BIGGEST trailable yacht

[Richard Atkin]

I want to buy a trailable monohull that is capable of carrying 8 adults and some camping gear, without sinking below its waterline. Prefer fibreglass. Don't like wood. I will consider any kind of keel or performance. New or used.

Any suggestions?

[bobg3723]

Hi Richard,
I pulled these out of Daniel Spurr's book 'Your first sailboat, how to find and sail the right boat for you'. ISBN 0-07-142215-1. First published in 2004, so it's fairly recent.

These trailer sailors are around 25' or so in length, and typically have a berth for two in the bow, and a berth for two or three under the cockpit.

Similar boats in the class are:
Hunter 250,260
Catalina 250
Com-Pac 25
Seaward 25
The Macgregor 26 has three double berths and is water ballasted.

Beyond the Macgregor 26, I didn't see any references in the book for trailer sailors any larger than that. They start to get pretty massive from there on out.

Regards,
BobG

[waikikin]

Richard, there was a nice big one in Pro boatbuilder magazine a few months ago, looked good, all the best from jeff.

[fcfc]

All depends on what you call "trailerable". It is a very variable definition.

This one is obviously on a trailer, so it is trailerable.

[bobg3723]

Why, that's a Saudi prince's pocket cruiser!
Who else but a Saudi prince could have deep enough pockets?

Who ever's the lucky fellow in charge of tire inflation duties, man, that's job security there!

BobG

[Richard Atkin]

LOL!! By trailerable I mean it can be pulled up a boat ramp with a pick-up truck, and towed legally around California. If I have to drive in first gear all the way...that's OK.

Thanks for the suggestions Bob and Waikikin...I'll check them out.

All the websites I have been to so far don't give enough information for me to work out the payload. I hope most large trailor sailors/pocket cruisers are able to carry at least 6 adults, without dragging the transom. Don't care how many berths.

[mr curious]

best thread ever!

that is, speaking as a mac26s owner...

[bobg3723]

Originally Posted by fcfc

All depends on what you call "trailerable". It is a very variable definition.

This one is obviously on a trailer, so it is trailerable.

fcfc
This is a special order pocket cruiser, the Macgregor 26 Mega. :
It comes with it's own powered trailer. Private island and floodable drydock are extra.

Richard,
If berthing capacity is a non-issue, then try looking into family oriented daysailers. Try looking for one with a cuddy cabin to house camping gear and toilet.
Referring to Daniel Spurr's book, he states "most small open boats [day sailers] have sufficient flotation to keep the boat afloat, either swamped or upside down". The opposite is true for keelboats, with few exceptions.

Some day sailers, with displacements and used prices (quoted from the book):
Rhodes 19 (1325 lbs, '85 model from around $3700-$4850)
Ensign (22 foot, 3000 lbs, '82 model from $5050 -$5800)
Sonar 23 by International (2100 lbs w/900 lb of ballast, '82 model from $4500-$5150). This one is quoted in the book to have room for eight.

Other comparable day sailers in this size catagory:
Mercury
Rainbow
Shields
Tempest

Not much else to quote from the book. But these day sailers appear to have the cockpit space to accommodate six to eight souls on board. You shouldn't have too much trouble finding a one at these used prices somewhere up and down the West Coast from Santa Barbara on south to San Diego, a drive of little more than a couple of hours each way from the LA metro basin.

At these sizes, you're better off buying than building from scratch.

Hope this will prove helpful.

BobG

[BHOFM]

Originally Posted by Richard Atkin

LOL!! By trailerable I mean it can be pulled up a boat ramp with a pick-up truck, and towed legally around California. If I have to drive in first gear all the way...that's OK.

Thanks for the suggestions Bob and Waikikin...I'll check them out.

All the websites I have been to so far don't give enough information for me to work out the payload. I hope most large trailor sailors/pocket cruisers are able to carry at least 6 adults, without dragging the transom. Don't care how many berths.

http://www.macgregor26.com/table_of_contents/table.htm

[deepsix]

What about a hobie 33?



Link to class website

[Butch .H]

That is a nice boat

[bobg3723]

Oops, I think the Sonar 23 and Ensign only comes as a keelboat daysailer. They'll stay in the water till you have a crane haul it out.
The Rhodes 19 has both keel and keel-centerboard versions.


BobG

[mr curious]

Originally Posted by deepsix

What about a hobie 33?



Link to class website

:drool:

looks fast.....

[bobg3723]

I did a quick check at another forum. The selection of TRAILERABLE cuddy daysailers in the 20 to 24 foot range is pretty weak. I do recall one cuddy daysailer that had leeboards. If I find it again, I'll post it here.

BobG

[Richard Atkin]

Lots to look at....thanks guys. The Hobie 33 looks like the type of boat I am after. That's one BIG trailer load.