Bucanneer 250

[jcody76]

I have been sailing hobie cats for 5 years and now want a stater boat that I can sail for weekend trips. I do need to have a trailer for it. I live in ohio and willl be sailing on lake erie and then also take the boat to daytona bach and sail coatal areas there. I have been looking at a buc 250 any info would be great or any suggestions on different boats. I do not wnat to spend to much becuase i would like to get a bigger boat in the future.

thanks

[bljones]

Welcome aboard.
Bayliner Buccs are a much maligned brand of boat, most times rightly so...
HOWEVER,
the 250 is a different kettle of perch altogether.
The Bucc everyone loves to hate looks like this:



The Bucc 250 looks like this:



A great boat for a sailor on a budget. Welcome to sailing Lake Erie, dude. Hope to see you cross the lake and join us on Dock Six someday.

[Faster]

Yes, the Bucc 250 is the early edition of what became the US25 - a Gary Mull design that is a pretty nice little boat though with a rather small cockpit.

Similarly the Bucc 295 was a Peterson design that evolved into the US30, again a reasonable local coastal racer/cruiser.

These are a far cry from the (Garden?) designed Buccaneers shown above.

[jcody76]

Thank you for the information. How well will this boat sail, will it be able handle the weather on lake erie. And do you think it will be able to sleep a family of 4 for the weekend. Also what forward sails to yo suggest I have.

thank you in advance.

[Faster]

They sail OK keeping in mind that they are a dated design and at 25 feet with a non planing hull they will not be lightning quick.

As far as accommodation goes, I imagine it has berths for 4 (I seem to recall a fold-down dinette?) unless the kids are still young she'll be a bit cramped for any long trips. Your Hobie might even have been OK for a weekend so if it's just weekends you'll be OK for a while. However it's not long before teenage kids take up adult space.... Frankly a bigger issue will be 4 in the cockpit....

This type of boat will probably work out best with a small jib for the heavier days and a midsized genoa (135% perhaps), for the lighter days unless you're prepared to carry three, then a 150% might be useful. I think I'd carry two headsails and some sort of light air spinnaker (either symmetrical or a cruising chute) If the boat comes with some hardware (ie spin pole, and the associated rigging) that makes the decision a little easier. Otherwise there's a bit of hardware to buy as well. A cruising chute will not require a great deal of extra gear.