Looking for the largest trailerable sailboat

Scott · Nov 29, 2011

buy it already!

Why don't you just buy it then and not ask for anymore advise?

KD3PC · Nov 29, 2011

GaryMayo said:
What I do like about the CM30 is the sail-drive and the space it is provided inside the boat. That looks to me to be a smart idea that is well thought out, if maintained properly..... I am also not a fan of a built in engine that takes up space, gives off fumes, and is hard to maintain because it is built into the boat. The sail-drive is what most interests me in the CM30.

The sail drives of that era are most often dissolved or dissolving rapidly. Few were maintained properly and even more still had that nasty engine attached to drive it.

No way to do without fumes, maintenance and repair with an ICE...

The gasketed hole in which it mounts often leaks in to the roving, so have a surveyor with saildrive experience check it out, as a new drive can easily be tens of $1,000 to replace, plus haul charges.

tommays · Nov 29, 2011

I had one of each and even with both boats boats needing NOTHING the 29' cost 10 times as much money to do anything DIY or otherwise

gallons of paint
feet of running rigging
feet and size of standing rigging
feet of electric wire

Something as simple as moving the masts off the boats for winter storage goes from a simple one person job to three men and a small boy

taichi · Nov 29, 2011

Amen to you Scott T-Bird - I think you pegged it: "If you are dead-set on getting the boat you describe, then by all means go get it and stop with the pretense of asking for advise. taichi offered a very thouhtful and unobjectionable review of his experience with a boat that he owned. It sounds like you object to his comments because you are really just looking for reassurance regarding something that you already decided upon."
I took a minute to check out the Clipper Owners website - they didn't have that back when I owned mine - looks like there are about 12 CM32's still alive and about 26 CM 30's - I am sure that one of there owners willl be more than happy to help you part with your money.
Is it really badmouthing when your telling it like it is? If it was such a quality boat then why were they in and out of business so quick? If you like Bill Crealocks designs so much then I would encourage you to find an old Pacific Seacraft or Columbia (there all old), but solid classic well healed and respected boats that are worth keeping up. You would be proud to own one of those.
You came to the forum asking for advice - there it is.

AtlanticAl · Nov 29, 2011

I think everyone is giving you honest advice. But of course, they are not 6' 4 and 300 pounds. I am 5'8" and 140 pounds, and have a lancer 28, my wife is the same height as me, but a little heavier, but we both find the boat roomie enough for us. I got mine in exchange for a porsche 944s, i couldnt find a buyer for, i valued the car at about 5k, I got a boat worth about 3k, but i am happy, because with a lot of hours, and a little bit of expense, i can have a really good boat on the water, by this april. I am the type that works on a boat all the time, so in a few years, it will be an excellent boat. I will do everything, re glass, re wire, re design, I have already stripped all the bad paint jobs done on it, and took it back to the gel coat, i am also half way through re wiring, and have taken the toe rails off, and glassed the hull deck joint.
The boat is small (my last was a 35 footer, but it suits us, we are used to camping, and we have more room, and more luxury on this boat, than in a tent. I doubt though, a man your size, would find a comfy bunk in it, or be able to comfortably use the head, but it is one of the but it is one of the biggest fixed keel trailerable boats, whcih is what i wanted. I had a 26 foot grampian with a large beam and big draught, and it was not trailerable, and when i went to look at a 24 footer after that, i just couldnt believe that 2 ft made such a big difference. When i had the 35 footer, their seemed to be plent of room, now at 28 foot, its cramped, but we have full standing head room (in most of the cabin) very little storage space, enough bunks to invite friends. Its a nice boat, i saw them go as cheap as 2500 on a trailer, and the trailer must be worth 1500, But what you really need to do is pick the boat that is suitable to you. Then use these forums, to get advice on how to re build it, repair it, or modify it, to your needs. Like i say, i am 5'8" 140 wife is a bit heavier, what we look for, is completely different from what you look for. We want headroom, 5 foot nine and up, six foot berths, room for friends, room for our gear (we didnt really get room for our gear with lancer but cant have everything) ease of launching, ease of rigging, ease of handeling, cheap boat, cheap to repair, so far we have got what we wanted. Would love more storage space, but on a 28 trailer sailor, that aint going to happen.

Make a check list, and go with what suits you.

taichi · Nov 30, 2011

Very sorry that you are taking my responses as rude or tactless, but there is no way I can advocate for encouraging someone to buy a 40 year old boat that was lightly buil to begin with just becasue it could potentially be trailered. I grew up on the shore of Lake Michigan and have been messing around with many boats for 35 years, your getting good advice from myself and many others on this forum - sorry that the truth hurts, but the reality of the boat that you have apparently fallen in love with is that owning one and keeping it afloat would not be quite as pretty as it looks from the old brochures from 1972 that your looking at.

Anything more and I am wasting my time, out.

Jackdaw · Nov 30, 2011

GM,

I'm pretty sure that people here are not badgering you. With respect, it sounds like you have made up your mind and you just don't want to hear what they are saying about that choice.

If I look back at the start of this thread, there were at least three boats recommended that would fit your bill based on what you have told us; the Luger 30, the C&C Mega 30, and maybe the o'day 272. You didn't even MENTION any of these comments before diving into the CM 30.

Old boats are like old houses, if you buy one, make sure it has GOOD BONES. Frankly I would never buy a Clipper, because you would get maybe 10 cents back on every dollar you invested in it. You would spend $10K to make a $8K boat a $9K boat. Really. Start with something quality. If you could buy a freeking C&C for $7K, why would you go anywhere near a clipper?

But hey, boats are emotional, irrational purchases. Why should yours be anything different? And you may have requirements that we don't fully understand. Good luck to whatever you choose.. We all do love the wind and the water.

caguy · Nov 30, 2011

I bought my luger 30 for $1000, trailer included. Better van a kicker it has a well that the outboard drops down into. It has 3300 pounds of ballast and a swing keel. It has a built in mast raising system that only requires 1 person.

Jackdaw · Nov 30, 2011

I know you currently have a Mac25, but have you thought about a different boat in the 26 foot range? Above this size (the 30 footers), you have to make major compromises in the boats sail-ability to make it trailerable. It might be 30 feet long, but it has to deal with:

Beam: Limited to 8 to nine feet
Weight: Practical limits at 6500 lbs
Mast height: Deck stepping keeps masts in the 30 foot range
Draft: Needs shoal draft to trailer launch

These limits in most combinations make for boats that are ugly, awkward, slow, or dangerous.

Our little First 260 has an inboard diesel and a wormgear lowered swing keel. It rides on a dual axle trailer and could be ramp launched in a pinch. She also pretty (IMHO), faster and more seaworthy than 95% of boats her size. I really think its a great length.

My simple point: Going for BIGGEST is not always the wisest. Maybe think about you do not like about the Mac25, and see if other boat in the length meet your needs?

kpgraci · Nov 30, 2011

Or...maybe another way to look at this, in the slip for 9 mo?, well, why not 12? If size is important then how important is the need to trailer it?

Benny17441 · Nov 30, 2011

You want life on the lake, already own a powerboat, a sailboat and have a dock. How about a houseboat?

tommays · Nov 30, 2011

Cost prohibitive to move.

Moving is cheep fixing is expensive

Ross · Nov 30, 2011

I had my Islander 30 moved twenty miles for 500 dollars.

Looking for the largest trailerable sailboat

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