hooked on sailing, now what?

[nbourbaki]

Hey all,

I am spending a year in San Francisco, while here I have decided to get into sailing. At the suggestion of this forum, I found a boat partnership and have been sailing the bay 2-3 times a week. I LOVE IT.

I will be however returning TN/KY area next summer and want to plan on how best to continue this hobby/passion?

Sail in the local lakes? What would you recommend? SHould it be trailerable?

Forget lake sailing, just charter for vacations in good sailing destinations?

obv move is option number 1, but not in cards right now.

[tbodine88]

Sail local lakes, I am in central Texas and this is how I get my fix.

A Trailerable gives you more options, than a larger keel boat. I have a 19' potter and keep her in the back yard. However when I kept her in the Marina I went sailing more often while spending a lot more money.

Larger boats also may require you to find another partner. This can be problematic.

Good luck.

[Khagan1227]

I have a trailer sailer to get my sailing fix when I can't get to Florida. I have it set up so I can comfortably spend weekends on it and I have modified it so I can raise the mast without help and visit different lakes in the area.

[GILow]

It pains me to admit it, but I did a lot more sailing and a lot less maintenance when we had a 20 foot trailer sailor.

I suggest looking at something small enough to sail easily on your own but with enough room for three or four friends. That strikes me as the most likely to get frequent use. If it has a cabin big enough to shelter from the elements and maybe sleep a night or two, all the better. (our Austral 20 was an example of such a boat in Oz, see the photos in my profile if you are interested)

Combine this with a car that can tow the boat easily and some system for raising the mast on your own (very important this bit) and you'll get lots of sailing done.

Enjoy!

Matt

[Tayana42]

I also did a lot more sailing and less maintaining and up-grading when I had a 16 ft. trailer sailboat than I do now with a 42 footer. My advice for a new to sailing person is buy an inexpensive easy to maintain trailerable boat for local waters, sail as often as possible and charter a bigger boat a couple of times a year...and have fun.

[nbourbaki]

Sounds like good advice.

For a local boat I'd either be looking at something to keep in a marina or something light enough to be towed by my minivan 3500lb max I think

Any specific suggestions?

[GILow]

Originally Posted by nbourbaki

Sounds like good advice.

For a local boat I'd either be looking at something to keep in a marina or something light enough to be towed by my minivan 3500lb max I think

Any specific suggestions?

I'm no help here, you get a different selection of boats (some pretty nice ones too), but 3500lb is not a lot for a more robust trailer sailer. My 20 footer was 2 tons (4000lb) on its trailer. Remember, the trailer can weigh nearly as much as the boat if it is well built.

In the case of the Austral 20, the original sales brochure said 1400kg on the trailer. But they released a second version with a heavier keel and this combined with the decent after market trailer (the factory trailer was a toy), plus a few bits and pieces such as battery, fuel, safety gear, and my lot weighed in at exactly two tons on the weighbridge. If in doubt get a weighbridge check before you buy. Aside from the risk of running off the road because the car brakes/suspension can't take the strain, I found the certificate very helpful to have on hand when pulled over by the police for a random safety inspection. The car was clearly rated to tow 4 tons, the weighbridge certificate said 2 tons and the happy policemen would wave me on.

Matt