Are there any smallish modern (<15year) Deck Saloon cruisers

[freespiritdavid]

One the gripes we have with the boat we have is that we can't see out when down below.

Are there any smallish maybe even trailerable fairly modern deck saloon cruisers around?

Not a Newbridge Navigator.

http://www.libertyyachts.co.uk/buyyouryacht.aspx One more for Snapdragon

 

[davidpbo]

Davidpbo,

I happen to run an owners association for a lift keel 22' sailing boat; I get regular questions from people expecting they can sail such a boat, trailing it to to the coast then home again every weekend...

My answer is that the boat is trailable, but only for repositioning somewhere distant for a summer holiday.

If towing the thing around one needs to find a good slipway - surprisingly rare in the UK - then use a machine gun to get to the slip as the world and his wife will have had the same idea, launch the boat without also launching the car ( which will need to be Range Rover size to be legal ), find a spot to leave the boat safe, find a spot to leave the car and trailer safe, return to the boat and get the mast up, set up the standing & running rigging, go for a sail on what's left of the tide, then repeat the process !

As Lakey said we have a 23 ft boat we trail and sail. I agree about the pitfalls with larger boats and the absence of good facilities. We may well decide not to continue with a trailerble boat. It is so expensive maintaining the trailer (I do it myself), and large thirsty tow vehicle especially if you have a mooring as well.

The bit about keel maintenance is not solely a problem for boasts on trailers. No keels can be maintained in the water so a lift is usually required. At least on a trailer you have a greater choice as to where the lift takes place.

I wish more places had better facilities for boats which have to float on and off the trailer. Pwllheli which we went to last year is a case in point.

 

[davidpbo]

David, there was a boat down at Fellfoot that looked like it could be the sort of thing you want.
I think it was a Sportina or similar make, Polish lake boat. It certainly looked to be set up for trail sailing, mast lifting gear etc.
Looked as ugly as sin though, very high freeboard and blocky. Not as nice looking as Juniper

An Amour 440 now rebadged and mentioned elsewhere in this thread. The PBO review starred with words to the effect of "Even the designer must have winced when he first saw this in the flesh"

We went on it some years ago and it recently sold. As floating easily managed, caravan which sailed it was ideal for the couple who owned it.

 

[davidpbo]

How about puttand having had aning some decent fixed ports in the hull of the boat you've got. Probably cheaper than selling/buying.

Now the outboard is more predictable, having had a lot of nice days on her (Sitting on board on glorious late September sunshine as I write this) I am feeling quite warm towards our existing boat.

The fixing of two small potholes/windows is something I have been considering. The hull
immediately under the deck does not get wetted too often
as the freeboard is quite high.

The thing that concerns me is the hull is imho lightly constructed.

Anyone done it?