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Need info on a boat!

5K views 30 replies 19 participants last post by  rbyham 
#1 ·
Can anyone give me any information on the boat below? It's a pocket cruiser, that's all I know. I would love to have that boat as a starter.

I just ordered chapman's and shall study it in preparation for my first lake sail.

Thanks for any help!
 

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#2 ·
Can anyone give me any information on the boat below? It's a pocket cruiser, that's all I know. I would love to have that boat as a starter.

I just ordered chapman's and shall study it in preparation for my first lake sail.

Thanks for any help!
That is a very beautiful old boat, but it would be a real handful and pretty close to the bottom of the list of boats that a beginner should buy as a starter.

I have owned boats like that one:




Boats like these require a lot of skill to sail safely and even more skill to maintain, along with a great set of tools and a high level of experience with wooden boats and wood working.

Unless that sounds like you, I would suggest that you start out looking for a more conventional, modern, fin keel, sloop rigged, 23- 26 foot production boat. You will learn to sail more quickly and safely, and have the chance to learn boat maintenance without diving into the deep end of the ocean, miles from shore, as a way to learn to swim.

Respectfully,
Jeff
 
#3 · (Edited)
beautiful boat...looks like a lyle hess cutter or bristol channel cutter, gaff rig...some designers pretty much made the same boats like that back in the day. with one or 2 headsails on the sprit.

I would much rather have a boat like that be taken care of than risk not selling and dying an agonizing life, so if you have the spirit and will to take care of a boat like that please do so!

also being on a lake all the issues associated with being a handful(like tacking said boat) and or raising and lowering sails rig wise compared to a marconi, become less of an issues as you are out there in the middle of "nowehere"...

its a perfect beginer boat(other than the fact its wood and needs more maintenance) because the motions and speed will be slow, it will also not tack fast and it will not be a violent boat in sailing motions

this is mostly due to the heft of such a boat for its size, the design of the underbody and the sail plan.

one nice thing about these boats is they track well, they also like a good breeze and feel safer for a given wind speed...

like jeff I also have experience with these kind of boats and enjoy sailing them...I also cruised extensively on a similar boat over 10k miles barebones style with only the basics...using the boats inherent qualities to my advantage.

I do agree however that you can find tons of boats in plastic and with a more modern design and less maintenance that can teach you the basics in a more simple manner...however the question was about the boat and not so much what beginner boat should I get.

good luck and hopefully you get the boat

ps. regarding chapmans...ditch that for now, and find somebody that loves these boats and is willing to take you out on it a few times before you go out on your own

you will learn much more and much faster the important things...then practice makes perfect.

cheers
 
#4 · (Edited)
Was unaware it was wood, I had just seen it and thought it was gorgeous. That's why I am here, so you guys can steer me the right way.

I am fine with maintenance(I have so many tools it's not funny) but I am not interested in wood. What makes it a handfull to handle? Is it the full keel on such a small boat?

I am staying in Arizona for at least the next year or two, business is kicking and I never say no to money. I will be learning on lake pleasant and havasu, and would like something trailerable and capable of cruising in the near future.
Ideas?

I'll still get the Chapmans, I'm sure it would be purchased at some point. I will try to find someone to go out with once I find a boat. Im in the market now, but that boat was just one off the internet.
 
#8 ·
I will be learning on lake pleasant and havasu, and would like something trailerable and capable of cruising in the near future.
Ideas?
I'm thinking Catalina 25, swing keel version. There are about a billion of them on the market, so the cost is reasonable, they hold their value so you should be able to sell it for close to what you paid when you move up, they're trailerable, and if you get the pop-top model (a must IMHO), they are emninently cruisable.

Even if that gaff-rigged cutter is what appeals to you, I do not recommend starting out with one of those boats. What makes it more difficult to learn to sail is two-fold: it is a slow, heavy boat, that does not react quickly to changes in sail trim. Tough to learn if what you are doing is correct if you can't feel or see the effects of your fiddling with the sails; and as a beginner, you won't even know what you are looking for. Secondly, it is a gaff-rigged boat with more sails than a "standard" rig sloop. More lines to adjust and properly trim, more sail configurations to assess and choose from for any given weather condition, etc.

Also, if you want to be able to trailer your boat, that boat is NOT a reasonable candidate. It looks to me like you would need a crane to launch her every time. Stay away from full keel, or even fin keel, boats if you really expect to trailer your boat. Stick with swing keel or centerboard boats.

And for what it's worth, I prefer the Annapolis Book of Seamanship to Chapman's. Personal preference.

In any case, go for it dude. Get a boat and sail.
 
#6 ·
If you're in love with that look there are/were fiberglass versions made.. The Bristol Channel Cutter, plus a few other Hess (Lyle, not Christian ;)) designs were done in glass, the similar Westsail series were also in glass.

That said, I'm with Jeff on the idea of starting with something more responsive for learning on.. once you've gotten used to getting instant response to a good trim change, you may not want to go to this sort of heavier, slower boat unless your mainly wanting to cross oceans... and even then.....
 
#9 ·
If you really like the look of that boat, you might like a folk boat, they are available in both fiberglass and wood. They are full keel, and are definitely an "old school" boat.



If you are on the west coast they are pretty plentiful.

Another "traditional" boat that is pretty common on the east coast, and I have seen several available for free, or inexpensive is the Ensign made by Pearson.


Both boats have full keels and won't necessarily be super responsive but have large one design fleets for you to race in. One design fleets are groups of the same model so every one is on a relatively even playing field. Neither has much of a cabin, but will work for weekend "camping" if you are willing to do that. I really like the Ensign and think it would be a fun "small" boat to play with. I am too old to mess around with dinghies as you get too wet, and either one of these you woudl not have to worry about being stuck in a sudden storm.
 
#10 ·
You indicated you will be lake sailing for a couple of years. I don't know where you will be on it, but Lake Havasu can get tight. You may want to have a higher priority on a boat that points well into the wind. Else, you will learn all about tacking while not making much progress. mstern recommended a Catalina 25, which I would second. But, if you're single handing, you might want to consider how difficult it is to step the mast. Maybe look at something like the Hunter 18's or Catalina 18's, instead. In any case, get out there and sail as much as you can.
 
#11 ·
#20 ·
FC22 like barefoot's is a nice little sailing ship. It's a little cousin (same designer) to my boat, the Nor'sea 27.

It's all about what you want to get out of sailing and what your plans are later. My NS27 is my first boat and I felt it's small enough I can tow anywhere and large enough I can go anywhere I want on the water. As my experience grows, I can still use the same boat in different sailing areas.

It's good to look for something on a trailer. It'll cost less in the long run to store out of the water, like in the back yard if it's big enough, so you don't have to keep it at a marina the whole time.

Good luck in finding your boat.
 
#21 ·
The fc22 and Dana 24 were really nice but ~50k is too much for a small beginners boat.(for me)

Trailer will be purchased with the boat(unless the deal is too good to pass)
20-30ft, ocean capable, inexpensive. I will be inspecting and repairing everything before it's sailed anyways so I may even buy a fixer with a good hull.

Catalinas are still looking good, but I received a call from a customer of mine who's dad has a fuji 35 ketch for sale. Bigger than I wanted but he wants almost nothing for it so I am going to take a look, anything to look out for?

I am not selling all my things and heading out to sea just yet, first I will learn and it will be the family hobby ;)

On a side note, my new welder is supposed to arrive today!
Oh, the things I will create!
 
#22 ·
fujis are great boats...I had a friend with a mid 40s fuji...ketch.

as usual Im baffled by some of the suggestions and also amused at the huge price ranges and budgets some think a beginner boat should cost

in any case a beginner boat is just that...no frills, can be a great deal if you luck into one...easy to sail...have easy sail controls, be stable etc

now learning in a big boat is done more often than you think and many cruisers beleive it or not start on their retirement boat and set off for the sunset and learn along the way

you can sail on other peoples boats, sail dinghys(my advice) small keel boats or just get the boat youll stick with for a while

doesnt really matter as long as youre out there learning and having fun

peace
 
#23 ·
I also love the lines of older boats like the one you posted a picture of. I just don't want to get stuck maintaining a boat like that.

You should be able to easily find a Catalina 22' for a reasonable price. Be aware that they come in a few flavors; fixed fin keel, centerboard, shoal draft etc.

Another plastic classic pocket crusier I like is this one:
Cape dory Typhoon
TYPHOON 18 (WEEKENDER) sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
It is unlikely that you will find many (any) of these for sale where you are though.
 
#26 ·
That's a beautiful boat, but if it's wood, I wouldn't touch it.
I second the idea of getting a small, responsive boat to learn on. Mine was a Tanzer 22. You learn more because the boat responds more readily to adjustments in trim, etc. So you see the effect of what you do right away. I started in a lake and more responsive handling helped in maneuvering among other boats and shoal areas.
Graduate to a larger, heavier cruising hull--if you still want one--once you build the skills. And the checking account. A small increase in LOA is a big increase in weight, volume and cost.
 
#27 · (Edited)
General:

I'm gonna reiterate what I said about the Catalina 25: if you want to trailer and cruise, it's a much better choice than the cape dory typhoon and the Catalina 22. The cape dory is a beast to trailer and does not sail nearly as well. And by "well" I don't mean"fast". I mean it does not point as close to the wind, nor will the CD be able to move well in light airs. You may not be all that concerned about speed, but I would be willing to bet that you would care if it meant that you don't go sailing in light airs because your boat won't move. And while I really like the C22 (I used to have one), don't think you will be doing more than camping on the water with one. The C25 is a real step up from the 22 in terms of room and comfort. And the Typhoon is even less accommodating below. The cabin is tiny and dark. It's only a "Weekender" in comparison to the standard Typhoon, which is an 18 footer.

I also understand that the water levels in your lakes are way low. That means that the launching ramps are effectively shorter, making it more difficult to get a boat in the water from a trailer. I would really steer clear of any boat that wasn't specifically designed to be launched from a trailer. In my mind that eliminates the CD from the list.

But hey, it's your list, and if the looks of the boat are more important (and believe me, I get that), then I don't think you can do much saltier than a Carl Alberg design like the typhoon. One of the prettiest boats of all time. One more word about the Typhoon: lots of teak and mahogany to keep up. Coamings, seats, companionway, hand rails, toe rails. If you decide to keep it bright, it's a big commitment.

And btw, love your chicken recipe.
 
#28 ·
I'll throw in a +1 for the Cat 25 if you're serious about "off shore" capable right now, but if you just want to trailer from lake to lake, a 22 would be easier to tow, set up, use, take apart and get home again. Sort of depends on what you want, friends at Tahoe used to trailer their Santana 21 to Baja every spring for some sort of trailer sailer gatherings, and it's definitely minimalist camping, sleeping on the beach, etc., but I hear the weather makes it worthwhile. If you want to spend a couple three days at sea sailing up the coast, the 25 would be a much better option, just takes a little longer to set up the boat and prepare for a longer trip. Gotta have a full size truck for hauling the 25, not necessarily so for the 16-22 footers.
 
#30 ·
It sounds like you may be susceptible to some big, costly mistake. If you have little knowledge of the many things that can cost a LOT of money and time to fix, please do some research on all the things to be wary of. There have been so many sailors who buy a boat with big problems, sometimes insurmountable problems, chasing a dream. Slow down, do your homework. I know one fellow who bought a beautiful sailboat (I forget the brand) for 20k only to discover it was a cored hull and the core was almost entirely rotted. It eventually went to the dump.

I would not discount a wood boat like this. Some of them are constructed of wood of a quality that is simply unavailable anymore. Some are planked with teak! or white cedar that lasts virtually forever. Fiberglass is NOT maintenance free and the difference in the amount of work on glass vs wood is way overblown. IMO, there is no glass boat that feels like a wood boat.

As far as learning to sail, get/borrow/rent a small one-design boat for a while and someone to take you out a few times. Almost everything you need to know, you can learn on a small boat without the consequences of screwing up on a large boat.
 
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