sailboat recommendations

[bakeapple]

Hey All,

I've been giving serious thought to purchasing my first boat and I was wondering if anyone had recommendations on a good first boat. I have an idea of the qualities that are important to me but not sure what boat would match up them.

I'm looking for a daysailer that:

* beginner friendly ( for whatever that's worth )
* suitable for solo sailing
* nice size cockpit ( 2 people comfortably, 4 with a squeeze )
* decent size cabin, I would love to do some overnights
* good on open water

Is it possible to find a boat with those attributes?

[captainchetco]

There are so many boats that meet those criteria that it would be impossible to list them all. Look in the 20 to 24' range. There are Ventures, Rangers, Morgans and a thousand others.

Look a lot, Craig's List is a good start for bargains. Good sails are important, as they are expensive. Standing rigging on a small boat is not expensive, if you buy the wire and can nicro crimp. Running rigging, (lines) can be expensive, but on a small boat need not be. Look for real stress cracks related to where a boat sits on a trailer, and where cleats, chain plates and other attachments are made...Shine a bright light through the hull if you want to look closely for damage repairs.

I have seen good 21' boats sell for $1000, on a usuable trailer.

Good luck and happy sailing!

[bakeapple]

Originally Posted by captainchetco

There are so many boats that meet those criteria that it would be impossible to list them all. Look in the 20 to 24' range. There are Ventures, Rangers, Morgans and a thousand others.

Look a lot, Craig's List is a good start for bargains. Good sails are important, as they are expensive. Standing rigging on a small boat is not expensive, if you buy the wire and can nicro crimp. Running rigging, (lines) can be expensive, but on a small boat need not be. Look for real stress cracks related to where a boat sits on a trailer, and where cleats, chain plates and other attachments are made...Shine a bright light through the hull if you want to look closely for damage repairs.

I have seen good 21' boats sell for $1000, on a usuable trailer.

Good luck and happy sailing!

Thanks for the recommendations. I will definitely take a look at those... The more I read, the more I am refining exactly what I want ... a pocket cruiser seems to be right for me

Is it possible to find a pocket cruiser for less than 4K canadian? and can anyone recommend a particular model.

[CaptKermie]

I wouldn't expect a lot for $4k CDN given your criteria (decent size cabin - overnights) also beginner freindly sounds contradictive to open water - what is open water to you?
Most of your criteria fits pocket cruiser size 24-28 feet, My MacGregor 26 fits them all if open water does not mean out of site of land but getting one @ 4K is a stretch. You can get a nice little daysailor for that $$ though.

[korsan]

Catalina 27

[Johnrb]

I assume you in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence area. This is a good place to start - keep in mind the prices listed are asking and not selling.
boat for sale-classifieds

[Gary M]

For a small starter boat in the Great Lakes area I would look into a Mirage 24. They sail very well, will handle heavy weather on the lakes as well as or better than most in that size range and you can crusie on them.
Cabin is small but my wife and I used to cruise for 2-3 weeks on one. Of course we were much younger then.

If you get interested in racing down the road they fare pretty well there as well.

Gary

[bakeapple]

Originally Posted by CaptKermie

I wouldn't expect a lot for $4k CDN given your criteria (decent size cabin - overnights) also beginner freindly sounds contradictive to open water - what is open water to you?
Most of your criteria fits pocket cruiser size 24-28 feet, My MacGregor 26 fits them all if open water does not mean out of site of land but getting one @ 4K is a stretch. You can get a nice little daysailor for that $$ though.

I guess I should qualify my criteria a little better:

decent size cabin - I'm not talking about anything opulent, just something that two people could sleep semi-comfortably. enough room to jam a portapotty in would be nice.

open-water - definitely with in site of land. I'm thinking a bit ahead in where I'd like to sail and at some point I know I will want to venture outside of the harbor to explore some other places.

beginner-friendly - I guess I would be looking for a boat that I could handle single-handedly , I don't really know how to further describe - could I say "simple rigging". Fixed keel boats keep coming up as a good type to start out, very stable ...

Though I know I am probably describing a pocket cruise, Could I meet these criteria with a daysailer?

Originally Posted by Johnrb

I assume you in the Great Lakes/St. Lawrence area. This is a good place to start - keep in mind the prices listed are asking and not selling.

I'm actually located in nova scotia

[petegingras]

O'day are nice little boats in that range, 22' or Catalina 25' or 27'. Catalina's in the range have a good size cockpit, and the companion way is a wide V. In that price range you'll be looking at a tiller, which is a plus and a minus. Plus, there's more room in the cockpit at achor or dock with the till up and stored, minus is you need space to swing the tiller under sail and tacking or jibing.

As for single handing, roller furling, in that size of boat you're looking at another $800-$1,200. Then there's the main, to hoist, you can run the main sheet over the cabinhouse to the cockpit and terminate at a cam cleet easy enough.

[bubb2]

lots of them out there and would a good boat for what you want to do. 26 ft pearson
1976 Pearson Sloop Boat For Sale