Is buying a Starter Boat a dumb idea?

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by ssmoot

I was under the impression most on the forum considered them more trouble than they're worth?

Thanks for the tip though. I haven't given any thought to flopper-stoppers in years.

Oh no, they are worth it. If you have 2 poled out on either side, you'll be stable. Sure there'll be a little rocking, but nowhere near the rolling you can get without them. Very liveable I'd say.

OK, here is just a thought, as an example, a Morgan 28, more living room for a family of 4, trailerable (though it may be too heavy, not sure) and with the flopstoppers I mentioned, comfortable when anchored. This one will likely hold its value better too.
https://www.sailboatlistings.com/photographs/49401
FlopStopper.com

edit: I just thought of the Morgan 28 and found that one, but now that I look closer at it, that is really a sweet deal with the trailer and all the other upgrades IMO.

[KP44]

Originally Posted by Pizzazz

My view is that a starter boat below 30 ft makes little sense. It will be small, uncomfortable, no shade, no standing room, no proper head. As your kids grow up they will need space to use their tablets. You are much better off renting than owning a trainable boat.

Buy a boat that you feel passionate above. Either you like the designer, the looks, layout, etc. If sailing turns out not to be your thing, sell the boat.

My min size recommendation is 30 ft for three (two kids + an adult), 40 ft for a family of four and 50 ft (3rd cabin) for a family of five, if you plan to all sail together. Adjust the age according to your budget.

SV Pizzazz

We started on a 23' with a swing keel. It sailed fine for its size and had room for 5 people to sleep. We spent one rainy weekend with 4 people on the boat and we never felt crowded.
My spouse had NEVER been on one of my fishing boats without getting seasick. After 30 years of sailing, she has felt a touch of it twice. Sailboats have a different motion. Even a tender 23' with a swing keel.
After getting to know sails, boats, sailors, navigation, and a host of other stuff; we started searching for our yacht.

[Don C L]

The old, original, Cal 24 is a good little boat too, easily trailered (3000 lb) and 8 foot beam and sails well. Even one in excellent shape, if you can find one, will be very affordable.
https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/cal-24
Just another idea to throw in the mix.

[thinwater]

a. When you see a small multihull, like and F-24 hauling ass, you bet the driver has small cat experience. If the wind is over 15 knots you need to either bring your a-game or reef way down.



b. Level sailing and calm sailing in small multis are no the same thing. They are in light winds, but not when it blows.


Big cats are different. They can be both flat and seaworthy. The smaller boats are generally designed with more of a performance focus, because that is what that market wants. I've had beach cats (fun, athletic, and wet), a Stiletto 27 (twitchy fast cat), a cruising cats (luxurious and comfortable), and an F-24 (fun day sailing boat) and love them all. But they are all very different.


I would not look at it as a starter boat. I'd look at it as a right-now boat, for whatever you will actually do right now. I downsized from a cruising cat to and F-24 because I found I was day sailing, not cruising.

[ssmoot]

Originally Posted by thinwater

I'd look at it as a right-now boat, for whatever you will actually do right now.

Right now we have access to lakes and the occasional trip to the Texas Gulf Coast. We'd like to "learn the ropes", sail and "boat camp" up to a few days at a time. And if the boat is capable, maybe spend 4 to 6 weeks going further afield.

The Dragonfly 28 seems like it might fit us better than the Corsairs on the multihull side of things. It would probably mean upgrading the tow-vehicle though and there aren't any boats in North America that I see.

I'm not aware of any trailerable catamarans with any real accommodation for a family of four.

And then there's the monohulls. Trying to get through the Trailer Sailor thread for that one.

I think someone upthread commented that renting might make more sense. I'm beginning to think they're on to something. Seems like a big ask to try to "have it all" ~300 miles inland.

[tomfl]

Lots of stuff written about fboats I don't agree with.

First thing to note is there are too many flavors of fboats to make general statements about then. Something like the really older tramps of the early C24 MKI are actually fairly tame boats. Not saying reefing is not needed at times rather as long as the wind is below 15 knots you don't need to reef and it is fairly easy to get good enough at weather prediction to recognize when you need to reef. On the other hand something like the C31 can be a real hand full since it has a very powerful rig. Many of the newer fboats have two (or more) versions; one a regular and then a high performance one (but these may be above the OP's price point). While you can get in trouble with any boat I always found the fboats under 30 feet very easy and safe to sail unless they were the high performance version. There is no question in my mind something like a center cockpit C28 would be my first choice for the OP's first boat. It has significant room and a Vberth forward and an aft cabin, as well as a possible bunk in the galley. One advantage it has over a monohull is a real separation of the sleeping areas.

I recently got a Prindle 18-2. Had to trailer it a few hundred miles behind my Sprinter van and got a new respect for what trailering a boat means. I have also helped others trailer their small fboats. I have to say anyone who does not have direct experience trailering a boat may be in for a rude awakening the first time they try. My Sprinter van is rated to tow 8,000 pounds and it was obvious towing a 400 pound beach cat changed a lot of things. You need a real vehicle with significant towing ability and a basic level of skill towing. Not to mention backing up is an eye opener.

One thing I really disagree with concerns the idea that you always take a bath buying a boat when you later sell it. I am still looking for a great deal on an fboat. Only found one I was ready to pull the trigger on and it was a C36 in Germany but COVID-19 got in the way. It is generally accepted that fboats hold their value well and as long as you don't abuse it you should have a very low cost of ownership when selling it.

One huge advantage of the smaller fboats is how easy it is to tent camp with them. Even a 30 foot monohull can get very crowded above deck, especially when rolling at an anchorage. The smaller fboats offer what will seem like a dance floor above decks compared to a monohull.

There are lots of reasons I am such an fboat fanboy; many of them listed above. But the bottom line is Ian Farrier is responsible for designing and being involved with the production of the most successful production trimarans. No other boat offers the speed, comfort, room, and ease of sailing as his boats do. That popularity is why they hold their value so well.

[ssmoot]

Originally Posted by tomfl

I have to say anyone who does not have direct experience trailering a boat may be in for a rude awakening the first time they try.

Can you expand on that? Issues with trailer sway? More wind resistance than you were expecting at highway speeds?

[fred4936]

When I decided to start more cruising, we found our Tartan 27-2. She has been great! We learned a great deal and had a great time. Since it worked out well, we now have the Pearson 34-2 that will take us on the Great Loop, Bahamas, and who knows where else when we retire in 2-3 years. We have some time to get this boat the way we want until then. The Tartan is reluctantly on the market. So yes, starting with a smaller boat is a good idea, IMHO. You learn things you did not know you did not know!

[reneaston]

Buy a smaller or trailerable boat if you are unsure of your path. Buy a bigger boat if you are sure so you can start setting it up over the years. It sounds as if you are unsure at this point. Rene

[Jimmy4Jesus]

Less than 20 would buy you a fairly new 26M kids bunk under the cockpit with one on each side of the hull and adults have the V-birth. Easy to trailer and seems to be holding their value pretty consistently. Not a lot of complicated systems to maintain and keep up with. Many "sailors" don't care for them but they may fit your purpose. I have a 26X.

[Captn_Black]

As far a resale is concerned, over 15-20 years old, the price will remain pretty stable for reselling, assuming the condition is that same or better than when you brought her.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by ssmoot

Can you expand on that? Issues with trailer sway? More wind resistance than you were expecting at highway speeds?

A long list of things.

Unless your vehicle is set up for it you will need to add mirrors on both sides and adjust them so you can see what is behind and beside your. You have to slow down everything you do. Changing lanes is a huge deal, looking for overtaking vehicles, signaling, looking again, can't just swerve on over you have to be slow and make sure you have plenty of space. Breaking is also something that requires slow deliberate action, you can't just jam on the breaks you will not stop the way you do not trailering. You have to think way a head of where you are. You also have to worry about turn radius, can't turn the way you normally do. Your whole approach to driving has to go into slow motion mode.

Trailer sway is something that should not happen if you set up the trailer right. As for highway speeds unless you have a big powerful special purpose vehicle highway speed is 55mph at most. I am lucky in that I can time my trips to low traffic times and am careful to fill up with fuel and not need to stop along the way, but in many gas stations distances are so tight you need real skill to get in and out.

Did I mention backing up is beyond the skill level of many folks; especially if their mirrors are not correctly set up. Not saying these skills can't be learned just that there is a big difference between trailering a 30 foot boat, maybe with a mast even longer, than driving a car.

[Niall leslie]

- I grew up sailing in the West of Scotland and now at 70 still sail there when I can.
- A starter boat is a very good idea ( possibly something up to 30' / $25,000 +- maximum? )
- Learn what it's all about over a year or two then decide what to do based on your own experience, not the advice of other people.
- For most people sailing is similar to flying and maintaining one's own aircraft - it is a lot of work and also a lot of things have to be learned to make it fun and lasting as well as reasonably safe. It's not just hopping into a tow vehicle and taking off for the weekend with a travel trailer. For many people the rewards are very well worth the effort but for some it just doesn't "click".
- Much better to find out with something reasonably uncomplicated if that is the case and also remember the old maxim " the most fun is usually had in the smallest and most simple boat".
- All the above is why I'm starting off again with a used, single cylinder, dual purpose motorcycle again after many years of not riding.
- Good luck and remember to enjoy!!
- Niall

[hamburking]

When my kids were born, the demands at home put sailing on the back burner. So I sold my big beautiful Hunter Legend 35.5. I knew I would get another big boat when my kids were old enough to enjoy sailing. In the meantime, I bought a boat so I could go sailing while I was waiting. I bought a little C&C25 for next to nothing. It turned out to be such a great boat! Fast, fun, and spacious for 25 feet. A little boat with a big boat feel. And my kids LOVED IT! We sailed that thing everywhere and in all kinds of weather....big waves, big winds....double reefed main and working jib, half rolled, was our most common rig.

Finally had to sell it when the kids got too big for it. Still looking for my big boat.

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

Definitely. You will have a far better idea what you want from your boat and what you want to do to it after you've dealt with a starter boat first.

Agreed. Not to mention invaluable experience. I am very happy with my junk rig, but would have been intimidated by the design if I hadn't got a good understanding of sailing and living aboard in my previous boat. No amount of sailing courses can equal the practical experience you gain from actually owning a boat.