Pocket Cruiser/Gunkhole express advice

[FamilyVan]

The Catalina 22 would be a great choice. My brother trailers his Alberg 22 behind his F-150. Great boat, under 5k and good for unknowing with full keel and built like brick ----house.

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[Adelie]

I would go for a CAL 20.

Large cockpit can entertain 6, 8 at a stretch.
Sleeps 2 easily, 4 if the pair sharing the v-berth aren't too big and 6 if 2 don't mind sleeping the in the cockpit. An awning can be rigged.
Raised deck makes for a comparatively spacious interior and a nice flat deck to work on.
Available used with trailer for $1-3k depending on condition and location.
Good support for this model thru Seal's Spars
Comparatively beefy, 2 have sailed to Hawai'i and another sailed to Europe.
Stiff and well canvassed to comparatively fast, almost as fast as a Catalina 22.
Ouboard is in a well so it motors OK in swells.
Being significantly lighter than the Catalina 22 also makes it easier to trailer.
The fixed keel makes it a little harder to launch than centerboarders, but at 3'4"draft it's not that much harder.

[mstrebe]

The older MacGregor/Venture 22s are easily trailered, very light, and roomier than most---especially the Venture 222 which has a pop-top. Generally easily found for <$5000, but the trailers are usually rusted through as they were very cheaply made with untreated square-tube steel.

Also, be very careful with older swing-keel MacGregors, as those keels were iron and are often not in very good condition. thoroughly inspect them on the trailer.

The MacGregor 26D is probably the best deal in trailerable boats. Easily found for around $5000, it's retractable daggerboard and water ballast have few to no real repair issues. It sails the best of any MacGregor, and is the roomiest of any boat mentioned in this thread thus far. They last much better than the swing-keel boats. The dagger will survive soft-groundings with no issues, but will break on hard groundings. Inspect it if you consider one.

They're all easily beach-able.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

Yes, same system simplicity with literally three or four times the volume and twice the space, plus standing headroom with the poptop up, enclosure available.

Plus the company is still in business and there is an active and vibrant owners association website so you avoid reinventing the wheel for any repairs and/or upgrades. Association Forum - Catalina 25 Specific Forum

-That makes sense, and yeah the pop-top is definitely appealing. It may be the "great-white north" But, it gets hot as hell in July/August here in Northern Michigan.
-What else, would you say, is comparable to the Catalina 25?

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by Seymore

O'Day Mariner with a centerboard, Portapotty and camp style stove. It's a 19' weekender with a big cockpit for guests and dog.

I have a friend with an excruciatingly beat-to-hell O'Day Mariner he got for the price of towing it away. Haha. He enjoys fiberglass work, though. It's funny because the "M" insignia on the Mariner's sail is the same as my Widgeon's "W", just flipped upside down.

What do y'all think of this O'day 23 posting?

https://muskegon.craigslist.org/boa/5000755686.html

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

The Catalina 22 would be a great choice. My brother trailers his Alberg 22 behind his F-150. Great boat, under 5k and good for unknowing with full keel and built like brick ----house.

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An Alberg 22 would be so awesome! I wish I could find one. They may not be beachable but who cares. 48% ballast ratio w/ a full keel. I could have some real fun in some rough stuff with her.

Is your brother able to trailer-launch or does he crane it in?

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

I'm a firm believer in heads, but they seem to be found on 28' and larger boats, and I think that's arguably proper because even a really tiny cramped head, plus the holding tank and plumbing and second sink, TAKE UP SPACE.


So I'd really think towards a commode bucket (they sell real toilet seats & lids for those) or a portapotty wouldn't be so bad unless you plan a lot of week-long camping on the boat. If you use a commode bucket, it is incredibly easy to put two plastic bags in it, add a cup or two of clumping kitty litter (any brand), and then simply lift up the bag and tie it after use. No odor, no leaks, dirt cheap, unlike the $3 apiece "wag bags". Leave the tied bag in the bottom, and two new bags...cheap simple and zero cleanup.


Opens you up to a lot more in small boats, without all that head equipment. And the deck pumpout fun, too.

I second that kitty litter idea. That's great for us weekend warriors!

As far as a boat, the Bristol 24 would work for you at present then if you wanted to cruise later you can do that on it also. Some guy sailed a Bristol 22 from Townsend, Washington to Australia and back 2002-2004.

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=502

http://bluewaterboats.org/bristol-24/

http://sailingmagazine.net/article-1179-bristol-24.html

[FamilyVan]

Originally Posted by Hunter

An Alberg 22 would be so awesome! I wish I could find one. They may not be beachable but who cares. 48% ballast ratio w/ a full keel. I could have some real fun in some rough stuff with her.

Is your brother able to trailer-launch or does he crane it in?

He trailer launches with a 4x4 F 150, and steps his mast once it's in the water using a procedure of his own design (no crane). I believe he paid $5500 Canadian for the boat, so that would be under $5k USD.

He only launches it a few times a year. He launches, then leaves it on a mooring so he can sail at his leisure. He only hauls out if he wants to change his cruising area (I'm so jealous of trailer sailors some times).



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[RolfP]

Check out Seaward 17 (aka "Fox") and Montgomery 17. Some of these Seawards have other names also. My Seaward has a porta-potty, and although I haven't yet camped on it, I can take 4-5 other people out for the"3 hour tour", I keep it moored. Pretty dry comfortable sailor, centerboarder, sink. Montgomery was my first choice, but nothing showed up in my price range and the Seaward did, so...

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by Adelie

I would go for a CAL 20.

I have heard some legendary Cal 20 yarns. I would definitely consider a Cal 20. Also, you mentioned the well for the outboard. That would be an advantage. The Upper Great Lakes have notoriously shifty weather. Heavy weather motoring is not an if, but a when. It would be comforting to know I can keep my prop underwater, without the hassle of an inboard.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by mstrebe

Also, be very careful with older swing-keel MacGregors, as those keels were iron and are often not in very good condition. thoroughly inspect them on the trailer.
.

Ah, I have heard of that pesky swing-keel pin issue.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by RolfP

Check out Seaward 17 (aka "Fox") and Montgomery 17. Some of these Seawards have other names also. My Seaward has a porta-potty, and although I haven't yet camped on it, I can take 4-5 other people out for the"3 hour tour", I keep it moored. Pretty dry comfortable sailor, centerboarder, sink. Montgomery was my first choice, but nothing showed up in my price range and the Seaward did, so...

Those are really cool. Is it really as easy to step the Fox's mast as they say?

[a64pilot]

If your only trailering it twice a yr, I wouldn't worry about the tow vehicle, surely you could rent or borrow a "real" truck twice a yr.
I bet a local wrecker would do it for not much money.

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

If your only trailering it twice a yr, I wouldn't worry about the tow vehicle, surely you could rent or borrow a "real" truck twice a yr.
I bet a local wrecker would do it for not much money.

Yessir. I have a friend in the excavating business. Towing capacity isn't much of an issue a few times a year.

[Hunter]

Ok, let's get down to brass tax: I'll layout three boats in my range and I'd like to talk maintenance costs. Especially sails.

Wee: Monty 15
MONTGOMERY 15 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

Medium: Cal 20
http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=76

Humongo (relatively): Catalina 25
CATALINA 25 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com