radical redesign

That "wabbit" looks like a sunfish with a keel and jib.

 

Sounds like you are after a trailer sailer, and yes there are plenty of them around.

I'm not all to familar with what types of Trailer Sailer's are over in the US but I know catalina and hunter still make them.

check out
www.trailersailor.com

and ask on their forum what 20-24ft trailer sailors are around.

Mike

 

I think the comparision to a Sunfish is a little forced, but I admit a little bad faith in mentioning the Wabbit since it would be very hard to find one. There might be better luck finding a Cal 21:

http://marina.fortunecity.com/caledonia/230/specpage.html

mojounwin: keep the 7' beam restriction in mind.

 

How about the Mac 26? That's a trailer sailor. Seaward Fox, West Wight Potter, LOTS OF TRAILORSAILORS in the US (pardon my accidental caps lock).

 

Sure, there are a lot of trailer sailors but THE MAN SAID HE HAS A SEVEN FOOT BEAM RESTRICTION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, so your advice is not at all helpful.

I wish he would elaborate on why.

 

I was just throwing out the Mac 26 as a joke. Mighetto, you know.

 

I'd recomend contacting a designer who's done work in plywood boats and telling him what you want. Then you can get exactly the boat you need in a material you can work with.

 

Makes good sense, seafarer. But have Glen-L or similar designs been looked at?

 

a couple more performance oriented trailerable boats under 7' beam:

RS K6: http://www.ldcracingsailboats.co.uk/rsboats.asp?fleet=RSK6#Specification

Bongo: http://www.sailabongo.com/m/_general/specifications.asp

Laser SB3 (slightly over 7'): http://www.lasersb3.com/


Rob

 

Personally, I think you should look at the Photon 14. Not a keelboat, but nice. What abou the Ensign Spars? It's a 21' LOA (or so) keelboat. I think it has a beam of about 7'.

 

Also not a keelboat, but fits the other requirements and has supposedly hit 16mph under sail: The Hobie Holder 20. I'd love to see what one of these could do with some hiking racks, twin trapeze setup, and a spinnaker pole stuck off the front.

 

Thanks for the most recent replies. They have been helpful, and I am looking into some of the boats mentioned. The limits stem from where I keep the boat. I have a prime docking spot, that I don't want to give up, but the rules permit boats only up to 24' long and 7' wide. (It's ideal for an Ensign, of which there are many in this area-and is the same hull as the Electra). If anyone does have ideas about actually cutting off the full keel and replacing it with a swing or lifting keel, I am still most interested. Any positive direction appreciated. If anyone can enlighten me on the benefits/drawbacks of a masthead rig vs. fractional I would appreciate that as well.

Vandy1

 

Masthead rig: a) well suited to a non-tapered extrusion, b) well-suited to simple, stiff rigging, c) maximum size headsails.

Fractional rig: a) big main reduces the need for large jibs or jibs of different sizes, also means spinnakers will be smaller b) If the boat is small enough for a simple three stay rig, it can be simple, but for larger boats the need to tension the forestay complicates the rigging, c) easier to arrange mast bending etc for performance tuning, d) tapered mast will save weight aloft.

 

Vandy,

Not so sure I should really respond if you don't get the joke in the fuzzy dice comment, but, whatever.

Masthead vs. fractionals; In my humble view, the fractional is the better setup, it's much easier to change gears when the wind-speed and/or seastate changes, without having to clamber up on the fore-deck to change jibs. Masthead rigs became popular primarily because of a little quirk in the old IOR rule, and unfortunately, when people saw the fancy race-boats use them, many thought there was some benefits to be had, but that just isn't the case. (in my view, mind you)

Wabbits; I have a fair bit of experience with them, really fun boats, bit like an old man's 5-0, they scoot downwind,and, as we like to say, "Wabbits wove weaches"

Yoke.

 

AFAIK, there is no reason that the a boat cannot be set up with a masthead rig with a small foretriangle, expecially for cruising. If the rig is big enough, a genoa is not necessary any more than for the popular racing classes that use only a "lapper" jib. If you design your spinnaker with pole = J, then it will be tall and narrow (bad!!), but a longer pole can be used. Or a sprit for an asymmetric.

Lot's of the boats in any marina are set up with a genoa on a roller furler. Since these sails don't reef well, I think that arrangement is only suitable for coastal cruising where shelter is available at fairly short notice, say 1/2 day.