Help me choose my first boat

[canyonbat]

We have lots of friends with Potters. They are a nice family boat but would nver be considered sporty. The cabin is ok for a boat this size but the centerboard trunk makes getting around a little tricky. Still count on 45 minutes to an hour to rig. Some will tell you they do it faster but this is pretty common.

Another boat to consider is a MacGregor 26. I know they get panned on here and in other forums but we see a ton of them out there. While the X model wasn't a great sailor, the older models and the newer M models do alright. Water ballast makes them easy to trailer although they will be more than your 2000 lb capacity. Huge cabin, easy to launch and, with the big outboard on the newer models, you can always get where you need to go in a pinch.

[Stu Jackson]

I've been through all this.

My wife & I both learned to sail as kids.

We started renting boats. Easy, just rent and go, and return the boat.

We bought a Catalina 22. Trailer sailed it to a lake 3 hours away in the summer, sailed it off the trailer locally during the winter. Left it in the water during the summers - great - felt like a big boat. Then each winter it became more and more of a PITA to sail it, even though we could leave the mast up and drive two blocks to the ramp.

Bought a Catalina 25, fin keel, left it in the water. Owned it for 12-13 years. Great boat.

Finally bought our current boat in 1998. Luxury.

I'm currently working with my son to replace the muffler, exhaust riser and lots of hoses.

Each of them was "perfect" boat for that particular time in our lives.

All the advice you're getting here is valid. Only YOU can determine what will work for you and yours.

Good luck and welcome.

[mstrebe]

With your trailer tow weight constraints, you should look at the MacGregor 26D. It's the best sailing boat MacGregor ever made, and it's the lightest boat you'll find in the category because of it's water ballast and daggerboard design. And they come with the trailer. Should be in the $4K..$5K range for a good example.

[antiduke_99]

Originally Posted by mstrebe

With your trailer tow weight constraints, you should look at the MacGregor 26D. It's the best sailing boat MacGregor ever made, and it's the lightest boat you'll find in the category because of it's water ballast and daggerboard design. And they come with the trailer. Should be in the $4K..$5K range for a good example.

I had looked at the Mac 26 some. Just seems like it might be a little more boat than I really want/need. Plus, I would LIKE to be able to store the boat in my shop and doubt the 26 would work for that.