An All-Season Trailerable Sailboat

[glossieblack]

Given your requirements, I'd be looking for a trailer sailer that is both fast and seaworthy, is a centre boarder or has a swing keel, and that has a pop top that can remain raised when sailing so that it can be converted to a fixed pilothouse with opening ports.

Bruce Farr doesn't know how to design a slow or ugly sailboat. His Farr 7500 (pic below) and Noelex 25 (youtube below) are both trailer sailers that meet the above specs.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYFXwMraxtQ[/youtube]

[gonandkarl]

As you want a trailerable boat what about this : You look down south for a suitable boat and trailer it to Alaska. Good testing for trailering or am I an idiot and know nothing of the Panamerican Highway except the name and it does not even reach as far as Alaska.

[narfi]

Or buy something in Seattle, stick the trailer on a barge and sail yourself up?

[Netpackrat]

Both of those are possibilities, although I would be more inclined to stick the whole boat and trailer on a barge, than take a new-to-me boat up the inside passage and across the gulf. Probably a lot faster to do the drive both ways, and trailer it back, than to try sailing it. I think that's probably going against the prevailing winds and currents, too. As I understand it, to sail from the west coast to Alaska, it's generally easier to sail west to Hawaii, and then north from there.

One good option might be to wait until we are ready to replace my wife's vehicle, buy it down south, and use it to tow a boat up. We would probably be looking at something like my sister in law's Durango, or the new Grand Wagoneer, either of which would be well able to handle the boat. Possibly do some day sailing on the way up. 8^)

Re: the Farr designs... Yeah, Oz/NZ have some neat boats which are not too commonly seen elsewhere. I also like the Barros Pantanal 25; supposedly somebody in Brazil is producing them serially now. But I expect that would be a similar situation as the CP23 pilothouse were they available in the US, with all extant examples being too new to fall within what I am willing to spend. Right now I am expecting to pay between five and ten thousand for a reasonably decent boat, based on what I have seen so far. I'd pay more for something that meets my wants more exactly, but the 50K+ I have seen the CP23 PHs advertised at is way out of the question, especially since it's on the small side. Since it looks like I will have to substantially refit any boat I buy to get close, there seems to be little point in paying more.

[Sarp]

I also like this idea. I have recently started building a vagabond20 and really enjoyed the work so far. I will probably build a second boat in a few years once I'm a little acquainted to weekends and holidays on board this boat. A larger/more comfortable boat that is possible to trail with a medium sized car opens up a lot of possibilities. In Mediterranean Sea, there are great shores to cruise and jump in the water, albeit at either one day of driving distance or 3-5 days of sailing. With a trailable boat, one can enjoy nice coasts for the majority of a 1-2 week holiday. With a large boat most of the time is spent just to get there & come back.

I'm thinking about somewhere in the 24-25ft range for my second boat, within trailer limits around 98-100 inches wide and trailer weight of less than 3000 pounds. An enlarged Vagabond23 can work with a heightened top, like a lighter & smaller Vagabond26. The whole flat deck configuration offers very little headroom and its not comfortable. A headroom around 5 feet 8+ inches around the middle cabin & galley allows one to walk without much trouble. The cabin configuration for a Catalina 25 or Vagabond 26 would be great, of course a little smaller due to the boat size. Possibly, Vagabond 23 cockpit height could be increased and cockpit length shortened by roughly one bulkhead to allow a double berth under. A wider transom above the waterline may help with a wider modern cockpit as well. Since the cabin will already lengthened by one bulkhead, maybe part of the total length can be added at cockpit, perhaps a skirt.

I would be really interested in building such a boat with the stich and glue method, would anyone else be interested in such a boat? Do you plan to create a new boat design like this somewhere between the Vagabond 23 and 26 Jacques?

[rick berrey]

There were larger Serpentaire designs besides the 22 which is what the Vagabond 23 is based on , and in stitch and glue . If you stretch the 23 I'm sure JM would advise , but I doubt you can get the head room you want .

[Netpackrat]

The issue is less about head room, than about room for a head, and ability to steer the thing from inside if the weather turns nasty. They are solvable problems, but it will take a boat in the 25' range, which would be at the upper limit of my ability and space to build, and realistically I don't have the time to devote to it. I love building boats, but it's a lot easier to set aside my other projects for a few months here and there to build a smaller boat, than to dedicate the years that one of the large builds would take. Maybe a few years down the road I can entertain the idea. For now modifying an existing boat seems like the best plan.

I have been watching the Alaska craigslist for a while, but nothing really suitable has come up lately. There have been a few that were smaller than I want, some that are bigger and/or not really trailerable, but nothing in the sweet spot since we sold our cabin last fall which was the main thing that had to happen before I would consider getting a boat. Seen a few Mac 26s come up for sale now and then (Just, NO.) and one Balboa 23 that looked nice but was on the small side. There was a Balboa 25 recently but it looked pretty rough and was overpriced for a 50 year old boat in that condition IMO, even for Alaska.

Trailering one up from the 48 is still a possibility and we definitely need to replace my wife's Jeep soon, but now there's a nationwide shortage of vehicles apparently. Anyway I am not going to get into a rush about it. In the meantime if something like a decent Potter 19 were to come up for sale I would be tempted to buy it as a learning boat and then sell it on once I find what I am really looking for.

[fallguy1000]

The issue is less about head room, than about room for a head, and ability to steer the thing from inside if the weather turns nasty. They are solvable problems, but it will take a boat in the 25' range, which would be at the upper limit of my ability and space to build, and realistically I don't have the time to devote to it. I love building boats, but it's a lot easier to set aside my other projects for a few months here and there to build a smaller boat, than to dedicate the years that one of the large builds would take. Maybe a few years down the road I can entertain the idea. For now modifying an existing boat seems like the best plan.

I have been watching the Alaska craigslist for a while, but nothing really suitable has come up lately. There have been a few that were smaller than I want, some that are bigger and/or not really trailerable, but nothing in the sweet spot since we sold our cabin last fall which was the main thing that had to happen before I would consider getting a boat. Seen a few Mac 26s come up for sale now and then (Just, NO.) and one Balboa 23 that looked nice but was on the small side. There was a Balboa 25 recently but it looked pretty rough and was overpriced for a 50 year old boat in that condition IMO, even for Alaska.

Trailering one up from the 48 is still a possibility and we definitely need to replace my wife's Jeep soon, but now there's a nationwide shortage of vehicles apparently. Anyway I am not going to get into a rush about it. In the meantime if something like a decent Potter 19 were to come up for sale I would be tempted to buy it as a learning boat and then sell it on once I find what I am really looking for.

You don't need inside steering stations. You can install autopilot and use a remote. No, you don't remote the speed, only the rudder, but you can get out of the elements some. It is a tradeoff, but keep in mind; you almost never run lines from inside; so this idea is a good one. The AP system and remotes run about $3000, and the mfd can be anywhere from a grand to 10 grand. I did not buy a remote for mine because they are $1600, so waiting until I decide I really want it. But I do need the engine killed if I am away from if ignition (fall in).

I agree with you on a bathroom or head. There is no way I'd bother without one. I shit in buckets a few times in an open skiff and it is just too much to ask of the womenfolk and plenty bad enough for the man. It doesn't have to be a great bathroom. Mine is just a bit below standing above the toilet, but noone stands on a toilet!

I watched a video of guys tacking off aluminum with some speed machine. Was it here? Build it. You may find a design and hire a naval architect to spec the hull. You could do the rest. All the magazines I have probably have one, I'll keep my eyes peeled for a developable plan.

[Netpackrat]

I am fine with the remote control for a tiller pilot, I just need to have the ability to see where I am going. So some kind of raised pilothouse-esque section on the back of the cabin house, and a place to sit there. Can be a detachable or folding seat that takes down when not needed.

[rick berrey]

A bubble on the VG23 or any other small design would allow you to see where your going without adding height and wind shear .