Thinking of downsizing. Sailing a 32 footer on Lake Michigan. Short season, expenses and maintenance fueling the idea. Considering a trailerable sail boat. Drive a Subaru Outback so cannot haul too heavy a boat. Want to store at home and trailer for weekends and some longer trips. Would spend some long weekends on it. May choose to sail single handed at times. Thought of a west wight potter 19. Looking for other suggestions.
Downsizing
- Thread starter Mike8193
- Start date
WWP19 nice boat if you can stand the looks. OK lets call it an acquired taste. You mentioned long trips; I hope you mean long in duration and not in distance. A long distance voyage in a 19 foot boat would be torture.
If I was going to strictly trailer sail, and tow with a light vehicle, one boat I would really want to test out would be an Astus 22 trimaran. They are being imported by Windrider.
http://www.astusboats.com/home.html Good luck.
http://www.astusboats.com/home.html Good luck.
Hi Mike, I have a friend that has a WWP 19 for sale. It's located in Belfast, Maine in protected indoor storage. If you're interested please just send me a private message. It is a trailerable boat and the trailer is included. I don't know what year it is, but we sailed on it last year in Penobscot Bay. Have to agree with Jackdaw, that the look of those hard chined boats and curved deck is an acquired taste...but heck, there are people who love the looks of their Nissan Cubes or Scion xB's.
The Precision 18 is cute as can be. Looks like a micro-yacht. Big cockpit for size. Stern seats, forward opening hatch, the works.
1,100 lbs + trailer.
http://precisionboatworks.com/boats/p18/index.php
1,100 lbs + trailer.
http://precisionboatworks.com/boats/p18/index.php
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I am very partial to the Precision line of sailboats for obvious reasons, but one former Precision owner switched to a Compaq Eclipse. He wanted something a little easier to trailer. It comes with a mast tender system that makes it easier to step the mast.
Take a look at a Compac 23. I have sailed the snot out of mine and she has impressed the hell out of me. The boat sails well, is built well, has a lot of used ones out there at reasonable price, can trailer okay, and it is well set up. The company is still in business and it has a strong owner's group.
I went from a Catalina 30 to the Compac 23 because of budget issues. I keep her in the water during the season and put her on the trailer in the off season.
Here is a video of my last trip that was 12 days:
I went from a Catalina 30 to the Compac 23 because of budget issues. I keep her in the water during the season and put her on the trailer in the off season.
Here is a video of my last trip that was 12 days:
Longest week I ever spent on a sailboat was the day I sailed a West Wight Potter! You won't find more boat that meets the weight restrictions of your car than one of he folding catamaran variants from Corsair or Farrier. Met some guys down on the Florida coast who had a tent set up on the trampolines, touring the Everglades. I think they towed in with a tiny Toyo.
If you want to contact me regarding small boats MI, I would be glad to talk with you on the pros and cons as all boats here I sold as a former dealer and know the subject all to well on trailibility. Send me a private message. Jackdaw did hit this on one point, how long a trip on a small boat and that 19 may be too small and if you want performance, then there are other considerations. A lot will hinge on how many, how tall, requirements and so on. If you are going to trailer a lot, then the boat needs to be set up that way. Think of it this way, hot day taking out a boat, lowering the mast, getting everything tied down and so on may mean some consideration.
Mr. Kermit knows what I am talking about.
Mr. Kermit knows what I am talking about.
If this were me, I'd take a long look at the Catalina 22. Been around forever. Lots to choose from. Easy to sail and maintain.
There are boats being suggested that are wildly outside of the towing capacity of a Subaru Outback. Boat + trailer+ plus outboard and stuff....ouch. Towing at the upper limits of your vehicle's capacity isn't pretty. I'd also be concerned about my insurance coverage and my personal liability if I was involved in an accident and it was found that I had exceeded the towing capacity of my vehicle.
I see that the WW Potter is 1225 lbs.. Plus stuff. Plus trailer. Easily over 2000 lbs.
Simple matter to learn the towing capacity of your Subaru, and proceed from there.
I see that the WW Potter is 1225 lbs.. Plus stuff. Plus trailer. Easily over 2000 lbs.
Simple matter to learn the towing capacity of your Subaru, and proceed from there.
Siamese, it depends on how far you are towing. If he is downsizing to save money, lives near the marina, slips the boat for the season, and just pulls it from the marina to home during the off season he can get away with more. If you are going up and down mountain roads then it isn't a good idea.
My boat only gets about 10 mile a year on the trailer, total. 5 miles to the marina and 5 miles back. It sits in the slip for the season. My rig is a big more complicated so it takes a bit more to put it up and down. Rigging all of the time in any larger boat is an absolute pain in the butt.
Again, a lot of it depends on the type of sailing that you are going to do.
I do know of a VERY nice Compac 23 D for sale. It is a bit pricey but the boat is immaculate. (it is a friend's)
My boat only gets about 10 mile a year on the trailer, total. 5 miles to the marina and 5 miles back. It sits in the slip for the season. My rig is a big more complicated so it takes a bit more to put it up and down. Rigging all of the time in any larger boat is an absolute pain in the butt.
Again, a lot of it depends on the type of sailing that you are going to do.
I do know of a VERY nice Compac 23 D for sale. It is a bit pricey but the boat is immaculate. (it is a friend's)
I was going to say a Catalina 22 also but that Outback just ain't going to cut it on long trips and steep boat ramps imo. I agree with Skipper........I refuse to say "cute" but that Precision 18 is a darn nice looking boat that looks like a great weekender.
you should really specify what version outback, as there is different towing capacities based on engine. From my read, you either have 2700 lbs or 3000 lbs. My RL 24 is 3000 LBS on the trailer. Other boats I would look at would be an S2 6.9. If you want to go smaller, and do not care about cabin size, look at a Holder 20. Notice all of these boats are fast boats. The 6.9 probably has the best cabin, although my RL cabin is pretty good sized as well. A few weeks back, I had 6 people on the rail and hit 8 mph sailing up wind. Didn't last long, but we cruising along at a little over 6 mph on the GPS and had the wind kick up, and we took off.
From the WWP FAQ page -
To tow a P19 safely you need something with a bit more wheelbase and horsepower. Mini-vans, light pickups, and assorted SUV’s are all popular P19 tow vehicles. Consult the owner's manual for your vehicle for towing restrictions and requirements.
To tow a P19 safely you need something with a bit more wheelbase and horsepower. Mini-vans, light pickups, and assorted SUV’s are all popular P19 tow vehicles. Consult the owner's manual for your vehicle for towing restrictions and requirements.
Also could look at Beneteau 210/211/21.7 variants. Fairly open cabin because there is no compression post and the centerboard is below the boat. My perception from reading comments on the boat is that it would be reasonable to sail on Lake Michigan too. You would need a little bit of a deep ramp to launch, but not unreasonable.