What boat for my circumstances?

[boomerangben]

I would look at something like this: FOR SALE Hunter Legend 240 (SKYLARK) lifting keel boat - Ullswater Holiday Park

or a Hunter Delta 25

BUT, and this is a huge caveat, transom mounted outboards are not brilliant in short steep chops. And also you need to be very aware of your capabilities, that of the boats and what conditions are prevalent on the day. Your biggest challenge will be the go/no go decision.

 

[Daydream believer]

The answer to all "what boat should I buy" questions is:
a Twister.

Clearly said with a high degree of bias. However, having owned 2 Stellas (A design which was a precursor to the Twister) & knowing how brilliant they were. ,hence, No. 2. I have to admit the Twister suggestion is not so bad. I spent 4.5 hours hove too in a F9 in my Stella & felt surprisingly safe. I actually slept for 3.5 hours of that. I know of others who have braved some heavy weather in the Twister & they performed well on the race circuit in their day. So are no slouches. Certainly much better than some of the plastic bilge keel offerings suggested so far.
The big problem is the trailer. But they can be made; & for £3K a trailer that can take a bigger boat when one moves on is a possibility. It will always sell for a decent sum if properly maintained anyway.
In the area the OP is suggesting I would want a boat that performs well to windward, heaves too, & has a good ballast ration with a good performance to get where I am going if the weather changes suddenly. I would not be looking for a bilge keeler, or any boat that sits ON the water rather than IN it either.
But sort a decent safe mooring first with good access to suit you. That might mean a yard haul out but it saves so much hassle which in the grand scheme of things is well worth it. So add that in your budget so you can enjoy your sailing rather than make it a chore

 

[Poignard]

Clearly said with a high degree of bias. [...]

I cannot deny it?

 

[Refueler]

It may surprise people to know that a good number of Bilge Keelers have crossed oceans ...

PBO or YBW - can never remember which mag had it - but years ago an article detailing a guys work to sail a Centaur across the Atlantic ... the modifications were to portholes and windows ... but the basic hull and form as well as mast etc was standard without mods.
My SR25 - I started an Owners Site for ... and was gobsmacked to have South Africa USA and New Zealand owners ... of which two boats were sailed there !

Keel discussions are endless .... like the Live-aboard world cruiser saying Long Keel only ... its fully debatable subject and has no absolute conclusion.

 

[Kelpie]

You don't get many 12kt currents and standing waves in the middle of an ocean.
But you do around the Pentland Firth.

 

[Refueler]

You don't get many 12kt currents and standing waves in the middle of an ocean.
But you do around the Pentland Firth.

I know PF well ... I used to take Tankers and Seismic Ships through there ... so I am well aware of the current that can flow through there ...

There were two other 'cuts' through western isles we used with the coasters ... Sound of Mull and another which name escapes me. We would time our arrival to get the flow with us ... we could not get both timed - it was one or other ...

One had a Hotel or grand House about halfway along ....

 

[Daydream believer]

One had a Hotel or grand House about halfway along ....

& we suppose that the waiter used to bring out high teas to you whilst you were stemming the tides

 

[steveeasy]

There are lots of boats that I would be happy to sail on German lakes, or indeed withing the confines of Scapa Flow though I have plugged up the Flow in a 55 ft motor boat throwing spray from the bow clear over the boat. However, I have a high level of self preservation and am a lot more selective about what I would choose to sail out of Scapa Flow on.

not sure what Sail / displacement ratio is but the mast on a Dehler 22 and 25 is bigger than a twister and contessa and the weight of a feather. Well same size ish anyway. Bit like a kite with a bit of plastic on the end of the tail. Lively for sure.
Steveeasy

 

[Refueler]

& we suppose that the waiter used to bring out high teas to you whilst you were stemming the tides

I was hoping that someone from around that area might post what the channels name is ....

 

[Kelpie]

I was hoping that someone from around that area might post what the channels name is ....

Kylerhea? It runs at about 10kt.

 

[srm]

not sure what Sail / displacement ratio is but the mast on a Dehler 22 and 25 is bigger than a twister and contessa and the weight of a feather. Well same size ish anyway. Bit like a kite with a bit of plastic on the end of the tail. Lively for sure.

Great fun in sheltered waters, but perhaps not the best choice to meet the OP's stated criteria of the Pentlnd Firth, Orkney and Shetland waters. Such lively boats could soon become tiring to sail in anything other than calm seas..

 

[Refueler]

Kylerhea? It runs at about 10kt.

Thats it .. but we southerners called it Kyle something .... have to drag out my old nav records ..

 

[srm]

I was hoping that someone from around that area might post what the channels name is ....

Using the Sound of Mull you would be heading north or south parallel to the mainland. Was the other channel the Sound of Sleat, between Skye and the mainland, north of Mull and Ardnamurchan Point on the mainland?

 

[Refueler]

Using the Sound of Mull you would be heading north or south parallel to the mainland. Was the other channel the Sound of Sleat, between Skye and the mainland, north of Mull and Ardnamurchan Point on the mainland?

If we were running N to go to Norway or S to Whitehaven etc - we would use one or other depending on tide ...

Khyle Lochalch .. sorry if I spelt it wrong .... was the other one.

 

[dunedin]

If we were running N to go to Norway or S to Whitehaven etc - we would use one or other depending on tide ...

Khyle Lochalch .. sorry if I spelt it wrong .... was the other one.

Kyle Rhea, as Kelpie suggested, is the fast flowing narrows inside Skye - just S of the Kyle of Lochalsh which leads into it but has much more gentle tides.
The Sound of Mull has very gentle tides by comparison - only getting brisk for a short section near the SE end in the region of Lady Rock

 

[Refueler]

Kyle Rhea, as Kelpie suggested, is the fast flowing narrows inside Skye - just S of the Kyle of Lochalsh which leads into it but has much more gentle tides.
The Sound of Mull has very gentle tides by comparison - only getting brisk for a short section near the SE end in the region of Lady Rock

That's the two.

Taking a 1000 tonner through either was something to feel good about ... scenery ... not something you forget ..

I remember also that on approach to one of them .... a conspicuous white Light House on the headland .... we used to aim for it then turn to line up for entry ...

 

[Kelpie]

Thats it .. but we southerners called it Kyle something .... have to drag out my old nav records ..

It's pronounced 'kyle ray'.
Just south of Loch Alsh, which has its own Kyle.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

That was my first thought. Very tough boats and lifting keel so a bit easier to get on a trailer. No trailer-sailer though, and bit of a squeeze inside by all accounts.

I had an Anderson 22, a very sturdy boat. Trailed it once. Never again.

 

[fredrussell]

It may surprise people to know that a good number of Bilge Keelers have crossed oceans ...

To me, the main benefits of a bilge keeler are that it’ll dry out upright and draw less, which are major advantages in some areas, but I’m not so sure it’s an issue up the top of Scotland. Isn’t it mostly rocky coastline and deeper water up there?

 

[Refueler]

To me, the main benefits of a bilge keeler are that it’ll dry out upright and draw less, which are major advantages in some areas, but I’m not so sure it’s an issue up the top of Scotland. Isn’t it mostly rocky coastline and deeper water up there?

But OP wants something he can get on / off trailer easily ?

That basically means Bilge or Lifting Keel.

As to draft ... there are some 'twin keelers' that draw same as their Fin sisters ....

When you compare many of later BK boats against their Fin sisters - the difference is not as great as it used to be.

Even my 1975 SR25 draws 95cms on the BK. The Fin version draws 1.20m .....