. “We use Artemis for all purposes – take it out for twilights, have a laugh, have some beers, kids come on board sometimes.

This balance between fiercely competitive racing and a lively social atmosphere also appealed to Braidwood.

“We pride ourselves on the Backchat team. We are always the last ones at the bar at the end of the night,” Braidwood said in a mock serious tone.

Buy an Adams 10 or join a crew

For those interested in owning an Adams 10, the Adams 10 sailors would be more than happy to help in the search for the right boat.

“One design racing is such an amazing experience,” Richardson said.

“We know that there are others out there that would love to come and join us. We’re keen to get some new boats, some new owners and old boats involved and want to support people who are interested in doing that.”

“New kids on the block” Inkley and Mapstone, were humbled by the support they received from other Adams 10 sailors after they bought Whisper. The boat had been set up for offshore sailing and was in need of a major refit to be ready for inshore fleet racing.

“To have those guys who have been doing it for a while to provide super valuable information to us, it really sped up the process,” Inkley said. “That’s one of the great things we love about the Adams 10 class.”

For more information on the Adams Ten Class Association of Australia, see: https://www.adamsten.com.au/ or contact them at [email protected]

Upcoming events:

Adams 50th anniversary celebration – November 19 at MHYC: https://www.eventbookings.com/b/event/adams-yachts-50-year-celebration

NSW Championship – November 19-20 at MHYC: https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/regattas-championships

MHYC’s Seven Islands Race – November 26 at MHYC: https://www.mhyc.com.au/sailing/online-entries

Australian Championship – February 3-5, 2023, at RPAYC: https://rpayc.com.au/sailing/regattas-championships/

Sydney Harbour Regatta – March 4-5, 2023, at MHYC: https://www.shr.mhyc.com.au/

To follow the Adams 10 on Facebook, see: https://www.facebook.com/Adams10m

To follow the Adams 10 on Instagram, see: https://www.instagram.com/adams10racing/

By Greta Quealy / Adams Ten Class Association of Australia

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The Adams 13 is a 43.11ft cutter designed by Joe Adams and built in fiberglass between 1978 and 2000.

80 units have been built..

The Adams 13 is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a fast cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

Adams 13 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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Adams 10 one-design racing: The best of both worlds

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Hi guys, I am living in Australia, looking forward to buy my first boat. Anyone has experience with an Adams 31? The one I like was built 1984 half-tonner(what does it mean?) I am new to the sailing world, only took a few days sailing lessons and have some small boat experience. All I want is a cruiser for weekends. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance. Jacky  

Welcome to sailing. Half tonners are a type of race boat designed to race under the IOR, an now obsolete rating rule. While I am not familiar with the Adams per se, the IOR of that era generally produced pretty unseaworthy and difficult boats to handle. Generally they don''t make very good cruisers as they tend to be pretty spartan and are not terribly robust. They are also difficult boats to race requiring comparatively large crews and sail inventories. Jeff  

Thank you very much for your advice. Seems I need to continue my "boat hunting". How about Compass 29? Ever heard of it? Thanks heaps. Jacky  

I think that is an old Farr designed IOR era boat. The 29 is actually a Farr 9.14 which was also built overseas as well. They seem to be pretty nice boats as old IOR boats go. Jeff  

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Adams 13 Boats For Sale in Australia

Found 19 listings.

• New Adams Boats For Sale
• Used Adams Boats For Sale
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• Used Adams in current search

Adams 13 Centre Board

Modified Adams 13m sail boat. Transom hung rudder. Sugar scoop added to stern. Deck ...

• 43' / 13.10m

New Adams 13.5 Hull And Deck (Assembled)

Adams 45ft yacht fibreglass hull and deck. Suit world cruising, live-aboard or racing. DIY ...

• 44' 7" / 13.60m
• AU $29,900 Huge price reduction - New & In Stock

Adams 13 Mast Head Cutter Rig

Adams 13 metre Dagger board with transom hung lifting rudder & tiller steering. ...

• AU $145,000 Now reduced

Immaculately presented Adams 13 Designed by Joe Adams as a cruiser racer originally from ...

• 44' / 13.40m
• 1985 approx
• AU $145,000 Or nearest offer

Adams 65 Island Trader

Vessel Name - Isabella - Australian Registered Ship Hull Material - australian made steel - ...

• 65' 7" / 20.00m
• US $200,000 negotiable

Adams Traditional 36 - Australian Registered

Adams Yachts are synonymous with excellent sailing capabilities. Match that with a pilot house ...

• 36' / 10.97m
• AU $85,000 Or nearest offer

Adams 438 Australian Registered Exceptional Steel Cruiser

This exceptional blue water cruiser was designed by Joe Adams and the builder/first owner. A ...

• 43' 8" / 13.31m
• AU $195,000 Or nearest offer

Total Eclipse is an exceptional Blue Water Cruiser built to handle the toughest conditions ...

• 42' 6" / 12.95m
• AU $128,000

Adams 31 Pilothouse Cruising Yacht Huon Pine 'Rosie'

Pretty as a peach, this gorgeous Joe Adams designed Pilot House yacht was meticulously built ...

• 31' 0" / 9.45m
• AU $109,000

Adams Traditional 36

URGENT SALE!! Cruiser/racer beautiful boat to sail ...

• AU $69,000 Negotiable

Adams 40 Custom Design

As Lyn & Larry Pardey were wont to say: "If you want to be a sailor, you have to go ...

• 42' 8" / 13.00m
• AU $185,000

Adams 40 Off Grid Adventure Sailor Huge Price Reduction

This Adams 40 has been set up for true off grid adventure sailing. With a steel hull and swing ...

• 40' / 12.19m
• 1976 approx
• AU $65,000 Or nearest offer

FROM THE PAST ... 1977 to 1987 ...The years at Adams Yacht Design

After a stint sailing on the original "HELSAL" - including the 1973 record breaking Sydney / Hobart race - Graham Radford started working with Joe Adams in 1974. Graham basically served an apprenticeship before he became a partner in Adams Yacht Design (A.Y.D.) in 1977 and stayed there until 1987. Here are some of the yachts designed at Adams Yacht Design during those years.

It was a very interesting and productive time at A.Y.D. - which has not been matched since - with many well known one-off and production yachts completed and a string of line honours wins in most of the offshore races on the East Coast.

Other designs completed but not shown in the following pages include the A28, Traditional / A36, A8M, A13M, A&R 10.6M, A&R12.5M, A98 Charter yacht, A54 steel cruising yacht and the Naut 40 (Concept 40) - as well as modifications and new layouts and construction drawings for earlier Adams designs such as the A40, A12M and A45. The designs completed still form a significant part of the plans and production yachts available under the A.Y.D. banner.

Since leaving A.Y.D. and starting his own business in 1987, many of the so called Adams owners and builders have come to Graham Radford for advice, modification to their yachts or for their new designs.

"BUTTERCUP" - A15.2m

Designed 1984 for Don McIntyre for the 86/87 BOC Challenge - not ready in time.

Aluminium construction. Originally with stub keel and dagger c' board it was changed to a deep draft bulb keel before launching in 1990 and subsequently competed in the 1990/91 BOC finishing second in Class II.

"Buttercup" sailed twice around the world before making a quick trip to Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica 1992/93. "Buttercup" was sold to the USA for another circumnavigation under her new name "Lightwave". Another A15.2m, "Shuten-Dohji II" - Minoru Saito - completed both the 1990/91 and 1994/95 BOC Races.

"HELSAL II" - A66m RACING YACHT

Designed & Launched 1979, Helsal II was designed to rate the maximum under the IOR and is known as a Pocket Maxi. It became one of the better known yachts from Adams Yacht Design during the period 1977-87. She has competed in numerous offshore races including fifteen Sydney / Hobart Races, achieving 2nd and 3rd over the line and a recent Division A win on Performance Handicap. Helsal II has taken Line Honours at least four times in the Sydney / Mooloolaba & one handicap win. She has also taken line honours in the Melbourne / Hobart, Adelaide / Port Lincoln, Sydney / Vila, Montague Is ( Race record 1981) and even competed in the Transpac. This is but a brief summary of her racing career! Helsal II is another well used and well travelled yacht.

"THE OFFICE"

A66 Cruiser / racer - designed in 1984 and built by John McConaghy. FRP / foam sandwich hull and deck, stub keel, dagger c'board, rudder and skeg.

"The Office" was subsequently sold and renamed "HELSAL III"

A15.2m - designed in 1984 - originally named "VALKYRIE"

Aluminium construction, ballasted stub keel and dagger c'board, rudder and skeg.

Converted in 1991 to lifting bulb keel and spade rudder. The construction was modified to comply with A.B.S. approved plans. An extensive refit. Much improved performance in club races on Lake Macquarie and in offshore races such as Sydney / Hobart & Sydney / Southport. Line Honours Lord Howe 1995.

A15.2M production yachts have cruised extensively and competed in many long offshore races including :-

• Melbourne / Osaka
• Around Australia 1988
• Sydney / Hobart
• Melbourne / Devonport (Line hnrs)
• BOC Challenge x 3

"TEVAKE" H 101 - A11.9M

Designed 1979-80 and launched mid 1980's for cruising / racing. FRP / foam sandwich construction. Masthead rig, ballasted stub and keel dagger board.

Converted in 1994 to a lifting bulb keel with a significant reduction in weight and increase in stability making "TEVAKE" a completely different yacht. After the conversion she finished a creditable second over the line in the 1994 Melbourne/Devonport Race.

Other A11.9m's have been converted to fixed bulb keels, lifting keels, hull extensions, new spade rudders and updated rig options

Fractional rig, fin keel A11.9m's took line honours in many races in the 1980's - including :-

• Sydney / Coffs Harbour
• Montague Island
• Melbourne / Devonport

"FLASHDANCE" PF57 - A16.4m

Designed 1983/84 - Builder - Hampson Yachts - Also builders of the Radford "Sprint" 1990.

FRP / foam sandwich production yacht for fast cruising, incorporating a stepped sheer;and cuddy cabin. Stub keel, dagger c'board, rudder and skeg. Yachts of this design have completed in numerous offshore races including:-

• Brisbane / Osaka
• Melbourne / Hobart
• Darwin / Ambon

A.B.S approved plans completed in 1989.

"NEWCASTLE FLYER" - M7 - IOR ONE TON

Designed 1984 - Built by Carina Yachts in FRP / foam sandwich construction.

The owner's two previous yachts had been an A11.9M (Production boat # 1, "Newcastle Flyer") and an A10M (Production boat # 1 - "Spirit" ).

Sister Ship = "THUMBS UP"

Built by Ian Milner, Launceston, Tasmania.

Cedar strip construction.Member of Tasmanian Southern Cross Team.

Designed 1981 - 40' Production Motor Sailer

FRP single skin laminate hull, shallow fin keel, rudder and skeg.

Designed 1984 - 36' Production Motor Sailer

"PIANOLA III" - A&R 13.2m

Designed 1985 - 13.2m cruiser / racer. Builder Ron Stenner

FRP / foam sandwich hull and plywood deck. Fractional rig, fin keel, transom hung spade rudder. Sailing out of Pittwater.

"ALSTAR" - A15.2m

Designed 1984. Owner Alby Burgin. Aluminium construction. Modified house with cuddy cabin and slightly deeper stub keel and dagger centerboard.

Alby Burgin and "ALSTAR" have successfully competed in numerous long distance short-handed races including :-

• Melbourne / Osaka, etc.

Converted in 1996/97 to a lifting bulb keel

"SOVEREIGN 42"

Originally the A12M production yacht - Extensively updated 1990.

New centre aft cockpit deck moulds. New accommodation layouts, new rudder and keel. FRP / foam sandwich construction (A.B.S. approved plans.

"CARINA 44"

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> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 17-08-2006, 15:46   Boat: CyberYacht 43 at the moment. They would both suit how I am fixed at the moment (little bit of , lots of spare time). Can I get some opinions as to how suitable they might be as cruising . The boats are ... Roberts 44 40 17-08-2006, 16:59   Boat: VandeStadt IOR 40' - Insatiable is only half built). But I will say that the 40 is a proven cruising design. The doesn't look perfect, but at that , it wouldn't have to be. That is a very for an Adams 40, so I would say it would be worth having a real look. 17-08-2006, 20:12   Boat: CyberYacht 43 . I'm looking seriously at the Roberts. 18-08-2006, 03:16   ,that is more extensivly fitted out and but for antifouling is ready to sail.I saw it yesterday and can not remember the exact price but Im sure it was $59,000.Where it says"size" Punch in 35ft-46ft and flip thru the pages.You'll find it.Mudnut. 18-08-2006, 11:37   Boat: Hartley Tahitian 45ft. Leisure Lady Roberts and Ganleys are very common over here. In fact, if you are a boat, your two main choices would be either of those. Our dollar is about 84cents to your dollar, so boats will be much cheaper to you. It's common for us to bring Oz boas across this way, so it surely wouldn't be too hard to get one back across the ditch. 21-08-2006, 08:09   Boat: Super Van Craft 1320 Power Yacht - we had an Adam 40 in a past life in Oz and I can say it would be all over the Roberts in terms of sailing ability. In fact our GRP version of the Adams 'cruiser' has led yachts such as Farr 1004's over the finish line! Good luck with whatever you choose. JOHN Go see our blog at Thread Tools Rate This Thread : Posting Rules post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post Greg Riach Monohull Sailboats 24 03-01-2017 08:36 bryan and wendy Monohull Sailboats 32 13-07-2012 05:33 tracker_46 Monohull Sailboats 2 21-07-2006 15:46 Fritz Monohull Sailboats 0 07-07-2006 13:34 No Threads to Display. - - - - - - - Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. 411 IMAGES Adams 13 Yacht sailing Adams 13 Used Adams 13 "friday" for Sale Adams 13 For Sale Adams 13 Adams 13 COMMENTS Adams 13 The Adams 13 is easily handled, rather nimble and owners report it as being fun to sail. The boat's motion is comfortable and seakindly, and it is said crossing oceans in her can often be less effort than a 36 foot yacht. Not surprisingly with such a narrow hull and light displacement, the boat is easily driven. Anybody know about an Aussie designer/boat Adams 13 meter??? Looked at an Adams 13 meter (45 ft) Center Board boat today. Thinking I might have caught the live aboard/cruising bug again. seems to have a rep as a good sea boat, narrow & only 3'3" draft board up, so real good for east coast US and the islands. Not much info via google so I'm wondering... Adams 13 Metre The Bluewater Sailboat Adams 13 is one of Joe Adams' most well-known designs, and it is highly known in Australia. Its 1978 debut is astonishing given how advanced the boat seems even by today's standards. With the Metre series of boats, Adams adopted a really novel technique; the Adams 13 is essentially a 36-foot yacht stretched to 43 feet ... ADAMS 13 A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls. Adams 13 centreboard After any info good or bad on the adams 13 with centreboard, mainly cruising but interested in sailing ability or anything really, cheers 06-02-2014, 08:36 # 2 Review of Adams 13m The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Adams 13m is about 255 kg/cm, alternatively 1430 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 255 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1430 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch. Adams 10 one-design racing: The best of both worlds The Adams 10 was designed in 1972 by Australian yacht designer, naval architect and sailor the late Joe Adams. Adams is also known for designing the Adams 13, 21, 10.6 and 8, the 1973 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race line honours winner 'Helsal', and other yachts. Adams died tragically in the Philippines in 2012, aged 81. Adams 13 The Adams 13 is a 43.11ft cutter designed by Joe Adams and built in fiberglass between 1978 and 2000. 80 units have been built. The Adams 13 is an ultralight sailboat which is a very high performer. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a fast cruiser. The fuel capacity is ... Adams 10 one-design racing: The best of both worlds The Adams 10 was designed in 1972 by Australian yacht designer, naval architect and sailor the late Joe Adams. Adams is also known for designing the Adams 13, 21, 10.6 and 8, the 1973 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race line honours winner 'Helsal', and other yachts. Adams died tragically in the Philippines in 2012, aged 81. Used Adams 13 for Sale AU $145,000 Or nearest offer. Immaculately presented Adams 13 Designed by Joe Adams as a cruiser racer originally from Tasmania. Formally 'Adams Apple' known to have raced in 5 Sydney Hobart Yacht races and 5 Melbourne Hobart Races finishing 8th in TPHS Division A. A rocket ship in her day now set up predominately for day sailing and cruising. Adams 10 or 10.6? Example layouts and rigging? 2. Perth WA. Dec 26, 2021. #2. Ahoy, I've recently purchased an Adams 10 or 10.6 (I'm not entirely certain which, have yet to measure). I got it pretty cheap as she's passed through a handful of different owners and needs a bit of TLC. I'm looking for examples of how people typically rig a boat like this for a mix of cruising and casual racing. Adams 31 12511 posts · Joined 2000. #2 · Feb 4, 2004. Welcome to sailing. Half tonners are a type of race boat designed to race under the IOR, an now obsolete rating rule. While I am not familiar with the Adams per se, the IOR of that era generally produced pretty unseaworthy and difficult boats to handle. Generally they don''t make very good cruisers ... Adams 13 Boats For Sale in Australia New Adams 13.5 Hull And Deck (Assembled) Adams 45ft yacht fibreglass hull and deck. Suit world cruising, live-aboard or racing. DIY ... Hunter/Newcastle Maitland, New South Wales. 44' 7". 13.60m. 2023. AU $29,900 Huge price reduction - New & In Stock. NEW Adams 13.5 Hull and Deck (assembled) AU $29,900 Huge price reduction. Adams 45ft yacht fibreglass hull and deck. Suit world cruising, live-aboard or racing. DIY project. This extended Adams 13 assembled hull and deck is located at Maitland NSW, near Newcastle Australia and has been stored in a custom-built boat-port since new (late 1990's). Storage, power and water during fit-out ... RADFORD YACHT DESIGN A partner in Adams Yacht Design (A.Y.D.) from 1977 to 1987. The following show photos and descriptions of some of the yachts designed at Adams Yacht Design during those years. ... "PIANOLA III" - A&R 13.2m. Designed 1985 - 13.2m cruiser / racer. Builder Ron Stenner. FRP / foam sandwich hull and plywood deck. Fractional rig, fin keel, transom ... Used ADAMS Boats for Sale Find Used ADAMS boats for sale throughout Australia with yachthub.com - the best referenced boating website in Australia and New Zealand. ... 42' 8" - 13.00m. 2008. As Lyn & Larry Pardey were wont to say: "If you want to be a sailor, you have to go to sea". ... Boat Reviews Private Boat Sellers Sign In Private Seller Boats Wanted Stay Safe ... Joe Adams Contact Info: Peter Rigby Phone: (02) 4946 5150 Mobile: 0418 650 877 Fax: (02) 4946 5335 E-mail: [email protected] www.adamsyachts.com.au Website no longer active (2012) ADAMS 13 Boats for Sale in Australia Please confirm price and features with the seller of the boat or accessory. View our full range of ADAMS 13 Boats online at boatsales.com.au. ADAMS Boats for Sale in Australia Boat Reviews. All Reviews; Fishing reviews; Power; Sail; Trailerable; Non Trailerable; Boat Advice. All Advice; ... 10 ADAMS Boats for Sale in Australia Save my search Sort by: Featured. Featured ... Sailing Yacht; Fibreglass; 42.8ft (13.06m) Mono; Get BoatFacts Report Adams 40 Vs Roberts 44 Join Date: Feb 2004. Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia. Boat: CyberYacht 43. Posts: 5,174. Images: 19. Adams 40 Vs Roberts 44. I am looking at a couple of boats at the moment. They would both suit how I am fixed at the moment (little bit of money, lots of spare time). Can I get some opinions as to how suitable they might be as cruising ... Adams Sailing Charters LLC Read 13 customer reviews of Adams Sailing Charters LLC, one of the best Boat Dealers businesses at 1000 Bridgeway, Sausalito Yacht Harbor, Sausalito, CA 94965 United States. Find reviews, ratings, directions, business hours, and book appointments online. catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht