shallow water sailboat recommendations

Stu Jackson · Apr 30, 2015

Catalina 22 with swing or wing keel, kick up rudder.

31seahorse · Apr 30, 2015

We enjoy sailing an Oday 272LE in shallow areas. The boat weighs about 5200 pounds and has a wing keel with 2ft 11in draft. She is a great daysailer and has accommodations for overnight to limited cruising. That limitation depends entirely on your comfort level needs. Fun to sail, wheel steering, 10 Hp Westerbeke diesel with adequate power, galley, enclosed head, nice sized cockpit. These boats can be put onto a trailer, but I would not want to haul and launch one more than once per year. Lowering the mast would require a lowering system and plenty of help. Models that are not the LE have tiller steering and outboard power.

shemandr · Apr 30, 2015

I would want a heavy-ish boat that isn't going slam into waves. As I understand it you'll have breeze. In the 19' area a Cape Dory Typhoon would be a good daysailer with very modest overnight capability. It's draft is totally reasonable. Heeling it can sail in 2' of water. A bit larger might be a C&C 24. A proven sailor with a good pedigree. Still a bit on the cramped side but doable. I would prefer a keel to centerboard if you are contending with waves. Look for easy motion. There's a saying - don't think it's from sailing- that slow is smooth and smooth is fast. More modern designs tend to have more draft.
Sometimes it's best to see what others are sailing in an area. Often there's a good reason for it.

Ukeluthier · Apr 30, 2015

You can't beat a traditional New England-style catboat for simplicity and comfort. I love mine.
Very salty, beautiful lines, tons of carrying capacity, and only one line to deal with once the sail is up. Less than 2' of draft with the board up. Fast as hell downwind or reaching; reasonably good to windward. Never have to go forward except to handle the anchor. Beachable, too... very handy with a dog aboard.

For production fiberglass catboats in your size range, look at Mengers, Marshalls, and Mystics. ComPacs are a bit smaller, but -- as catboats are beamy -- have accommodations equivalent to a longer boat.

Here's mine, a Menger 19:

Kermit · Apr 30, 2015

Ukeluthier said:
You can't beat a traditional New England-style catboat for simplicity and comfort. I love mine. Very salty, beautiful lines, tons of carrying capacity, and only one line to deal with once the sail is up. Less than 2' of draft with the board up. Fast as hell downwind or reaching; reasonably good to windward. Never have to go forward except to handle the anchor. Beachable, too... very handy with a dog aboard. For production fiberglass catboats in your size range, look at Mengers, Marshalls, and Mystics. ComPacs are a bit smaller, but -- as catboats are beamy -- have accommodations equivalent to a longer boat. Here's mine, a Menger 19:

The older and more worn out I get the more I like the idea of a Cat boat. Maybe one day...

PotentialOwner · Apr 30, 2015

McGregor 26 works in the shallows & deep

shemandr · Apr 30, 2015

I'm sorry for being an A**hole but it would be so much more interesting if posters refrained from recommending the boat they own. It's silly. You're boat may be perfect for you and the way you use it but totally wrong for someone else. I would ask posters to consider that someone in a completely different venue, with completely different intentions for use, may be best off in a boat that is completely different than yours.
I know there is pride in your boats, and boosterism in promoting them, but it would be a better discussion for everyone if we had a straight discussion of one boat's strengths and weaknesses over another.
I've enjoyed all the boats I've owned. But I can criticize each because none are perfect. And I've sailed on different boats some of which I like and others I didn't. It's far more interesting to discuss the pros and cons of a design, without prejudice.

31seahorse · Apr 30, 2015

shemandr said:
I'm sorry for being an A**hole but it would be so much more interesting if posters refrained from recommending the boat they own. It's silly. You're boat may be perfect for you and the way you use it but totally wrong for someone else.

Hello shemandr, I would never consider you the south end of a mammal heading north!

The boats we can best comment on are the ones we own or have owned. In my post I mentioned the strong points of our boat as they relate to the type of sailing (shallow, river water, some overnight) mentioned in the original post. I also pointed out some limitations of the 272. In any case we are just chatting and offering opinions. Few people would buy a boat based solely on a post here, but a person could make a list of boats to consider after reading. I too would like to sail one of the Cape Dory Typhoons and I have been lusting after a Typhoon Senior (CD 22), but my wife will have nothing to do with a portapotty!

sesmith · Apr 30, 2015

No problem with the posters recommending the boats they own. All those recommended would fit the bill.

Here's some more...Of course I'm partial to the Seaward line. Seaward Fox, 23, 24, 25, or 26RK would be good choices. Any of these can sail in shallow water and handle quite a bit of wind and waves. In the Hunter line, the 23.5, 240, and 260 might be great choices as well.

sourpuss · Apr 30, 2015

Here's another vote for a catboat. I have owned 5 sailboats, ranging from 14 to 27 ft, my favorite by far is my Menger 17'. As Ukeluthier has said, they are very salty boats, very well made and very easy to sail. The main downside to catboats are the cost, much more expensive than similar size boats.

Ukeluthier · Apr 30, 2015

shemandr said:
I'm sorry for being an A**hole but it would be so much more interesting if posters refrained from recommending the boat they own. It's silly. You're boat may be perfect for you and the way you use it but totally wrong for someone else. I would ask posters to consider that someone in a completely different venue, with completely different intentions for use, may be best off in a boat that is completely different than yours.
I know there is pride in your boats, and boosterism in promoting them, but it would be a better discussion for everyone if we had a straight discussion of one boat's strengths and weaknesses over another.
I've enjoyed all the boats I've owned. But I can criticize each because none are perfect. And I've sailed on different boats some of which I like and others I didn't. It's far more interesting to discuss the pros and cons of a design, without prejudice.

I won't foster the self-imposed name-calling, but neither will I back off my recommendation nor the rationale for it.

Boosterism has nothing to do with it. Did it ever occur to you, Shemandr, that the reason this thread caught my eye in the first place is that the OP's criteria are nearly identical to my own at the time I was selecting my most recent boat... shallow cruising grounds, easy to sail, short-term cruising for a couple with a dog, around 20', etc.?

I suspect that the majority of the folks reading this thread are similarly situated, so their recommendations reflect the purchase decisions that they themselves labored over. How does putting forward their choices demean the discussion?

Would it not be fairer to let the OP steer the thread, as he is the one looking for input? The thread is for his benefit, not entertainment for others.

Stu Jackson · Apr 30, 2015

shemandr said:
1. I know there is pride in your boats, and boosterism in promoting them, but it would be a better discussion for everyone if we had a straight discussion of one boat's strengths and weaknesses over another.

2. I've enjoyed all the boats I've owned.

3. But I can criticize each because none are perfect. And I've sailed on different boats some of which I like and others I didn't. It's far more interesting to discuss the pros and cons of a design, without prejudice.

1 How would one know if they hadn't owned them?

2. Me, too, but I'm sure some skippers actually bought a certain boat and then sold it 'cuz there were things they didn't like. I agree it would be helpful to hear about that, but in all the years I've been reading forums, there are few of those posts. I would venture to guess most of us either sold UP for "non-secret" reasons

, bought a different boat for more features, or even sold DOWN for whatever reasons mostly documented as "rational experienced skippers.":dance:

3. I've owned three boats: C22, C25 and our C34. We loved the C22 and even built the saloon sleeping option so we had plenty of room and never slept in the V berth. It was solid and took us a lot of places, but we wanted more amenities. All we got on our C25 was lots of ROOM, since the "boat features" were essentially identical. We owned that C25 for 13 years! C34?: Hot & cold running water, an inboard engine and headroom without a pop-top were the advantages, but other than that I've sailed the C25 on the ocean as far as we've sailed the 34. We've had the C34 for 17 years now.

Those are the realities of boat sizes in the ranges we're talking about here.

Indeed, there is the wing keeled 4'-3" draft Catalina 34 that would work for the OP!

Those are my experiences with our boats. I wouldn't have kept our 25 foot boat for 13 years if I didn't like it. It sailed great but had an outboard, not so good in some conditions. We sold the 22 after 5 years of lake sailing and SF Bay sailing 'cuz we wanted to be able to stand up down below in the winter when it rained!

Only could afford a great poptop with enclosure for those years.

Kermit · Apr 30, 2015

I for one am glad to hear an owner extol the virtues of a catboat. Honestly, I think they're funny-looking. But dang. They look like a whole lot less trouble than a sloop and hearing the attributes makes them almost attractive.

Stu Jackson · Apr 30, 2015

Frog, I agree. One thing to note is that catboats take sailing techniques quite differently than sloop rigged boats. I learned to sail on Beetle catboats and really liked the simplicity. Sailing downwind is something one needs to learn about. Sailing downwind always reduces apparent wind and many skippers have reported that they ended up over canvassed. On a catboat, since the mast is so far forward, the bow tends to "dig in" and reefing should be made as easy as possible. Albemarle Sound has a certain reputation for winds and short chop.

Great boats though if you learn how to sail them.

IIRC, the Marshall catboats have good internet support.

Kermit · Apr 30, 2015

Stu Jackson said:
Frog, I agree. ...Great boats...if you learn how to sail them.

I've found that to be true of every boat I've owned. :-D

Prime Time · Apr 30, 2015

You might consider an oldy but a goody westerly nomad or the bigger centaur. Shallow twin bilge keels. Very solid boats. Never owned one but as a kid sailed both with family friends. The centaur is a shockingly roomy boat for its size. http://www.boatus.com/boatreviews/sail/WesterlyCentaur26.asp.

The twin keels are very shallow. You definitely give up performance but these were very well built boats. Some have been blue water sailed extensively.

Joe · Apr 30, 2015

One way to solve this pendantic "which is best" question... is to simply to ask sailors in your intended area what they are sailing.

I quick look around your sailing area marinas should give you hard core verified information, rather than seeing everyone on this forum name every shallow draft boat that exists...

Bad Obsession · May 1, 2015

Ok....I am going to be a *********, I guess. Take a look at Compac. They offer several different boats that fit the bill.

Yes, I have a compac 23. The draft is 2'3". You can put it up on a trailer, it doesn't have a centerboard, it has a shoal keel. There are a lot of these out there and they are pretty well built.

Compac makes a cat boat, they make a 19' boat, and a few other boats. http://www.com-pacyachts.com/

Best thing is that they have been made for quite some time and excellent factory support.

There are several boats that will fit the bill. Look at a lot and decide what you want.

Crazy Dave Condon · May 1, 2015

Mark West;

I was a long time sailboat dealer located in North Carolina. Without naming it, are you in a gated community with it's own marina and golf course? I sold boats to Hertford, NC and know the area all too well and the Albemarle can be rough at times. Now retired but if you want someone with local knowledge, feel free to send me your phone and good time to call via this forum email.

shallow water sailboat recommendations

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