Precision 185K Advice

[Sawyers Island]

Hi-I'm new to this forum and looking for some input on a sailboat with the following criteria:

Daysailer between 16' and 20'
Low maintenance
Fast
Can be crewed by one person
Self-bailing
Stable
Keel
Provision (motor mount e.g.) for propulsion

I'll be sailing the coast of Maine in the Boothbay area and have some sailing experience (not a novice but certainly not a master). The boat will be on a mooring May-October and stored on a trailer. I'm leaning toward a Precision 185K-any advice either pro, con, or alternative model would be most welcome.

Thanks,
__________________
Sawyers Island

 

[Crazy Dave Condon]

Make sure the bow eye is secured properly

 

[31seahorse]

Good Morning, Sawyers Island,
If you check the sailboatdata site you will find information on the Precision models and many other sailboats. Notably, the 185 hull had been built in two different designs: a Centerboard model which (I think) has a very light centerboard like the Precision 18 we owned and a keel model with 3.5 ft draft and 375 pound ballast. The Precision 18 we owned had a centerboard in a stub keel and the boat was more tender than my wife was comfortable sailing. The 185 appears to have less freeboard than some boats and, therefore, might be a wet boat to sail in choppy or windy conditions. Best Wishes, Phil

 

[dlochner]

The boat was designed by Jim Taylor who has designed a lot of nice sailing boats (my boat was designed by Jim Taylor) and Precision Boatworks is still in business. Both pluses.

If the boat is in good shape it should be a fun boat to sail.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I'll echo Dave & Phil based on their opinion of the boat. The (relatively low) freeboard is a consequence of a boat designed for good performance in a cruising model, which is what Jim Taylor is known for (I think). I had a Starwind 27, also designed by Jim Taylor. I loved the boat for performance and sailed in the ocean on a few occasions, where the freeboard made me feel "intimate" with the ocean!

Many would disagree, but I'll suggest that it really isn't suitable for coastal Maine sailing. It's a matter of opinion when you are talking about comfort to some extent. You'll find the boat to be a fine sailing vessel, I'm sure. The question I would have ... is it suitable for your location and intended use? I'd suggest that it is too small and you will out-grow it rapidly.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Looking at your criteria a little more closely ... why self-bailing? Low-maintenance implies that you have no interest in maintaining boat systems. That's understandable for your intent to be strictly day-sailing and probably limit you to a length of no more than 25' if you agree with my advise regarding boat size. Performance would include comfort and stability in the rougher conditions that you may encounter in coastal sailing ... I'd look for more length. Single-handing is relatively easy and common with any boat up to and exceeding 30' so I would not consider a limitation in size for that reason if that is why you are limiting to 20' in length.

 

[Sawyers Island]

Looking at your criteria a little more closely ... why self-bailing? Low-maintenance implies that you have no interest in maintaining boat systems. That's understandable for your intent to be strictly day-sailing and probably limit you to a length of no more than 25' if you agree with my advise regarding boat size. Performance would include comfort and stability in the rougher conditions that you may encounter in coastal sailing ... I'd look for more length. Single-handing is relatively easy and common with any boat up to and exceeding 30' so I would not consider a limitation in size for that reason if that is why you are limiting to 20' in length.

Thanks for your response. I prefer self bailing because 1) the boat will be moored and I'd rather not deal with a cockpit cover and 2) I'm assuming at some point I'll take on water while sailing and would prefer that is taken care of without the complexity of a bilge pump. To that end, one of the things I liked about the Precision 185K was the open transom. My mooring has about 5' of water at low tide so I'm concerned with draft but I don't want to give up the stability of a keel for a larger centerboard model. I'm also limited as to weight since I'll be trailering and storing twice per year. My budget isn't going to allow me to buy a vehicle to pull anything over 1500 lbs total.

Sawyers Island

 

[Project_Mayhem]

My Jim Taylor designed Starwind 19 weighed in at 1300lbs. The trailer was at least 500. I would recommend renting a Uhaul at the beginning and end of the season. Most boats and trailers will be more than 1500lbs

 

[Timm R Oday25]

If it were my money , I'd look at a catboat. Especially a ComPac catboat . Simple to sail ,easy to launch wide ,stable and if and when the time comes ,you'll get your money back out of it . I've been on a mooring for perhaps 20 years on Lake Michigan . Lot's of rain has passed through my cockpit drain since then . Keep it clear and you have nothing to worry about. Well there was thqat one spring a duck laid an egg in the cockpit and it rolled into the drain and plugged it ....

 

[JoeWhite]

My Jim Taylor designed Starwind 19 weighed in at 1300lbs. The trailer was at least 500. I would recommend renting a Uhaul at the beginning and end of the season. Most boats and trailers will be more than 1500lbs

To the best of my knowledge Uhaul does not allow towing a boat with their vehicles. You can tow their trailers only. Ask me how I found out.
That was years ago, the policy may have changed by now.

 

[Sawyers Island]

My Jim Taylor designed Starwind 19 weighed in at 1300lbs. The trailer was at least 500. I would recommend renting a Uhaul at the beginning and end of the season. Most boats and trailers will be more than 1500lbs

The Precision 185K that I like is 880 lbs-should be ok with a trailer.

My Jim Taylor designed Starwind 19 weighed in at 1300lbs. The trailer was at least 500. I would recommend renting a Uhaul at the beginning and end of the season. Most boats and trailers will be more than 1500lbs

The Precision 185K that I like is 880 lbs-should be ok with a trailer.

 

[Project_Mayhem]

To the best of my knowledge Uhaul does not allow towing a boat with their vehicles. You can tow their trailers only. Ask me how I found out.
That was years ago, the policy may have changed by now.

I've seen Uhauls at the ramp at the beginning and end of the season. I remember seeing an advertisement for truck rentals geared towards boaters. I believe it was by a local Uhaul dealer

 

[Barnacle Bill]

First of all Precision Boat Works is not building boats anymore, unlike what someone above suggested. They will answer the phone and they do have parts available. The Precision 185 doesn't have any "systems" to speak of, so the comment about maintaining systems is a bit off. Maintaining the cleanliness of the boat, lines, sails, trailer, etc. will keep the value up. The Precision 185 is a fast daysailer. Unlike a Com-Pac Cat boat. Each have their appeal, but for different reasons. Fast daysailer is a good description and that provides fun factor. It is fast because of the rig and sail plan, the weight of the boat, etc. Some have said it is unstable. It is a daysailer and crew weight keeps the boat on her feet. Of course the fin keel version will add stability and when you are sailing down wind like a bat out of hell, the fin keel adds form stability. I rather think those who criticize the boat's instability are not great sailors and need to learn a bit more about boats ike this.It is a very fun boat to sail. The self bailing feature is great for anyone keeping the boat on a mooring as rain water will not fill it up like a bathtub and swam it. It is also nice to have when you are washing the boat down with a hose where the water can escape. Another keen feature of the 185 is the semi-open transom. You'll have to look at a picture of one. But there is about a foot or so of swim platform behind the raised section which defines the trailing edge of the cockpit. This allows you to sit and drag your feet in the water on hot summer days, and when you are climbing out of the water after a swim, you can grab on to that to help pull you on board. I guess it is safe to say it probably is a boat for one who is fit and more agile than someone who is out of shape.That's my 2 cents.

 

[ifmdalvey]

I live just down the road from you and my first boat was a Catalina 22. its a great boat to start with, with the added advantage that you can overnight on it, which i think you might want to with the great sailing outside Boothbay harbor. Its on a trailer so costs are kept to a minimum . After a season of day sailing you might just want to expand your horizon.