What would you suggest for a learning boat?

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

The two lasers might be a little much if these guys are over 70 and poor swimmers.

Ann

I figured they were younger, but you know, the post wasn't all one long run on sentence sprinkled with "txt speak" so maybe not?

Besides any older Man with half a brain, knows not to call her the "ole Lady" anymore, that was OK when she was 20, maybe even 30, but certainly not now

[PPLepew]

If you aren't too far from Lake Ray Hubbard, Bayview
Catalina 25 Tall Rig, 1985
Catalina 25 Tall Rig, 1985, Lake Ray Hubbard, Bayview, sailboat for sale from Sailing Texas, yacht for sale
Pros:
-$2050.00 (yup)
-Big enough to feel like a real boat.
-Lake sailing (easy training: no tides, waves or current to deal with), just wind and other boats.
-Well equipped.
-Comfy enough for a few days or weekend outings.
-Take good care of it and sell it a year later for what you paid for (or more).
Cons:
-Might need a few fixes, but that Sail training too.

[Tetra]

Lots of shallow water in that area. You might consider something with a centerboard or retracting keel.

[PPLepew]

According to Catalina 25 Specs:
Swing Keel
Draft 4.0 ft.
Draft Min 2.7 ft..

[YachtBroker]

Since you're in Texas, have a look at this site.
Sailboats for sale from Sailing Texas, Sailboat Classifieds, sailboat for sale by owner

Lots of reasonable local boats.

[zeehag]

if you HAVE TO buy one, get anything under 100 usd used.
other wise--sail with anyone on anything and everything you can find to sail with or on.

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Why not a beach Cat, maybe a Hobie 16?
Never owner one, but have wanted one since I was a kid

For learning to sail they can be.... Tricky. I love my beachcat, but trying to learn to trapeze while learning to sail would be a bit much I think. You could probably get away with a cat with racks however.

I just don't think you really learn to sail on keel boats. Sure they are more stable, but that stability also deadens the feel of what's happening. With dingys evey subtle shift in weight is noticeable, meaning you far more quickly know when something is wrong.

Plus since you start off assuming you will be wet, there is no downside to flipping. Or not much of one

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by TheOffice

Flying Scot, J80, Catalina 22

Flying Scott - terrible design, heavy, and slow. Add in they are dangerous and I couldn't recommend them to anyone for any reason.

J-80 - heavy, slow (for its type), and very expensive. You can buy a Melgus 24 in good shape for less. Absolutely not a learners boat

Catalina 22 - the definition of a small trailer sailor. Likely the most ubiquitous design ever. Not a bad option if you want a boat in this class, but I would stick with dingies.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Stumble

For learning to sail they can be.... Tricky. I love my beachcat, but trying to learn to trapeze while learning to sail would be a bit much I think. You could probably get away with a cat with racks however.

I just don't think you really learn to sail on keel boats. Sure they are more stable, but that stability also deadens the feel of what's happening. With dingys evey subtle shift in weight is noticeable, meaning you far more quickly know when something is wrong.

Plus since you start off assuming you will be wet, there is no downside to flipping. Or not much of one

learned to sail a clinton crane raceabout, 1903. no engine, deep 6 ft keel.
ye feel every thing. is awesome way to learn.
didnt have a sail dink until i was 48 or so. ha ha ha ha ha
one needs not a dinghy to learn to sail but i desire to learn to sail.
and friends with boats...

[Adelie]

Cats are not great beginners' boats, too many quirks and potentially dangerous until you learn how to right them without outside assistance.

Best would be the 2 lasers previously mentioned moving up to a doublehanded boat after 6ish months practicing every other weekend.

Flying Scot would be a well behaved learners boat for 2.
Holder20
Cal20
Catalina22


A house is but a boat so poorly built and so firmly run aground you would never try to refloat it.

[Michaeloh59]

Originally Posted by YachtBroker

Since you're in Texas, have a look at this site.
Sailboats for sale from Sailing Texas, Sailboat Classifieds, sailboat for sale by owner

Lots of reasonable local boats.

I have been taking a look at that site. One of the problems is that when one is as green as I am it's not always obvious what yer looking at. For instance it would be useful to know which boats are trailerable, by which, I guess, mostly means the mast can be removed (as opposed to weight which we do not concern ourselves with at all because F450). But poco a poco.

I was at your Kemah office back in June during the Texas Outlaw Challenge. We had invited our slip neighbors, who were sailors, out on the go fast. Naturally we broke a motor cuz it's a go fast but they had a good time and invited us to sail with them for a few hours. They told us about your open house the next day and since we had not a running boat we went sailboat window shopping.

The rest is history. In the making.

[phydeaux]

14+ boat for a smaller lake or pond - Lido 14, Capri 15 - easy to sail, rig and trailer. You can learn to use the three basic strings, and how a sail boat acts under different conditions with a minimum of expense. Major advantage is that you can learn to sail subjectively and by feel.
Older version Macgregor 25 for larger water. They can't sink, and for all the aforementioned reasons.
Both types can fit in the backyard, and are easy to launch and recover.
Still, I agree with the take lessons from a local JC or other reputable school. Our local JC program is designed for adults to learn to sail small boats (including intentional knock-downs), and then graduate to ocean sailing. If you really like it, spend the money on an owned boat.
And, learn to sail with a tiller, and a wheel becomes easy.

[reed1v]

Any boat really. A bigger boat is more stable and forgiving; plus more comfortable.

[Michaeloh59]

Originally Posted by Ann T. Cate

The two lasers might be a little much if these guys are over 70 and poor swimmers.

However, if y'all are young enough to think it's fun, Stumble has suggested a really fun and inexpensive way to learn to sail. I don't know about the inter and intra personal issues of him and his "ole lady" racing, though.......?

Ann

I appreciate all the responses. Y'all are a blessing. It would seem that I need to focus first on the question of keel boat vs dinghy. I have two choices: the first is I buy a boat easy to rig and just keep it in my backyard. The second is I suppose I could keep a more substantial boat in the marina at port lavaca, which at $4/slip-ft seems relatively inexpensive and 35 minutes from home.

Matagorda Bay is mostly shallow and I don't think too interesting, it's just convenient. So I'm not sure keeping a boat in Port Lavaca offers much advantage other than not having to rig and trailer.

Many folks have suggested boats from 22-28', the Catalina 22 specifically been mentioned more than once.

**So can anyone give me a sense of what the process is of rigging this boat to sail and then taking it all down for trailering?**

BTW as to some of the other questions we are mid to late 50s reasonable shape. We work out and moderate to strenuous activity is not a problem.

The 2 Lazer idea, the problem is we may be a one boat sorta crowd. The ole lady would be happy camping; it's me who is driving the sailing thing, she's jus goin along for the ride. Although you never know maybe she will get bit by the sailing bug too. Prolly not.

[SaltyMonkey]

TORO https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Toro_(dinghy)