Do you like Pocket Yachts

[jssailem]

What is a Pocket Yacht?

It is, in the eyes of the owner, a small sailboat that serves the needs of a yachtsman.

One example is featured in the Small Craft Winter boat show. The
O’Day Mariner 19, Steve Hock: “Love the versatility of this boat. It can be a large daysailer of a small overnighter for one or two. Shallow draft makes it easy to launch and handy to beach. The simple but powerful sloop rig goes well even in modest winds. Low maintenance and easy trailerability rounds out its many great features.”

What are your thoughts about Pocket Yachts?​

 

[Hollyberry]

I think there is much to be said for such simple vessels... esp as daysailers. Few, if any, through hulls, no systems to speak of greatly reduces the complexity of ownership and upkeep without reducing the pleasure and satisfaction of sailing these boats in the right conditions. We happily sailed a Martin 242 for a decade and a half - maybe a bit large for pocket status but as simple and pleasurable as they come.

But it does depend on the specific boat (or the agreed meaning of pocket yacht)
I would think the Montgomery 17, and the Flicka, at 20 feet, would qualify as pocket yachts, but they are a long way from your simple, basic daysailer.

 

[dlochner]

One day, many years ago, as I lay on a bunk in my Tanzer 22 after pulling out my back while reaching for something across the cabin, my wife (at the time) said, "We need a bigger boat." I agreed.

 

[jon hansen]

i bought a 69' cal 20 prolly 25 yrs ago. for kids and now grand kids. it's sailing still every year. i felt that the kids would learn more without their father on board. let them be their own captain. strong hull, iron keel, new sails, no engine, had the deck plywood replaced, awlgrip the hull. with PJ's in town back then moonlighting a small boat rebuild was cheap and easy.

to my joy they still loved crewing for me on the big boats. i still sail on it at least once every year.

it rides a mooring in front of the house. have a strong trailer. store it in a buds barn.

 

[jon hansen]

not mine, but sweet

 

[jon hansen]

more pocket cruiser fun

 

[jon hansen]

those cal's are fast! right John?

 

[jssailem]

I enjoyed 18 years of sailing my pocket yacht Montgomery 15.
Exploring lakes, rivers, and coastal waters of the Puget Sound. When driving to a remote sight I could camp in the boat over night on the trailer ready to go sailing the next day.
Here she is flying the asymmetrical I had designed attached to the sprit I designed for her. It was a fun and exciting addition to my boats equipment.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

I had a Starwind 19 that we now regret selling. Great little boat. Could comfortably sleep 4

 

[dlochner]

When I had smaller boats, I sailed them more. It was quick and easy to take the Tanzer 22 out for a couple of hours. With the 362, it is much more like work and when I go out I want to go somewhere and not come back for a few days, weeks, or months.

 

[Will Gilmore]

With the 362, it is much more like work and when I go out I want to go somewhere and not come back for a few days, weeks, or months.

My definition of a pocket yacht would be a sailboat that allows you to feel like you could take her out for a few days, weeks, months and feel like you were truly cruising, but was much smaller than most people would consider for such use. A 30+ footer is not that. Even 28' is pretty good sized. Under 24'.

-Will

 

[dlochner]

My definition of a pocket yacht would be a sailboat that allows you to feel like you could take her out for a few days, weeks, months and feel like you were truly cruising, but was much smaller than most people would consider for such use. A 30+ footer is not that. Even 28' is pretty good sized. Under 24'.

-Will

I used to cruise my Tanzer 22 extensively on Lake Ontario. But that was 30+ years ago.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

those cal's are fast! right John?

I'd speculate they are sailing at greater than hull speed!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

My definition of a pocket yacht would be a sailboat that allows you to feel like you could take her out for a few days, weeks, months and feel like you were truly cruising, but was much smaller than most people would consider for such use. A 30+ footer is not that. Even 28' is pretty good sized. Under 24'.

-Will

Yes, I tend to agree with your definition of a pocket yacht ... it's not a daysailer that isn't suitable for longer range cruising by a normal standard (we do realize people go to extremes). A pocket yacht is small sailboat with the facilities for living ... that would include a head, a stove at least, probably an oven, basic electrics (maybe even basic electronics), plumbing, tankage and comfortable berths, and maybe even a heating system. It would need to be a step better than camping facilities. It would also need to be boat that is comfortable enough in weather that the danger of capsize is negligible. Opinions about that vary greatly as well, I recognize. One sailors pocket yacht may be a daysailer to another sailor.

 

[Sailavie1]

All Sailboats that I have owned were pocket cruisers (Siren 16, Macgregor 22 and now the Hunter 25). The Hunter is a bit of a crossover from pocket to cruiser but still a fun and flexible vessel to own. Here is a short video of her on the water all rigged up. (My apologies for the YouTube ads).

 

[dlochner]

Uh oh, this is beginning to sound like the "What's a blue water sailboat" discussion!

 

[rgranger]

I've got my eye on a compac 16. By my calculations, I could lean off of the shroud and tilt her over enough to get under an annoying bridge between me and the harbor.... a small torqeedo (or MinnKota) would be all I need to push her around... Pack a weekend's worth of sandwiches and I'm gone...

 

[Will Gilmore]

There is a lot of cabin space in a ComPac 16. Great boats.

-Will

 

[stickinthemud57]

I love the "Pocket Yacht" just on general principal. They provide a way for pretty much anyone to enjoy the fun of sailing and overnighting on something a little more commodious and stable than a non-cabin daysailer or dingy.

 

[stickinthemud57]

Here's a Compac in Dallas:

Com-PAC Yacht 16CB, motor, battery plus charger - boats - by owner -...

Used but well cared for ComPac 16 ft sailboat. Comes with prop motor, battery and charger, sail and jib sail. No trailer. Boat sits on White Rock Lake in a member only boat club. Boat was inherited...

dallas.craigslist.org