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Seadog 30

Brief details

Builder

Reg Freeman Yachts Ltd.

The Seadog 30 is a very solid small centre-cockpit ketch-rigged cruiser - originally marketed as a motor-sailer, but with fairly good sailing performance.

LOA

30' 0"

Sail area

510 sq ft

LWL

24' 0"

Rig

Ketch

Beam

9' 0"

Cabins

2

Draught

3' 6"

Berths

4 to 6

Displacement

12,880 lbs

Engine

Perkins diesel

Ballast

3,920 lbs

BHP

36

Keel type

Triple - long Fin with bilge keels

The Seadog was first introduced in 1964, designed and built by Reg Freeman A.R.I.N.A. The design was popular, and production continued for many years, with very minor design changes. They offer an unusual combination of qualities - a good enough and tough enough heavy-displacement sailing boat to cross oceans, yet relatively shallow draught and the ability to take the ground if you have the triple keel version. Add in a deep safe cockpit protected from the worst of the weather by a fixed windscreen, and masts in tabernacles so they can be lowered if necessary without outside assistance, and you have a genuinely go-almost-anywhere boat, from ocean passages (at least one has been circumnavigated single-handed) to the French canals.

While most Seadogs were built by Reg Freeman Yachts, a few late Seadogs were built by J. G. Meakes & Co., and finally a few more were moulded in Holland, most of these hulls being home-completed, some as motorboats.

The saloon table folds away almost completely, to leave a very open interior when the table is not required (photo below).

There is good stowage behind seat backs, and in a variety of built-in lockers.

Left: The galley is on the port side, with gimbaled two-burner, grill and oven cooker, good sized sink and drainer, and a coolbox.

The aft cabin originally had two single berths, but on most yachts an extra berth section has been added to provide a small double - or even three if necessary! One of the common problems with Seadogs is damp getting into the bulkhead at the back of the cockpit, seen above where the lining is bubbling.

The cockpit is deep, and very well protected. The view forward from the wheel position is good, through the fixed windscreen, whether standing or sitting.

Although conceived and marketed as a motor-sailer, the Seadog is actually a proper sailing yacht with a fairly powerful rig - 510 sq feet with main, genoa and mizzen. Many owners report that in strong winds dropping the main and carrying on under headsail and mizzen is very effective.

36 hp of diesel is also fairly effective, of course, in a 30 foot yacht!

Most Seadogs seem to be fitted with a 'camper' style cover for the cockpit, with transparent windows, which zips on to the permanent sprayhood.

The original engine was usually a Perkins 4/107 or 4018 diesel, or occasionally a BMC Captain diesel, accessed from two large lifting panels in the cockpit sole (only one lifted here). Finally, the masts are mounted in tabernacles to allow raising and lowering without requiring hiring a crane.