Wilderness 21

[bobmcgov]

Even SailingTexas has no pix. Has anyone met this boat? It's fast (DPN 91) and looks quite pretty; saw some specs that claimed 1100 lbs of ballast (in a 1900 lb boat?!). But that's all I could find on it. Is it available in a swing keel, or just a 4' fixed keel? Really need draft under 2', since our reservoirs have no water in them. Construction quality?

Here's a few pictures -- darn fine looking boat for $2000. (And no, I'm not the seller -- just looking around for boats in the SJ21/Catalina22 category. Other suggestions welcome....)

[Faster]

This is a great little boat - with the emphasis on "little". But she sails well, has good habits, a "bigger" boat feel and is a proven seaworthy design (Carl Schumacher or Gary Mull, I think). I don't believe there is a shoal draft version.

In the early 80s a young woman (18) named Amy Boyer sailed one solo from England, across the Atlantic via the Canaries to the Caribbean. Subsequently she sailed a mini transpac before settling in BC's southwestern corner. Her boat spent another 15 years here or so before being sold to the Okanogan, I believe. The boat was called "Little Rascal".

During her time here her owner taught literally dozens of sailors on windy Howe Sound, and the boat even survived a port/stbd collision with a Catalina 27 (not his fault) with suprisingly little damage.

For $2K it's a nice boat. (assuming it's in good shape)

[bobmcgov]

Thanks, Faster. Judging from the "tea cozies" on all six winches, the motor, and tiller, the owners of the Craigslist Wilderness21 must care deeply about her. Alas, there isn't a lake in this whole state where you could launch a 4' fixed keel. Or I would be all over that boat. Hope she finds a loving home.

Good stories. It would require some real self-belief to take a boat of that length and heft and point it across the Atlantic.
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If the gang here would oblige, I'm looking for swing-keel daysailers/pocket cruisers from 19 to 22 feet, under 2000 lbs. Balance between cockpit size and usable cabin (tho most overnighting would be done in a tent.) Beachable, solidly made, little wood above decks; unlikely to capsize, but not a wallowing tub. A DPN under 100. Will be trailered everywhere.

My model is the SJ21, pref. the MkII. I'm not real happy about the balsa-cored decks and their history of rotting out; and I suspect the SJ21 needs constant steering. But that boat is the comparator. So, if you would, help me put together a list of good daysailers under 2' of draft.

[LakeTravisP26]

Are you in Texas?

If so, Travis is only about 180 ft deep in spots with lots of places where you can go to the shore with 50+ feet under your hull.

Texhoma is also a deep water lake.

Both have very active sailing communities.

[bobmcgov]

Nooo... I'm in Wyoming. Seven years of horrendous drought & junior-most water rights mean our biggest lakes are at about 20% full. Pathfinder Reservoir on the North Platte, where we are sailing this weekend, is seventy feet below capacity. Makes for good beaches, but lousy boat launching. Alcova is full, but it's about one mile by three and swarmed over by drunken powerboaters. Only one of Seminoe's seven launches is in the water.

So I need a boat that can be slid off a trailer into, no kidding, about 2' of water. Sounds like the lakes in Texas have more water than they need this year, with all your flooding problems. How bout we get a pump and some really long garden hoses....

[Faster]

Sounds like maybe you should be considering multihulls.....

[sailingdog]

Bobmcgov—

A sport trimaran would be an excellent way to go... Any questions, let me know.

[bobmcgov]

I can appreciate intellectually the superiority of multi-hulls.... but they have zero emotional appeal to me. None. I want an old, wallowing, slow, ploughhorse monohull. Don't tell me it's irrational -- very little about sailing is rational.

I have a fast, shallow, sporty boat. That's what I'm trying to get (a bit) away from. & If I wanted to get drenched and burn off everything else on the water, I'd go back to windsurfing: as a young man, I had a board and rig that would leave any multihull standing. Yeah yeah, Mr. Boring buys a boat -- my midlife crisis needs are modest, ya know. San Juan 21 (MkII) would scratch the itch just fine.

[sailingdog]

Some of the Compac boats might also fit the bill.

[bobmcgov]

Originally Posted by HiramMChittenden

Saildog is just trying to impress you with his lack of true boating knowledge.
I have a true witness who knows this guy that he runs a small daysailing school on a small lake in Wisconsin. His boat is an old O'day and he doesn't know what he is talking about.

Just ignore him.

Gosh, Hiram -- I would, except he seems like a nice guy and knows so damn much about sailing. So if it's all the same to you, I'll keep reading his posts. Even if he is mad for anything bearing pontoons.

Here's a pic of my current ride and what's problematic about it.



In foreground, a Chrysler Buccaneer18, a stolid racing dinghy/daysailor that can go pretty fast if you are willing to fight it in windy conditions. In background, a typical Wyoming afternoon on Pathfinder Reservoir -- 22 kts average, gusting to 30+. We had to beach her to reduce sail, eat a couple Powerbars, and bale about 10 gallons of water out she took over the far rail despite 350 lbs hiking out like the deevil. We beam-reached back across the lake on reefed main only, a real battle when the breakers are 3' and the freeboard about half that.

I love this boat -- it's a blast. But just bloody once I'd like to go sailing and not limp home drenched, exhausted, and under half canvas. Need a boat with a bit broader window of survivability!