Novice Question

Don S/V ILLusion · Aug 19, 2009

Four people on a 16 ft boat that is stable is an impossibility. Assuming for this purpose that the lake is deep enough for a sailboat, isn't there someplace on it you can rent to learn before inheriting somebody else's problem? If there are sailboats on the lake, find out what is the most popular class and buy one similar on which you can join in the group to race which is the best way of learning esp for kids.

Guest · Aug 19, 2009

Sailboats

Pelican sailboats. Small centerboard, easy to handle and popular around the PNW. Great for kids to learn on.

Terry Cox

Ross · Aug 19, 2009

I have been out in ten knots and watched three kids and an adult sail past on a Sunfish and they were having a blast. Wear your PFD's and expect to get wet and have fun.

Ted · Aug 19, 2009

Will you be trailering the boat or keeping it at a mooring or dock? Most small sailboats have centerboards which are generally less stable than a fixed keel boat. Fixed keeled boats are more difficult to trailer and launch. We need some additional information. What is the average depth of lake? Try asking some local sailors what they think would be a reasonable draft to consider for this area. What are the prevailing wind conditions for your sailing season? Four adults on a 16 foot boat can be a bit tight if there is a cabin. Day sailors will have more cockpit room. Do you need a head, or other creature features? Where is your sailing area? Some boats are more common than others in different parts of the country.

Ross · Aug 19, 2009

If the lake is in northern Alaska then staying dry may be very important. If it is full of carnivorous fish then stability is of great importance. However if it happens to be located in an area where the water gets warm in the summer and is not full of creatures waiting to eat you then you have many options. I learned a good bit about sailing in a fifteen foot Grumman canoe with outriggers and a small sail . I steered with a paddle and that was my auxillary power.
You have a good basic understanding of sailing you now need to find something that floats so that you can apply what you know. Start small with just one other learner. When both of you understand what is happening then bring on another person. You didn't run before you learned to walk and you didn't walk before you learned to stand up.

higgs · Aug 19, 2009

If you go with a centerboard boat the four of you will always run the risk of going swimming. If that is OK then go for it.

If you want to stay dry you need a swing keel or fixed in the 20 ft range.

Mike H. · Aug 19, 2009

Whatever you do, don't even consider building you own boat. I wasted almost 10 years of my life building a boat thinking I was saving money. It cost me 10 years of not sailing and nearly my marriage.

A fixer-upper? maybe.

Joe · Aug 19, 2009

Sign up for some sailing classes just so you'll start sailing right away. Concentrate on learning to sail yourself.... then you can consider taking others with you. Trust me when I tell you that buying a small boat and throwing your family in it while you learn is a bad idea. Very dangerous. When you get comfortable sailing alone, take family members out one at a time.... showing them how they can help, letting them steer.. etc. Then they can help each other or just enjoy the ride because they'll have lots of confidence in the skipper.

jerryf609 · Aug 20, 2009

Well, it is only a 90 acre lake. I don't think he needs a head or a cabin or a fixed keel. Go for a center board, get wet, and have fun. Yes, learn by yourself first, then add the kids one at a time. They'll learn quickly. Wear PFD's.

If you all like it (and you will), then later if you want to go to a larger lake (and you will), then you can consider going to a larger boat.

shemandr · Aug 20, 2009

See if you can find a Rhodes 19 with the swing keel and a trailer. Google it. It would make a fine learning platform. A 90 acre lake could become too familar and the trailer would open many other possibilties.

Deadhead · Aug 20, 2009

Sunfish

I bought a Sears knockoff of a Sunfish new for $650 the summer after my junior year in high school. That was a long time ago, but I learned many lessons that I remember & use to this day. You will learn to read the wind and tune your sails just like any other boat.

Like Ross says you will get wet but what the heck. And you probably won't get eaten. You, your son, all will love it. For a minimal investment you can't go wrong. Don't be frugal on the PFDs.

Ross · Aug 20, 2009

The size and price of the boat you are seeking probaly won't be advertized. I would visit yards and marinas and simply ask if anyone has a small daysailer for sale. You simply can't advertize for long and still turn a profit on a low cost boat. Also keep ypur eyes open for private sales from driveways and side yards.

higgs · Aug 20, 2009

A sunfish, or any other board boat is too small for 4. 2 is the max. The Rhodes 19 was a good suggestion for a smaller daysailer that will be comfortable for 4.

The ODay widget is 14 ft and has room for 4. Chrysler made the Rebel (?). A Flying Scot would also fit the bill. These are all CBers, but good daysailers. A Lightning is another good boat that might fill your needs. Most of these boats will not put you in the water unless you really get careless and all of them will allow you to learn to sail the right way.

Ross · Aug 20, 2009

keaveny said:
"Stability" is a relative term, I guess. Sure I could get a sunfish and be prepared to be in the water. I am sure it has value but I want to learn to sail with my 13yo and I already know how to swim. I want something relatively stable, which allows me to learn how to sail.

I want to be able to trailer it to my nearby 90 acre lake which has a shallow launch.

I fully anticipate getting a bigger boat soon (I also live close to Lake Erie) and while my cost needs are not what "I can" spend on a boat, it is what "I want" to spend on a boat at this time. In other words, sailing really appeals to me, but I want to spend as little, at this point, to learn how to sail while staying relatively dry.

Does this make sense? I guess, in poker terms, I think I want to go all in, but not yet ready to.

I am not sure that you aren't more interested in the having than in the doing. Have you spent some time at the lake talking with the folks that do sail boats there and asked what they have and what they like and dislike about their boats? There is a long list of boats in the 14 foot to 16 foot group that will meet your need and the cost can be whatever you are willing to spend.
There are boats with little cuddy cabins in the 15 foot size (West Wight Potter), there are completely open boats, boats that are used in summer camps to teach kids sailing.
I think that it is time for you to put down the books and get some sand on your shoes and see what is being used and bought and sold in your neck of the woods or on your end of the pond.

kenn · Aug 20, 2009

There's some good advice above, especially Ross'.

In your shoes, if I was to buy ONE boat that's good to learn on, can take up to 4 people out, and that will also be suitable for some more adventurous sailing (eg day-trips on L. Erie or the occasional camping overnighters), I would recommend looking for a used open trailerable boat like a Wayfarer or a CL 16.

You have some neat sailing in Ohio. A bunch of us Canucks sailed from Leamington to Pelee Island to Put-in Bay this May, in 19 ft boats. :dance:

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