New to Sailing: Want Dinghy to Cross Ocean

[rattleshirt]

I am currently watching for a dinghy to learn to sail in. My (after learning to sail) goal is to get a trailerable boat that can be used on the Ohio River and still have the capacity for ocean crossings. Does such a thing exist? What atributes should such a vessel have? Or is this a mad concept?

[Adelie]

Best bet for a dinghy would be a Laser.
Plenty around, self-bailing, easy to right, easy to rig, car-top-able,, easy to store, good resale, good manufacturer supports, plenty of fleets around to bum advice from.

Trailerable ocean cruiser. I'm not seeing it. Some of the attributes that make a good offshore boat (weight and fixed keel) make for poor trailering.

My recommendation for the next step past the Laser would be a Holder 20(Hobie), Catalina 22 or Cal 20.

Unless you have a vehicle with a V8 the Holder is the way to go, light enough for even a fairly small car to pull. Cuddy cabin for overnight and weekend trips. Drop keel which is bolted in place sailing, but raises for trailering, nice performer.

Catalina and Hobie are both still in business, and Seals Spars offers good support for the the Cal.

HOLDER 20 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com
CAL 20 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com
CATALINA 22 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com

The only trailerable boat I know of that has been offshore is the Hobie 33. That was for racing, not for cruising and I wouldn't reccomend it for such.
HOBIE 33 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com

My suggestion is learn to sail on the dinghy, move up to the trailerable, then reasses your priorities.

Luck

[Lancerbye]

Welcome aboard. Start smal to see if this is really what you want.

[Unicorn Dreams]

Welcome aboard and enjoy Cruisers Forum.

[SaucySailoress]

Get a beachcat. Great to learn on (well, I thought so anyway). Powerful for their size, but very stable (unless it's windy enough to capsize) and comfortable. Plenty of space to store stuff. And tons of people have taken them across the pond! We often take ours to offshore islands.

In the US there's even a race, where they're taken up (or down - I can't remember which) the East Coast every year in day hops - I believe!!

Try thebeachcats.com

[Jim Cate]

I do believe that the Nor'Sea 27 is a trailable boat that has crossed oceans.

The existence of this boat does not mean that this is your best choice.

A lot more research should be in your future.

Cheers,

Jim

[foamcore]

There are so many kinds of dinks. It depends on how you want to sail. Maybe a Lido for easy, dry sailing to an International Canoe for more wet fun, and lots in between

[boatman61]

Try one of these... easily broken down for trailering, float in just 10inches of water and have successfully circumnavigated....
"Cookin Fat" aka 'Cookie' also competed in last years 'Jester Challenge' and came in second overall

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, rattleshirt.

Boatman is picturing a Tiki 21 catamaran, designed by James Warram
➥ http://roryandcookie.com/
➥ http://wharram.com/index.php
➥ http://wharram.com/site/node/11

[David_Old_Jersey]

Not mad. and everything is doable (whether by you is another thing - capability and wanting to!).

But odds are high once you learn to sail (BTW a Dink is a good way to start) that your ideas, needs, dreams and plans will change. So I wouldn't get too hung up on the next boat needing to be trailed - strong odds that will be one of the first compromises you make.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Try one of these... easily broken down for trailering, float in just 10inches of water and have successfully circumnavigated....
"Cookin Fat" aka 'Cookie' also competed in last years 'Jester Challenge' and came in second overall

Rory And Cookie

Rory McDougall's Photos - Wharram Builders and Friends

[boatman61]

Bow shot, hove to... with handstitched 12' x 6' sprayhood... 'Yeah... I know...bragging again...'

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Best bet for a dinghy would be a Laser.
Plenty around, self-bailing, easy to right, easy to rig, car-top-able,, easy to store, good resale, good manufacturer supports, plenty of fleets around to bum advice from.

Trailerable ocean cruiser. I'm not seeing it. Some of the attributes that make a good offshore boat (weight and fixed keel) make for poor trailering.

My recommendation for the next step past the Laser would be a Holder 20(Hobie), Catalina 22 or Cal 20.

Unless you have a vehicle with a V8 the Holder is the way to go, light enough for even a fairly small car to pull. Cuddy cabin for overnight and weekend trips. Drop keel which is bolted in place sailing, but raises for trailering, nice performer.

Catalina and Hobie are both still in business, and Seals Spars offers good support for the the Cal.

HOLDER 20 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com
CAL 20 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com
CATALINA 22 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com

The only trailerable boat I know of that has been offshore is the Hobie 33. That was for racing, not for cruising and I wouldn't reccomend it for such.
HOBIE 33 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com

My suggestion is learn to sail on the dinghy, move up to the trailerable, then reasses your priorities.

Luck

I retract my statement about not seeing a trailerable as an ocean cruiser. See similar thread http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tml#post666678 .

My advice stands about sailing the dinghy then getting a light trailerable boat then reassessing.

[rattleshirt]

Thanks for all the advice. I have a lot of research to do. Ideally whatever dinghy I get to learn with would be a suitable type to use as a tender. I was considering a Hobie but it will probably be whatever I can find cheaply.

[foamcore]

A dink to learn on that can double as a tender, not so likely. A hobie would be a great boat to learn on.