[Moriver1]

My name is Scott. I am starting the process of selecting a sailboat to turn into an adventure cruiser. Stick with me here LOL. Lets go back....Last year I completed a 811 mile trip down the Missouri River in a jonboat. The next trip is going to start in Chicago and go to the gulf. The jonboat is out. The thought is to find a sailboat like an O-day 22 or similar and strip it of all its sailing gear. Install a new 10 or 15 horse kicker, solar panels, extra fuel storage and a long list of other goodies and make the trip. The problem is you could hold what I know about sail boats in a thimble! The boat is going to be pulled to shore at times so draft is a huge issue. Also as the boat will not be a sailing craft the weight of the boat is important. I don't want to push around ballast I don't have to. Our thought is 22 to 25 feet max and trailers but the go to boat is light, does not have a big draft number and does not cost a fortune. I am not going to take a great boat and ruin it. I am finding a fair amount of old sail boats that are missing a bunch of rigging or sails cheap that fit my needs but I don't know what is a good boat and what to avoid. About all I am sure of is I need a really efficient hull and the default is sailboat. Any craft recommendations would be greatly appreciated all.

 

[krisscross]

Hi Scott, sounds like a fun adventure!
Any sailboat with a swing keel and minimal ballast would work for you. O'Day 22 would be a very good choice. Almost all sailboats of that type have a very efficient hull shape.
Remove mast and stays, remove rudder and install the mount for the outboard on the center-line (much more efficient that way). Keep all the hardware because it will help when and if you want to sell the boat.

 

[Moriver1]

Hi Scott, sounds like a fun adventure!
Any sailboat with a swing keel and minimal ballast would work for you. O'Day 22 would be a very good choice. Almost all sailboats of that type have a very efficient hull shape.
Remove mast and stays, remove rudder and install the mount for the outboard on the center-line (much more efficient that way). Keep all the hardware because it will help when and if you want to sell the boat.

Thanks so much for the response I truly appreciate it. Its good to hear from someone that knows these boats that I am on the right track. Have great day and be safe on the water.

Scott

 

[chuck53]

Just a thought...10-15 hp is overkill for a 22 footer. A 3 HP will probably push it at hull speed. I suggest no more than 6, maybe 8 max.

You mentioned you know knowing about a sailboat. For what you are doing, it is no longer a sailboat. Just consider it an odd shaped powerboat.

Any swing keel boat should suit you. O'Day or a Catalina would do fine.

 

[krisscross]

Thanks so much for the response I truly appreciate it. Its good to hear from someone that knows these boats that I am on the right track. Have great day and be safe on the water.

Scott

Anytime, Scott. I have messed about in sailboats for many years, bought, restored, and sold several of them. I have also done long kayaking trips down river. I'll be happy to share what I know. Keep us posted on your progress. Check out your local craigslist for available boats. Recently bought a decent Chrysler 18 on a good trailer for $450. There are good deals out there.

One note on getting the boat to shore for the night. If you end up with a larger boat you can always get in the shallow water and anchor. A lot of times that is safer for you and the boat. If the level of water drops overnight by 6 inches it may be hard for one person to drag the boat back to deeper water, but you would be fine if anchored. I would mount a strong hand winch on the bow to help getting the boat closer to shore. Put a chain around a tree on shore, run the winch cable to it and crank to where you want to be. The winch will also help you getting off sand bars, if you deploy a good anchor in deeper water.

 

[krisscross]

Just a thought...10-15 hp is overkill for a 22 footer. A 3 HP will probably push it at hull speed. I suggest no more than 6, maybe 8 max.

Boats like O'day 22 will plane with larger motor, going faster then theory suggests. But going faster means using a lot more fuel. I would use a 5 HP motor to save fuel. It will still give you enough power to get away from the river barges.

 

[Waterrat]

Longer and narrower is more efficient and faster at low power. You could look at Sail Calculator Pro v3.54 - 2800+ boats . At the bottom of the page you can search for sailboats with beam and length. Compare list to Craigslist and sailboat listing etc. and there ya go.

 

[killarney_sailor]

You might want to check out what is called the Great Loop. You go down the Mississippi and come up the east coast. You would want to learn how to sail for the second part of the trip. It would make it much more interesting - and cheaper.