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Conference unifix::sailing

Title:	SAILING
Notice:	Please read Note 2.* before participating in this conference
Moderator:	UNIFIX::BERENS

Created:	Wed Jul 01 1992
Last Modified:	Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:	Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:	2299
Total number of notes:	20724

524.0. "does boat size matter?" by SKYLRK::MARCOTTE (George Marcotte SWS Santa Clara) Mon Apr 06 1987 17:24

    What size of sail boat would be good for ocean trip (2 or 3 week)
    and sailing in the bay?
    
    In the bay I like to sail with my wife so it would have to be small
    enough for two people to handle. In the ocean I would have 4 people.
    
    What size boat can be trailered? Is "trailered" mean you drive the
    boat down the freeway or just take it out of the water for winter
    storage?

    George

T.R	Title	User	Personal Name	Date	Lines
524.1	doing SOMETHING matters most	MTBLUE::BELTON_TRAVI	Travis Belton	`Tue Apr 07 1987 09:11`	22
	For bay sailing with two people, anything from daysailors (16-27') to cruising/racing sailboats(18-35') is possible. With modern sail handling equipment (selftailing winches, roller furling headsail), some fairly large boats can be handled be two people, given a little skill and experience. People have made long, successful ocean passages in rather small boats, but I wouldn't want anything smaller than 28' for two people and low-30' for four. Both speed and comfort are important here. Not having ever trailered a sailboat I can only give my observations. The limiting factors are width of the boat on its trailer-you need a special permit if you are over 8' wide, and the weight your vehicle can pull safely. The reasonable limit here is around 25'. Most people take trailering to mean towing their boat to various places to sail it, ie Narragansett Bay this weekend, Casco Bay next, and the Chesapeake for two weeks in October, etc. Hope this was helpful... Travis
524.2	<?>	SKYLRK::MARCOTTE	George Marcotte SWS Santa Clara	`Tue Apr 07 1987 13:06`	7
	why is speed important on ocean passages... don't cruising boats and racing boat have different design trade offs. Cruising boats design for stability and racers for maneuverability? Do bigger boats take bad weather better? I know that very large ships do.
524.3	My experience with trailerable boats.	PLANET::BURNHAM		`Tue Apr 07 1987 13:28`	12
	George, I have an ODAY 22 I trailer only to put it in the water in the Spring and take it out in the Fall. I drive it about ten miles each way. I would not pull it long distance with my car (a caprice estate wagon-8 cyl.) mainly because it would be too much work for the engine. Also, it is not easy towing a boat that size through towns and winding ways. However, I had a daysailer I trailered from Burlington Vermont to the Cape several years ago and that was not a problem. My feeling is that the size of the boat and the distance you will pull it need to be considered when buying a trailerable boat.Also, the capability of the vehicle that will be doing the boat is important.