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Who's got more than one sailboat in their fleet?

5K views 34 replies 32 participants last post by  mstern 
#1 ·
I know there a few multi-boat owners on these boards and I would like to benefit from their (or anyone else's) experience. I have had two boats for awhile (Bristol 24 and a Allied Seawind 30), but this year will be the first year that both will be in the water at the same time. Initially, I had planned to let one or both of my kids, who are about to graduate from college (yee-hah!), take the Bristol on an aquatic version of a walkabout.

The kids have since indicated that they aren't interested in taking me up on the offer of the Bristol. I don't know where I went wrong, but I'm beginning to suspect that my real children were kidnapped!

Anyway, if I could find a way to keep both boats, I'd like to. The Bristol has sentimental value and I hope to use the Seawind for extended cruising "when and if". I used to have the Seawind on the Chesapeake, and while we enjoyed cruising the Bay, the seven hour commute to and from the boat by car got to be a drag. If I was going to have a boat in a remote location now, I'd want it to be accessible by a relatively cheap flight.

So, my questions are...
- Assuming a two boat owner, do you keep both boats near to where you live or is one in another cruising area entirely?

- If one is in a distant location, do you rely on a marina or boatyard to handle much of the work that you would normally do yourself?

- Do you feel like you are able to take advantage of having two boats or do you end up sailing one of them less than you would like?

- My wife is already on my case to sell one, but I've been trying to pitch the "floating condo" idea. She's not buying it because she knows that staying aboard either of these boats is more akin to camping than anything else. Can anyone suggest a relatively low cost way to keep a boat in a warmer clime that might appeal to her and allow me to keep both boats?

Perhaps the best answer will be to pass the Bristol on to a new owner and stick with one boat, but I want to be sure that I've explored all other options first. Thanks in advance for your advice.
 
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#3 ·
I grew up with access to many different boats including a motorboat, 3 small sailboats and a few sea kayaks while working on a 92' schooner. What I found was that I essentially only used one of the boats outside of work. If there was no wind, I would go sea kayaking, otherwise I always sailed the same small boat. I used the other boats 2 or 3 times a year but it really wasn't worth the effort that went into them. When my parent's motorboat broke a wrist pin last year, I looked and realized it was getting less than 5 uses a year so we put it up for sale.

If you are doing the maintenance yourself, I can't imagine having two boats, the sailing time would not be worth the maintenance time. I could maybe see it if they were in significantly different places. I could also see it if one boat was a cruising boat and the other one was a daysailor for when you only have 2 hours to go out.

I am sure that you will have your own opinion on the subject once you try it.
 
#6 ·
For the past several years I've had both a Lightning 19' and a Tartan 27'. I kept the Lightning on the LI Sound on a trailer at a relatives house for the most part. The Tartan is kept on a mooring 25 nm up the Hudson. It was nice to have a small, fast boat on the salt water of the Sound. The problem always is if you are using one of them then you are not using the other.
In your case I would switch the locations you keep your boats in. Try to find someone on the Chessy willing to go partners with you on the Bristol 24' and you would only get to use it for 1 or 2 weeks a season considering the time and distances involved. I know it is a long shot but would be my fantasy.
Having the Allied Seawind on the Sound closer to home sounds like the way to go.
 
#7 ·
There was a period in my life where I owned two boats. One was a 28' center console power boat, and the other a 36' Lancer. I kept them on opposite sides of Oahu, and rarely made it out to the power boat. Not the smartest move I've ever made in retrospect. I imagine dual boat ownership is a lot like polygamy. Sounds great in theory, but in practice it is twice the headache, and twice the financial burden.

Hopefully you have a better experience than I did!
 
#9 ·
Peterson 34 offshore sloop for the ocean, San Juan 21 trailer sailer for lakes, and a Laser dinghy for blasting around just for fun.

I'm not counting rowing or paddling boats, just sail boats (no power boats, except for the auxillaries in the 34 and on the 21).

I imagine dual boat ownership is a lot like polygamy!
Maybe. In my case I think it might be more like living with only one wife, but a family of girls...
 
#11 ·
My family had the good luck to benefit from someone in your position. We got to use the boat so long as we maintained it properly (varnish, bottom paint, etc.) The owner checked up to make sure things were taken care of while he sailed his main boat. The deal worked for about five or six years, until the owner's children were old enough to take it over. The boat, an H-28, still sails out of our harbor. All you have to do is find someone YOU think knows how to sail, and who's willing to put in some effort (or $) on upkeep.
 
#12 ·
Four;
15 ft Grunnion (old one design, planing hull, self rescuing) trailer
17 ft Wide Grumman aluminum canoe with sail rig. car topper
22 ft Seafarer fin keel classic cruiser on trailer
29 ft Seafarer swing keel classic cruiser in slip.

Once they are in good shape I find that the upkeep is minimal and greatly dependent on the amount of use. I usually plan do most of it while I am waiting for weather. For instance I rebeded the portlights while waiting in Charlotte Harbor during a break in a two month cruise. Some fancy cleaning up was done near Everglades City on another trip.
 
#15 ·
In addition to our big boat, we also have a 12' Escape Rumba (named "Rumbaba") that I picked up for my teenaged daughter after she learned to sail a Laser during a 5-week cruise from St. Martin to Trinadad the summer before last. I bought it used from a near-by hotel that decided to get rid of the boats after they got sick of having to chase down missing guests!. It has a furling main that allows one to reef or adjust the size of the sail for the conditions and a Hoyt style boom. The boat goes like heck in any wind and is a hoot to sail off the beach in front of our club (and is unsinkable). Great for kids and old guys that wish they were still young. (We use our dinghy as a "chase boat".)



FWIW...
 
#16 ·
I have a 20' Santana and an AMF catamaran. I thought I would use both. The Cat used to be on a small lake by my house and the other on the a bigger lake farther from my house. I figured I coud use the cat after work or when I couldnt get away for the weekend. Turns out it was an impracticle idea. I will probably sell the cat this spring when I get some free time.
 
#18 ·
ummmm yeah one too many...the littler one is for sale!
 
#19 · (Edited)
3

After sinking 3K into my old jet boat big block and getting 20 hours out of it I came back to sailing.

In 2007 I bought a 16' 1981 Hobie. Actually my Wife found it for me. I taught her that high grass around things is sometimes a "For Sale" sign. The boat had very little use but needed a tramp, running, and standing rigging. $500 for the boat, another $1000 in goodies and upgrades...Fine boat. Oh yeah, the sails are original and crisp!

Last year after taking ASA courses in Abaco I had the boat bug bad. I wanted something to cruise the upper-mid Chesapeake on. Bringing the Wife into this slowly I wanted a smaller trailerable boat, fairly new, and in good shape. I KNOW I'm getting a larger boat one day but our 1993 Macgregor 26 swing keel sure fits the bill for now. We have so much fun on that thing! Right now it's under a few feet of snow in the back yard on it's trailer. Somewhat depressing. However in no time at all we'll be launching and putting to slip our "Nauti Time" and be running out of Rock Creek again!


 
#20 ·
two boat owner by choice

I have a Beneteau 42CC in the Caribbean and a C&C 33 on the Great Lakes. If you count dinghies and kayaks my fleet consists of six boats. It works for me to have the boats in different cruising grounds and I use them in different seasons. Hurricane season in the Caribbean is perfect cruising weather on the Great Lakes. I usually launch in June and haul out in October before the Annapolis Boat Show, then I head to the Caribbean the end of October. The Caribbean boat is managed by Tortola Marine Management so I know she is well taken care of when I'm not there and she will be ready for me to use when I get there. She is chartered when I'm not using her so it helps to offset the cost of ownership. I have friends who leave their boats in the Caribbean under private management and they do not charter the boat. It all boils down to how much do you want to spend?
 
#21 ·
more boats

Well, 3 canoes, 1 daysailer, dingy, cc29MII, little dory, kayaks and thinking about a contessa 26 for lake Nippising near our cottage. The more boats the better. I would recommend alternative locations for the boats. My cc29 is in Lake Huron the contessa (soon to cross the Atlantic????) in Nippising. If maintanance or money gets in the way of sailing sell the boat.

Cheers
Len
 
#22 ·
At one time I owned eight motorcycles, one of them a sidecar. They all ran and I rode them all. Now I'm down to two motorcycles (both for sale) and one scooter (which I'm keeping).

I'm working towards my first big boat purchase. I've owned a San Juan 21, a Force 5, and a little no name daysailer project in the past.

People thought I was crazy to own so many motorcycles. Right now, I'm having a hard time imagining owning two boats.
 
#23 ·
Initially, I had planned to let one or both of my kids, who are about to graduate from college (yee-hah!), take the Bristol on an aquatic version of a walkabout.

The kids have since indicated that they aren't interested in taking me up on the offer of the Bristol. I don't know where I went wrong, but I'm beginning to suspect that my real children were kidnapped!
DAD - Is it really you??!!! :laugher

.
 
#24 ·
I have a Cal 29 and a 21' Dovekie trailer sailer. It's a compatible combination and works though I've not doing the sailing of either thatg I'd prefer. Arond here there's lots of places that it'd take too long to sail to and the trailer sailer fits in well. We also need a trailersailer if we want to go where there's warm water.

Two decades ago I had a Hallberg Rassy 41 and a Hobie cat.... for a long time One for serious sailing and one for fun.

This doesn't count kayaks and dingys which I have a few
 
#25 ·
I've got the Laser I learned to sail on when I was 12 years old and my Islander 28. Along with those I have a canoe, a fibreglass dinghy, an inflatable dinghy and another inflatable. Whew! Now that I write it down, I think it's time for a garage sale!
 
#26 · (Edited)
4 boats, A Newport 30, and a 15'American Skiff with Johnson50 both are in the water. A 10'2" RIB with a 9.8 nissan and finally a antique 15' Snipe, built locally in 1939. Love them all and hope to keep for a while, the local historical society wants the Snipe though. Also a 1956 Johnson 3hp, 5 1/2 hp, 7 1/2 hp, 1980 Super Bug 2hp
 
#27 ·
I have a 1979 Compac 16 on a trailer in Miami, and a 1970 Pearson 26 on a mooring in Coconut Grove. I haven't used the Compac after I got the Pearson in November, but I would love to have them both on the water. The hassle of trailering keeps me from using the Compac... but the simplicity of sailing a small light boat keeps me from selling it. I like it too much to sell it... I'd like to be able to keep it in the water and get rid of the trailer, I think I would definitely use it at that point. Maybe next year I'll move to a place where I can dock the Compac and keep both in the water...
Christian
 
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