Which trailer sailer!

Yep

Surely you have been into Rhoscolyn?

A day trip with your flying machine from Pulley Willey.

Hard sand once you have dodged the rocks on the way in.

A bit upmarket for us as local was frequented by Posh Fly Boys from Valley and Royal wannababies!
 
mrming said:
Can't we just talk about it for a bit longer? Half the fun is in the planning after all... ;)

Simon - I remember seeing your Evo advertised for sale when I was looking for my boat last year. It was well over my budget unfortunately which was a shame cause it looks like one of the nicest examples of any boat I've seen. An amazing amount of work must have gone into it.

Angus - that Dragonfly is truly a thing. Looks lovely and comfy inside too. Is the idea that you fold it up for marina berthing etc?

Incidentally putting up my 29ft mast is not exactly a walk in the park either. I would need the help of a few gorillas. On the mini-transat front, my boat was developed from Finot's 1984 mini design, but made narrower for easier towing, so I guess in a manner of sorts, it has crossed the Atlantic. ;)
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mrming,

I agree the talk is a lot of the fun, maybe we could organise a clue trail / paperchase around a harbour, I have visions of something like a scene from ' Monte Carlo or Bust ' !

Simon, what are you doing with a white lifering ?! I have a pet hate of those after taking part in a search for a lady knocked overboard in the Solent; we and a lot of other boats couldn't find her in white waterproofs and a white lifering thrown to her, among the white wave crests - she died.

On a lighter note as I'm half Scottish myself I might let Angus pip me over the line then I'll go around in circles while he has to get the round in, though I might have to tow a sea anchor from the supersonic Anderson to make this happen...
 
Zagato said:
Very nice Simon but not as nice as your current yacht. She looked lovely and serene going over to Poole whilst I was bashing away as though I was in some kind of dinghy :rolleyes: live and learn I suppose with a bit of sail setting practice.
Click to expand...

Well, the current one's bigger for sure, but at a mere 13 years old I can't take any credit for the condition. The last one, at 31 years old and having done the refit myself, I can. I only made mine a little bit better than new, so I'm not sure what Seajet found so horrendous about the interior of one of her sister ships.

As for looking serene, we were triple reefed in about 15 knots of wind in order to keep the speed down and stay in convoy. You looked to be going rather well I thought and at a decent pace in relative size terms.
 
mrming said:
Simon - I remember seeing your Evo advertised for sale when I was looking for my boat last year. It was well over my budget unfortunately which was a shame cause it looks like one of the nicest examples of any boat I've seen. An amazing amount of work must have gone into it.
Click to expand...

Thank you. We spent about 16 months and did everything except take the deck off the hull. Only a moron would have sold it. Oh, hang on...
 
Seajet said:
Simon, what are you doing with a white lifering ?! I have a pet hate of those after taking part in a search for a lady knocked overboard in the Solent; we and a lot of other boats couldn't find her in white waterproofs and a white lifering thrown to her, among the white wave crests - she died.
Click to expand...
Ah, yes! Liferings! I'd forgotten that was what we're discussing!
 
TSB240 said:
Dear forgotten Op (Springers are completely bonkers !)

This is a list of trailable yachts within your price range and most have been mentioned in this thread..

It has a comparison of PY and theoretical displacement boat speed.
Boat Py Displacement Speed
Parker 275 1000 6.63
Trapper 240 1004 5.89
Hunter Delta 1009 6.03
Hunter F1 1016 6.03
Kelt 850 1025 6.67
Evolution 25 1030 6.33
Sun 2500 1038 6.30
First 210 1060 5.95
Sonata 1060 6.17
Sunfast 20 1065 5.83
Parker 21 1069 5.80
First 21.7 1074 5.95
First 24 1078 6.07
Sun 2000 1078 6.04
Legend 23.5 1090 6.20
Red Fox 1100 5.99
Swift 1112 5.41
Jaguar 23 1130 5.99
ETap 21 1130 5.99
Anderson 22 1132 5.88
Evolution 23 1138 5.69
Anderson 26 1140 6.50
Memory 19 1140 5.40
Seal 22 1215 5.90
Hunter Liberty 1250 5.84

PY is a very simplistic guide to relative performance and sailability. It is a little self generating in that racing sailors will tend towards a more performance orientated craft so extending the py gap.
In any case a typical maximum 6 hour coastal hop the fastest in the list will only be there an hour or so before the slowest.Cruising is not necessarily about how fast you get there after all.

Newer modern designs with wider beams and modern lightweight construction techniques promote early downwind surfing which is sometimes considered "not proper" for cruising sailors and might not suit the op....
Personally I find the off wind speed and control of a wide beamed hull to be both exhilarating and usefull for fast passage making when coastal cruising.

A quick inspection of the list supports my earlier assertion that most modern and race orientated designs are generally faster than most 70s design relics.......

Some final advice to the OP

We have enjoyed using an outboard driven trailable yacht for some time. An outboard in a well is noisy and also you need to consider very carefully how you are going to stow sufficient and very volatile fuel for longer trips. If this is important to you should seek out one with a lightweight IB diesel engine.(they are rare like the A26 which had one)

I hope the above information is useful for practical and comparison purposes and helps the thread get back on subject...............
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Thank you - I did return having lost the plot for a while... Great list which I appreciate, the reason for a trailer sailer was both ability to sit on a mud mooring and the occassional visit elsewhere for holidays and wintering in the garden! As an ex dinghy sailer (Fireball and Merlin Rockets) I tend toward something exciting to sail tempered by the fact of two daughters who need to be safe. I need to do the rounds on the boats that fit, although do lean toward newer boats on maintenance grounds. Possibly need to up my budget! Interestingly no mention of the MacGregor word! ;-) Rgds Andrew
 
I paid less than a third of your proposed budget for my (admittedly elderly) Medina with a very lightly used outboard and good trailer. And by the time I'd replaced all the rigging, the leaking hatch and added a couple of additional electrical items (inc masthead light) I'm still little more than a third of your budget and have a little boat in lovely condition.

The thing I've come to realise is that on a small boat with no inboard engine, costs are relative. There aren't lots of things to go wrong and those that do can generally be put right by an owner with some DIY ability. £14,000 should buy you a cracking boat.
 
springermad said:
Thank you - I did return having lost the plot for a while... Great list which I appreciate, the reason for a trailer sailer was both ability to sit on a mud mooring and the occassional visit elsewhere for holidays and wintering in the garden! As an ex dinghy sailer (Fireball and Merlin Rockets) I tend toward something exciting to sail tempered by the fact of two daughters who need to be safe. I need to do the rounds on the boats that fit, although do lean toward newer boats on maintenance grounds. Possibly need to up my budget! Interestingly no mention of the MacGregor word! ;-) Rgds Andrew
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Glad you havent lost the will to live! I nearly did!

You have just mentioned something exciting to sail and Macgreggor in the same post..... Trolling?

You have you lost the Plot Man.... unless you want to teach the girls how to waterski! I bought a rib for that much cheaper to run than a 26 foot motorsailer with 50 hp on the back....

But I bow to the many Mac owners out there who enjoy what it offers, Compromised mobo or compromised saily boat but will do everything you may want and plenty around at your budget levels!

Your reasons for purchase and sailing background are very similar to ours. I still get a thrill when our boat lifts on a wave and surfs downwind just like a Merlin. Used to have a Scorpion Built by John Turner of Merlin fame also.
 
THE BENETEAU FIRST 235

Here is the prince among trailer sailers:lifting keel; fast and reponsive, races and cruises: separate heads; good headroom and towable with a 2 litre vehicle.

Here's mine with my first mate. I sold her early this year. They are hard to find. Says a lot!

20120703_173717Rustie.jpg
Granny forward.jpg
Granny.jpg

In the range £10k to £13k
 
tokoloshe said:
THE BENETEAU FIRST 235

Here is the prince among trailer sailers towable with a 2 litre vehicle.

In the range £10k to £13k
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Dont want to rain on your parade but towing a boat weighing 2600lbs with a modern front wheel drive 2 litre car might be possible but probably not legal on our roads and in my view is an accident waiting to happen...

Our TS240 weighs the same and I tried towing it with one of the best tow cars available a Volvo 960 3 litre auto.....

I think the original sales brochure shows it hitched up to a Ford Escort..........

I now use a Shogun SWB.

Please don't kid yourself or anybody planning to purchase any trailable yacht like the 235 that you dont need a 4*4 or a very heavy car to tow it safely..... and probably Legally....

Nice boat though!

I personally have a hankering for the Bene 27.7 its bigger sister.. hydraulic Lift Keel , based on minitransat design, goes like ****e of a shovel off wind, inboard diesel, Easily sleeps 6 in two cabins,Can dry out on optional legs,Lot of boat for around 20k S/H. Beam is just over max permiited without need to notify police of your intended towing route.
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/beneteau-first-27-7/first-27-7.htm


I am Going to need a bigger tow vehicle! at 5842lbs
 
TSB240 said:
Dont want to rain on your parade but towing a boat weighing 2600lbs with a modern front wheel drive 2 litre car might be possible but probably not legal on our roads and in my view is an accident waiting to happen...

Our TS240 weighs the same and I tried towing it with one of the best tow cars available a Volvo 960 3 litre auto.....

I think the original sales brochure shows it hitched up to a Ford Escort..........

I now use a Shogun SWB.

Please don't kid yourself or anybody planning to purchase any trailable yacht like the 235 that you dont need a 4*4 or a very heavy car to tow it safely..... and probably Legally....

Nice boat though!

I personally have a hankering for the Bene 27.7 its bigger sister.. hydraulic Lift Keel , based on minitransat design, goes like ****e of a shovel off wind, inboard diesel, Easily sleeps 6 in two cabins,Can dry out on optional legs,Lot of boat for around 20k S/H. Beam is just over max permiited without need to notify police of your intended towing route.
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/beneteau-first-27-7/first-27-7.htm


I am Going to need a bigger tow vehicle! at 5842lbs
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TSB240,

quite correct.

The police have stated they will be targetting trailed boats " as they've had it easy for too long ".

For instance at the end of the M27 - between Hampshire and the West Country - trailed boats are sometimes diverted by 2 ' police interceptor ' cars ( apparently fancying themselves as Mad Max ) and directed to a weighbridge.

No matter that burglars and rapists stroll away, boat owners are an easy target...:rolleyes:
 
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Just checked my Mazda6 Estate (Manual) spec in the book & its 1500kg for a braked trailer so that would be a bit tight for a Bene235....

Interestingly for an un-braked trailer the book says only 550kg - oops, can't tow my Squib with that........

I too have a hankering for a 27.7....very nearly bought one at the last change but ended up at First 310 instead, maybe next time........
 
TSB240 said:
Dont want to rain on your parade but towing a boat weighing 2600lbs with a modern front wheel drive 2 litre car might be possible but probably not legal on our roads and in my view is an accident waiting to happen...

Our TS240 weighs the same and I tried towing it with one of the best tow cars available a Volvo 960 3 litre auto.....

I think the original sales brochure shows it hitched up to a Ford Escort..........

I now use a Shogun SWB.

Please don't kid yourself or anybody planning to purchase any trailable yacht like the 235 that you dont need a 4*4 or a very heavy car to tow it safely..... and probably Legally....

Nice boat though!

I personally have a hankering for the Bene 27.7 its bigger sister.. hydraulic Lift Keel , based on minitransat design, goes like ****e of a shovel off wind, inboard diesel, Easily sleeps 6 in two cabins,Can dry out on optional legs,Lot of boat for around 20k S/H. Beam is just over max permiited without need to notify police of your intended towing route.
http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/beneteau-first-27-7/first-27-7.htm


I am Going to need a bigger tow vehicle! at 5842lbs
Click to expand...

BMW X3 does the job......................and it is legal.
 
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