Does anyone sail??

[Nathans_Dad]

I was out with our Boy Scout troop this weekend and one of the adults brought along a Hobie Wave catamaran. It only had a mainsail, no jib or anything but I had a blast sailing it. Now I have the bug to get myself a small sailboat to take the kids out on.

I used to sail a decent amount with my dad when I was in high school, we had a 23 foot Hunter cabin cruiser type boat and we raced it for a few years on the local lakes. Then I went to college and he moved out to Virginia where he sold the 23 foot boat and went in with another guy on a 42 footer that he kept on the Chesapeake Bay for several years. I did sail in one race with him on that boat as well. I hadn't set foot on a sailboat for about 15 years until this weekend.

Anyhow, I have fairly young kids (11, 9, 7 and 5) and am really just looking for a small daysail type boat that I can teach the kids how to sail when they get old enough. I figure the older three are probably ok to at least be on the boat with the 11 and 9 year old probably old enough to start to learn to sail. My wife is admittedly not a boat or water person much although she did say she would sail with me from time to time (after she got done rolling her eyes when I told her I wanted a sailboat, lol).

So, I'm thinking of a small monohull or catamaran. I want something I could sail solo and go fast but also could tame down for the kids. I like the idea of a Hobie 16 or similar catamaran but also wonder about the one design type monohulls.

Budget is $1500-2000 or less ready to sail with trailer.

Any ideas or thoughts?

[JeremyD]

I bought a Force 5 for exactly that reason - easy to set up and sail - fast enough for me - not tippy like a laser - big enough for me and one of my kids

[osidak]

my 11y/o son has a 14 foot holder - spent the day out on yesterday with him.

[nostatic]

14' Capri is the boat of choice at the UCLA Marine Aquatic Center which is where my son, then I learned to sail. Pretty bombproof and you could do one adult and a few kids. It is far from fast though - my son refers to it as a bathtub. Much more entertaining are the 15' RS Visions. Those are around $9K new, but like most sailboats, much cheaper used.

Cats can be dicey in a decent wind - not sure I'd want one of those with a bunch of small kids. A monohull might be a better choice.

[afterburn 549]

26 foot T bird fixed keel with trailer. E Brakes
Cruising cabin configuration but will sit in the racer envelop as it was designed by the T.Bird Club of Vancouver
Force 10 furnace, head, propane stove.
Bilge pumps and all the usual stuff
Bright work through out.
Sleep 10 ( just kidding i always get a kick out of that)
V birth, 1/4 births
I have sailed it with 10 teenagers on board.
Bruce and Danforth .
Full custom Cover . Honorable Mention Port townsend Boat Show several years ago.
19500. No room to barter as i have over 30K in It. If you want to barter we can start out higher....LOL
This will kick most other sailboat arse even much larger ones.
Do a little research . These are a FAST Sail Boat ! ( for a sailboat ) LOL
Maybe trade toward a Cayman S.
Has sailed in Alaska and washington coast
no disappointments
PM me and i will send phone and pix

[RKC]

For around $2K, I think a Hobie 16 would be the best bang for your buck. It would fit an adult and three kids pretty comfortably. As they get to be adults it would be better with 2-3 people. They've been made for decades and decades, and are plentiful. I know one fellow who got an older one for $800 that had no issues (no soft spots in the hulls, no torn sails, etc.) and he's been sailing it for a few years without issue on Lake Michigan.

Hobie 16's are a blast and the speed is addictive. Grew up sailing 16's on Mission Bay in San Diego. Owned a Laser years ago, and now own a Hobie Getaway and Starboard sailboard. For a family and for fun/speed, Hobies are the way to go.

Check out the Hobie forums: Hobie Cat Forums • Index page

[id10t]

Get the older ones on the wait list to go to Sea Base Boy Scout camp in the keys - they have a great sailing program. The troop I was in did a 10 day sail all in and around the Keys. I went back the next year solo for the scuba diving/snorkeling camp.

[Vipergrün]

+1 on a Capri, or something like a Catalina 22 with retractable keel for trailering....

[nota]

fresh or salt water sailing ?

banana shaped hobie cats do not point or tack well
they are good beach boats for shallow water
but not very well built as they delaminate [glass layers pull apart]
and new parts are over priced from hobie

cats like to flip
not good for small kids

I would look for a bigger boat for two adults and 4 kids
a 20ft++ centerboard with a small cabin like a Catalina 22

we lived aboard a 47ft F-glass houseboat
and used daysailors and sailing dinks to get ashore
owned a blue-jay, windmill crapi 4.3, bunch of small Chryslers , sunfish, 420, FlyingJr
and a wooden 16ft baldhead schooner
had a raven 24ft racer for speed sailing at 1100lbs

later got 3 hobie 18fts cats with C/Bs
but they arenot strongly built and all had problems
hobie holder monohulls are much better built boats
currently have a 14ft holder it is very strongly built

[VincentVega]

Tough budget but you might be able to find a flying scott needing some love. Great activity for the family, so many good times on the water.

[chapo]

Used to race a Santana 20 back in the day, great boat, trailer able, easy to handle alone

[fejjj]

When on a long hill, I shut my engine off, put my hands in the air and yell WEEEEEEEEEE. That is my version of sailing.

[LWJ]

Funny. My first sailing was in the Boy Scouts. I bought a Venture 21 last Spring. Very fun. Light and CHEAPLY made. Trailer sailed all over the place. Got the bug for a bigger boat. Sold the Venture for a blow out 1200 with trolling motor, new battery and trailer. Purchased a C&C 27 now on the Columbia River. Good times.

You will see Catalinas all day long for cheap. They are a little heavier and better built than my Venture. The issue I had with a trailer sailor is that it took almost an hour to step the mast. This always seemed to be 90 degree heat and it sort of took the shine off the trip.

Good luck. This is lots of fun.
Larry

[SilberUrS6]

Originally Posted by fejjj

When on a long hill, I shut my engine off, put my hands in the air and yell WEEEEEEEEEE. That is my version of sailing.

That was a literal-LOL.

[T77911S]

i learned on a 18 SOL CAT. (very similar to the hobie 18, but better built and faster). we got the boat when i was probably 13. learned to sail in the ocean.
its a lot of boat although i use to sail it by myself all the time when i was older.

i hated the hobies. very weak and flexible boats.

the prindle 16 was a good boat. it was much lighter than my boat.

the speed and excitement of a cat may keep them interested. mono hull boats where just not quite as fun to me.

[Rusty Heap]

Beach Land Sailing.


My biggest (red/orange with all the nose dives into the sand bar) is 6.8 sq meters of sail.


5m
3.9m
3m
1.7, 2.3, 2.9m

and such other foils, pick the right sail for the breeze.............yeah they drag you even on land.


quad line power traction foils are a rush...........wind is earth spirit. embrace.

[gatotom]

Next month we hit 9 yrs owning this C&C 36 and enjoy every minute of it.

It took about 8 yrs for my wife to get to my level on enjoyment, now she wants to go.

I have sailed for yrs on rentals and other people's boats and it was time to belly up to the bar.

Some thoughts: get the biggest boat you are comfortable with and that includes the cost and handling. Remember the bigger the boat the bigger the cost. I consider the 36- 38 ft range as the starting point. My 38' slip costs 360.00 per month, could buy the slip but the pay back is about 20 yrs, I will not be in boating then. Maintenance is reasonable if you do it yourself, no worse than doing your own 911. Insurance is about 600.00 yr which includes unlimited towing in my waters, a steal when you need it. A few yrs ago we broke down and instead of fixing it on the water, called the tow boat. They towed me back to my slip and the guy told me that would have been a 1800.00 tow bill, I thanked him. Next day we were out on the water.

My cost basis is if we chartered a 36' boat for 2 wks, I can own a boat for less and have unlimited use of it when I want. We use our boat about 45-50 days per yr, we consume about 50-60 gal of diesel a yr.

When it comes to repair work, make sure you have the room to work on it, small boats are a pain in the arse as you get older. My boat is at that break point of being a real pain, not so flexable anymore. So next boat will have easy access to motor and have rod control steering.

Boat value depreciates to a point and then levels off as long as you maintain it in near Bristol condition .

Best day of my life was when we bought this boat, we love this RV on the water.

[gatotom]

So got the boat up to a sustained 9.7 knots, about 12 mph and was flying.

Feels like driving a 911 140 mph and no police care.

[Flat Six]

Might be tough to find where you are, but an International 505 would get my vote. Easy to sail, can be cheap to buy -- especially if you want a(nother) 'project' -- and lots of spares available. Balls fast, too, in the right hands.