The Hurley 22 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The very popular Hurley 22 was designed by Ian Anderson and built in the UK in large numbers by Hurley Marine Ltd.

A Hurley 22 setting off from Plymouth UK to Ireland in the Jester Challenge

Very popular with adventurous singlehanded sailors, the Hurley 22 sloop has crossed oceans and survived serious storms.

Published Specification for the Hurley 22

Underwater Configuration: Fin with spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (fibreglass)

Length Overall: 22' 0" / 6.71m

Waterline Length: 17' 0" / 5.18m

Beam: 7' 5" / 2.26m

Draft: 3' 9" / 1.14m

Rig Type: Masthead Sloop

Displacement: 4,000lb / 1,814kg

Designer: Ian Anderson

Builder: Hurley Marine Ltd (UK)

Year First Built: 1966

Year Last Built: 1975

Number Built: 1200

Owners Association: Hurley Owners Association

Published Design Ratios for the Hurley 22

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 15.3

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 57.6

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 363

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 23.1

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.9

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

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Summary Analysis of Published Design Ratios for the Hurley 22

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 15.3 suggests that she'll need a stiff breeze to get her going. In any other conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing will be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 57.6 means that she'll stand up well to her canvas in a blow, enabling her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 363, tells us she's firmly in the ultraheavy displacement category. Load her up as much as you like and her performance will be hardly affected, not that it was ever startling. Few if any sailboats are built to this displacement category these days - but they remain popular with some of the most diehard traditional old salts.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 23.1 suggests that crew comfort in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness.

5. Her Capsize Screening Formula of 1.9 tells us that she would be a better choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making than one with a CS rating of more than 2.0.

More about the Hurley 22...

The Hurley 22 was first launched in 1966 and was Hurley Marine's most successful model. Over 1,200 boats were built until 1975, when Hurley Marine went out of business. The boat was then built by South Coast Marine and later by Ravensail, who called their version the Hurley 22R. Some boats were also built under license in Holland as the Hurley 700.

The Hurley 22 is a good boat for yachtsmen looking for a small, low-maintenance coastal cruiser that can also venture offshore in moderate conditions. The boat is not a racer, but it can hold its own in club races or rallies. The boat is also suitable for single-handed sailing or cruising with a small crew.

Accommodation

The Hurley 22 has a simple and functional interior layout that can sleep up to four people. The boat has a small cabin with a V-berth forward, which can be converted into a double berth with an infill cushion.

There is also a quarter berth on the starboard side aft, which can accommodate one adult or two children. The port side aft has a galley area with a sink, a stove and some storage space. There is no fixed table in the cabin, but there is a fold-down table that can be attached to the bulkhead or used in the cockpit.

The boat has no separate head compartment, but there is space for a portable toilet under the V-berth.

The cabin has a headroom of about 1.4 m (4.6 ft), which is not very comfortable for standing up, but adequate for sitting down or lying down. The cabin is cozy and well-ventilated, with four portholes and a large hatch on the foredeck. The cabin has some woodwork and cushions that give it some warmth and charm. The boat has no water tank but there is space for some jerry cans or bottles.

Hull and Deck

The Hurley 22 has a fiberglass hull and deck that are solidly built and durable. The hull has a moderate freeboard and a graceful sheer line that give it an attractive appearance. The hull shape is conservative but effective, with a fine entry and a full midsection that provide good buoyancy and stability. The hull has very little leeway due to its good motion in the waves and its deep keel.

The deck is flat and uncluttered, with wide side decks and ample space for working or relaxing. The cockpit is spacious and comfortable, with high coamings and good drainage. The cockpit can seat four people easily or six people snugly. The cockpit has two lockers for storage and a lazarette for the gas bottle. The boat is steered by a tiller, which gives good feedback and control.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.