Best trailor Sailor to buy under $5000

[steve2010]

hello everyone! I am 17 and have decided to get a sailboat. i have been sailing for years in a club so im not inexpeirenced. I have a job, a car, and enough savings left over after purchasing the boat. My question is what sailboat would you recommend that fits in these guidelines...?
-must have a trailer
-a cabin for overnight trips
-capable of Bay sailing
-weigh under 2000lbs. (max tow capacity)
Thanks for all your help!

[Jeff_H]

Which Bay? San Francisco Bay is very different than Galveston Bay, which is very different from Chesapeake Bay, which is very different than Buzzards Bay.

But in a general sense, it sounds like you are looking for a boat that weighs less than 1500 lbs (allowing 500 lbs for the weight of the trailer) and which has some sleeping capacities and that isn't all that all that common, and won't be all that comfortable.

Here are some possibilities that come to mind and which can be found within your budget but may be exceeding your weight limit, and some would require crane launches:
Boston Whaler (AMC) Harpoon, a Cal 20, Nordica 20, Grampian Classic 22, Bristol Corinthian, O'day Mariner or Rhodes 19, Herman Cat 17, ComPac 16.

Good Hunting,
Jeff

[t22cayuga]

Second the recommendation for a Rhodes 19 (with a centerboard unless you have access to a hoist). You'll be able to get decent used sails cheap since there's still an active racing fleet. I think I could have slept on a Rhodes when I was 17, you could put up a boom tent.

[swimnfit]

At 17 I had bought a Laser... Great boat, fast and sporty. I admire your idea to get something that you can overnight in. Your budget and weight limits really restrict some of the more robust boats out there. However, I have often admired the spunky little West Wight Potters. 15 and 19 feet. Just browsing around Yachtworl I found a decent little boat that would fit the budget and weight. They are not exactly a cruising or racer boat but seem pretty good for mucking about the bay and staying the night..... especially if your 17.

2000 West Wight Potter Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[QUIETRIOT]

Hey you might want to check into a Com - Pac 16.

[eMKay]

I've had a few trailer sailers, I find it's essential to have a cockpit that is comfortable to sit in, and a boom you don't need to duck under while sitting. Some boats have very shallow seats and low booms. My first boat, Siren 17. Others like the O'day Mariner were like this. My 2nd boat, an O'day 192 was more comfortable but it's on the larger end of your scale, and it's quite heavy and difficult to launch and rig.

Comfortable, light, easy to rig boats with room for sleeping
Potter 15
Sanibel 17/18
Montgomery 15/17
Precision 165 (needs deeper ramp to launch)
Com-Pac 16 (also needs a deeper ramp)

A little harder to rig and launch, these will be close to, or over 2000lbs on the trailer. My 192 with everything on it was closer to 2500, I have a large and very powerful minivan (Honda Odyssey) and I definitely felt it back there.

O'day 192
Rhodes 19 (no cabin, but very large and deep cockpit, easy to cover for sleeping)
Precision 18 (Very nice, high quality boat! will be hard to find in your price range)
Catalina 18
Potter 19

For your purpose I really like the Sanibel, comfy, good not great performance, easy to rig launch and sail. And still made! It's a little heavy though, lighter boats are the Potter 15, Montgomery 15, and Precision 165. That's always a bonus. Here's a link to new ones, a simple google search will bring up lots of info on it and any other boat in my list

Sanibel by International Marine

[CapTim]

Lots of fancy boats in those lists.. I know they aren't sexy, but for a guy in your position, consider a venture 222.

you can buy one for 1500 to 2000, they have a workable cabin, usable lines, and are very, very, very easy to trailer.

2000 pounds displacement, swing keel, and, once again, 1500 is a 'normal' price for them.

No reason to buy a fancy boat that is going to drop in value on you. Buy a cheap, easy boat, and the most you can hope to loose is 1500. Heck, you can probably put that much cash together, so no need for payments. And since you could buy two and still be under your budget, you won't need insurance (you'll be self-insured, basically).

Plus, you won't loose sleep when you accidenly beach it, or knock it into a dock. Easy to fix, lots of part availability, and there are thousands of the little buggers out there, so you can always find one.

The compacs and odays and such are great boats.. but you don't need to spend that kind of money to sail.

Unless you want to

[eMKay]

Originally Posted by CapTim

Lots of fancy boats in those lists.. I know they aren't sexy, but for a guy in your position, consider a venture 222.

you can buy one for 1500 to 2000, they have a workable cabin, usable lines, and are very, very, very easy to trailer.

2000 pounds displacement, swing keel, and, once again, 1500 is a 'normal' price for them.

No reason to buy a fancy boat that is going to drop in value on you. Buy a cheap, easy boat, and the most you can hope to loose is 1500. Heck, you can probably put that much cash together, so no need for payments. And since you could buy two and still be under your budget, you won't need insurance (you'll be self-insured, basically).

Plus, you won't loose sleep when you accidenly beach it, or knock it into a dock. Easy to fix, lots of part availability, and there are thousands of the little buggers out there, so you can always find one.

The compacs and odays and such are great boats.. but you don't need to spend that kind of money to sail.

Unless you want to

A Venture 17 might fit his needs but a Venture 222 is way above his weight limit

[CapTim]

Yeah, could be.. it's rated displacement is 1700 pounds. That's a touch under the 2000 limit he's asking for.

I started out thinking about the 21.. it's a zippy little sucker, can really be a fun boat in a breeze. But the cabin in the 222 is quite a bit roomier, and could work for a person or a very friendly pair as an overnighter. Least, it could when I was 17

[sailingdog]

I'd point out that the trailer for a 1700 lb. boat is going to weigh more than 300 lbs.