Best Trailerable Sailboat For Cruising The Keys

[Ed Doran]

I am an experienced powerboater getting ready to buy my first sailboat - it is a daunting task. The boat must be leagally trailerable, 22' - 25' long, stable, and easy to sail for a beginner. I'm not interested in racing, I just want to cruise the Florida Keys and western Florida. Since I'm new to sailing, I don't know if I trust the sailboat dealers to give me completely honest answers. I was hoping some of you might have hands-on experience in this kind of cruising and be able to shed some light on the sailboat selection process. One of my major concerns is if a water ballast boat would be suitable? Many of these are very roomy and easy to launch, but will they stay upright in an enexpected blow? I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.Thanks!

 

[Jeff Griffin]

Water ballast boat stability

I have a Hunter 23.5. Sailed and trailered all over. In Lake Michigan I went out into winds 28 mph with gusts to 32. Six foot seas were rolling. I was reefed, and kept the mainsheet loose to dump it in a gust. I stayed dry, had great control, and had a ball. I called it "rodeo sailing", hang on anwait for the bell.I've been in serious weather before and have never had a problem. Planning ahead is a major factor. I sailed the Keys in this boat this past winter, and lived aboard.

 

[Mark]

Get down to a marina

and try a few yachts.The water balast yachts are great!

 

[tom]

1988 Mac 26

Owned it for about 8 years. A great boat for trailering. I bought it to take to the keys. The new Macs I don't like. They can't decide if they are power or sail!!!! Prior to my Mac I had a swing keel 22' Helsen which is very simular to a catalina 22. The Mac was easier to tow,more room and handled high winds better. The daggerboard was much easier to deal with than the swing keel. The mac sailed pretty well with the board up. Water ballast is the way to go if you are going to trailer very often. I wouldn't recommed the Mac 26 for open ocean use. But we were out in some pretty rough stuff on Kentucky lake.

 

[Jeff M21319]

A second vote for the older Mac 26

Ed, I'd have to agree with Tom, the late 80's Mac 26D is a fine boat to do what you have described. IMHO, while there are always compromises to be made when selecting a boat, but when trailer-ability and shallow water capability are considered, a water ballast boat with either a swing keel or a daggerboard is definitely the way to go. There's no point in trailering around a ton of lead (literally) when you can just open the valve and dump all that weight back on the ramp. If you're planning to gunkhole around Florida, you'll see a lot of shallow water and a retractable will help keep you from going aground. Price is also a concern. While the Mac sure isn't a bluewater boat, they're fairly well-built (contrary to what some may say) and you should be able to find a nice one in the $6-7k range. Some of the systems on these boats are a little 'sloppy' from the factory, so figure on changing the cockpit, motor well and sink drain hoses, along with upgrading the electrical system, which is a weak point on these boats. Other than those two things, it's a boat that is easy to get on and off the trailer, she's easy to sail, plenty of room for multi-day cruises, nice looking and won't cost you a fortune to buy. What more could you ask? ;D