Will I like this boat?

[meboater]

Will I like this boat?

I have pretty much an impossible question.

My wife and I currently sail a Tanzer 22 CB. We have been sailing for 5 years. We use the boat for overnights, 1-2 week trips, and occasional day trips, all on the Maine coast. We do not sail with other sailors, and have very limited time on other boats. Everything we know comes from a 16 hour dinghy course, The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, and experience. We both have a pretty strong background in outdoor skills, including navigation, and I am mechanically inclined, and mange to fix most of what breaks.

We have limited basis of comparison regarding how other boats sail, other than what we read, and observe. I read a lot, and understand how various design features affect how a boat performs.

So- we are considering a change to a Seaward 25. I have read every thing online about the boat, which is a shoal draft, wing keel, trailerable cruiser. It has a 2 foot draft, and a displacement of 3600 lbs, which creates obvious limits. A trailerable boat is pretty key to our budget, as it allows us to do just about any work needed, I queried the group over at trailer sailor, and while they love their boats, didn’t have much in the way of comparisons to boats similar to mine.

We like the way our boat sails. We like the low freeboard- a bit of a wet ride does not bother us. We are happy to have the rail in the water, but will reduce sail once we start wrestling with the tiller. We have been sequentially advanced the conditions we are comfortable in, and have been out in a few small craft advisories. In a good breeze, it is rare for us to see anybody smaller out there. When I speak with other knowledgeable sailors, there seems to be a general respect for how this little boat sails.

The question is: Will we like the way the Seward 25 sails? What we would like is more living space. The Seaward 25 is probably the most comfy trailerable, and from all reports, seems well built. It helps that we both actually like the unique appearance. While we don’t need an increase in performance, I don’t think we would like a decrease in performance. I understand that the boat does not love to heel. And that a shoal draft will not point as well as a full keel. When folks talk about the limits of the Seaward 25, I am not sure if they are comparing to full keel boats, or to other trailer sailors.

I welcome any thoughts on this matter, even if you haven’t sailed either boat. If you understand boa design, and have any thoughts, I would love to see them.

[DRFerron]

Originally Posted by meboater

Will I like this boat?

I have pretty much an impossible question.

I understand that the boat does not love to heel.

Modern cruising boats are not designed to sail efficiently when heeled over anyway. I would probably put this far down on the list or not pay it any attention at all.

Why not start a new thread with an appropriate subject line to get their attention and a link to your first post here to see if there is a Seaward owner in your area who is willing to take you sailing for a few hours? Maybe post it in the boat review/boat buyers section? Perhaps the General Discussion area would get the most views, however.

[tommays]

The last boat i owned with 2' draft was a Victoria 18 and while it was great boat for the Great South Bay of Long Island it was a pretty bad deal if you needed to go upwind in any kind of a blow

[BI40]

At the risk of starting a brawl, in my limited experience with trailering sailboats, a boat either sails well or trailers well. Albeit, my boat-trailering experience was limited to a 25-footer many years ago. It sailed well down wind and at every launch, something broke (most likely my fault).

For the pure joy of sailing a boat in the 25 foot range, I would recommend comparing possibilities to a Folkboat ...not trailer-able at all, but easily able to point within 5 degrees of apparent wind, has low free board and has crossed many oceans. (See Blondie Hasler's junk-rigged, modified boat "Jester") ...mine was a more typical 3/4 rig Folkboat.

[junkrig]

Don't panic with the "no upwind" advice. None of them were sailing winged keels and yes, it does make a difference.

I'd be more curious about your tow vehicle. A 3000+ pound boat implies a 1200+ pound trailer. It's not infinite weight, but I'd prefer, if you have a gasoline engine, at least a 350 - 360 cu in (for younger people call that a 5.8-5.9 liter) displacement, and to launch something with a couple feet of keel below the bunks I would seriously want four wheel drive.

For really easy living, of course, there's always a 4wd diesel...

[junkrig]

Originally Posted by BI40

[somewhat snipped out of context, my apologies] easily able to point within 5 degrees of apparent wind, has low free board and has crossed many oceans. (See Blondie Hasler's junk-rigged, modified boat "Jester") ...mine was a more typical 3/4 rig Folkboat.

Blondie Hasler is the Patron Saint of all modern-day western Junk Rig junkies and co-author of Practical Junk Rig, our foundation technical manual. Thanks for the mention.

Jeff

[MarkCK]

I have had this same debate myself. I have a small performance orientated sportboat. Mostly I just use it to daysail in with dreams of overnighting. I often wonder if I would like a bigger boat that I could trailer and yet still sleep on. I don't think a large trailerable boat is on the market where is is both trailerable and sporty. S2 used to make a 25 footer with a lifting keel that but those boats have been out of production for quite a while. Your next thought might be to look at the 23 foot precision.

But all things considering if you are planning on spending 2-3 weeks at a time on it I would just by the Seaward and call it good. You can't be losing that much in the way in performance for you gain in comfort. And you will be gaining a lot of comfort.

[Boasun]

Actually when you decide on a boat, it isn't your hard cold facts that helps makes your decision, It is your heart that plays very dearly in that decision... Basically you'll see the boat of your dreams, even if you couldn't discribe the boat before you saw her. You and your wife takes one look and That is the boat for you.
So walk the docks, peruse the internet, look in the back of boating mags where the boats are for sale... Sooner or later you will spy the boat that calls out to you.
How do you think I chose my Hardin?

[ccher]

Cruising World had an article on trailer sailboats a couple of issues ago that involved overnighting or longer. I dont keep the issues, but perhaps you can get the article off their web site. Also check out the Catalina 25 which I understand has a trailer version and is pretty popular.

[meboater]

Originally Posted by junkrig

Don't panic with the "no upwind" advice. None of them were sailing winged keels and yes, it does make a difference.

I'd be more curious about your tow vehicle. A 3000+ pound boat implies a 1200+ pound trailer. It's not infinite weight, but I'd prefer, if you have a gasoline engine, at least a 350 - 360 cu in (for younger people call that a 5.8-5.9 liter) displacement, and to launch something with a couple feet of keel below the bunks I would seriously want four wheel drive.

For really easy living, of course, there's always a 4wd diesel...

f150 fwd with a 302, but a reasonbly low geared rear end that handles our current 3200 lb displacement tanzer reaonably well. It's job is to plow the driveway, and to take the boat to and from the coas annualy. occasionally a commuter iff the cars are in the shop, and I don't want to ride the Suzuki. Should handle the Seaward, particularly with surge brakes.