which boat should I get?

[floater81]

Hello all, I'm new to sailing and I am going to purchase a boat soon. I've narrowed my search to these two boats. I'm going to be using it on lake Ontario, I was hoping someone could tell me which is a better boat? and which is a better deal? ect...thanks (they both meet my criteria)

Abbott 22' Good Condition, many extras - sleeps 4, customized - St. Catharines Sailboats For Sale - Kijiji St. Catharines Canada.

or

22' Sailboat for Sale - Guelph Sailboats For Sale - Kijiji Guelph Canada.

[ozskipper]

ugh... they are both 22 footers with Fixed keels. If you plan on keeping which ever boat you buy on a trailer, look for a swing or drop keel. It will make launching much easier as they can use any normal boat ramp. Fixed keels need either a small crane or really annoying trailer conversion systems..

Assuming youre Not after a boat that lives on a trailer, you can ignore all that ;-D

[RicknSue]

for about the same money you could have my Pearson Ariel, easy sail to the canal, and its 26'.. (no trailer though)...

Agreed on the trailer thing...fixed keel and trailer...ugh...

[JPA Cate]

If you are wanting this boat for an offshore pocket cruiser, go look them both over and see how much work each needs. If a trailer sailer would meet your needs, then it will be easier with a lifting or a swing keel.

Disclaimer: I am not endorsing either the Abbot or the Guelpph for offshore work, I do not know enough about them as small ships.

Seeing the seller saying the boat needs TLC makes me wonder how much TLC and how much $$$.

Ann

[floater81]

Originally Posted by ozskipper

ugh... they are both 22 footers with Fixed keels. If you plan on keeping which ever boat you buy on a trailer, look for a swing or drop keel. It will make launching much easier as they can use any normal boat ramp. Fixed keels need either a small crane or really annoying trailer conversion systems..

Assuming youre Not after a boat that lives on a trailer, you can ignore all that ;-D

thanks for your feedback, I am concerned about how to launch the boat and both of the owners of the boat tell me their boats launch from the trailer using a tongue extender. Have you launched boats in this way? can it be done quickly with practice?

[SaltyMutt]

I am impressed that you managed to get your lists down to two types
of boats. I've been working on my list for a year and I'm only down to
10, maybe I should take a tip from you..lol

well you obviously know what you want. unless your like me and
enjoy restoring;refitting, then I would suggest that you inspect both
boats before purchasing and choose the one that will require the
least amount of repair.

as author Brian Gilbert explains in his book "Fix it and Sail"
many sellers will tell you that all the boat needs is a good cleaning.
but the reality is; many times upon inspection a pretty looking boat
can have a significant amount of damage due to neglect. repair costs
from water damage, mildew collection, and simple corrosion alone is enough to scare most people off.
The serious more costly repairs are your sails, engine, hull structures, standard and running rigging, then electronics etc.
Inspect Everything from improperly stowed sails, and equiptment, wiring harness damage, to a scumline in her bilge.
a siezed engine is a nightmare btw, make sure you hear a motor
run before you purchase a boat.
structural damage from previous collisions, or fiberglass repair from
Osmosis can be a dealbreaker.
Point defects to the seller he/she may be willing to drop down on the price
Good Luck.

[dcstrng]

I know almost zip about either one, although visually I like the Abbott. My experience with trailerable boats is that even the smallest of them (which these are not), can become a major pain in a hurry – it is one thing to launch once or twice a season (in areas needing winter haul-out), and not a huge deal if the mast is in a tabernacle or similar… but most of my trailerable boats have ended up collecting leaves in the backyard until I painted the bottom and moved `em to a slip…

Many folks have had the opposite experience, so that is just what I’ve encountered… Trailing a boat home for winter maintenance, upgrades or modifications is very handy, but launching weekend after weekend is something I’d reserve for bass-boats… even my inshore center-consoles I eventually kept in the water, so I’d be really choosy, demanding and picky on getting a seller to describe exactly how easy these are to, launch/retrieve…

[SkiprJohn]

I'm hoping that someone with experience with either will respond to your inquiry.

I too think that launching for each sail that you do will be a pain. However, if your boat is kept in the water during sailing season and only trailered during winter the trailer can be a very handy setup.

I kind of like the first one you listed because it looks so much like my old Catalina 22 that they could be sisterships. The Edel looks a bit more well built but I would buy RicknSue's Pearson Ariel before I'd get either one because it is a great deal more stable and a whole lot roomier.

Good luck in whatever choice you make.

kind regards,

[CharlzO]

The problem with a trailer extension depends on where you launch. You may run into areas where the boat ramp drops off into mud or whatever before the boat is actually far enough into the water to float free, and then getting back onto the trailer is another story altogether.

I noticed neither ad showed any interior pictures either, though I imagine they would be average enough. For that money though, there are plenty of trailerable options in good condition, so unless there's a particular reason you're drawn to either of those, I would definitely expand the search before jumping in. I know it can be very easy to jump in for the sake of getting one NOW, but definitely look around, and do some research on the models that you can find information on. There are plenty, so don't rush your judgement.

[Igotnuthin]

First..... I have an extendable tongue on the trailer for my Goman 20. It is definitely no problem to launch.You could probably back down the ramp till the trailer fell off the end of the ramp(there's usually a sharp drop off at the end) and your boat would just float off! Now taking it out is a different animal especially when later in the season, the water lowers.
And then.... boats this size are a dime a dozen here. Heck you could probably find one free.....it's the trailer that's hard to find. The Edel IMO is a liitle overpriced. The Abbott is a little bit more traditional and probably a better quality built boat.