My first daysailor – any suggestions?

[FRRizzo111]

I have read many of the great posts on this site and I was hoping to learn from all of your great advice regarding my specific situation. I am new to sailing and have really enjoyed the sport thus far. I have done most of my sailing on Flying Scots. A fun boat but to be honest, I have found the straight back seats in the cockpit a bit uncomfortable on longer sails.

I’m interested in getting a boat roughly 18-23 feet long that I can trailer. I live in the Washington DC area and a good portion of the sailing I do is on the Potomac River, which regularly has fairly light winds. I''m looking for a boat that would sell well under these circumstances. In addition, I would like to have a stable boat that I could trailer and sail safely on the Chesapeake Bay.

Other considerations – My wife would like a boat that has a small cabin with a head and some form of galley. I would put more weight on a boat that has a larger and more comfortable cockpit. In addition, the part of the Potomac where we sail can get quite shallow at points so I was thinking that because of this and weight considerations, that a fix keel boat may not be the best – though not out of the question.

I can spend up to $10,000 but would prefer to spend a bit less so that I will have money left over to equip the boat. I have been seriously considering a Precision 21. I also really like the Rhodes 22 but it seems a bit out of my price range. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for or other boats to consider?

[jbanta]

FRR

For the $100 you could go somewhat larger and get all you listed in your posting. One thing I think you should think about with a swing keel boat is the keel pocket inside the cabin. There are very nice trailerable boats on the 25 foot ranger that have shallow drafts that I''ll bet your wife wouod feel much more comfortable aboard

[Heruka]

Catalina 22. It''s a great boat, for a very little price.

[Sailormon6]

I agree with the Catalina 22. A lot of lake sailors and coastal cruisers started with that boat. It''s easy to trailer, launch and sail, and it will be easy to sell without taking a big loss when you want to move up.

[kokopelli9]

I have never sailed a Precision 21, but I have a Precision 23 that I love. It has been a great boat and i would recommend it anytime.
One thought is that you might want to go to the Precision owners site (www.precisionowners.com) and get some feedback from owners of a P21. I have found fellow owners to be warm, very helpful people. And the Precision Company is great with help when you need it.

Bobbi

Kokopelli

[sailingfool]

I used to race MORC on a S2 6.7 - 22 feet with a daggerboard. I thought this was a very nice boat - well constructed, good performance and has some down-below. You should be able to find one in good condition within your price range.
Check this link for more info;
http://web1.bluedomino.net/brayusa.com/S2679/html/s2_6_7.html

My personal advice - only buy a good quality boat - the price you pay for a boat can be only the beginning if you buy a boat that is of poor quality or hasn''t been maintained well. Don''t try to "buy low" - a boat seller who has owned a boat for years is a lot more likely than the buyer to have an accurate understanding of what the boat is actually worth...

Good luck.

[msl]

Not too far from you, in Annapolis, there is a boatyard specializing in trailerable sailboats. I forgot the name of it but it is right on the highway before getting to the bridge.

Consider a Catalina 25, Check out the owners website (Catalina 25/250 on your search engine). You will not regret it.