19 to 20 feet.
I’ve been sailing a Catalina 22 for 20 years on a small lake and during these 20 years have sailed all of the mentioned boats and many others as well as larger boats on the Chesapeake Bay.
The difference between many of the boats mentioned will be what's underwater, that's going to come into play in your situation as far as launch, sailing area, and the other things you have stated over the course of this blog.
The Cat 22 swing keel is a great boat but, with a 5.5 foot draft you may be limited in sailing area in your described waters.
The new water ballast boats would fit your mentioned criteria, but they are newer models and may be out of your price range.
Something you must consider on the price between a powerboat and a sailboat is that the powerboat like a car depreciates real fast over the years because of the major mechanical systems and the operating cost to a point where they are worth junk price. A 15 to 20 year old sailboat will hold its value if it is kept in nice shape. So, after your initial investment, a little maintenance and operating cost you’ll recover most of your cost on resale if the original cost wasn’t that high on an older sailboat.
A fixer upper may cost more in the end if it needs lots of stuff as compared with a boat in good shape and has everything as someone has told you. As you add stuff to your boat it doesn’t increase the market value that much so, buy the boat with the most stuff.
A friend, married with a baby started out with a 19.5 foot for the first year then went to a 23.5 for a couple years, a 25 for 2 years and then a 27 foot trailerable on our lake and then moved it to the Chesapeake. When the child turned 14 he upgraded to a 34. The 27 sold quick because of the trailer but he lost a couple thousand because of the initial cost of a new trailer, all of the other boats he broke even.
If you learn to sail a sloop rigged keel boat any size, you’ll be able to sail any larger boat.
Now, what I’ve witnessed and experienced over the years is if your wife and children would enjoy sailing on a 19 foot, spend a couple nights in it on the water and be willing to do it again next year, you’re ready to move up.
A 19 foot sailboat, with your experience you can launch, recover and rig all by yourself, anything larger you’ll need help.
My oldest sailing friend with the most sailing experience has worked his way up from a sunfish to a 27 footer and is now working his way back down, at 70 he now has a 21.5 and is looking for a sunfish.
Good Luck
I’ve been sailing a Catalina 22 for 20 years on a small lake and during these 20 years have sailed all of the mentioned boats and many others as well as larger boats on the Chesapeake Bay.
The difference between many of the boats mentioned will be what's underwater, that's going to come into play in your situation as far as launch, sailing area, and the other things you have stated over the course of this blog.
The Cat 22 swing keel is a great boat but, with a 5.5 foot draft you may be limited in sailing area in your described waters.
The new water ballast boats would fit your mentioned criteria, but they are newer models and may be out of your price range.
Something you must consider on the price between a powerboat and a sailboat is that the powerboat like a car depreciates real fast over the years because of the major mechanical systems and the operating cost to a point where they are worth junk price. A 15 to 20 year old sailboat will hold its value if it is kept in nice shape. So, after your initial investment, a little maintenance and operating cost you’ll recover most of your cost on resale if the original cost wasn’t that high on an older sailboat.
A fixer upper may cost more in the end if it needs lots of stuff as compared with a boat in good shape and has everything as someone has told you. As you add stuff to your boat it doesn’t increase the market value that much so, buy the boat with the most stuff.
A friend, married with a baby started out with a 19.5 foot for the first year then went to a 23.5 for a couple years, a 25 for 2 years and then a 27 foot trailerable on our lake and then moved it to the Chesapeake. When the child turned 14 he upgraded to a 34. The 27 sold quick because of the trailer but he lost a couple thousand because of the initial cost of a new trailer, all of the other boats he broke even.
If you learn to sail a sloop rigged keel boat any size, you’ll be able to sail any larger boat.
Now, what I’ve witnessed and experienced over the years is if your wife and children would enjoy sailing on a 19 foot, spend a couple nights in it on the water and be willing to do it again next year, you’re ready to move up.
A 19 foot sailboat, with your experience you can launch, recover and rig all by yourself, anything larger you’ll need help.
My oldest sailing friend with the most sailing experience has worked his way up from a sunfish to a 27 footer and is now working his way back down, at 70 he now has a 21.5 and is looking for a sunfish.
Good Luck
