Good starter for family

[sailnow2007]

I am looking to get my family started in sailing. I was thinking about something like a sunfish, but I want something the whole family can enjoy together. Looking for lower budget, low maintence, easy to sail.

Any suggestions?

[sailingfool]

Centerboard daysailers; like a Cape Cod Mercury, carries four to six and used can be bought cheap http://old.cruisingworld.com/ssbk/mercurys.htm also Boston Whaler made an excellent series of daysailers which are still around http://www.ruach.net/Harpoon.shtml, again not much more expensive than a new Sunfish. The Harpoon carries six adults easily, is stable and sails very well, I enjoyed use of one for a number of years and recommend them highly.

[SailinJay]

The Catalina 22 is a good starter boat that can accommodate a family and has a modest cabin. It has basic systems and is easy to sail. You can find them in a variety of price ranges depending on age, with the older ones being less expensive. You will need to buy a trailer for it, however.

[freddy4888]

Look at used Flying Scots, very stable centerboard boat, will fit six people, easy to trailer and launch, very active one design class, and fast and fun to sail
Fred

[primerate84]

I'll second the Flying Scot. I owned one for 10 years and did exactly what you are planning to do. Got my two boys involved when they were 4 and 6 years old and the stability and ease of sailing of the Scot makes it a good choice for new sailing families. Also, I bought my Scot in 1982 for $2,400 (used) and sold it in 92 for $2,900.

[Cruisingdad]

I see a lot of families starting off with something like a Catalina 250. It has sleeping room (for 4 I think), a head with a door/pumpout, little galley, and is easy to trailor. Lot more expensive than a sunfish, but you can also write it off as a second home and take out a loan on it. I would rough guess somewhere between 15k-35k new with trailor, depening whether you are considering new or used. I owned one. Not a bad little boat, and fun to overnight on. It is trailorable, but you will not like pulling it. Better to leave it in a marina.

http://www.yachtworld.com/core/listi...sp&searchtype=

Just an outside thought. Good luck.

- CD

[CBinRI]

Pearson Ensign. 22 feet. Huge, family friendly cockpit. Classic design. Full keel. Very forgiving to new sailors. Many fleets still around. Passionate following. Not expensive.

http://www.ensignclass.com/History.htm

[blt2ski]

The 20-25' trailerable cabin cruisers can be a good start, but being as you mentioned a sunfish...........A laser could be another simialer style boat too. BUT, this style will handle 2 people at best, but at least recoverable if you get knocked down easy enough, having been there done that in my teens about hull#'s 700-1000 or so at a local sailing club with lasers back int he 70's.

The Flying Scot, IIRC what it is, may be like another boat from my youth, ie teens, a Clark built C-lark. Which was ment to be a fiberglass version of an Internation 14, but a bit heavy, but Clark manufacturing turned it into a reasable one design class back in the 70's also.

I would personally think an open cockpit boat like the Flying scot, C-lark, IIRC Ranger and Catilina build 14-16' sailboats too, that you can seat 3-5 folks in for a day sail, vs 1-2 for the surfboard style boats like the sunfish and laser.

marty