Looking for a trailer sailer

kruucks · #1 09-23-2008

A friend and I recently have gotten into sailing and would like to purchase our first boat. We live in Virginia, and would like something that we could get started with in a nearby (fairly large) lake, then graduate into daysailing/weekend cruising in the Chesapeake Bay in the years to come.

We've narrowed it down to some local boats:

Ensenada 20
AMF Paceship 23
Catalina 22

We've researched online as much as we can, but would still like some input from owners/previous owners as that always seems to be the best information.

Anything you guys can come up with will be appreciated, but I guess we're mostly intrested in a "This is what you need to look for on Brand X boat"

Thanks ahead of time

tommays · #2 09-23-2008

I like the Catalina 22 because it is still in production which makes getting parts real easy and there are so many of them it makes for a better used boat market to shop

Andyman · #3 09-23-2008

You might look for an Aquarius 21 or a 23. Easy to sail and built really well.

andy

labatt · #4 09-23-2008

You may also want to look at the Precision 21 or 23. We used to have a 23 - well built and good handling.

bobmcgov · #5 09-24-2008

The E20 is somewhat rare on the East Coast -- built like a tank, sails like a tank. It's a Lyle Hess design, roughly the same hull as the RK20 and Balboa 20. Flush decks, small cockpit, and pop top give surprising room below, but the keel box gets in the way. The keel is the likeliest trouble spot: solid steel, likely rusted and pitted if it has been in salt water. Pivot bolts and pendant can be troublesome.

Spars are robust, coamings are high, so it's a stout inshore boat. But the cockpit is TINY, and fitting even two adults and a child is tough. It also carries very little sail; unless your local lake is really windy, you will spend much time bobbing around. Make sure any E20 comes with a genoa in good condition, as the main is only 91 sqft. You'll need the headsail area to drive it.

I had considered the E20, but went with the San Juan 21 instead. Bit livelier, more cockpit room. Couple of Ensenada links:

Here

And here

And here

Lots of sailors of this sized boat at the Trailer Sailor Bulletin Board.

kruucks · #6 09-24-2008

bobmcgov:

We actually found an E20 at a nearby lake. The seller says that he is the second owner, the first being his good friend that only sold after almost 30 years of owning it because he had to move to georgia. there's no motor, be owner states that everything else is in good condition. We're going to take a look at it this weekend and we've printed up a boat surveying list to take with us. It is 95% going to be just the two of us so cockpit room shouldn't be a problem.

It is also the closest boat by about 3 hours, so this seems to be the likely candidate.

Lostmt · #7 09-24-2008

Take a look at the Starwind 22. We own one and love it. We are new sailors and from everything long time sailors have told us we made an excellent choice for our first sailboat.

kwaltersmi · #8 09-24-2008

If you like the Catalina 22, try to find a Helms 25. The Helms 25 is sort of a cross between a C22 and a C25, patterned after both. However, I believe the Helms is built to a slightly higher standard. They're also easy to trailer and very affordable. They were built in South Carolina, so you should be able to locate a few somewhere on the east coast.

bobmcgov · #9 09-24-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by kruucks

bobmcgov:

We actually found an E20 at a nearby lake. The seller says that he is the second owner, the first being his good friend that only sold after almost 30 years of owning it because he had to move to georgia. there's no motor, be owner states that everything else is in good condition. We're going to take a look at it this weekend and we've printed up a boat surveying list to take with us. It is 95% going to be just the two of us so cockpit room shouldn't be a problem.

It is also the closest boat by about 3 hours, so this seems to be the likely candidate.

Excellent. If it checks out, it sounds like a great boat for you. Very forgiving and completely overbuilt. Cheap to own, too. I hear the mast can be a beast to shoulder-raise -- but building a gin pole lifting system is dead easy. Do unroll and inspect the sails. While you can learn on blown-out old rags, it's much easier if they take a decent shape. And buying new ones will cost as much as the boat is worth. Which, my research suggests, is between $1200 (older sails, interior tatty) and $2000 (newer sails, spiffy) on the trailer.

Be assured, if you outgrow it, you can sell it for exactly what you bought it for. Any improvements you make, you eat -- just like the last owners did.

kruucks · #10 09-30-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobmcgov

Excellent. If it checks out, it sounds like a great boat for you. Very forgiving and completely overbuilt. Cheap to own, too. I hear the mast can be a beast to shoulder-raise -- but building a gin pole lifting system is dead easy. Do unroll and inspect the sails. While you can learn on blown-out old rags, it's much easier if they take a decent shape. And buying new ones will cost as much as the boat is worth. Which, my research suggests, is between $1200 (older sails, interior tatty) and $2000 (newer sails, spiffy) on the trailer.

Be assured, if you outgrow it, you can sell it for exactly what you bought it for. Any improvements you make, you eat -- just like the last owners did.

we ended up buying the E20. sails were good and the interior was DIRTY and some of the trim was busted up, but over all not too bad. the trailer is going to need to be rewired, but that's hardly an issue.

we ended up picking her up for $1000

currently we're cleaning her out and polishing the hull. will post pictures and maybe make a new thread to document how she's coming along