If one doesnt have any real sailing experience,, would a boat around 20ft to 24ft be way too much to handle for a first time boat..I've had very little experience and it has been years since I've had any...
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Where are you going to sail?
Tom of L.A.: Where do you plan on sailing? If you need something to tow around that is one thing. If you plan on sailing in LA/LB harbor that is another. And if you plan on going outside the break water that is something different yet. Smaller is not necessarily easier to sail (in my opinion), especially when the weather gets rough.
Tom of L.A.: Where do you plan on sailing? If you need something to tow around that is one thing. If you plan on sailing in LA/LB harbor that is another. And if you plan on going outside the break water that is something different yet. Smaller is not necessarily easier to sail (in my opinion), especially when the weather gets rough.
No.
In some ways a boat of that size is easier to sail than a light dinghy. And, you can get them for even less by shopping the Scouts, etc. for donated boats. You'll need to put some work into them and most are not trailerable in SoCal, but smaller slips are plentiful. If you don't have something already picked out, or even if you do, spend $400 and sign up for a four or five day on-the-water course. Best money you will spend. My favorite is Seamist in Marina del Rey, but there are other good ones too. Rick D.
In some ways a boat of that size is easier to sail than a light dinghy. And, you can get them for even less by shopping the Scouts, etc. for donated boats. You'll need to put some work into them and most are not trailerable in SoCal, but smaller slips are plentiful. If you don't have something already picked out, or even if you do, spend $400 and sign up for a four or five day on-the-water course. Best money you will spend. My favorite is Seamist in Marina del Rey, but there are other good ones too. Rick D.
Take a Sailing Course
All the recommendations are great! Eighteen months ago I was in your position. Fortunately, the first boat I looked at was at a yacht club, which incidently was offering a sailing class. I took the class! I learned so much, met a lot of great people, experienced different vessels, and my choice of sailboats grew from a trailerable vessel to one that was in a slip. I too, was looking at a 21-23 ft....but ended up with a 29 ft Hunter. My sailing course gave me a lot of confidence. I sail by myself about half the time. Find a sailing club that offers lessons.
All the recommendations are great! Eighteen months ago I was in your position. Fortunately, the first boat I looked at was at a yacht club, which incidently was offering a sailing class. I took the class! I learned so much, met a lot of great people, experienced different vessels, and my choice of sailboats grew from a trailerable vessel to one that was in a slip. I too, was looking at a 21-23 ft....but ended up with a 29 ft Hunter. My sailing course gave me a lot of confidence. I sail by myself about half the time. Find a sailing club that offers lessons.
bigger is better
I learned on a 14' racing dingy that I trailered. Trailering is a pain in the ***. If you can afford it, take the sailing course as previously suggested and get a 22' minimum with a slip. You'll go to the boat, board it and sail it. You won't drag it to a crowded or closed launch site, launch it, drive the trailer someplace else, find a parking space, walk back to the boat, you get the point!
I learned on a 14' racing dingy that I trailered. Trailering is a pain in the ***. If you can afford it, take the sailing course as previously suggested and get a 22' minimum with a slip. You'll go to the boat, board it and sail it. You won't drag it to a crowded or closed launch site, launch it, drive the trailer someplace else, find a parking space, walk back to the boat, you get the point!
Recommendations
Either a 22-foot or 25-foot Catalina or Hunter would be excellent, and are priced at $6,000 to $9,000. To try one out, go down to San Pedro and rent one for the day from European Sail, located in the shops along the channel. You can putter around the channel and even get out into the ocean without any problem. The west winds pick up in the afternoon, taking you easily back to port. Ask around for where you could get a slip, or where you could trailer to put in on the weekend.
Either a 22-foot or 25-foot Catalina or Hunter would be excellent, and are priced at $6,000 to $9,000. To try one out, go down to San Pedro and rent one for the day from European Sail, located in the shops along the channel. You can putter around the channel and even get out into the ocean without any problem. The west winds pick up in the afternoon, taking you easily back to port. Ask around for where you could get a slip, or where you could trailer to put in on the weekend.
My vote is start small
I'd go out and buy a $300 sunfish and know that you're going to move up almost immediately. If you can borrow one that would be even better. Go out and sail the sunfish or similar boat until you can get around pretty well and have learned not to go swimming unintentionally. Then buy the 24 foot boat. Its really the way to go. I'd skip the slip and go with a mooring. The slip fees will buy a nice dinghy and you can use it to get to shore when cruising. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
I'd go out and buy a $300 sunfish and know that you're going to move up almost immediately. If you can borrow one that would be even better. Go out and sail the sunfish or similar boat until you can get around pretty well and have learned not to go swimming unintentionally. Then buy the 24 foot boat. Its really the way to go. I'd skip the slip and go with a mooring. The slip fees will buy a nice dinghy and you can use it to get to shore when cruising. Justin - O'day Owners' Web
Mooring, Justin?
Tom's from L.A. There are only two mooring areas. Newport Beach where you'll pay $10-20K for the lease or Catalina where a lease for a 30' goes for $80K and up. Or, you can wait on a list 10+ years for one at the other coves;^ Shucks, Justin, there are hardly any anchorages, much less mooring areas. OTOH, at least we don't run aground often. And, Sunfish are as rare here as scows. On a more serious note, since sailing has become the less-favored entry-level sport, the place is absolutely littered with 20-30' classic plastic boats available for cheap to give-away. It's a shame to see them wasting away as cheapo living accomodations; some real jewels are there. It would be nice to see people like Tom get some of these cheap and fix them up and use them as they were intended at a fraction of their original relative cost. Rick D.
Tom's from L.A. There are only two mooring areas. Newport Beach where you'll pay $10-20K for the lease or Catalina where a lease for a 30' goes for $80K and up. Or, you can wait on a list 10+ years for one at the other coves;^ Shucks, Justin, there are hardly any anchorages, much less mooring areas. OTOH, at least we don't run aground often. And, Sunfish are as rare here as scows. On a more serious note, since sailing has become the less-favored entry-level sport, the place is absolutely littered with 20-30' classic plastic boats available for cheap to give-away. It's a shame to see them wasting away as cheapo living accomodations; some real jewels are there. It would be nice to see people like Tom get some of these cheap and fix them up and use them as they were intended at a fraction of their original relative cost. Rick D.
22 works for me
I learned on a 12 foot Topper, and then bought a 22 foot O'Day several years ago. While I do trailer it around a bit, it mostly stays in the water on an inland lake on a mooring. You do a lot more sailing if you don't have to worry about launching and hauling out each time. Dry storage is almost as good (i.e., keep it on the trailer with the mast and boom attached at the marina) and at a fraction of the cost. When you move beyond trailerable boats, the costs do go up quite a bit because you incur storage expenses, launching and hauling, inboards vs. much cheaper outboards, more expensive sails, ... (you get the picture). I've got no regrets. The only serious expense was getting a beefy enough tow vehicle for the traveling around. If I wasn't going places, I wouldn't bother. You can always borrow a tow vehicle, or even rent one for a day. There are some great deals out there. If you feel like you know your way around a sailboat (even a small dinghy), you'll find the transition pretty easy. Good luck.
I learned on a 12 foot Topper, and then bought a 22 foot O'Day several years ago. While I do trailer it around a bit, it mostly stays in the water on an inland lake on a mooring. You do a lot more sailing if you don't have to worry about launching and hauling out each time. Dry storage is almost as good (i.e., keep it on the trailer with the mast and boom attached at the marina) and at a fraction of the cost. When you move beyond trailerable boats, the costs do go up quite a bit because you incur storage expenses, launching and hauling, inboards vs. much cheaper outboards, more expensive sails, ... (you get the picture). I've got no regrets. The only serious expense was getting a beefy enough tow vehicle for the traveling around. If I wasn't going places, I wouldn't bother. You can always borrow a tow vehicle, or even rent one for a day. There are some great deals out there. If you feel like you know your way around a sailboat (even a small dinghy), you'll find the transition pretty easy. Good luck.
Starting
I just started learning and my first boat is a Catalina 27. I was really nervous the first couple of times out but by the third I was wondering if I should have bought the 30. My plan was to go out on the bay and a little off shore. Sure wouldn't want to be in anything smaller. Of course the bigger boats require a slip, but then I wouldn't have it any other way. After parking the car in 5-10 minutes I heading out!! In addition most of my sailing is single handed. Gene
I just started learning and my first boat is a Catalina 27. I was really nervous the first couple of times out but by the third I was wondering if I should have bought the 30. My plan was to go out on the bay and a little off shore. Sure wouldn't want to be in anything smaller. Of course the bigger boats require a slip, but then I wouldn't have it any other way. After parking the car in 5-10 minutes I heading out!! In addition most of my sailing is single handed. Gene
Assess your needs first
What kind of sailing do you plan on doing? How long will you be out? Daysails, overnighters, weekends or weeks? How much comfort do you (and your partner) need? Everyone's definitions will be different but for me, I knew I wanted to weekend occasionally, mainly daysails. I wanted an enclosed head, a nice Vberth and plenty of room for entertaining. My mom wanted me to get a smaller boat first but I've been thrilled with my choice of a C27. I probably could've gotten away with a nice 25 just as easily but a 22 would have been too cramped for me and anything bigger would have been too much for my needs. Figure out how you're going to use your boat first and then narrow down the field. And don't hesitate to take classes or lessons - an instructor who will teach you on your new boat is always a good investment! LaDonna
What kind of sailing do you plan on doing? How long will you be out? Daysails, overnighters, weekends or weeks? How much comfort do you (and your partner) need? Everyone's definitions will be different but for me, I knew I wanted to weekend occasionally, mainly daysails. I wanted an enclosed head, a nice Vberth and plenty of room for entertaining. My mom wanted me to get a smaller boat first but I've been thrilled with my choice of a C27. I probably could've gotten away with a nice 25 just as easily but a 22 would have been too cramped for me and anything bigger would have been too much for my needs. Figure out how you're going to use your boat first and then narrow down the field. And don't hesitate to take classes or lessons - an instructor who will teach you on your new boat is always a good investment! LaDonna
Sailboat Size Evaluation
Go to my website, access the buying a boat page, and download the sailboat size selector chart. This will start you in the right direction if you're interested in a trailerable.
Go to my website, access the buying a boat page, and download the sailboat size selector chart. This will start you in the right direction if you're interested in a trailerable.
the Banana Theory
tom, If you're new to this, you will either (a) like it and want to trade up, whatever direction that is! or (b) you will not like it and want to sell. In either case, get aboat that is mainstream and common in your area so it has resellability. Quite likely the boat that is commonest in your price range and size choice, is the one that works in your waters. There's alot of research and opinion out there based on individual biases, but if you "stick with the bunch, you'll never get skinned"--the Banana Theory.
tom, If you're new to this, you will either (a) like it and want to trade up, whatever direction that is! or (b) you will not like it and want to sell. In either case, get aboat that is mainstream and common in your area so it has resellability. Quite likely the boat that is commonest in your price range and size choice, is the one that works in your waters. There's alot of research and opinion out there based on individual biases, but if you "stick with the bunch, you'll never get skinned"--the Banana Theory.
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