Downsizing to a Wayfarer (dinghy cruisers, please advise..!)

[Reptile Smile]

Hi all,

Your thoughts on this would be gratefully received.

After going through 4 cheap boats in 3 seasons, I've slowly come to realise over time that the kind that over winter, I have a propensity for visualising the cruising I will be doing in the following year, including sailing to Ireland, France, sleeping on board lots with my wife, and other long-distance and residential type things.

This never happens.

What I actually need is to simplify and downsize. Something trailerable, and also workable on at home, would be far more use to me than something large. Almost all of my sailing is single-handed anyway. I'm thinking very much about a Wayfarer. I would rather like to return to a wooden boat, and I know that it's a faff launching and recovering, but I think for me it's the best compromise. A bit of Summertime camp-on-the-beach or in the cockpit is stil available, and I preserve the docile stability as much as poss. I'm no racer - I'm a single-handed resilient potterer. Over April-Oct it would be on my mooring, and over Winter it would be on a trailer to be worked on.

Some thoughts/questions:

1) Are electrics too much of a pain? I would rather like them for nav lights and electric pump. The problem is, if it stays on a mooring, it needs to have a cover, and then where would a solar panel go anyway?

2) I am no Frank Dye, and for me an outboard is essential - particularly in the Bristol Channel where I sail. What size? I have a 4hp two stroke - is that too big (and more importantly, heavy?)

3) Pie in the sky time - do such things as IP67 screens exist, such that I could connect one to a Raspberry Pi for OpenCPN? Don't know if anyone's used such a thing in an open day boat, and I accept it would be a lot easier to put my iPad in a plastic bag. Just wondering...

4) I'd really like to gaff-rig it, but it's largely an aesthetic thing. I've never sailed anything gaff-rigged. I just like trad lookng boats, and I like wooden sparss. Pointless expense, or fun to do for a thing of beauty?

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

Have you thought about a Hunter 490? Same size as a Wayfarer (to within an inch), cosy wee cabin, lift keel with bulb, sails like a dream. Designed by Oliver Lee and effectively the little sister of the Anderson 22. I'm biassed, because I have one, which is absolutely and emphatically not for sale!

 

[dylanwinter]

my choice would be a westerly nimrod

samish size, but with a cabin for keeping stuff - gear, people, electrics dry

also cheaper than a wayfarer

with a roller trailer v simple to launch

D



D

 

[jon711]

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.

What about a Drascombe Lugger??

Jon

 

[Reptile Smile]

I'm very much down the budget end of about £600. It's not easy to find wayfarers at this price but it is possible. I'm selling a cabin boat to get this - a Hurley 20. Haven't seen a cheaper drascombe than 4.5k but do love them. The problem with rarer boats is that they're rarer, whereas there do seem to be a lot of Wayfarers around, and few other small boats have track record or miles under their belts that Wayfarers have? (Also have a bit of nostalgia about them in that they're the first boat that I ever sailed as a sixth former on a sailing course...£

 

[dylanwinter]

What about a Drascombe Lugger??

Jon

bloomin pricey

bloomin heavy

D

 

[Sailingsaves]

1) Are electrics too much of a pain? I would rather like them for nav lights and electric pump. The problem is, if it stays on a mooring, it needs to have a cover, and then where would a solar panel go anyway?

Piece of cake, deep cycle small gel battery. Wires through mast. Stick a Metz aerial up there whilst about it (can connect to handheld radio). Solar panel attached to cover.

2) I am no Frank Dye, and for me an outboard is essential - particularly in the Bristol Channel where I sail. What size? I have a 4hp two stroke - is that too big (and more importantly, heavy?)
2.5hp 2 stroke is the norm, 4hp bit heavy.

3) Pie in the sky time - do such things as IP67 screens exist, such that I could connect one to a Raspberry Pi for OpenCPN? Don't know if anyone's used such a thing in an open day boat, and I accept it would be a lot easier to put my iPad in a plastic bag. Just wondering...

4) I'd really like to gaff-rig it, but it's largely an aesthetic thing. I've never sailed anything gaff-rigged. I just like trad lookng boats, and I like wooden sparss. Pointless expense, or fun to do for a thing of beauty?

Any thoughts would be gratefully received.[/QUOTE]

 

[JumbleDuck]

I'm very much down the budget end of about £600. It's not easy to find wayfarers at this price but it is possible. I'm selling a cabin boat to get this - a Hurley 20. Haven't seen a cheaper drascombe than 4.5k but do love them. The problem with rarer boats is that they're rarer, whereas there do seem to be a lot of Wayfarers around, and few other small boats have track record or miles under their belts that Wayfarers have? (Also have a bit of nostalgia about them in that they're the first boat that I ever sailed as a sixth former on a sailing course...£

I've never seen a Wayfarer anywhere near £600 ... even the roughish ones I have seen seem to start around £1500. But if you have a source, why not? Nice boats.

Electrics? Solar panel on the foredeck, gel cell in a locker, Nasa Supernova (tri or white) at the masthead. Cheap alkaline batteries from Lidl might be simpler, though ... depends what electrical stuff you plan to have aboard.

Outboard? Old Yamaha 2B 2-stroke or something else small. 4hp waaaay over the top. Depending on likely motoring distance, maybe an electric outboard?

Plotter? MX Mariner on a cheap Android tablet.

Gaff rig? Probably not practical without a lot of work. The centre of effort of the mainsail would move back, so to balance things you'd need a long bowsprit. However, BlackPig was thinking of doing it a year ago, so maybe ask how he got on?

I'm thinking about much the same as you at the moment, I think. My Hunter 490 has so far been on a freshwater loch, but I want to start thinking about getting her ready for some sea trips (the Isle of Man isn't that far away) which means sensible modifications which can't cost or weigh too much.

 

[oldhunter]

You will need a self draining type of wayfarer to keep on a mooring, they were designed for that, but if you capsize they are inclined to invert making it more difficult to right

 

[Reptile Smile]

I've never seen a Wayfarer anywhere near £600 ... even the roughish ones I have seen seem to start around £1500. But if you have a source, why not? Nice boats..

Until today, I'd always thought the same, but there are three on Apollo Duck in that sort of territory at the moment.

Better sell the Hurley first, though, or the missus goes a but funny...

 

[JumbleDuck]

Until today, I'd always thought the same, but there are three on Apollo Duck in that sort of territory at the moment.

Coo yes, I see. Well, two anyway, both Mk1s, and one on a good trailer. My other half is giving me funny looks, and not in a ha-ha way ...

 

[Sandro]

If I understand your taste - standing lug, traditional looking, wooden spars and trimming, a Drascombe Dabber (am of course biased). Lighter than the Lugger for launching/retrieving, a more reliable rudder arrangement a piece of cake singlehanded, takes up less room in the garage, very little maintenance work - if GRP.
Downside: expensive.

I wish you a pleasant search and a good find, whatever the boat. Have fun.

Sandro

 

[Seajet]

reptile-smile,

havea chat with Dancrane on here, he is preparing a relatively cheap but effective Osprey for singlehanded cruising.

Jumbleduck's Hunter 490 would be a better idea if you could get one, but then so would a Hurley 20 - twin keeler !

 

[wombat88]

It is worth remembering that with the full rig a Wayfarer is quite a powerful boat which could become tiring over many hours at sea unless you are fit. Some had/have 'cruising sails'.

I bought an ancient open Drascombe Longboat from an activity centre once for only a bit more than your budget, well beaten up but it was more or less all there and did work. Keep any eye open, such a place may also have some battered grp Wayfarers...

 

[Kelpie]

If you can guarantee getting out to the boat every week then you should be fine to have a Mk I or II Wayfarer on a mooring without a cover. There might be a bit of bailing to do but you can crank up the o/b and open the self bailera if you are feeling lazy.
I've got a Wayfarer World which has the self draining floor, can be left unattended on a mooring but is less cruiser friendly, as there is less stowage and anything dumped on the floor may get wet.

Electrics- I wouldn't bother, personally. Keep it simple. You could stash a set of battery nav lights that clip to the shrouds, I suppose, I just carry a torch.

Can you get a running mooring? Very handy. Don't go down the route of dry sailing a Wayfarer unless you have a rugby player as crew.

 

[Seajet]

The snag with that is nobody can guarantee getting out to a mooring every week or just when it's rough; a chum - a fellow forumite here - lost his E-Boat written off that way as the rope strop chafed through during prolonged gales preventing him getting out there.

I'd think a non-draining Wayfarer with no cover could be in big trouble with one serious rain storm on one tide.

 

[Kelpie]

Andy
I know several wayfarers kept on running moorings about 30yds off a breakwater, extremely sheltered and safe. Obviously a more exposed location would be at more risk. To be honest I've never seen a W on a mooring with a cover. The extra windage would be an issue, for one.

 

[JumbleDuck]

The snag with that is nobody can guarantee getting out to a mooring every week or just when it's rough; a chum - a fellow forumite here - lost his E-Boat written off that way as the rope strop chafed through during prolonged gales preventing him getting out there.

What about one of these?

Found at http://www.gaelforcemarine.co.uk/en/Drainman-1000-Wave-Operated-Bilge-Pump/m-4417.aspx, other suppliers exist.

 

[Alfie168]

Having raced and actually won a trophy in a Wayfarer way back in 1985 in the outer Clyde in pretty challenging conditions, and sailed one regularly at the windy end of the Pennines (the top) I would just make the following observations.

1) The Wayfarer is a wonderful boat in almost any conditions with no really bad habits. Although it looks like a scaled up Enterprise it is far kinder as the Ent has a vastly oversized mainsail..quite deliberately.... But...

2) Its a Dinghy, and a pretty heavy one at that to handle alone, but has no keel for stability. It will capsize, as I know only too well. It will be a handful to single hand in anything other than benign conditions. If you do capsize and you are single handing I guarantee you will not get it up again, and it may go turtle on you, in which case you will have to be able to clamber up onto the upturned hull. Thats not easy.

3) We all get hung up on the fantastic exploits of Frank Dye and I remember seeing his boat when I was a very small boy at the boat show at Earls Court. The Wayfarer is no pushover though, for all its merits.

I confess I have not sailed one since 2003 off Chanonry point on the Moray Firth...dolphin spotting. It was a very benign day and the dolphins were playing elsewhere, so we saw none.

The Westerly Nimrod I would definitely go with as it fits budget, will be more sea kind and gives you somewhere snug to shelter and is unlikely to capsize. They are very nice boats actually. Don't be put off by the slightly dumpy looks. It will be no more difficult to handle on land and take up no more space than a Wayfarer. To me it sounds a better choice for the type of sailing you have outlined as it is a handy performer if needed.

Tim

 

[Reptile Smile]

Thanks to all for their ongoing observations.

Alfie - you make interesting and thought-provoking comments. I suppose there's a school of thought that could be summarised as:

1) If you want to do cruising, buy a cruiser, and as a seaworthy and robust boat that is relatively benign to single hand, one could do a lot worse than a Hurley 20 (which I already have)

2) If you insist on cruising single-handed in a dinghy, then buy a dinghy that is relatively robust but that you can right yourself if it goes over (a Mirror perhaps? I have seriously thought about a Mirror - just wondered if it was a bit *too* small, even for a wannabe dinghy cruiser)

3) Or failing that, if you must have a robust boat like a Wayfarer then take crew.

The only counter-argument to this, I guess, and those arguments about the South Pacific Islanders who sail catarmarans in some pretty challenging environments and conditions, and just make damned sure they sail them in such a way that they don't turn them over..?