Pocket Cruiser/Gunkhole express advice

[FamilyVan]

On the first two maintenance costs are going to be extremely low. $500 a year ish? The Catalina 25 will cost a bit more. Maybe double that.

You won't be replacing sails on these boats like you would be on a big cruiser because you trailer the boat between cruising grounds, you're not going to be chafing for 3 days on the same tack.

By far your biggest maintenance cost will be
Your outboard, which will of cg ourselves be influenced by the condition of the outboard when you purchase it.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Hunter]

Originally Posted by FamilyVan

On the first two maintenance costs are going to be extremely low. $500 a year ish? The Catalina 25 will cost a bit more. Maybe double that.

You won't be replacing sails on these boats like you would be on a big cruiser because you trailer the boat between cruising grounds, you're not going to be chafing for 3 days on the same tack.

By far your biggest maintenance cost will be
Your outboard, which will of cg ourselves be influenced by the condition of the outboard when you purchase it.

Sent from my SGH-I547C using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

That is reassuring, albeit reinforcing my initial desire to stay as close to (or under) 20ft as possible.

How do we all feel about Rhodes 22 or Chrysler 22? -they both have pop-tops for added head room.

[mstrebe]

Honestly at the age and condition you're talking about, most of these boats come down to just personal preference. They're all similarly built hand layup FRP of about the same thickness. Most of them were made in Costa Mesa by the same group of people day jobbing at different factories.

You should be considering that you're buying a hull, a mast, and a keel. If all three are true, everything else is easily fixed.

A 6hp outboard that will move any of these boats at hull speed is $1500. A brand new suit of sails is $1500. New rigging is <$1000 professionally done.

As long as the winches are properly backed, the hull floats, the seacocks are nonexistent, and the transom mount is solid, you're in business.

The only things that are truly difficult/nonstarters on boats of this type are leaky deck/hull joints under the rub rail, mast step breakage, loose/leaking chainplates, and fiberglass damage. If there's an unusual system such as a daggerboard/centerboard or a water ballast tank, that will need a quick look as well.

But honestly, if it floats, and if you can wash it down with a hose and it stays dry inside, and the mast is straight, and it looks like all the pieces parts are there, you're in business at this price point.

Trailers are a different story--No trailer lasts 20 years, and whatever trailer you get with these boats will be on its last legs. I would inspect them thoroughly. New axles and tires will run about $1000. New draw bar will run <$1000. If you like the boat but the trailer sucks a new trailer can be had for $3000 and a serviceable used trailer can be had for $1000.

If you're not the guy who likes scrubbing down the interior, painting the exterior, and rebedding hardware, and repacking wheel bearings, I suggest spending an additional $5,000 now to get something vastly younger and more "ready to wear".

[RolfP]

Originally Posted by Hunter

Those are really cool. Is it really as easy to step the Fox's mast as they say?

Yes, very easy. I've done it both on the trailer and out on the water. Easier on the trailer with one person providing a hand when horizontal. Attach side stays, slide mast into the tabernacle and lift/push up/forward.

Before I bought mine a read a story on the internet, with pictures, of a guy who sailed his through the FL keys. Its not an ocean boat, but stands up well in a breeze with a reef in, launches pretty easily, and is will built. Mine is an 1986. The keels have changed over the years. Another name is the Slipper 17.

BTW, I would agree on the O'Day Mariner (19). They sail, beach, and launch well, and have plenty of room in the cockpit. Definitely a camper.

ALSO, the Monty 15 will definitely be small compared to the 17, at least one of which has sailed to Hawaii. I would go with the Monty 17 any day, just sayin'.

[Hunter]

Alrighty. Thanks everybody. I don't think I have anymore questions R/E make and model. But, of course I am open to any suggestions. There seem to be A LOT to choose from in my size and price range. Respect to Stu, but I think something like a Cat 22 will be the biggest I'll go for now. I'll undoubtedly upgrade in a few more years after I'm out of grad school.

I'll upload the posting of the one I choose.

As for that kayak/surfboard rack for a pocketcruiser...

[Cormorant]

A couple of other good resources:

Duckworks Magazine: Duckworks Magazine
(Primarily for home boatbuilders, but also lots of great small-boat cruising / rigging / fixing /optimizing ideas.)

The Trailer Sailor: The Trailer Sailor - Home
(Very helpful forums, for both general trailer sailing info, plus many different boat-specific forums -- and a good classifieds section.)

[Azul]

There is a couple that trailers a C25 to my marina a few times a year and spend week long vacations aboard. It looks about the same size as an 18 wheeler on the trailer but they get it rigged and launched in an hour. They love it and greatly prefer the fixed keel version.

[quahauq]

The answer to gunkholing is shallow draft which means flat bottom which means trailerable, which means retractable board(s), multiple retractable rudders, jet drive(s), etc. My first was 2' draft, the second 6" draft. For rich folks Belle Marie (not trailerable) gets the cake. So......it hasn't been built/designed yet for poor folks. Good luck, design/build and soak up the joy of gunkholing! Shoot for 12" draft.

[Pendragon35]

I had a Tanzer 22 I sailed out of Suttons Bay for a number of years in the 1990's, so pretty much the same cruising ground you are talking about. I had the fixed keel version. They tend to be cheap but they are solid built boats. I never tried to trailer it. They can stand up to squalls in that area much better than a Catalina 22 (also had one of those at one point). We used a portages potty and it was adequate. Easily take two people and a dog wherever you want to go.