Victoria 18' ?

RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Anyone here sailing, or familiar with, the Victoria 18? I have opportunity to purchase one reasonable and it looks like an interesting design that could be a lot of fun.
This isn't the one for sale, but the same boat.
picvictoria18ib.jpg
 
Last edited:
Oct 22, 2014
21,098
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
It does look like a fun boat. Nice lines. Will require a bit of water to float.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
The Vic18 is a great little boat. VERY easy to solo sail. There is like 10 of them on Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. I used to keep a First 235 there, and when I was out my V18 friends would try and catch me. Come to think of it, I should have let Nancy (in the sailor cap) succeed!

 
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RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
The Vic18 is a great little boat. VERY easy to solo sail. There is like 10 of them on Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. I used to keep a First 235 there, and when I was out my V18 friends would try and catch me. Come to think of it, I should have let Nancy (in the sailor cap) succeed!
From the little bit I've been able to learn online it sounds like you might have had to quietly throw anchor in order for her to catch your 235 ;) . The Vic doesn't sound like it's a very fast boat, and may like to lay over a bit to get moving. still… people give it very high phrase for fun factor, quick setup, high quality build and accessories. Draws 24" so not bad on the launch ramps etc. Love our Mac 25 for overnighters, but we're looking for a fun day sailer that sets up quick and easy, and doesn't require body-ballast. I think I'll see if I can go take a look at it later this week.

Thanks for the input,
 
Last edited:
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Come to think of it, I should have let Nancy (in the sailor cap) succeed!

Jackdaw, you and I have the same problem. I was recently reminded of an episode from my high school years:

Our family had a Sailfish (precursor to the Sunfish) and the tiller was held to the rudderhead by bronze straps. I was out on the other side of the bay, when one of the straps broke. I laid all the way aft, spilled wind from the sail, and steered by holding on to the back edge of the rudder (and got massive hand cramps.) This O'day 20 from our lagoon, the same O'day 20 with the cute blonde girl who wore bikinis all the time, came by and offered me a tow. Yeah, my stubborn pride reared its head, and I politely declined.

IDIOT! It's always better to do whatever necessary to get closer to the cuties in sailboats, even if that means being towed in! Stubborn male pride will get you NOWHERE! I keep reciting this rule to this day, even though I still haven't paid attention to myself! :D

Yeah, you should have let the cutie in the Victoria catch you. Then again, there is Pia, so I don't think you've done too poorly after all! :D

Oh, and to the original poster, I know of a V-18 at our lake, and I've seen her out on windier days than most people at our lake will sail. She's green, with tanbark sails. Lovely traditional salty look to her. If I stumbled across one at a good price... well... I can't have ALL THE BOATS, but I'd want it! :D
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Brian,

I was trying to keep her close! ;^)

The V18 is a cute boat. But is also has a VERY short waterline and the 235 just runs away. From it. Anyway Nancy is a good friend and a local artist here in town. I go to her exhibitions regularly.
 

RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Oh, and to the original poster, I know of a V-18 at our lake, and I've seen her out on windier days than most people at our lake will sail. She's green, with tanbark sails. Lovely traditional salty look to her. If I stumbled across one at a good price... well... I can't have ALL THE BOATS, but I'd want it! :D
They are a pretty little boat. at least in the photos. We'll be headed out (3 hr drive) in the AM to take a look at her in person. this is the actual boat/trailer we'll be looking at:
 

kito

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Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
I reck'n you need to sail her right up on the trailer? I don't see a motor ;)
 

RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Oh, and to the original poster, I know of a V-18 at our lake, and I've seen her out on windier days than most people at our lake will sail. She's green, with tanbark sails. Lovely traditional salty look to her.
Does it have a cutter sail setup???? Apparently there was only a half dozen of those ever built, only one original cutter survivor, and it's a dark green hull with tanbark sails. the other 600 or so Vic 18s built were all sloop rigged
 
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Jun 8, 2004
10,060
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Is the Victoria the one which has cocpit floor drains up forward in the cockpit floor with the drains cris crossing one another underneath the cockpit floor to the thru hull drains.
 

RussC

.
Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
I was bored and began reading up on information available online for the V18, when I came across an article that I found interesting in regards to speed. the boat is 18.5' long, but only 12.83 at the water line, apparently accounting for periodic complaints of being slow. The author points out that due to the design of the hull, LWL increases greatly when healed over, yet many new owners/sailors feel uncomfortable allowing the boat to heal over enough when looking for speed. The factory literature even states that best performance is gained when sailed at 18* of heel, as the boat then shows 17' of waterline. The factory also states that in higher winds you can let it go as far as "25* angle of heel and sails tremendously at that point". ;) . 46% of the hull weight is keel (550 lb), so there should be little fear of capsizing.
I understand the hype with sales literature, but nevertheless, I can see a grain of truth in all of this. What say ye @Jackdaw ?
 
Last edited:
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
I was bored and began reading up on information available online for the V18, when I came across an article that I found interesting in regards to speed. the boat is 18.5' long, but only 12.83 at the water line, apparently accounting for periodic complaints of being slow. The author points out that due to the design of the hull, LWL increases greatly when healed over, yet many new owners/sailors feel uncomfortable allowing the boat to heal over enough when looking for speed. The factory literature even states that best performance is gained when sailed at 18* of heel, as the boat then shows 17' of waterline. The factory also states that in higher winds you can let it go as far as "25* angle of heel and sails tremendously at that point". ;) . 46% of the hull weight is keel (550 lb), so there should be little fear of capsizing.
I understand the hype with sales literature, but nevertheless, I can see a grain of truth in all of this. What say ye @Jackdaw ?
For sure you can sail a Vic18 with a HUGE amount of heel. And yes it does increase the waterline and allows a faster hull speed. This is true for most boats... the waterline length is usually the length of the waterline on the heeled side.

Here is my buddy Glen making his way to windward... with a HUGE amount of weather helm.

 
Feb 20, 2011
7,993
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Here is my buddy Glen making his way to windward... with a HUGE amount of weather helm.
Don't know if it's just an optical illusion, but doesn't that mast seem to have a lot of aft rake?
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Does it have a cutter sail setup???? Apparently there was only a half dozen of those ever built, only one original cutter survivor, and it's a dark green hull with tanbark sails. the other 600 or so Vic 18s built were all sloop rigged
No, the one at our lake is sloop rigged. But looks similar otherwise.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
I was bored and began reading up on information available online for the V18, when I came across an article that I found interesting in regards to speed. the boat is 18.5' long, but only 12.83 at the water line, apparently accounting for periodic complaints of being slow. The author points out that due to the design of the hull, LWL increases greatly when healed over, yet many new owners/sailors feel uncomfortable allowing the boat to heal over enough when looking for speed. The factory literature even states that best performance is gained when sailed at 18* of heel, as the boat then shows 17' of waterline. The factory also states that in higher winds you can let it go as far as "25* angle of heel and sails tremendously at that point". ;) . 46% of the hull weight is keel (550 lb), so there should be little fear of capsizing.
I understand the hype with sales literature, but nevertheless, I can see a grain of truth in all of this. What say ye @Jackdaw ?
This is pretty true of most boats with large overhangs. Newer designs, like the sleds in VOR, are different, in that they heel them a lot to lift the flat hull out of the water by heeling to reduce surface drag.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Don't know if it's just an optical illusion, but doesn't that mast seem to have a lot of aft rake?
Optical Illusion. On fractional rigs a reverse bend (inversion) will immediately collapse the mast.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Optical Illusion. On fractional rigs a reverse bend (inversion) will immediately collapse the mast.
That's what I figured, it must have been a lens aberration. I knew inversions were bad, but I didn't realize they would collapse the mast. I don't care for inversions :D