Downsizing to a pocket cruiser/Trailerable Sailboat?

[BBill]

From the largest of 42' every boat has been smaller and smaller. I'm down to a 20 trailer sailer now...1800lb Brittish twin keeler w/2'-3" draft. Easy trailering and launching with a small suv but mast raising can be tedious without a second person. The boat stays on a mooring behind my house or on the trailer during hurricane season. Easy and carefree but a tiny ocean goer if I decide to do a small boat in the Bahamas. After 10+ yrs liveaboard and 2yrs cruising going to a trailer sailer works fine for me at 74yrs old. As mentioned already, the Catalina 22 is probably THE benchmarks of trailer sailers.

[Ungvar]

Catalina 22's are a 1960s design. There are much better trailer sailers that have been designed in the last 50 years IMO. The biggest ussue with Catalina 22s for trailering, aside from the weight is the stub keel.

One nice thing about downsizing from a bigger boat is you should be able to buy a nice trailer sailer with cash left over.

[Peterbreit]

What kind of sailboat do you have now? Retractable keel, is it a must or not for a trailable boat?
Thanks
Peter

[Be Free]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

What kind of sailboat do you have now? Retractable keel, is it a must or not for a trailable boat?
Thanks
Peter

Not a deal breaker but a retractable keel makes launching easier.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by Peterbreit

What kind of sailboat do you have now? Retractable keel, is it a must or not for a trailable boat?
Thanks
Peter

Keel type depends more on the launch ramp depth than type of keel. My 20'r has fixed keels with draft that easily floats on and off the trailer. I installed a 10' tongue extension on the trailer to open up launching capabilities at shallow ramps. I also tow with a 4 wheel drive for steep or slippery ramps. As someone already posted, size and weight is more of a factor for ez trailer boating.

[BMD21]

Ungvar:


Certainly the Catalina 22 was designed in the 60s. However they still build them with little change, using the original dinghy hull.


There a a lot of newer racing 22's, but with less accommodations.



So, then, what new boat do you recommend? I'd be interested. With a cabin in which 2 people can sleep, poptop, swing keel and even an inside table, fold able. I'd be interested in your choices.


Boris

[Prairie 36]

You might look at a Lyle Hess-designed Montgomery 23. They're hard to find, but what a great little sailboat. They are much lighter than his other designs, have a pivoting keel/centerboard, and are fast for their size.

chk out:https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/montgomery-23

[Ungvar]

Originally Posted by BMD21

Ungvar:


Certainly the Catalina 22 was designed in the 60s. However they still build them with little change, using the original dinghy hull.


There a a lot of newer racing 22's, but with less accommodations.



So, then, what new boat do you recommend? I'd be interested. With a cabin in which 2 people can sleep, poptop, swing keel and even an inside table, fold able. I'd be interested in your choices.


Boris

I didn't see the op list those features in his original post and those aren't features I would look for in a trailer sailer, because I like boats that are easy to ramp launch.

I own 2 trailer sailers, one for cruising. No table, no pop top, no swing keel (uses boards), camper top with screen windows for the large cockpit. Mast tabernacle with gaff head cat rig for easy mast stepping, 21 feet with 9 inch draft and displcing 900 pounds.

My other trailer sailer is a day sailer. Trimaran, no cabin at all, but does have plenty of dry storage.

[Wolfe10]

So far, a REALLY wide range of suggestions, from MacGregor 26' to Pacific Seacraft Dana to racing boats.


If the OP will give us some direction we may be able to focus on boats that really do meet their criteria.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by BMD21

We owned both a Catalina 22 and a Catalina 25, both with swing keels. The 22 was a great starter boat, easy to rig and launch. The 25 took more effort, but we felt it was worth it. Both boats made it offshore to Santa Cruz Island so they were capable of serious sailing. Get the pop top, the 22 didn't have one, the 25 did and I (6' 2" at the time) appreciated it. We towed both with a 1/2 ton truck. And we didn't pay slip fees, which are $400/mo in San Diego for a 25' boat.

Boris

Like Bruno, we too had both, but our experiences were different.



In 1983 we bought a lightly used 1981 C22 from a nice family who quickly outgrew it. We trailer sailed it from both a launching ramp and a hoist in Alameda on SF Bay, during the summers we trailered it to Clear Lake and put it into a marina there in the water all the time. It was great and since the marina didn't let you stay on your boat there overnight, we learned to anchor out and enjoyed that.


While the boat was great for the two of us, we wanted something bigger and trailering got real old, real quick.


We bought C25 after looking at ONLY C25s for over a year. We found another great 1981 boat, fixed keel and left it in the water in Alameda Marina. We sailed it from there to the California Delta and outside to Monterey.


In 1998, after again looking ONLY for C34s, we found the one we still own and sailed (motored) her from SF to our new home in BC.


I've read this entire thread a couple of times and it's still unclear if trailering is what the OP really wants. All we can do is share our our experiences.


There are so very many smaller boats out there to choose from, so like all these "What boat should I buy?" questions, I always feel like it's asking your mother "What girl should I marry?" even before you're old enough to start dating!

[dcstrng]

Am not a fan of trailering (even used to keep my center consoles in the water), but have lived aboard both power and sail in the 40-50' range over the years -- then moved down to a semi-derelict (at first) Bristol 24, that I really liked, but eventually moved to an ODay 30 (decent boat, sailed well, much larger cabin of course; but we never meshed -- plan to sell), and in the past few months have purchased another Bristol 24 with a recent rig (and split lower stays). So, I get the "down-sizing" notion -- B24s can be very nice little boats (standing headroom up to 5'11"+/-), and dry sailors for their size, but expect to pay around $10K+ for any that have had lots of TLC (poor man's Dana -- although a touch narrower); otherwise can be far less pricy -- mine was/is. Just another thought...

[sleepy]

i would be interested in ur westsail i live in metro detroit please contact me

john

[ShakyIsler]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

I downsized from 44 ft to 26, but the 26 was a Contessa. Slow as a slug and very wet ride. But a beauty! BAD decision.
.

Bit harsh on the Contessa 26. I own one, and no, it is not a lightweight racer, but I regularly clock 6 knots plus and no, I don't need a gale to get her going to that speed.

Of course, it helps that I removed the inboard engine so I don't have a gumboot dragging behind her slowing me down (my auxiliary is a hi-thrust 5hp outboard).

So, no, it is not a slug.

[BBill]

Originally Posted by ShakyIsler

Bit harsh on the Contessa 26. I own one, and no, it is not a lightweight racer, but I regularly clock 6 knots plus and no, I don't need a gale to get her going to that speed.

Of course, it helps that I removed the inboard engine so I don't have a gumboot dragging behind her slowing me down (my auxiliary is a hi-thrust 5hp outboard).

So, no, it is not a slug.

25-11-2022, 06:02	#45
dcstrng Registered User Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Virginia Boat: B24 Posts: 785 Images: 62	Re: Downsizing to a pocket cruiser/Trailerable Sailboat? Originally Posted by ShakyIsler Bit harsh on the Contessa 26. I own one, and ... Of course, it helps that I removed the inboard engine so I don't have a gumboot dragging behind her slowing me down (my auxiliary is a hi-thrust 5hp outboard)... The Contessa 26 is quite highly regarded in many circles... I've never sailed on one, but have admired and it has a reputation for exceptional seaworthiness in a compact form; which I thought was one of the points of this thread. Yours has many notable mods, did you do them ? __________________ Larry

[dcstrng]

Originally Posted by ShakyIsler

Bit harsh on the Contessa 26. I own one, and ...
Of course, it helps that I removed the inboard engine so I don't have a gumboot dragging behind her slowing me down (my auxiliary is a hi-thrust 5hp outboard)...

The Contessa 26 is quite highly regarded in many circles... I've never sailed on one, but have admired and it has a reputation for exceptional seaworthiness in a compact form; which I thought was one of the points of this thread.

Yours has many notable mods, did you do them ?