Trailerable sportboat weekender?

[Steam Flyer]

I've been looking all over the WWWeb at so many different boat designs in the 22 ~ 26' (6.8 ~ 8m) LOA range. Anything bigger is likely to be too heavy for me, smaller is likely to be too squirrely and cramped. Looks like there are a lot of great Australian designs going but very few here in the USA.

What I want is to back off a little from full-bore speed and have a little accomodation below and reasonably simple rigging; a keel/daggerboard in a trunk that can be lifted while sailing, and of course a sportboat rig.

Possibilities- buying an existing sportboat-y trailerable and modifying it... importing something, presuming I can find it... building from scratch and suffering delayed gratification... forget about it.

Thanks in advance-
Doug

[Paul Scott]

Ultimate 20, except for the lifting keel while sailing thingie. Tried it a couple of times to get into thin H2O. It worked, but it's a bit, er, sinus clearing. I thought about it once to see if we would go downwind faster with it up, but chickened out.

Paul

[rwatson]

Define sport-boat?

What designs come close?

[Steam Flyer]

Originally Posted by rwatson

Define sport-boat?

What designs come close?

Well, defining a sportboat can cause arguments and fistfights, not to mention giving race handicappers nightmares. So I'll just say it's like a community standard, I know one when I see one.

Paul mentioned the Ultimate 20, here's what they're like
http://www.u20class.org/photoGallery...l_06/index.htm
Great boats, but they really aren't what I'm looking for though. The keel can't be lifted underway, the cabin is tiny (it would be a great weekender for midgets), and the rig & deck layout have some issues. The Ultimate 24 looks bit more suitable, I wonder if they are going to be as successful as a one-design class.

Tripp 26, an older design but a very good boat
http://www.boats.com/news-reviews/ar....html?lid=7860
I'd want to add a sprit... in fact I think this has been done to a few Tripp 26s.

The Aussies and Kiwis have caught on to the exact kind of thing I want
http://66.70.206.19/pdfs/elliott7/needforspeed.pdf
Why can't boats like this be more popular here in the USA?

It's certainly do-able with a home built boat, for example the i550
http://www.i550.org/
This is a bit small for my taste but a 22~24 footer along the same lines should be just about right. Except in foam, not plywood.

FB- Doug

[raw]

Doug,

If you do decide you want to build from scratch, then I could help. I did a proposal some time ago for an 8m with similar ideas to your thinking but it never made it off the ground. Would love to get it on the water one day. I have previously designed (and built) a foam 7.5m sportsboat and can see your thinking.

Unfortunately, I am not up to speed with whats available in the USA, but good luck to you.

[mr curious]

oooops, did i just say the mac26s... sadly less sporty than the others...

[rwatson]

My definition of a sports boat is more about the indoor sport on boats - and in that area, the Mac26s shines due to its human friendly roominess, comfort and setup.

Once you get over that silly ego buzz about coming in first over the line, or the frustration at not winning, you suddenly realise that sailing is more about time in the water with hopefully, people you like.

Also, it seems racing and family relationships dont seem to mix very well - the old captain Bligh appears when the crew can't winch or leap to the other side quickly enough. I wish I had a dollar for every "if you yell at me one more time - I will get off and walk" that has been spoken around the world.

Relax - be happy. :-)

[mr curious]

Originally Posted by rwatson

My definition of a sports boat is more about the indoor sport on boats - and in that area, the Mac26s shines due to its human friendly roominess, comfort and setup.

Once you get over that silly ego buzz about coming in first over the line, or the frustration at not winning, you suddenly realise that sailing is more about time in the water with hopefully, people you like.

Also, it seems racing and family relationships dont seem to mix very well - the old captain Bligh appears when the crew can't winch or leap to the other side quickly enough. I wish I had a dollar for every "if you yell at me one more time - I will get off and walk" that has been spoken around the world.

Relax - be happy. :-)

replie

just as well, cause i own a mac26s, and i'm lovin it!


..

[Steam Flyer]

Originally Posted by rwatson

My definition of a sports boat is more about the indoor sport on boats - and in that area, the Mac26s shines due to its human friendly roominess, comfort and setup.

Thanks. And people who want chateaubriand would really really be better off with a cheeseburger, too.

Originally Posted by rwatson

Once you get over that silly ego buzz about coming in first over the line, or the frustration at not winning, you suddenly realise that sailing is more about time in the water with hopefully, people you like.

Also, it seems racing and family relationships dont seem to mix very well - the old captain Bligh appears when the crew can't winch or leap to the other side quickly enough. I wish I had a dollar for every "if you yell at me one more time - I will get off and walk" that has been spoken around the world.

It's not a "silly ego buzz" at all to enjoy practicing a high level of skill in a challenging environment. Some of my most enjoyable races were close contests in which we were not the final leader.

And I feel sorry for you that you have never raced with good sailors who don't need to yell or curse. Most of the hot heads are PO'd because they are losing to somebody who can think ahead and work as a team. For me, sailing and racing a high-performance boat can certainly be done with people that I like and provide an enjoyable time on the water for all.

Thanks for the comments, though.

FB- Doug

[mr curious]

why compromise?

do both, i say.


..

[Wynand N]

Hi doug,

Looks like we on the same wave length.
I just finished the design of a production trailerable day sailor with occasional over nighting for the brave. Very modern, light and fast - gonna be called "Lightning 18". Total displacement just on 600kg all up.
Materials are already bought for the moulds and work on the plug had begun. We keep you up to speed as we go along.

I personally belief smaller boats are more fun and did I mentioned affordable. And what is better than taking your boat home to safety after a days sail

[deepsix]

Hi Doug

Just a few links you might find interesting.

Dix 23
Coleson Yacht Design

Regarding importing second hand boats,
Trade Me - Trailer sailers - New Zealand based
www.boatpoint.com.au Australia

Hi Wynand

Can you tell us a little more about the Lightning 18. Will it be locally produced? I think that small no hassle boats, with planing characteristics, are some of the most exciting developments in sailing at the moment. I looked at the i550 and SB18, but found that I dont have the time to build from scratch.

[Steam Flyer]

Originally Posted by deepsix

Hi Doug

Just a few links you might find interesting.

Dix 23
Coleson Yacht Design

Regarding importing second hand boats,
Trade Me - Trailer sailers - New Zealand based
www.boatpoint.com.au Australia

Hi Wynand

Can you tell us a little more about the Lightning 18. Will it be locally produced? I think that small no hassle boats, with planing characteristics, are some of the most exciting developments in sailing at the moment. I looked at the i550 and SB18, but found that I dont have the time to build from scratch.

The i550 is about as simple & quick as you're going to be able to get a sportboat, and unless the foils & rig are right off the shelf, they are going to be as much labor as the hull.

Thanks for rubbing it in, I already knew that you all have a much wider range of choices for cool & speedy trailer sailers than we do here in the U.S.A. But I see that at least a few of you all 'Down Under' choose the MacGregor 26 too

What do you reckon it would cost to ship a boat from there to here? I'm thinking that would burn less time & money than building from scratch, plus the trip could be fun. We'll see how it turns out!

FB- Doug

[jim lee]

Hey guys,

We are -trying- to build what I think is exactly what you are asking for.

25 foot trailerable with a lifting bulb keel.
Sleeps four (Parents and some kiddies)
Gimbled single burner, ice chest, little sink that lifts out.
Uses a 2hp outboard aux.

Here's the linki to the beginning : http://www.leftcoast.biz/iWeb/Left_C...p_again...html

We're building molds as I type.

Hopefully it'll be more fun to sail that the usual entry level sailboat.

-jim lee

[deepsix]

Originally Posted by Steam Flyer

Thanks for rubbing it in, I already knew that you all have a much wider range of choices for cool & speedy trailer sailers than we do here in the U.S.A. But I see that at least a few of you all 'Down Under' choose the MacGregor 26 too

What do you reckon it would cost to ship a boat from there to here? I'm thinking that would burn less time & money than building from scratch, plus the trip could be fun. We'll see how it turns out!

I'm in the same situation as you, I live in South Africa where we have mostly 70's and early 80's generation IOR boats.