I am new to sailing. How new? I've been out on a sunfish once. My wife on the other hand was on a sailing team in college. We are considering purchasing a Macgregor-Venture 17. Would recomend this as a good starter boat for learning the sport and for a trailering boat? I have found a few reviews online but they were very limited. I think it would help if I knew more about sailing, but I am a "learn from doing" type person. Where we live we do not seem to be able to find many boats to rent. Here I am rambling. Thanks for the help if you can offer any thoughts on the V17.
Venture 17 review wanted
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Learn on whatever you have.
I started out on a small boat as well, then gradually moved larger. If had to do again, I'd start on the larger boat. It was the size I wanted to sail on from the begining, and although "basic sailing" is much the same on any boat, every boat handles differently. It would have been easier to get familiar with the size from the start. Not to mention all those dunks in the water while learning. A more stable platform allows you to adjust & correct mistakes with sail trim, instead of having to try again after righting the boat. Sorry off the point, but the V17 is fine to learn on if that's what you're going to have to use, and it's easy to trailer.
I started out on a small boat as well, then gradually moved larger. If had to do again, I'd start on the larger boat. It was the size I wanted to sail on from the begining, and although "basic sailing" is much the same on any boat, every boat handles differently. It would have been easier to get familiar with the size from the start. Not to mention all those dunks in the water while learning. A more stable platform allows you to adjust & correct mistakes with sail trim, instead of having to try again after righting the boat. Sorry off the point, but the V17 is fine to learn on if that's what you're going to have to use, and it's easy to trailer.
Yup, I agree
I started out on big boats and downsized to this one. The 26 is a really easy boat to sail and first time sailors was apparently one of the target market segments for it. It tows easily too...weighs 2100 lbs. on the trailer (bareboat) which is a lot more than the 800lb 17, but it tows very nicely. If you plan to drag it up to Erie, you'll appreciate the space it has.
I started out on big boats and downsized to this one. The 26 is a really easy boat to sail and first time sailors was apparently one of the target market segments for it. It tows easily too...weighs 2100 lbs. on the trailer (bareboat) which is a lot more than the 800lb 17, but it tows very nicely. If you plan to drag it up to Erie, you'll appreciate the space it has.
Thanks
Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. I really don't want to go much bigger due to trailering. I have a Grand Cherokee and worry about pulling a boat much larger. If I should learn on a larger boat I may learn on someone else's and still buy a smaller one for ourselves. I'll look at the boat this weekend. I may have a lot more questions after I see it. Thanks again
Thanks guys. I appreciate the input. I really don't want to go much bigger due to trailering. I have a Grand Cherokee and worry about pulling a boat much larger. If I should learn on a larger boat I may learn on someone else's and still buy a smaller one for ourselves. I'll look at the boat this weekend. I may have a lot more questions after I see it. Thanks again
Had one...
A long time back after learning to sail in lasers and small O'Days my folks bought one of these, which I often trailersailed. I must really love sailing because I still love to sail in spite of the bad experiences from that boat. I'll try to summarize. Pluses: Cheap, positive floatation, lightweight mast, heavy iron swink keel makes it difficult to flip and relatively easy to trailer, swing keel makes running aground relatively painless. Negatives: o Small claustrophobic cabin only fit for small elves who want to take a sauna, (the only vent is the companionway...) o Heavy iron swing keel rusts and the winch is a major safety hazard, especially with others in the cockpit. Not good in salt water. There's a replacement winch with a safety brake... get it! If/when the keel cable breaks... it's bad to be you. o Iron keel is raised by a cable, which vibrates (hums) the entire time your sailing, a major nuisance. I loved the quiet power of the smaller ODay. No keel bolt wear and rusting on the Oday either. o Cheap stay fasteners with cotter pins instead of turnbuckles. I'd replace these too, at least have spares. o No swim ladder, high freeboard. Meaning if you get out of the boat, intentionally or other, you may not get back in. o Mine had only cam cleats for the jib, sometimes they worked. o No traveller, no boom vang, so hard to control sail shape. o The cabin was hard to crawl around in because of the keel trunk, & had poor headroom. It's a storm hideout only. No storage, and little comfort. o Extremely simple rigging. Mine didn't have any headsail furling, so it was hard to single hand when you need to reef. On nice breezy days it's not too bad, but extra hands on board help when it gets windy. o The thinnest sailboat hull I've ever seen. Mine "oilcanned" just sailing it down the intracoastal from boat wake. o Not a fast boat, never surfed.
A long time back after learning to sail in lasers and small O'Days my folks bought one of these, which I often trailersailed. I must really love sailing because I still love to sail in spite of the bad experiences from that boat. I'll try to summarize. Pluses: Cheap, positive floatation, lightweight mast, heavy iron swink keel makes it difficult to flip and relatively easy to trailer, swing keel makes running aground relatively painless. Negatives: o Small claustrophobic cabin only fit for small elves who want to take a sauna, (the only vent is the companionway...) o Heavy iron swing keel rusts and the winch is a major safety hazard, especially with others in the cockpit. Not good in salt water. There's a replacement winch with a safety brake... get it! If/when the keel cable breaks... it's bad to be you. o Iron keel is raised by a cable, which vibrates (hums) the entire time your sailing, a major nuisance. I loved the quiet power of the smaller ODay. No keel bolt wear and rusting on the Oday either. o Cheap stay fasteners with cotter pins instead of turnbuckles. I'd replace these too, at least have spares. o No swim ladder, high freeboard. Meaning if you get out of the boat, intentionally or other, you may not get back in. o Mine had only cam cleats for the jib, sometimes they worked. o No traveller, no boom vang, so hard to control sail shape. o The cabin was hard to crawl around in because of the keel trunk, & had poor headroom. It's a storm hideout only. No storage, and little comfort. o Extremely simple rigging. Mine didn't have any headsail furling, so it was hard to single hand when you need to reef. On nice breezy days it's not too bad, but extra hands on board help when it gets windy. o The thinnest sailboat hull I've ever seen. Mine "oilcanned" just sailing it down the intracoastal from boat wake. o Not a fast boat, never surfed.
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