BEST TRAILER SAILER ADVICE WANTED

J

jacaldo

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 May 2009
Messages
195
Visit site
This may be a very open ended question but I would like to ask other people what their choice of trailer sailer would be.
We currently have a Seawych on Derwent Water, Cumbria, but would like to move up to another boat with more headroom and comfort down below. I like the Virgo Voyager, for its room and inboard motor and classic looks. Price range around £5000, maybe a bit more. Thanks
 
Much depends on what you want. Especially what you find you really wanted in hindsight. As said the towing vehicle is the most critical part of the decision.
I have a friend with an Australian Magnum 850. It is very comfortable down below but is huge on a trailer. At 8.5 metres long and several tonnes of weight it really needs a towing vehicle of some capacity.

Yet like me he keeps his T/S in the water so negating all the advantage while maintaining the disadvantages.

Disadvantages... Need a big vehicle to tow, Need room to stow the boat at home and quite an effort to launch and retrieve the boat. If you leave on a mooring then you still have to stow the trailer.
If you do travel long distances the trailer integrity is always a worry. Maintenance of the trailer is a constant demand.

Advantages are that you do have the freedom to travel to far away places.
Also it can be a joy to be able to do your boat maintenance at home at leisure rather than an onerous rush at a yard.

If you end up keeping the boat on a mooring you can then keep a more reasonable sized vehicle and just borrow or rent a towing vehicle in autumn to take it home. However if you do just take it home for the winter you can then go to a fixed keel design which while more difficult to retrieve and launch can be a far better boat in a blow.

So your question is a bit difficult to answer. Much depends on what your circumstances and sailing style require. I have had my 21ft TS for 28 years now and I still wonder if the boat dictates my sailing style or whether it is indeed exactly what I want. I race it every week but have not slept on it for many years and now tend to remain in sheltered waters. But I do enjoy the winter maintenance. I keep it on a swing mooring near home but in fact it is probably more tow friendly than most. It has a vertical lifting keel and floats in quite shallow water (no stub keel) and is possible to winch it onto the trailer from dry sand. (not recommended)

good luck with your decision. olewill
 
If you are keeping it on Derwent Water I don't see the T/S aspect is very important. I had a 19 ft bilge keeler and then an 18 ft fin keel on Windermere and the only issue is having the correct trailer and planning launch and recovery properly.
There is another thread running on this at the moment (see above) and general opinion seems to be that the floating caravan style boats Virgo Voyager, Newbridge Navigator sort of thing are not such good sailing and will need a 4x4 with enough towing capacity to be legal.
This link tells you the legalities http://www.ntta.co.uk/law/index.htm

In essence the trailer plus load cannot be more than the Gross Trailer Weight marked on the trailer plate and cannot be more than the manufacturers stated towing weight. "Police Forces use the manufacturer's recommended towing limit as their guide. "
Many people will tell you they have towed a 30 ft boat with a Fiat Panda and not had any problems but don't forget the laws are most likely to be used when there is a problem and that's when your insurance may be found to be invalid if you overload a trailer or towing vehicle.
 
Thanks for all the comments. Just to clarify the t/s requirement, this boat would only be launched once and then recovered at the end of the season with the option of storage at the marina. This should allow me the choice of something that is not absolutely geared up for easy launch and recovery. On saying that, I would still have to get it to Derwent and out at the end of the season, hence the trailer. Has anyone had a Virgo Voyager? or something similar, not too bothered about length, but comfort down below is a important.
Thanks.
 
If it is only once a season, the world is your oyster. Even if it needs to be craned out, not a big deal. Go for a fixed keel or two, more space in the cabin. Rig is also less important if only once a season. As said, you can borrow, rent a suitable tow motor.
A
 
Ive got a 23ft westerly pageant bilge keeler which i had delivered from the south coast to edinburgh for 600 quid. I'm just negotiating a new boat and have been quoted 500 quid from cornwall to Edinburgh as a teh driver has a one way delivery on that route.Add to this no need for a trailer - to store and maintain and its worth thinking about.
PS my boat is for sale !
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top