What Cruiser for a newbie

[DanielCZ]

Hello Everyone,
this is my first post and I'm sorry for asking a question that every one asks at the beginning, but I'm just not able to find a answer on my own.
My situation: I'm in Central EU, that means we don't have a sea here near, this means I can sail only a few weeks in a year. (I will make my training next spring )
This means as well that in a ideal case I would like to get a ship that I can trail behind my car and back, good is I can then put it next to my house do all the maintenance for many months .
I do hope that once I get a ship I will for sure try to find way to be on it longer than just during vacation
(I will start thou with charters any way)

Back to my question, I plan, and I really want to spend my time on Greek islands in the Aegean See (let me know if that is reasonable for starters)
Hence in ideal case I'm looking for a boat that is "small" enough to fit on a trailer and is not heavier than 2,7t (5.9k pounds) that I can carry in EU with B+E driver licence. At the same time the boat should be sturdy enough to be safe (especially considering we will be on it more or less beginners) in the Aegean Sea, which can, even in times when the weather should not be crazy, get quite some wind speed.
Additionally the boat should be "comfortable" for 2 adults and 2 kids (6,9) our plan would be to take the boat from island to island we park it in a marina and spend the day out, come back just for sleep. Still thou for the time we spend cruising/sailing it should be comfortable enough, that ideally means head room for standing above 180cm (6feet)
We are looking to spend roughly 40k USD incl. refit.
What type of boat am I looking for to be safe there? A bluewater boat, or will a "better" coastal boat do? We have in EU these mandatory categorization CE-A,B,C,D that although clearly described don't really give me any idea of the capability of the boats.
Initially I got inspired with a Pogo 1 that cough my eye, but missing a toilette and at least colt fresh water shower will be a no-go for my wife. As well I'm a bit afraid I could damage the rudder or anything by hitting something on the way, just not sure a performance boat would be the right to start with.
A Dragonfly 25 catamaran is out of my budget by far, as any similar catamaran is.
So I was looking into something like a Cutter 22, Dana 24 etc. but they are so rare, and how tall they are could be on the road a issue.
I must confess I like the old style sturdy boats with a long keel and "traditional" rudder, but if this is not a good idea I'm open for suggestions.
Personally I would like the boat to be as simple as possible and sturdy.
What I don't know is if any of the retracting keel boats would do the job well. Thou again the moving keel is one more complex item to take care off.
Obviously safety, and comfort are here the priority, speed and agility I can sacrifice.
I understand I'm asking quite a unicorn here
What would you say, what would be the recommendations of the experienced members here ( I mean apart form the obvious fact that I need to study, learn and get experience before I take my own boat to water)
Any recommendations?

[Don C L]

Welcome aboard Daniel! I am not familiar enough with EU boats to give you any advice except to say that room for 4 at 5900 lbs sounds like an Albin Vega to me. The shower can be done in the cockpit with a hand pressurized garden sprayer, warm water from the stove and a tarp for privacy. That's how we do it. Works well. (I have a 29' and 2 kids too.) The Vega is a fixed keel but not a deep keel. I am not sure how it would rate for your highways. You might take a look at sailboat-cruising.com website. That site is geared more toward European cruising and boats. You might check out Westerly Centaurs too. Good luck!

[James S]

DanielCZ... welcome to Cruisers Forum..

I'm afraid I can give much specific advice as to boats brands.. but you are miles ahead in that you have identified your requirements.. you have a realistic budget and it seems that you have done some homework..

I am a fan of a full or modified keel with attached rudder (it's what I have) hard to snag stuff.. easy to ground without damage.. very sea kindly motion.. however.. if i were considering something i'd be trailering across europe I might consider a swing keel.. I believe that if you are keeping it out of the water at your house and doing the proper maintenance that you will not have as many technical issues with them as you may have heard of... Also it might make launching and retrieval a lot easier...

4 people on a 22 or 24ft boat seems like a stretch for any more than a few days if your space includes a proper head with shower... Like Don said there are good options.. also keep in mind your water requirements/capacity.. A quick fresh water rinse after a swim can go a long way.. You did mention going from marina to marina.. so showers are also often available
I'm not really up to snuff on the current state of portable toilets.. but something I would investigate were I in your shoes...

Of course if you are trailering the boat an easily stepped mast.. deck mounted or tabernacle would certainly make that easier.

[DanielCZ]

Hi Don L C, James S, thank you very much for your advice
I have been looking into the Albin Vega 27, and it is definitely a option, I have to talk to someone who actually has or had, ideally get on board one of those. The headroom is not as high as I'm looking for, but I can sacrifice that, or try to find a way to increase it. The boat is even listed on the The Albin Vega 27 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org as one of the bluewater pocket cruisers.
About consider a swing keel boat, here I have absolutely no idea which one would be suitable, gone would be the keel with attached rudder, which I prefer so far for safety, but if here would be someone who has good experience even on rough sea with a particular swing keel boat I'm open to change my mind.
And yes I would have time to properly maintain it during off season. But so far I have done the research in bluewater boats, I haven't found a single one with a swing keel and decent size, thou for the area I want to sail in the next couple of years I might not need a full fledged bluewater boat, I just dont know yet

[SV Sailfish]

Daniel,

Welcome! Below are links to people that sail an Albin Vega...

Tarka: A new to sailing guy who is documenting his travels through the Caribe. He is a CF member.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQn...able_polymer=1

Lealea: A long time cruising couple with 1,000's of blue water miles and now in the midst of finishing a total refit and documenting it.

https://www.youtube.com/user/vega186...able_polymer=1

Vega's are bullet proof boats that can go anywhere.

Cheers and good luck with your dream!

[markwesti]

In the states the Nor'Sea 27 is/was popular . It fits your need for "blue water" trailerable boat .
The Nor’Sea 27 Sailboat : Bluewaterboats.org

[Don C L]

Yeah I can’t think of any boats with retractable keel and standing headroom. The Columbia 26 I mentioned draws 4 feet, maybe a little less, and has at least 5’-10” headroom.
Oops, guess I didn’t mention it earlier. Try googling Columbia 26 MK 1. I doubt you’ll find one over there but as an FYI.
Edit: just checked and it has 6’-1” headroom

[DanielCZ]

I know I'm asking quite a unicorn here
Well headroom I can sacrifice, well if its tight I can do something the community will probably hate me for, and that would be to cut the top and create a new one higher in the middle so one could at least walk in the centre of the ship straight, or elevate it.
On the other hand a retractable, or swinging keel sounds really intriguing, it is a bit of a oxymoron Bluewater and moving keel, but I could imagine places like UK where the tights shift a lot the depth, or coral reefs where this could be pretty handy, as well getting the boat from trailer to sea would be may be even a one man job.
I have time, I can look around I plan years for the refit, I'm in no hurry.
I will check as for the Albin Vega if it fits the regulations in size to be sure I can carry it across EU I saw they are easy to come by here in EU.

[DanielCZ]

Hi, so I checked the weight and dimensions and the Albin Vega and thou it fits local regulations with a trailer I will get up to 3.5 tons this is way beyond what a car or even SUV can handle safely may be a dodge Ram, but more likely its for a big truck. This is bad news I will have to look for lighter alternatives.