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Hi all . I have been away too long. I sold the ghetto boat Illusion, it was a Bucc 240, and I went back to floating rivers. But I never got over sailing, and am looking at lots of boats. Having all ready searched for info on this boat and finding little, I turn to the Sailnet community for help.This boat is a Newport 214 on Spokane Craigslist. Caught my eye. But... I have questions, and I am hoping to hear from someone who has owned or sailed one to tell me a little about it's abilities. I have no experience with swing keels, or swing centerboards. I wonder about the pros and cons there. Also I just noticed these boats don't have a back stay. Is that crazy?
Just wanted it for fair weather sailing on small shallow ramp lakes. 900 bucks on the trailer. Any words of wisdom? Thanks, Halpine.
Oh I don't know like if they were , fast , slow , tippy, tender, inherent problems with swing centerboarads, why no backstay, and if that is a boat to stay away from.........
In other words something helpful. H.
...
But... I have questions, and I am hoping to hear from someone who has owned or sailed one to tell me a little about it's abilities. I have no experience with swing keels, or swing centerboards. I wonder about the pros and cons there. Also I just noticed these boats don't have a back stay. Is that crazy?
...
I have not sailed a Newport 214 but on similar sized centerboard boats (Mariner 19' comes to mind). One advantage of a centerboard boat is that it will be easier to trailer than a boat with a fixed keel and you should be able to use any launching ramp instead of only a deep water launching ramp for a boat with a fixed keel. The potential disadvantages are that (A) it has one more system to maintain and (B) it may be more tender to sail than a boat with a fixed keel in higher winds.
No back stay you say? (we like to call it an aft stay - sounds more nautical) Some boats have no stays at all! Having no back stay just means one less stay to worry about and perhaps makes it easier to setup or take down.
This boat should be fine for your stated purposes.
Maybe it will give you some info you're looking for. For example, the numbers seem to be off somewhere in that is says this boat was only built until 1977. So something to think about.
Maybe it will give you some info you're looking for. For example, the numbers seem to be off somewhere in that is says this boat was only built until 1977. So something to think about.
Thanks ! Yes I may never live down the Bucc. It taught me a lot and put me in a marina where I got to drive other peoples nicer boats. That was the end of the Bucc. $900 bucks isn't that much money , but I don't want to throw it away either. Not to mention the drive. I have been looking at a lot of swing keel boats in the 21 to 26 foot range, but this Newport is the first swing centerboard I have come across. And not sure about those stays. Two stays are aft of the mast, but it seems the main and boom might contact. I did see the sailboat data pages but they are about all I can find on these boats. Saw a couple of posts from guys with smaller versions but little help, 16-17's are just a completely different boat.
The significance of having the shrouds backed aft is that you can't put the boom out any farther than the stay; so heading dead downwind may be a problem.
I know my brother's Newport 17 looks like a smaller version of the 214...
Its not a fast boat.
Its not a heavy built boat.
It does sail though, and is pretty stiff for the size boat it is... when it finally does heel, it pretty much rounds up over 15 degrees. Takes a lot of wind to get it there.
If the 214 is anything like the 17, it should be a bargain for $900. Hell the 17 would be a bargain at that price.
Look, there is a glut of decent boats out there these days. Don't be focusing on the price only. From what I see, these are not very good boats. Don't go from total disaster (Buc) to what at best is only a mediocre boat. Get something nice. You deserve it.
So true, I have been looking at quite a few boats, all in the 21-26 ft range and it seems to be a good time to buy. What I am looking for is ability to launch really shallow, and still spend a week on it. And not be a big pig.
Here are some cabin photos I received from the owner today. He dropped the price from 900 to 800. Price was not really my focus. I have been looking at a Coronado 23, Several Mac 26's and a Chrysler 26 just down the road. All swing keels and from 1000 to 3500 bucks. This little boat seemed the shallowest.
Thanks all.
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