Best offshore trailer-sailer

[avole]

As the title says. Will be used in French canals, inland lakes and offshore, Mediterranean and Channel coast. Under 10,000€, in fact, with unemployment looming, as much under as possible. Comfortable accommodation for 2 plus faithful hound. Shower a definite plus.

 

[Seajet]

It was all going so well until you mentioned a shower !

I suspect a solar heated job in the cockpit with some sort of tent / curtain would be fine on the canals, in which case look no further;

www.anderson22class.co.uk

Note this is an offshore capable boat which is trail - able, not a regular trailer sailer...

 

[avole]

Thanks, looks interesting indeed. The shower is only a nice to have, and suffice it to say it wasn't my idea!

 

[Topcat47]

Back in the 80's a workmate had a Dehler 25, based in Langstone Harbour (not the Marina). He did the Baltic one year, regularly visited France, the Channel Islands and the West Country and tried to circumnavigate Ireland. When he retired, took it through the canals to the Med. Not quite a Trans-Atlantic trip, like the Anderson 22, but probably a bit esier to live with/on.

 

[WestwardBound]

How about a trailerable trimaran ? Corsair or Dragonfly or similar ?
"Offshore" might be a stretch but I very much liked my Hawk 20 and there has been a cabin version for some time now. They are very capable for their size and easy enough to tow and launch.

 

[Seajet]

The OP wishes to travel the French canals as well as going offshore...

 

[Signed Out]

Howsabout a Red Fox 200? Not sure if in budget though.

I doubt 10,000E would buy a tri.

 

[TSB240]

It seems you are considering liveaboard on a trailer sailer with partner and 4 legged friend. You are brave!

I spent considerable time establishing which trailer sailers would exactly suit my requirements which seem similar to yours.

Your price range eliminates most of the current production boats such as the Bene 211 and 21.7 and the Sun 2000 which in my view only just make it into the offshore category that you require.

I discounted the Macgreggor for its tenderness and its poor sailing performance although second hand prices are now getting close to your budget.

Your budget will restrict you to older Trailer sailers of which Sea jet has naturally recommended the Anderson. Probably outside your budget will be the rolls royce of Trailer sailers no longer in production the Parker range which command very high second hand prices. The Jaguar range were made in large quantities are are well within your budget. I could not find one that had been well looked after and their build quality did not seem very good.

I naturally promote our boat the Trapper TS 240. They were not built in large quantities and still command a good but not extortionate price in the second hand market. They tick all the boxes for an ex competitive sailor.
We are planning to trail ours to France this year with a view to cruising South Brittany Islands , Morbihan and the river Villaine. We currently are not qualified to cevni standards so will not be canal cruising this year but may do next.
The Trapper is as large as you can go for a trailer sailer and like most lift keelers had an achilles heel in the keel mechanism. All older lift keelers need a careful survey of the keel and lift mechanism to ensure they have been well maintained or improved.Ours is electrically operated using a 12v hydraulic pump. See more info at
http://www.tallshipsailing.co.uk/trapperyachts/yabb/YaBB.pl

Steve

 

[Seajet]

Parker people may call themselves the 'Rolls Royce', but apart from silly prices I haven't seen anything else to justify that, they don't exactly sell like hot cakes !

When I see one ( or any boat ) which matches the Anderson's mix, I'll be surprised, the Anderson is trail-able though, too big and heavy for regular trailer sailing.

I have looked at TS240's, a bit too race oriented for general use I thought, though I'm from a dinghy racing background.

I do agree that all lift keelers should have a keel down inspection, it's too easy for negligent owners to just plonk them ashore for the winter with the keel plate retracted.

The Anderson has a simple manual winch for the keel, unlikely to go wrong but spares are available.

We are lucky with the Anderson in that new keels, from the original supplier, are available, we plan to always have one keel and ballast bulb ( it's easier to fit the 3/4" 50lb plate first, then attach the 900lb bulb ) on the shelf available.

Only about 3 A22's have required new keels, mine being one of them ! I'd paid a lot of attention to maintenance, so was more than a bit miffed when corrosion became unacceptable.

When my new, freshly galvanised keel began to show cosmetic corrosion after just a few years I had a sense of humour failure and did a bit of research, including getting Portsmouth Uni' MarineMetallurgy Unit in on the act.

They were keen to investigate, it turns out there's a known problem with accelerated steel corrosion fom Chichester to Portsmouth harbours; the favourite culprit was thought to be bacteria which excrete something which attacks steel, but this proved not to be the case; personally I suspect 'leakage' from marina shore power, there is one fairly near my mooring.

One bright spark solemnly declared the speed of the boat through the water was eroding the steel !!!

After making a note never to hire him, I tried fitting a streamlined anode on part of the keel which doesn't interfere with raising, and this has worked 100%. Why is a mystery, as there are no electrics inside the boat near the keel, but as long as it works I'm not arguing.

I winter my boat on high trestles for this maintenance, and it has the added bonus of putting the boat up high, out of the reach of at least casual thieves.