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Trailer sailer

24K views 60 replies 28 participants last post by  Erin33 
#1 ·
First off let me state this is my first post and I have zero sailing exp. Me and my wife (mostly me) are looking at getting into sailing as I belive it will be one of the most most peaceful things to do. I was wondering if the sailing community could assit me in finding the right boat for us with our requirements.

1. Own a jeep that can pull 3500 lbs
2. Must be safe as wife is scared of the water :p
3. Can be operated mostly by one person
4. Decent interior for few days to a week stay
5. We plan to tow in and out after each excursion, for money saving reasons.
6. Hoping for 24-27 foot range
7. Safe sailing for stright of Georgia area

Our main usage based on our lifestyle would be going to a island tossing a anchor out and staying a few nights just to enjoy mother earth. I dont need the fastest or most shinny, a good interior and peace of mind that the boats safe is our goal. Another side question too..been seening a few sailboats with 50+ hp on the back .. is this a good thing for safety reason or would I feel just as safe on a boat with a 9.9 ? Again looking to sail not ski, but if its a safe thing to have for just incase moments ill get it.


Thanks so much in advance
Brad
 
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#31 ·
LOL...and I came across a bit defensive too. I've been here long enough to notice that on probably 80% of the threads where Macgregors come up, a "defender" pops up and we get into the whole mac-bashing thing. That's not what happened here. I tried to give as balanced a perspective as I could as a non-owner (and novice) and I think that when you read them carefully, Denise's comments were fair too.

As to the "cult-like" comment, I don't believe she was saying Mac-ownership IS a cult, just that those who have them, especially the powersailers, tend to rabidly love them. I think that's true of many boats (with the possible exception of the Hunter 28) though - they cost enough that there's no point in keeping it if you don't love it. To be honest, I read her Denise's "cult" comment as a compliment and carefully pointing out that they more than meet certain peoples' needs.

I can appreciate the desire to defend your boat - Jeff_H hates Allmands. There are days I want to sail my boat back to the Chesapeake just so I can take him for a ride and see if we can't change his mind! He's lucky I didn't run into him in Annapolis. (kidding)
 
#32 · (Edited)
50 hp on a transom would have to be a mac motorsailer. They are strange boats to me, and the water ballast models has been a problem for some owners. There's one sitting in my YC for many years, the guy never uses it; but puts it in once a year to stay current with the club's "must run" policy. Shame too, it's one boat that would serve well on a River like the Delaware. Get you where you want to go and sail then be home for dinner! But, I like a true keel boats in all their slowness. The other macs that are sail only do well as trailer sailers and sit low on the bunks. Not like some other trailer sailers.
 
#33 ·
3,500 pound limit and long trips with the wife won't mix well.
But you still have options:
1- Get a daysailor or something up to 3500 pounds with gear, trailer, and motor included. Sail to whichever island you like, and camp on the island. A centerboard model will get you closer to the beach and be easier to launch, but the wife is still going to get wet unless you have an inflatable dinghy.
2- 15K is a lot of money for sailboat, especially if you are handy. Have you checked slip/moorage fees in your area? If you have the skills and time, you can refurbish a larger older boat that you will be more comfortable staying on, and have money left over for storage.
3- I wouldn't do it with my truck, but different strokes for different folks. You could get an overweight 25 footer and leave it rigged on your trailer at a marina at a reduced storage rate. There are places down here that only charge $50/month for this type of storage! Then you can just launch and go before a long trip, and not have to worry about leaving your jeep overnight for a week or so in an unknown place.
 
#34 · (Edited)
My advice is to stop by some marina's and get some prices to dock, haul and store the boat. At about 25 feet, its starts to become really worth it. I keep my Cat 22 docked because I don't want to do all that work rigging and hauling.

Believe me , I have done it- that work and hauling really detracts from the fun. BIG TIME

Get a heavier boat + find a cheap boat yard = have a great time.

Finally - I do find the Cat 22 to be a very good compromise. Thats what we currently have.
 
#35 ·
... as I belive it will be one of the most most peaceful things to do ...
... wife is scared of the water...
IMO, all the talk about boat characteristics is putting the cart before the horse. Notice the conflict I edited from your original post. Somebody who has fear of water will not be relaxed on a trailerable sailboat on a large body of water. Rein in your fantasies and deal with reality.

I can't tell your wife how to overcome her fear, but the first step would be to determine if she really wants to overcome it. If so, try baby steps - Is she uncomfortable on a ferry? If so, forget about sailing with her. If she can be comfortable on smaller motor boats, then maybe there is hope. Before you buy a sailboat, I recommend you invest in a crewed charter cruise in an area of warm, smooth water, and gentle winds - like the Virgin Islands. If she doesn't like that, start looking for an RV. There's nothing wrong with staying on land.

Finally, if you go forward with a boat purchase, scale back your Strait crossing dreams. You'll want to stay very close to shore for a year or two until you both have the skills for a big crossing. If you want to sail to places where you camp on land, a daysailor with a cuddy to hold your gear would be the ticket. If you want a boat big enough to hang out all day and all night, you are getting out of trailerable range. As suggested previoulsy, look at lots of boats. It's fun and you'll learn much about boats and about yourselves. Lots of people start out small and cheap, then upgrade when they have a better understanding of the sport and what they want to do with it.
 
#36 ·
I own an Oday 22 and enjoy it very much. Has a small cabin with a hand sink and a coleman stove. A door on the bulkhead to the v-berth and porta-potty.
V-berth is cramped for two adults, but so was the v-berth on the Catalina 320 we did ASA on. I have done overnighters with my wife and spent longer by myself.

It is a 2000# boat with a shoal / shallow keel. Has bunks to guide the keel, making it easy to get back on the trailer. Trailers easy. Takes about an hour to rig and launch, less with two working efficiently. I have done the whole routine singlehanded.

If you haven't sailed I highly recommend some lessons, ASA or private. Since your wife doesn't like the water you might try a skippered charter for a few hours just to find out how she'll do.

My wife is actually less enthused about sailing after taking ASA 101 and 103, and I'm looking for a bigger boat.:D
 
#37 · (Edited)
I want to encourage you to look the other direction, and consider an even smaller boat for trailer sailing. There is a tradeoff between size and quality on a fixed budget- and I think a good sailing experience comes more from having a good quality and well set up boat, than a large boat.

It's a well established phenomenon that smaller boats tend to get sailed more often. I recommend buying the smallest boat that will possibly work for what you plan to do in the short term future.

I was in a similar situation as you (sailing with my wife, car that tows 3,500 lbs) and went with a Catalina 22. I initially thought this was a bit small, but after sailing for 5 years I decided that it was way too big for these reasons:

-Towing close to the weight limit of the vehicle makes for a stressful drive, and is hard on the vehicle. Loaded for a week long cruise, your boat can weigh close to 1,000lbs more than empty!
-Rigging and unrigging a 22 footer is really a 2 hour job up, and a 2 hour job down from arrival to sailing off. This makes trips less than 3 days not very fun. My wife especially hated the long rigging job in hot crowded parking lots.
-Maintenance costs (and effort) scale with boat size. Although I could easily afford to buy a 22 footer, I couldn't afford to maintain it in bristol condition with the best quality gear. It turns out the initial purchase price is pretty much inconsequential compared to other costs in the long run.
-Sailing effort scales with the size of the boat, so you can do a better job sailing a smaller boat longer, and with less fatigue.
-In a trailer sailor, you spend all your time in the cockpit- the cabin is less useful than it looks for anything but sleeping. Smaller boats with sleeping only cabins can be actually more comfortable than larger ones with bunks cramped to make room for a galley and enclosed head. It's more convenient and fun to cook on a propane barbecue or backpacking stove in the cockpit, even if you have a galley.
-Engines can be the opposite of a safety feature: they fail when you need them most, and act as a 'crutch' that prevents you from learning how to handle difficult sailing situations like docking, light winds, and heavy weather. Smaller boats are easier to learn engineless sailing on, and can be rowed easily. I started with an engine, but after a few years found I had more fun if I left it home. I eventually sold it for enough to buy sails that let me handle all weather: a light nylon drifter, a heavy built storm jib, and deep reef points in the main.
-Marina slips are typically billed per foot length overall
-You can anchor closer to (or even on) the beach with a smaller boat
-Smaller boats can anchor securely with a lighter easier to haul anchor

So I recently dropped down to a Montgomery 15, which weighs only 750lbs. It sails better than a Catalina 22, has much larger and more comfortable bunks in the cabin, and I can afford to outfit it with the best equipment money can buy.
 
#38 · (Edited)
Thanks for a different perspective casioqv.

I've been casually thinking about a trailer sailer though actually purchasing one is at least a year off and maybe quite a bit more. I have a similar vehicle as the OP though it gives a separate rating for boats of 4,500 lbs.

The toughest part for me is separating the reality of how I imagine I might use a boat vs the reality. Would my family really like spending two or three days on a boat a few times a summer? Would it make more sense to get a boat with a large cockpit and a smaller cabin instead and have friends sail with us on a local lake? I can't really say.

If you get a water ballasted boat instead of one with a fixed keel, it allows you get get a bigger boat without needing a bigger tow vehicle. But boats like this are more tender and often don't sail as well. And even though they're lighter, I don't relish the idea of towing something that's 8 ft wide for long distances.

Many trailer sailers come with mast raising systems that minimize rigging time. I know that Santana 2023s can supposedly be rigged in under 30 minutes but those boats prior to 1996 had issues with leaking water ballast tanks.

Anyway, like I said, my biggest challenge will be in separating dream from reality and then making an appropriate choice, - which may mean no boat at all and just sailing with the local club (and my little inflatable catamaran).
 
#42 ·
Anyway, like I said, my biggest challenge will be in separating dream from reality and then making an appropriate choice, - which may mean no boat at all and just sailing with the local club (and my little inflatable catamaran).
I have been in that situation before. And here is what I found. The family was good with doing some day sails and the Kids were up for the occasional overnight. The long weekend thing on a small boat is awesome for me but no so much for the little ones. I ended up doing more stuff in town than actually sailing. If it were a bigger boat with more creature comforts then my family would be more into staying on the boat.

I had a Mac Gregor 222 with the pop-up top and while at dock or anchor it made the cabin usable. I could launch in 2 feet of water and setup and launch took me 45 minutes by myself with a simple system to raise the mast. 1 year I had the boat on a dock and the other I had it stored mast up on the trailer in the marina lot. That saved me some cash and launch took 20 minutes.

I started off with a little 12 foot scow to hone my skills in understanding sailing and also to get my kids out in good conditions with little time investment in launch should they decide that the park was more fun than sailing that day. I did 85% of my sailing on a small boat without my family as many times the conditions were too rough for them or they just had other things that interested them more. Now that I am on bigger boats my wife has become more agreeable to weekend and even week long vacations on a boat but i have a realistic understanding that it won't be spent sailing as much as I would want to. For that I will be solo or with my buddies.

Maybe you could get something like this and keep it at the club to see how it goes.
 
#39 ·
I have 3 trailer sailers and the Holder 14 gets used the most - several times a month, Dolphin senior once a month, while Mirage 5.5m only gets sailed about once a year for a week long camping trip. All 3 cost me less than $50 a year in fees and were not at all expensive to buy used. So what I advise is get 2 boats. At current boat prices it will not break the bank.
 
#40 ·
I agree that the purchase price isn't the problem necessarily. I just looked at an old Catalina 22 that hadn't been sailed in at least 3 years. I think he would have taken $500 for it. Maybe less. It was sitting uncovered on its trailer. He said he spent $2000 on hull work a few years ago but he didn't sound like much of a sailor.

The expense for me would be storage. I could maybe keep one on my property for the winter but wouldn't want it sitting in my driveway all year long so I'd need a mooring. They are relatively cheap nearby but much more than $50 a year.
 
#43 ·
I started with the same dream as you have about 2 years ago. I also have the same spouse issues, lol. So here's what I did:
I read these and other sites like crazy and absorbed as much knowledge as possible. I then took ASA 101 and learned the basics of sailing.
I wrote on a sheet of paper the pros and cons of what boat would fit our needs, taking into account our intended use, $$, tow vehicle, area of use, bunks, sleeping, sailing ability, motors, ect.
Sleep on it for 6 months. Lol
Read lots more and revise your list.
I bought a Mac26X and we love it. It fits our needs and our sailing area well. The wife likes it, likes the enclosed head, and the cabin space. The kids like that I can tow them the inner tubes for part of the day, or just motor about. I like that i can raise the sails and do my thing in total peace and quiet.
It's not a great sail boat, or a great motor boat. But it does both good enough for us. Ours has a 50hp Honda, and at wot we can hit 17 kts. At sail I usually do 4-5 kts, but as my sail trim improves, so does my speed. My Mac won't win any races, but I could care less. I can raise the mast with the mast raising system by myself, and have the boat in the water ready to go in 40 min. With help, 25-30 min. We frequently sleep over night on her and enjoy the room and comfort. I keep her in my backyard when not in use, and is easy to work on.
I also have well under 10k invested at this time.
My BIG advice is this: In my personal opinion, a Mac is not, repeat not, a blue water boat. I would not risk my loved ones on rough open stormy water. It's a good lake/limited (proper planned/good weather) coastal boat.
Re-read the posts on this topic as their is some mighty good advice.

Rich
 
#44 ·
MacGregor X models seem to be very polarizing designs. On one hand you have a very loyal following who loves the boats and feel like they are are versatile and have the benefits of both. Then you have the other side that often has the view that when you try and have a compromise in design you get just that, a boat that comprises and doesn't do either particularly well. I think the point I am trying to make is there are so many designs and so many opinions of them it might be best to just try and get on some boats and see what you really like. Go look at anything that is near you so you get a feel for the different designs and beg, plead and offer good quality beer to get out on a couple boats.

I would agree with Harley that the X is definitely relegated to a life near the coast. Has a very high free board and can be very tender in moderate waves.
 
#45 · (Edited)
When i read threads like this, newbie wants to trailer sail, mostly I think - this person has no idea what they are getting themselves into. And, what you don't know can hurt you.

As in - the boat is too small - Denise realized she needed more boat. most people just walk away from sailing because going bigger is financially out of the question.

PIA- that stands for Pain in the butocal region. A hour of rigging and unrigging can get old fast. That's if it's only an hour. Dealing with boat ramps gets old. Too steep, not steep enough, too slippery, too much current, not protected from waves, too much power boat traffic, not enough parking, did you remember to bring the keys to the boat? Where does the boat reside when not in use, did you remember to buy engine oil, what are kids doing while you rig and unrig load and unload, Daddy the bugs are biting me Etc etc etc!!!

Competing for time - if you have any time limitations to sailing a trailer sailor is going to sit in your driveway rather than get used. The time/pleasure calculation will always go against taking the boat out if there are time constraints. Especially once the PIA factor is added in. Example : you've got 5 hours of free time. 1/2 hour to prep for day on boat. 1/2 hour to reach ramp. 1 hour to rig. Same on back side leaves only one hour for sailing. Hmm?

The point being that there is much, if not accounted for, that can kill the strongest sailing dreams. Knowing what you are getting into before hand can go a long way in helping you achieve the dream.

On the practical advice side of things - 3500 pounds of towing means buying a 2000 pound boat max. trailer for a boat that size will be in the 800 to 1000 pound range and gear will easily take up the rest of the weight package your vehicle can handle.

If sailing just for you and your wife one boat not mentioned ( i think) Montgomery 15 and 17. Both excellent trailer sailors.
 
#52 ·
When i read threads like this, newbie wants to trailer sail, mostly I think - this person has no idea what they are getting themselves into. And, what you don't know can hurt you.

As in - the boat is too small - Denise realized she needed more boat. most people just walk away from sailing because going bigger is financially out of the question.

PIA- that stands for Pain in the butocal region. A hour of rigging and unrigging can get old fast. That's if it's only an hour. Dealing with boat ramps gets old. Too steep, not steep enough, too slippery, too much current, not protected from waves, too much power boat traffic, not enough parking, did you remember to bring the keys to the boat? Where does the boat reside when not in use, did you remember to buy engine oil, what are kids doing while you rig and unrig load and unload, Daddy the bugs are biting me Etc etc etc!!!

Competing for time - if you have any time limitations to sailing a trailer sailor is going to sit in your driveway rather than get used. The time/pleasure calculation will always go against taking the boat out if there are time constraints. Especially once the PIA factor is added in. Example : you've got 5 hours of free time. 1/2 hour to prep for day on boat. 1/2 hour to reach ramp. 1 hour to rig. Same on back side leaves only one hour for sailing. Hmm?

The point being that there is much, if not accounted for, that can kill the strongest sailing dreams. Knowing what you are getting into before hand can go a long way in helping you achieve the dream.

On the practical advice side of things - 3500 pounds of towing means buying a 2000 pound boat max. trailer for a boat that size will be in the 800 to 1000 pound range and gear will easily take up the rest of the weight package your vehicle can handle.

If sailing just for you and your wife one boat not mentioned ( i think) Montgomery 15 and 17. Both excellent trailer sailors.
All the above is true and they're all reasons why currently I belong to a sailing club rather than owning my own (keel) boat. I do have an inflatable cat that's easy to transport and store but it's basically for sailing off of a beach and not very practical for more than two people. You're not going to sleep on the thing.

After sailing in the Apostle Islands on a 37 foot boat with members of the sailing club this past Fall I now have the desire to do some trailer sailing but still have all the same potential problems mentioned above. My wife isn't afraid of water but I'm not sure spending a week or even a weekend camping on a sailboat would be her idea of fun. ;)

I do have a relatively inexpensive place I could moor it in the summer. There's room to park a boat in the driveway (barely) but getting it through the alley and around the ornamental trees would be a challenge. However, I am thinking that one of the trees is on its last legs anyway. ;)

What I have found is that there is a huge variety of boats in the 18 to 26 foot range that might work. All of them represent a unique set of compromises. Some are easy to rig. Some a relatively light but tender. Some have more cabin space. Some have large cockpits. Some sail well, others not so much.

Anyway, I think the only way you're going to know for sure is to try it out, but yeah, learn to sail first, do your research on boats, and be patient. It seems like there are more boats out there than people that want them.
 
#46 ·
First Brad let me apologize for assuming you were trolling... You've since figured out why I would think as much (the Mac 26x, the motorsailor is a HIGHLY polarizing boat).

So lemme first properly welcome you... and let me say that, sailing can be the most difficult sport challenge, but life altering, and still enjoyable hobby/sport/addiction you could ever endeavor to try. For that, I say "welcome to the addiction!"

As I see it you have several different requests ALL in conflict with one another. Please fix/ammend my comments below... if I read wrong:

* You have a Jeep (assuming cherokee/Grand not wrangler) that can tow #3500 - my assumption then is you want trailerable (as is also your topic headline)
* Your wife is uneasy about water time (not unusual by the way).. this needs more definition, is it the water (can't swim) or boats, or worse sailboats (heeling), others will chime in on how EASY it is to assuage fears in that category
* Because of above you want live-aboard, or camp aboard accomodations, as "bigger is better."
* You want to do what amounts to short open water crossings...
* You have roughly $15k to throw at this (assuming all up, meaning maintenance and fix its, for the first year or 2)

Broken down like this, I'm going to tell you right now, you aren't going to cover all those bases. Regardless of what you'll do you'll wind up with a compromise boat. ONLY YOU can figure out what priority list you have from that list above.

Several will tell you the Norsea 27 is a trailerable, bluewater, headroom cruiser, that fits MUCH of your requirements... but you aren't towing it with your Jeep, nor are you likely to find a servicable one for $15k.

A Capri 18 will have a porta-pottie, is trailerable, all up package is exactly #3500, but it's hardly comfortable below, nor capable of much if any offshore work.

So it's decision time... Because most here will tell you, a boat slip at $2500 a year (guess), and heavier boat for a light offshore day sail for under $15k for the first year is POSSIBLE (yeah the market is THAT bad), but of course it'll not be towable except with a crane and a diesel pickup.

Now as for the Mac 26x... I don't think it's a bad boat (there I said it)... I do think it's a compromise boat. Having a 50hp motor especially an outboard, is hardly a "safety factor." At least no more than a 9.9hp outboard would be, and most will tell you a good inboard is a better choice for any harsh conditions...

That being said, I'd LIKE to help you prioritize your list (as it sounds like most here would as well)...

If you REALLY want this to be a hobby you and your spouse can enjoy... you MIGHT want to invest in ASA classes for you both! Might also be better if you take the classes at different times, so you are not there to shadow her. Once she has a handle on what makes the boat go, and stop, and does some actual driving of the boat, she MIGHT be less afraid of the water (assuming the fear is not the water it's the boat).

If there is a fear of water in general (say she cannot swim), then swimming lessons perhaps... but that's not likely gonna help as much as you might think. If it's just the open water, then perhaps you might want to rethink doing this together! I know I am really throwing a monkey wrench there.. but Honestly you cannot compel your spouse to like your hobbies, and sometimes its better to not try to go down that road. What happens as you expand your hobby is you build a resentment towards your hobby if the spouse doesn't enjoy it for themselves, but instead enjoys it for YOU! Sorry, some spouses won't ever enjoy it for themselves.

NOW, I have a solution to above, at least to an extent. Sometimes they get over the fear of "sailing," or "the water" as you become a more competent skipper. You can do that by getting miles (nautical of course) under you belt in various weather. Then you can ease fears by sailing "flat" and picking short destinations for whatever THEIR favorite things to do are (say antiquing, or shopping, or laying at the beach, or just browsing historic sites)... So now the boat is a mode of transport, not the hobby. If that "grabs" the attention, it can turn YOUR hobby into HER hobby, if in an indirect way... but that is a HUGE stretch, and its hard to get there.

So Step 1. Classes for you both if you can.
Step 2. Get a small boat for YOU to cut your teeth, and put it where you can get the most "tiller-time" 2-3-4 times a week is best.
Step 3... Decide what size boat will get you where you ultimately want to be (by then you'll know if it's with the wife or not).
 
#48 · (Edited)
The dreaded double post. :(

But hey as long as I did...

If you REALLY want this to be a hobby you and your spouse can enjoy... you MIGHT want to invest in ASA classes for you both! Might also be better if you take the classes at different times, so you are not there to shadow her. Once she has a handle on what makes the boat go, and stop, and does some actual driving of the boat, she MIGHT be less afraid of the water (assuming the fear is not the water it's the boat).
This is what we did and it worked great. Taking separate classes made sailing my wife's fun getaway for 3 days. I took care of the girls while she enjoyed it for herself. Great idea SHNOOL.
 
#47 ·
Wow. What a lot of advise you have gotten since I checked into here last.

I will just say that may family did exactly what you are planning this summer. My wife DOES like boating though so that is a difference. We bought a trailer sailer, 25', and spent nearly our whole summer on it. It cost us 5K in AK where prices are as high as the winter is cold.

Only you can decide what your family is into for fun. If you are an adventurous group then your plans are not really crazy at all. People did it all the time in the 60s and 70s before sailing was displaced by PWCs and powerboats.

Each forum member is going to tell you what they could handle, only you can decide if it is right for your family. The 3 steps above are a great start. My wife a few years ago was a white water guide but was very afraid of the ocean. Now she has kayaked by herself out there, and finished her first 2 sailing classes. You never now what a person will enjoy until they try it.
 
#49 ·
Yeah I suggested same to my wife, but she wasn't really interested. Even though I've sailed for years I'd like to get all the ASA classes as well (you never know everything)... our local ASA school is fantastic too. I know 2 of the instructors, and they are both top-notch sailors in their own rights. I am quite sure I could pick their brains for hours and be quite happy with that.

Sadly my wife has No interest in sailing, she doesn't mind being a passenger at all, but has (as she puts it) no sense of balance, and therefore feels uneasy moving about the boat. She's got a bum left eye, so really only has decent vision in 1 eye, so her depth perception is way off. This is MOST likely the reason for her saying she's got no sense of balance... We ride horses, so she obviously has SOME balance.

My daughter on the other hand... she's likely going to grow up to be my bowman... she's totally into sailing and will scale the deck at 10yo in a good breeze with water spraying over the bow. She's also really into flying the big kite... so yep I could totally see her as foredeck.

Anyway, yes can't say enough good things about the ASA schools. 2 of my crew were FRESH out of ASA 101 and 103, came to crew with me for last season, and both of them took to this like they had been doing it their whole lives.
 
#51 ·
Now this is some good advice. If she is willing, it's a great way to get her more comfortable. I wish I had done this with my wife many years ago rather than scaring her when I bought my first "big" trailerable. It was a Southcoast 22 with iron swing keel and I had only sailed it a couple of times before I took the wife and 4 year old son out on a windy spring day. She, like your wife is a bit nervous to be on the water anyway and when the boat heeled way over she panicked. A little later on while bashing to windward the bolt holding the main sheet cleat broke and so more panick ensued before I got the main down. So it has taken me awhile to get her comfortable on a sailboat. This took going out on some bigger boats in calmer conditions. We now have a Hunter 23.5 water ballast boat and I sail it very conservatively, reefing early so as not to heel the boat too far. She has learned to trust me and enjoys the boat now. The Hunter 23.5 & 240 is about the largest trailer sailers you could pull with your 3500 lb. weight limit and that's pushing it. Along with the McGregor 26S & D models which are a little longer but have no more space inside really but are fast and are light. I pull mine with a Jeep Liberty which is rated to pull 5000 lbs. Hunter and Catalina both made motorsailers similar to the Mac26M & Xs also. They are maybe a little nicer and more roomy than the Mac26M & D but are heavier than you can tow with your vehicle. I'm considering one of these motorsailers for a Great Loop trip in the future.

Kevin
 
#53 ·
I have done a lot of sailing over the past five years on such boats - in Poland! There are thousands of boats there which are trailerable, have lots of room below, drop and raise masts UNDER WAY in 5 minutes, draw ONE FOOT OF WATER with the centreboard up, have solid ballast (not water), and in some cases have standing headroom, with lengths from 16 to 32 feet. Very good ones can be found in the 22-25 foot range. They are vastly better than the old Venture/McGregor 25/26 footers. The only small one I see imported and marketed in Ontario, Canada is the TES 678BT, a really roomy 23-footer with 5' 8" headroom; there is an excellent TES 28 Magnam which is also imported. The smaller one, with a slightly deeper optional keel-centreboard arrangement, was recently sailed single-handed across the Atlantic. These are boats of very high quality.

Polish lake sailers all have an A-frame for raising and lowering the mast, which involves taking the mainsail slides out of the sail track, removing the boom from the gooseneck and putting on the deck, removing one pin up front and then, from the cockpit, winching the deck-hinged mast back until it rests in a cup on a post mounted above the stern pulpit. One raises the centreboard and the rudder while powering with the outboard under bridges through shallow channels and locks between lakes. I usually see crews begin raising the mast even as they are still under a bridge! I'm surprised that this sort of boat is rare in North America, because it opens up all sorts of waters which are not really accessible to cabin sailboat cruising, e.g. the Kawartha Lakes. Makes include Antila, TES, Tango, Phobos, Maxus, Sasanka, Twister etc.
 
#54 ·
A MacGregor 25 did well for me and my family, 2 little ones and my wife. We would sail 25 miles to Catalina Island and stay 3 days with no problems and once a year we would sail down to San Diego, 100 miles and stay a week there, we always had a good time. As the kids got older 8 and 6 years old I did move up to a 30 foot Catalina. Kids are grown and after not sailing for about 15 years I got the itch again, bought a Coronado 25 to start out again and to pass my sailing skills off to my kids, the Coronado 25 is too big to trailer easily (it will trailer) and yet small enough to single hand or double crew for weekends. Good luck with your venture...
 
#55 ·
I'm in a similar situation. Currently have a 14 ft Pintail I use on local lake. 45 minutes from home to in the water. Wife enjoys sailing, but is OK with just being passenger. But want to get her at the tiller. This spring would like to rig an electric trolling motor to get around the launch area and maybe through the channel to Lake Michigan. Future retirement plan is to find a Mac 26 for long weekends. We are in SW Michigan, most of our kids and grandkids are in the Chicago area. Would love to sail across the lake and play with them. Could pull up to my Daughter's beach in Highland Park or Step-daughter in Evanston. Wife has the option to sail across, drive around or take Amtrak. We have other hobbies so don't want to go and commit to a boat in a slip. Trailer sailer looks like our best option. Yes, I understand it is a "compromise" boat, but it gives us the option to tow up to Traverse Bay, The Apostle Is, Mackinaw, or Lake Huron. There are a dozen free DNR launches within a few hours along the lakeshore. Sheltered lakes and harbor towns every 20 miles. Retiring in three years, want to pull the trigger on the Mac in 2015. Life is Good. Dave G
 
#59 ·
I think that is a good way oy of going. I had a Macgregor 2-22 for a while and she had pretty good sailing characteristics. I had her outfitted with a used genoa from a macgregor 26 that ended up being about a 160 and in light air it really helped the boat move. I liked the 500lbs of steel in the swing keel and that made her act much more like a big boat than the i expected. I am not a huge fan of the water ballast but I have never sailed one so for me to comment on their abilities would be hearsay. I do know that in my 2-22 I could out sail a MacGregor 26 that was down the dock from me in all conditions and points of sail for what that is worth.

Here are a couple I found on Craigslist.

Sail Boat MacGregor 1989 26D


THis is the steel swing keel version.
1982 MacGregor 25' Sailboat
 
#60 ·
So BCBRad, what did you decide? I am a newbie here and just read through these posts because I loved my Balboa 20 trailer sailor when I lived in Seattle. But a couple of things I realized may help you. First, I do think you should go visit that uncle in Vancouver a few times until you feel comfortable sailing something (maybe a dingy - less forgiving but helps you learn). Because when your trailer sailer hits the water there are going to be a thousand other things you will have to think about. Also, whatever boat you choose, plan to take some time getting to know her, that means lots of daysailing in light wind, gradually building to more challenging conditions. It's no fun, and can be dangerous, to be out in a new boat in conditions you can't easily handle.

But personally, I found my trailer (which was old) was a far bigger hassle than my boat - and I was only a mile from the boat ramp! Raising and lowering the mast became quite easy, but I was really frustrated by the trailer (lights kept blowing, rust was a constant problem, the tongue extension was finicky...please don't make me go on)! So I ended up finding a slip for the summer and in the PNW, where winter sailing is more honored in the breach than the observance, I got to do 80% of my sailing from the dock. Good luck and let us know how it worked out!
 
#61 ·
Hi,

This was rather an old post, but thanks so much for the guide to Canadian shopping options. I'm also a non-sailor considering purchasing a first boat. I know I could start with taking lessons, but for the price of lessons vs. the price of a boat, it's awfully tempting just to buy the boat and go for it. I know a few people who could show me the ropes, and YouTube is awfully educational.

I've been considering a CL-16 or a Tanzer 16, but I've also just come across the DS 16. I'd like something that is VERY unlikely to capsize (I know technique has a lot to do with this), but we'd like to have two little kids in the boat with us, so swimming should be optional. Any suggestions would be VERY appreciated, as it's starting to feel overwhelming. I definitely want the boat to be trailerable, but that's about it for requirements.

Many thanks in advance,

Erin
(in Quebec)
 
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