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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

My Sister is looking for a boat

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/09/2007 : 09:38:36

Hi All, My sister Peggy, has triplets and I took them sailing last year. They all love it and have been bothering mom and dad for a boat. The Trips are 7 years old. Peggy and her husband Doug are now looking for a very small keel boat. Their cottage is on a small lake but they don't want a dagger board boat, they want a keel boat and would like to keep it at or below 18 feet. Does anyone know of keel boats that small? Cheers.

Dennis
No Boat
S.E. Michigan

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 10:21:00

Re: "...at or below 18 feet. Does anyone know of keel boats that small?"

Compac 16 & 19, Victoria 18, Skipper, they're out there. My unsolicited additional comments are that 18' or even less is going to get real crowded real quick with two adults and three growing kids. Also, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to limit the choices to ballasted fixed keels in that size range. I can understand not wanting a daggerboard, I don't like 'em either. However, I would expect there to be quite a few affordable centerboard and swing keel boats which they might like if they tried them. How about a used but usable Catalina 22? Although I'm not a big Hunter fan, my neighbor has a 17' open layout daysailor with fractional roller furling jib which seems well designed and built, and is a lot of fun to sail. I spent may happy years sailing a 19' wooden Lightning (they're also available in 'glass), which is a very well behaved fast centerboard daysailor with a huge cockpit. I had mine in the ocean with 6 or 7 aboard during a surfing contest, no problem. I think the Venture line of swing keels extended down under 20', but I'm not sure. If you haven't already done so, you might try posting this query on the TrailerSailor BBS. It's a very active board with a mind boggling amount of experience with the very type of boat you're asking about.

-- Leon S.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 10:46:58

Hmmmm...small lake and triplets?...How about a hobie or three lasers, one for each.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 12:55:13

No daggerboards, so no Lasers... (Although that or a Sunfish or three is the way to get into sailing!)

Where will they sail? One recommendation is to get something that's popular in the area, so when you decide to change, you can sell it relatively easily. That was one reason for my selection of an O'Day Daysailer years ago, as well as the C-25 more recently. Both sold in an instant, and both were great to own.

My favorite little keelboat is the Cape Dory Typhoon, although it's not self-bailing (needs a boom tent) and does not have what I would call a spacious cockpit, especially with the rudder post inside it.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 13:02:38

Oh--here's another one--a replica of the Herreshoff 12-1/2...

http://www.howard-boats.com/links.htm

A second mortgage on their house should take care of it.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/09/2007 13:08:44

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 15:12:28

There's just something wierd about that beautiful boat being towed to her mooring.

I'll second the idea of 18' being rather small for 2 adults and 3 kids. My O'Day Daysailer is just a foot shorter and gets crowded quickly.

Too bad they didn't speak up a little sooner. I heard there was a great C25 on E-bay not that long ago that went for a great price.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 17:37:51

I've got a nice San Juan 21 that'd fit that many folks pretty well...

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 18:39:17

Thanks for all your input. I'll pass it on. I tried to talk them into a C22 or 25 but when two engineers make up their minds there is no changing them. And yes, they could have baught my boat, but it did not fit their mental model. Cheers.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/09/2007 : 21:48:31

Two engineers?! Hmmm... Paralysis by analysis!

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2007 : 08:08:19

That is right Dave and there is no fixing it. They have settled on the Cap Dory Typhoon. I predict that it will last one season before they realize it is too small. Cheers.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2007 : 09:21:38

Yup, but I think they might just fall in love and suffer with it. Every boat is a compromise, and the Ty is one of the most lovable boats on the water.

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2007 : 13:13:38

I've never sailed one, but my guess is that I will be working on one soon enough. Cheers.

Edited by - on

Jmurfy
Navigator

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USA
176 Posts

Response Posted - 04/10/2007 : 20:02:13

A good friend of mine has a Nordica 20. Very cool boat that has a full keel and came with a trailer.

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crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2007 : 10:08:13

Love that Typhoon. I am almost certain that it is a Carl Alberg design, most Cape Dorys were. Yes, it may get a little crowded, but I think there are two models, one is a daysailer with minimal cabin and a correspondingly larger cockpit. But I can't think of a much better boat to learn on. I learned on an Alberg design, a Pearson Electra, which is an Ensign with a cabin, and it was strong, tough, forgiving and all of the above. I should add that most Alberg designs and Cape Dory construction are somewhat over-rigged, making them a lot less likely to suffer a catastrophic failure. Always a nice feature in a first boat.

Edited by - on

djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2007 : 14:44:24

I talked to my sister last night and now better understand their goals. They have a cottage on a small lake and someday want to trade it up for a big sailboat on Lake Michigan so they want their first boat to be more representative of a larger boat then a hobby or lazer. That makes sense to me. Cheers.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2007 : 21:29:42

Dennis... Have they found this site and brochure?

http://www.capedory.org/specs/brochures/TyphoonBrochure.pdf

In the brocure you can see the weekender (with the little portlight and fractional rig) and the daysailer (with the masthead rig and cockpit just about forward to the mast). Craig is right--it's a Carl Alberg classic, nicely dressed up with teak coamings and rub/toe-rails, and custom-cast fittings, as on all Cape Dorys. Hard not to love!

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 04/11/2007 21:35:01

Dave Otey
Navigator

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USA
112 Posts

Response Posted - 04/11/2007 : 21:57:32

Another possibility is the catboat commonly sailed on the east coast. Marshall Sanderling and Compac Suncat are two nice catrigs for nice day sailing.

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djn
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1561 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2007 : 15:10:30

Hi Dave, the one they found is the cabin model. It should serve them well as a starter boat but it will be hard to give up once they decide to move up.

Hi Dave, we don't see many catboats here in the great lakes. That being said, they look strange to me not having seen them growing up. Cheers.

Edited by - on

dblitz
Navigator

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240 Posts

Response Posted - 04/12/2007 : 22:26:45

For family fun and safety with a huge cockpit and just a little bigger than they want, I would go with an Ensign. They are great, great, great.

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 06:00:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Otey
 Another possibility is the catboat commonly sailed on the east coast. Marshall Sanderling and Compac Suncat are two nice catrigs for nice day sailing.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I agree, the lack of beam on the Typhon will make it very cramped whereas most cat boats have tremendous beam and you gotta love those rudders!

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crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 04/13/2007 : 08:44:26

I have to agree on the Ensign. I've never sailed one, but I sailed that poor old Electra to death and it was a wonderful boat. Tough as nails. The problem with Ensigns is that they are very popular with large racing fleets, and a good one can get pricy and a cheap one can be a mess. Still, probably worth looking around.

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