I want something(used)that's trailerable and can be sailed on the coast of Massachussettes,New Jersey,Block Island,Nantucket,New Jersey lakes. Was considering a Cat 22 with swing keel, but I'm concerned about the size of the cabin (I'll want to overnight ocassionally with family) and whether this boat is right for coastal trips (how does it respond in the ocean?). I'm thinking I could move up to a 25 or 26, but I want something I can single-hand and trailer easily. I also want a boat that is equally at home in the ocean or a lake. Any thoughts on the above would be much appreciated.
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Scott Blahnik
Hunter 260 or Catalina 25 would work
except I don't know about on the ocean. I would rather a larger heavier boat for that. I use my 270 in coastal waters only. High seas would make me nervous. The fun part is searching for one. Have you searched on-line?
except I don't know about on the ocean. I would rather a larger heavier boat for that. I use my 270 in coastal waters only. High seas would make me nervous. The fun part is searching for one. Have you searched on-line?
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Dick Vance
Tough Specifications
Hi Pat, It's hard to find a boat that will do all those things well. For comfortable coastal cruising, you need a boat that is just marginally trailerable....25-26' at least. The Cat 250 and Hunter 26 water ballasted boats are about all that's out there in this category. You could also look for an older Catalina 25 with a swing keel. This is a pretty good boat and a better sailer, IMHO, than the new water ballast boats. Of course, you pay a trailerable weight penalty. You can day sail almost anything in good weather but cruising suggests longer sails and overnighting so more cabin room and stability are needed. Lots of sailors have grown up in Cat. 22's and Hunter 23's and these are good sailing boats; with the H-23 a faster boat. As long as you stick near shore and pick your weather carefully, you can have some good sailing with either but they are principally designed for lakes and bays. If you want a coastal cruiser, my recommendation would be for at least a 27-28' inboard diesel to give you the safety and comfort margin, but these aren't trailer sailors. For some good info and articles about trailerable sailboats, please see: http://www.trailersailor.com/index2.html Also, what is your sailing experience? HTH, Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
Hi Pat, It's hard to find a boat that will do all those things well. For comfortable coastal cruising, you need a boat that is just marginally trailerable....25-26' at least. The Cat 250 and Hunter 26 water ballasted boats are about all that's out there in this category. You could also look for an older Catalina 25 with a swing keel. This is a pretty good boat and a better sailer, IMHO, than the new water ballast boats. Of course, you pay a trailerable weight penalty. You can day sail almost anything in good weather but cruising suggests longer sails and overnighting so more cabin room and stability are needed. Lots of sailors have grown up in Cat. 22's and Hunter 23's and these are good sailing boats; with the H-23 a faster boat. As long as you stick near shore and pick your weather carefully, you can have some good sailing with either but they are principally designed for lakes and bays. If you want a coastal cruiser, my recommendation would be for at least a 27-28' inboard diesel to give you the safety and comfort margin, but these aren't trailer sailors. For some good info and articles about trailerable sailboats, please see: http://www.trailersailor.com/index2.html Also, what is your sailing experience? HTH, Dick Vance H-25.5 "Honey Bear"
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dave
your choice
i personally don't trailor BUT my 25 could be trailored and it is great with the centeboard set upo for ocean or lakes and easy overnight for4 or 5
i personally don't trailor BUT my 25 could be trailored and it is great with the centeboard set upo for ocean or lakes and easy overnight for4 or 5
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Mike
pop tops really open up the cabin
I would add my humble opinion that I like the Catalina 25 for what you have laid out as your specs. While I'm not wild about a swing keel with as much weight as the 25's, if you want to trailer regularly, you don't want to be dealing with a fin keel. Also, the 25 has a pop top, which makes it much more cruisable than the other boats. By the way, I would not take the 25 as far as Block Island except in the most benign weather; I just would not feel comfortable doing so with an outboard-equipped boat. One big wave and you are done. For real coastal cruising you need a boat with an inboard.
I would add my humble opinion that I like the Catalina 25 for what you have laid out as your specs. While I'm not wild about a swing keel with as much weight as the 25's, if you want to trailer regularly, you don't want to be dealing with a fin keel. Also, the 25 has a pop top, which makes it much more cruisable than the other boats. By the way, I would not take the 25 as far as Block Island except in the most benign weather; I just would not feel comfortable doing so with an outboard-equipped boat. One big wave and you are done. For real coastal cruising you need a boat with an inboard.
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Kenneth Pfaff
Hunter 23.5
I use to have a 1993 Hunter 23.5 and trailer but I never felt that it was a trailable boat and just kept it at the mairna. But it would meet you needs. It had a fixed winged keel so you got the stability (for Costal cruising) and it could sleep 4 (a couple and 2 small kids). It had a stove and sink. I traded it in for a larger boat (a Hunter 290). The dealer may still have her, the dealer was Long Island Yacht Sales out in Bay Shore LI, which is not too far fron Northern New Jersey.
I use to have a 1993 Hunter 23.5 and trailer but I never felt that it was a trailable boat and just kept it at the mairna. But it would meet you needs. It had a fixed winged keel so you got the stability (for Costal cruising) and it could sleep 4 (a couple and 2 small kids). It had a stove and sink. I traded it in for a larger boat (a Hunter 290). The dealer may still have her, the dealer was Long Island Yacht Sales out in Bay Shore LI, which is not too far fron Northern New Jersey.
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Michael
Small Cruiser
Pat; Most people don't want to put much effort into trailering, and I wouldn't go coastal in one of the current "trailerables". By coastal I mean land on one side and open water on the other. Here in the Northwest it is like a large lake, and a Potter is safe for most of the time. I trailered an 86 C25 with a fin keel for 7 years. Yes it was difficult most of the time, but in the water I was in a comfortable boat. My reccomendation is the C25 with wing or fin keel, or a H25.5 (late 80's), and I think they replaced the 25.5 with a 26.5. These are fixed keel boats, and were available with a shoal, or deep fin. If you are gutsy, I guess you can do it in one of the water ballasted models. Mike
Pat; Most people don't want to put much effort into trailering, and I wouldn't go coastal in one of the current "trailerables". By coastal I mean land on one side and open water on the other. Here in the Northwest it is like a large lake, and a Potter is safe for most of the time. I trailered an 86 C25 with a fin keel for 7 years. Yes it was difficult most of the time, but in the water I was in a comfortable boat. My reccomendation is the C25 with wing or fin keel, or a H25.5 (late 80's), and I think they replaced the 25.5 with a 26.5. These are fixed keel boats, and were available with a shoal, or deep fin. If you are gutsy, I guess you can do it in one of the water ballasted models. Mike
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Jim Oursler
trailerable and seaworthy?
I have had several sail boats including a Pearson 26 (fixed keel)J22 Fixed keel (1700 pounds), S2 7.9 and Beneteau First 235. GO fixed keel only if you plan on using a hoist at every stop. The 235 at 2300 pounds is marginally trailerable except even the winged fixed keel is a drawback. 235 is sharpest and most robust of the lot. The Pearson is also very very robust, but small below decks. All trailerables have the drawback of an outboard engine,which tends to go airborn just when you need it most. The 7.9 had large cockpit,at sacrifice of below decks, but beamier than the 235, so roomy but short down below. The 235 has a cramped cockpit compared to all of the others. The 7.9 at 26 feet weighed 4300 pound with center lifting keel of 600 pounds. Trouble was that the mast was heavy and with keel lifted, no steerage when putting it on the trailer. Trailer sailors are proficient at raising the mast. You and your bride should try this twice on any boat before plunking down your money. I think that a lot of large trailerables end up staying at home because of the mast and loading issues. You want light to drive across the New England coast line, and heavy so that you won't bob about like a cork in the ocean.., and roomy down below so that more than one person doesn't feel like sardines. Good luck. Maybe MacGregor has the right idea.. go for the gusto with best trailerability for a roomy boat with light construction.. but on the sea? I would borrow a lot of boats, tow, float, and sleep in before committing to anything over 2300 pounds, as 4300 pounds plus trailer needs at least a 5 liter engine. All of these boats are seaworthy, but the J22 has air chambers which tend to fill with water when the owner fails to service the screw on covers. I've kind of rambled. but maybe you get the idea of all of the tradeoffs.. By the way.. I gave up on trailering and now have just the J22(racing) and a Hunter 34 (cruising).
I have had several sail boats including a Pearson 26 (fixed keel)J22 Fixed keel (1700 pounds), S2 7.9 and Beneteau First 235. GO fixed keel only if you plan on using a hoist at every stop. The 235 at 2300 pounds is marginally trailerable except even the winged fixed keel is a drawback. 235 is sharpest and most robust of the lot. The Pearson is also very very robust, but small below decks. All trailerables have the drawback of an outboard engine,which tends to go airborn just when you need it most. The 7.9 had large cockpit,at sacrifice of below decks, but beamier than the 235, so roomy but short down below. The 235 has a cramped cockpit compared to all of the others. The 7.9 at 26 feet weighed 4300 pound with center lifting keel of 600 pounds. Trouble was that the mast was heavy and with keel lifted, no steerage when putting it on the trailer. Trailer sailors are proficient at raising the mast. You and your bride should try this twice on any boat before plunking down your money. I think that a lot of large trailerables end up staying at home because of the mast and loading issues. You want light to drive across the New England coast line, and heavy so that you won't bob about like a cork in the ocean.., and roomy down below so that more than one person doesn't feel like sardines. Good luck. Maybe MacGregor has the right idea.. go for the gusto with best trailerability for a roomy boat with light construction.. but on the sea? I would borrow a lot of boats, tow, float, and sleep in before committing to anything over 2300 pounds, as 4300 pounds plus trailer needs at least a 5 liter engine. All of these boats are seaworthy, but the J22 has air chambers which tend to fill with water when the owner fails to service the screw on covers. I've kind of rambled. but maybe you get the idea of all of the tradeoffs.. By the way.. I gave up on trailering and now have just the J22(racing) and a Hunter 34 (cruising).
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Steve W.
it's all about compromises...
and you have several conflicting requirements, in my mind. Launching and recovering any sailboat over about 20 feet and 2,000#, especially singlehanded, is a challenging effort, even for an experienced trailer-boater. Unless conditions are absolutely perfect, i.e., no wind, no one else at the ramp, plenty of time, stepping the mast and launching a small cruiser will be a challenge. My wife
and you have several conflicting requirements, in my mind. Launching and recovering any sailboat over about 20 feet and 2,000#, especially singlehanded, is a challenging effort, even for an experienced trailer-boater. Unless conditions are absolutely perfect, i.e., no wind, no one else at the ramp, plenty of time, stepping the mast and launching a small cruiser will be a challenge. My wife
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Les Murray
How about a cat boat
Pat, Another boat to think about that is a bit more robust, but is still trailerable is a cat boat like a Marshall. These only have one sail, have a small cuddy cabin that can hold up to four, depending on the model. They usually have inboard diesels. I saw a Cat 22 in the Boston Globe resently for about $15k with an inboard diesel and trailer. Les Murray s/v Ceilidh 86 C-36 #560
Pat, Another boat to think about that is a bit more robust, but is still trailerable is a cat boat like a Marshall. These only have one sail, have a small cuddy cabin that can hold up to four, depending on the model. They usually have inboard diesels. I saw a Cat 22 in the Boston Globe resently for about $15k with an inboard diesel and trailer. Les Murray s/v Ceilidh 86 C-36 #560
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