Boats under 20''

[Pono]

Have had ASA Basic training and am crewing on a C&C41 racing, but I want to get a day sailer that I can put in the water, and get some real experience on my own. All the racing experience is great, but not where I really want to go. I have been looking at a Hunter 140 - any suggestions from you old salts would be appreciated. I am in Tampa and have access to lots of ramps, so I would plan on trailering whatever I get for now. Ultimate goal would be a 4 man cabin for coastal cruising (that is where I am headed). Thanks. Pono

[Silmaril]

One of the all time greats in the under 20'' range is a Lightning. Although an older design, 1938 to be precise, they have held up amazingly well over time, a true complement to the original Sparkman & Stephens design. They can take you from the original design purpose of a 6 passenger family day sailer all the way to top level one design racing. They are stable and fast, roomy and fun. Plus you can join a local fleet and race if you want. My favorites are the mid to late 70''s boats build by the Saybrook Yacht yards, something in the hull number range from 10500 to 12000. You should be able to find a boat like that for $3,000 - $4,000 in nice shape with a trailer. These boats are a bit more complex than the toss it in the water and float around kind of day sailer like the Hunter represents, but you would LEARN MORE on a Lightning regarding boat trim and rig tuning, and these skills will go a long way towards helping you once you begin to graduate to increasingly larger and more sophisticated vesels.

[gstraub]

Look at a Holder 20. I had one years ago and hate myself for selling it. It has a drop keel with a bolt to keep it down and a bulb weight at the bottom, but the keel pulls up for trailering and when it is down it is just like a keel boat. The boat really sails well and is a high performance boat to help you develop your skills. It has a small cabin with two quarter berths. I wouldn''t want to spend many nights aboard, but I have done it with my wife (well, she wasn''t my wife then and she still married me so it must not have been that bad!). I think it weighs about 1200 lbs so it is not bad to trailer.

I wouldn''t call it a coastal boat, but it is great for lakes, bays, etc. There is a class website if you do a search on Holder 20. I''ve seen them as low as $2500 and you can probably find one for around $3500. Anyway, just a suggestion of a good boat.

Gerhard

[DougW1]

Check out the West Wight Potters ... trailerable .. beachable .. can hold 4 adults

www.wwpotter.com

[DougW1]

[Stan S]

Noticed you are in Tampa area. There is a nice looking Compac 19 for sale at Bahia Beach Marina. It is in a slip now. I don''t know status of trailer being available.

[maestro]

How about the Rhodes 19??? Fun to sail and good looking

[goduke]

Listen to "Silmaril" - go with the Lightning.

Period.