Channel Sailor
Active member
Thread drift maybe but after seeing the ideas so far, just a thought for discussion, what if the requirement was a new production boat. Not a fixer upper.
Small twenty foot ish all weather sailing boats any names?
- Thread starter Wansworth
- Start date
NealB
Well-known member
Now, come on Bru ...... be spiritually sensible ...... you only live once, you know.
Vivere!!
Baggywrinkle
Well-known member
Kingfisher 20 plus ?
Buck Turgidson
Well-known member
Vertue. mini 6.50.
Take yer pick
Of course you could go with a Twister for added style and comfort!
Take yer pick
Of course you could go with a Twister for added style and comfort!
duncan99210
Well-known member
Hurley 18 ticks all the boxes, easily managed boat and cheap as chips.
E39mad
Well-known member
Tradewind 25
Frances 26
Victoria 26
Frances 26
Victoria 26
Bru
Well-known member
Get thee behind me Satan!
It'd cost too much to sort out, I'd have to pay for somewhere to keep it and then what would i do with it anyway?
E39mad
Well-known member
Because the OP said all weather - I have sailed (raced) a lot of French boats mainly Jeanneau and Beneteau and I would not wish to take the smaller ones offshore.
NealB
Well-known member
Yes, I do see your point!
In fact, we had (an excellent) lunch in the White Hart today, and I needed to keep my wits about me not to go halves on a supposedly bargain Squib.
LONG_KEELER
Well-known member
How about a nice jet ski converted to sail power.
Not been done yet. You could be the first.
Not been done yet. You could be the first.
NealB
Well-known member
Or go the other way ....... an outboard on a windsurfer to give you a lovely mini motor sailer?
PetiteFleur
Well-known member
I did buy one and it was excellent but a bit wet going to windward in anything of a sea but I did not have a spray hood...
Sybarite
Well-known member
I beg to differ. Let me take two examples :
First 29 built from 1983. It had an excellent reputation for handling in adverse conditions. I had my first long out-of-season crossing (Toulon to Calvi) in one and I was really impressed. It was a Finot designed boat.
First 29, un voilier plein de talent.
Ecume de Mer : (26')
Also designed by Finot it was the (first) Boat of the Year in France and won the quarter ton cup several times. It has also gone round the world surviving storms and a 90knot hurricane on the way.
L'histoire de l'écume de mer
FR menu frame
Ecume de Mer
NealB
Well-known member
Do 26 feet, and 29 feet, count as "small-twenty-foot-ish"?
They're both stretching the criterion just a bit too far, for me (yes, as are the Folkboat, Frances, Victoria).
Mark-1
Well-known member
First 21s look pretty strong to me (I had a close poke around the outside of one recently).
Some of the MABs listed may have been built/completed by amateurs so the quality could be variable. I'm sure I've seen wood screws doing jobs that bolts should have done on boats.) Also many will be 50 years old. I'm sure there will be plenty of good ones.
As a 1970's Corribee owner if I wanted to do substantial regular heavy weather blasts in mine I'd want to do what Roger Taylor did to his and beef it up in many ways. Starting with securing each of the three hatches in a sturdy fashion.*Much* larger cockpit drains. I won't start a list, I'll be here all night.
I've had mine surfing at eek knots on substantial waves on one occasion but that's not quite the same as making a hobby of playing in storms on a regular basis.
Has someone above suggested an ex mini transat boat?
Some of the MABs listed may have been built/completed by amateurs so the quality could be variable. I'm sure I've seen wood screws doing jobs that bolts should have done on boats.) Also many will be 50 years old. I'm sure there will be plenty of good ones.
As a 1970's Corribee owner if I wanted to do substantial regular heavy weather blasts in mine I'd want to do what Roger Taylor did to his and beef it up in many ways. Starting with securing each of the three hatches in a sturdy fashion.*Much* larger cockpit drains. I won't start a list, I'll be here all night.
I've had mine surfing at eek knots on substantial waves on one occasion but that's not quite the same as making a hobby of playing in storms on a regular basis.
Has someone above suggested an ex mini transat boat?
Bajansailor
Well-known member
I was thinking of a Havsfidra when I saw Wansworth's post, and then I saw you had mentioned it - yes, I can see why Wansworth likes her.
There were two entered in the 1968 OSTAR, but I think both retired.
Some more info here -
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/havsfidra
It is a shame that this Havfidra is not still on the market - she is in Espana, albeit on the other side from Wansworth.
Havsfidra 20 For Sale, 6.00m, 1976
And also the Halcyon 23 -
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/halcyon-23
Another boat that was for sale with Boatshed -
Halcyon 23 For Sale, 7.10m, 1968
Wansworth, I think that you still hanker after wooden boats, so how about a Stella?
Sold: 26ft. STELLA CLASS BERMUDIAN SLOOP - professionally restored - Lying: West Wales - Classic Yacht Brokerage
Or how about a 26' SCOD?
Classic wooden yacht for sale | South Coast One Design | SCOD for sale
Some others -
Bowman 26
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/bowman-26
Invicta
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/invicta-26
Nicholson 26
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/nicholson-26
Susan Smillie, who writes in the Guardian, lives on hers -
‘I live alone at sea. Here's how to be happy in isolation’
And of course the Contessa 26
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/contessa-26
Re Neal's very valid comment above re the 20 foot'ish in length - there are very few traditional long keel types this size (and I know that these would be W's preference), but once you get up to 25 - 26' there are a lot.
E39mad
Well-known member
Fair enough but your First 29 is 30 footish not the 20 footish required by the OP and the Ecume de Mer is not a French boat well known to most. Your post stated Beneteau and Jeanneau being the biggest producers in the world and yes they are but I still would not take their 20 foot ish variants out in all weathers.
Mark-1
Well-known member
What specifically would be the point of failure you'd be concerned about? (Serious question.)
NealB
Well-known member
Ooooh ..... "traditional long keel types" ..... sounds like Bajansailor has priveleged inside knowledge!
Mark-1
Well-known member
For instance.... I just googled First 21s and found discussion about rig tension and prebend. How many owners of 50yo MABs would dare ramp up the rig tension to produce some pre bend? A recent discussion on the Corribee FB page included someone saying to avoid prebend unless you had a retrofitted king post!
Suggests to the there's no great concern that the rig on a First 21 is especially vulnerable.