Buying a 20-25' Day Sailor

Mario G · Aug 29, 2010

Its a shame your on the wrong coast

) I have a very nice Chrysler C-22 with trailer thats sail ready for sale in your price range. There are a few sailing in that area.

It sounds like time is going to be your biggest issue, it took me 6 months last year to get the C-22 sea worthy doing a little something everyday to it. Keep that in mind when looking at boats, I've seen others spend $$$ thinking they can find a "cheap project"

I would look at your local Criags list, there always seem to be good boats on there. You also need to think how comfortable you feel your skills are for working on a boat that will be 30+ yrs old, and there will always be work to do on it.

Good look finding a boat, sometimes the hunt can be fun. I will ask the people that I know in your area if they know of a boat.

dscribner · Aug 29, 2010

Raocon,
Head to the trailer sailor forum for better luck on this subject. There have been a number of posts on the subject so lots of information and many opinions. Opinions are like eyebrows, everybody has at least one. On fellow stated the truth. "There isn't a boat out there that somebody doesn't love."

My story, September 2008, my son and I decided to take up sailing. October 2008, we let mom in on the secret. She loved the idea (pinch me). November we found and bought a Lancer 25. No trailer to put her on. No truck to tow her with. And . . . we don't know how to sail! December we brought her home. We're newbies. Two seasons and about 750 miles under our collective belt, we aren't yet regretting our brash decision.

There's a book "The Complete Trailer Sailor" by Brian Gilbert. In the back of the book there are about 50 or so specs, pictures and sketches of boats from say 17 feet to 27 feet, all trailerable. A friend of mine who use to sail on The Lady Washington (Aka The Interceptor from Pirates of the Caribbean) recommended it to me. I suggest getting a copy, or something similar, to help your decision along. There are SO MANY boats, shapes and sizes. Our Lancer 25 (Brian Gilbert doesn't like Lancers) is a bit on the big and heavy size, but with practice, we can get the mast up, assembles and get her ready for the water in about 20 minutes. My lovely bride and I are both screaming down on 50, (I'm 48 in a week), so I can relate. My boat, like so many this size, has an ice box, alcohol stove, sleeps 5 in a pinch, sits 6 in the cockpit.

One thing, WRITE THIS DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!! Make sure the head is enclosed and have your Mrs. go thru the motions of easing her sheets and docking. Our head is . . . interesting that way. It's small and cramped and hard to use.

Good luck on the grande new adventure!

Don

Cayennita · Aug 29, 2010

I would start looking at non-profit organizations that take boats in as a donation. They usually need work but are always sold way below market value. Sea Scouts, etc.

Sandy Stone · Aug 29, 2010

One suggestion

Some years ago I had a Paceship PY23 keel/centerboarder, and it seemed like a pretty solid little boat with a fair amount of room. A feature I appreciated was that the centerboard trunk didn't intrude into the cabin, the board was housed in the keel. 4 adults would be the absolute limit in the cockpit, but we did it from time to time. I had a porta-potti on mine, but I think it would be possible to put in a marine head.
As far as sailing ability, my boat had 2 reefs in the main, and I had a working jib made with a deep reef to act as a storm jib. With everything reefed down, I once singlehanded across Lake Pontchartrain on the fringes of a tropical storm (although it was kind of a WTF-am-I-doing-out-here moment.) Don't expect to win too many races, I think the PHRF is 249. That boat actually survived hurricane Katrina tied up to a dock, and is still around, so I guess it is fairly sturdy.

Timo42 · Aug 29, 2010

In your price range, you might want to look at an older MacGregor/Venture, either the 22 or the 25, lightly built, but very upgradeable, and are cheaper than most anything else, leaving more $$$ for the inevitable upgrades. CharleyCobra on this forum has/had one and sails in that area.
Check the brand forum here for ideas.

away4sail · Aug 29, 2010

raocon

did you find one? i have a oday 25 she is a 1979 on a trailer.
all you need is water, email me @ away4sail@hotmail and ill send you some photos

JVB · Aug 30, 2010

My first choice given the requirement for a low cost and good seaworthiness would be a Catalina 22 or a San Juan. If sailing conditions around Tacoma are as frisky as I suspect they are, then a MacGregor 26-D, will not be satisfactory. The MacGregor 26-D is a conventional design water ballast with dagger board that weighs around 2200 pounds ready to tow or 2800 pounds with the ballast filled. It offers lots of space but it becomes difficult to sail in winds above 10 or 12 mph because it is so light. If you intend to trailer sail I would only consider boats with a swing or retractable keel .

dscribner · Aug 30, 2010

I own a Lancer 25 (as previously stated) but . . . were I to buy a boat today, it would probably be a Catalina 25, early to mid 80's. The size and style are what I like, and the inside accommodations are still classic. When you enter the late 90's (I think) to the 2000's, they became fiberglass bathtubs with cushions thrown in. No style, no class. No doubt the company was trying to maintain price and saleability while cutting internal costs. Can't blame them.

druid · Aug 30, 2010

The Catalina 22 would be a good choice - sails well in the light air you find mostly in Puget Sound, but still up for heavier air - you could probably sail it to Victoria on a calmer day.

A Venture/McGreggor 22 might work as well - I had one for years, sailing all over Georgia Strait. I wouldn't call it a heavy-weather boat, nor particularly good in light air upwind.

If you're willing to put up with "marginal" launching and accommodation, consider a Cal 20. They have a fin keel so they're hard to launch, and not much room in the "cabin", but they sail great! Good in light air, great in heavy air, indestructible... And lots of them here in the Pac NW for match racing.

druid

FastOlson · Aug 30, 2010

Ranger 20

It's been a NW favorite since the 70's.
Fast, easy to sail, and it sleeps two adults. Designed by Ray Richards, and built by Ranger Boats in Kent WA.
We used to cruise ours for a week at a time.

Bud22569 · Sep 12, 2010

Hunter 22

Have you looked at a Hunter 22 with the folding keel. We owned a Hunter 22 with a fixed keel and loved it. You can trailer either boat, but the folding keel is much easier to launch.

Ross · Sep 12, 2010

Re: Hunter 22

I have a friend that currently sails a 22 venture with her husband and is very pleased with it. Prior to that they lived on a 27 foot O'Day. She says that the venture is too small to stay completely dry in rough sailing weather but for two or three days it is a fine boat.

bffatcat · Sep 13, 2010

what to buy ?

Instead of commenting on what to buy Ill be different and try two help you by advising on what not to buy there are a lot of good boats out there there are also a lot of not so good boats, first a lot of people own catalina 22`s they are good boats but if you read their manuel you will find that the older ones are not reccommended for salt water. 2 The ubiquitous buccaner with its high freeboard shallow draft and stumpy mast is not well thought of in most circles. Ive got over 50 years experience racing cruising and repairing all kinds of sailboats

larryw · Sep 15, 2010

I had a Catalina 22 for a few years and we loved it. Get one equipped with the "pop-top", a cabin that the roof raises almost two feet, providing standing headroom. You can get a vinyl enclosure with windows that adds greatly to it's weekend comfort and usability.