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Old 28-05-2017, 09:57   #1
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Small Sailboats - Trailering

Hey Good People,

I looked around the forum a bit but didn't really find a question like this.

I'm thinking about buying a small sailboat this year or next. but I'm looking for something that is fairly easily trailerable. My son has a Tacoma we would use to haul it.

I'm not completely convinced that we won't get something a little bigger and look for an inexpensive slip on Lake Champlain in VT, just looking around at options.

Any advice on small boats for trailering?
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Old 30-05-2017, 06:44   #2
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Lots of small, trailerable sailboats out there. It really depends on just how small you want to go. I used to own a trailerable sailboat that pushed the limits of what you could pull behind a 4WD pickup truck with a big V-8 in it. I now own a trailerable sailboat that I can pull behind a Toyota Corolla. There is a complete spectrum between these extremes.

Personally, having been from one extreme to the other, with several other boats in between, I would advise looking for the smallest boat that will fill all of your needs, rather than the largest boat that you can possibly manage.

Good luck.
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Old 30-05-2017, 07:12   #3
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

We have a trailerable San Juan 7.7. It pushes the limits on towable, and launch able for our lake. But we can make it work. We do keep it in a slip, it's easier and lets us use it more.
My advice would be look at marinas at your lake. Certain models will stand out as the most common. That will tell you what works well there. Talk to the owners to find out local issues like ramp problems, depth restrictions ect.

Good luck, lake sailing is fun and can teach you a lot.
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Old 30-05-2017, 07:36   #4
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

WindRider 17 and a tent, depending on your needs. But again size is set by use and crew.
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Old 01-06-2017, 13:43   #5
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

See this thread here about Trailer Sailors and Pocket Cruisers

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...es-175115.html
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Old 01-06-2017, 14:58   #6
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Do you just want to daysail, or do you want room and amenities for overnights and/or extended cruising?

A Catalina 22 is probably towable by your Tacoma, and has room to sleep aboard. Also has comfortable sitting headroom, which the MacGregor 21 does not.
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Old 01-06-2017, 15:28   #7
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cormorant View Post
Do you just want to daysail, or do you want room and amenities for overnights and/or extended cruising?

A Catalina 22 is probably towable by your Tacoma, and has room to sleep aboard. Also has comfortable sitting headroom, which the MacGregor 21 does not.
This is accurate. I've owned both the MacGregor 21 and a Catalina 22. I bought the Catalina because the Mac cabin was far too small to use in any practical way. Most Catalina 22s have a retractable keel so that they sit low on a trailer and are easy to launch but provide a bit of room inside. The one I found is a fixed keel - so it takes a bit more to trailer and launch - but I do believe the Cat 22 is the best compromise when trailer sailing.
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Old 01-06-2017, 15:35   #8
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

The keel will determine a lot about launching and trailerability. Plus the trailer and boat ramps that you use.

My ~5500 pound 26' S2 with 4' draft was pulled by my Ford F150 with 281 for 1250 miles. The engine performed wonderfully. The transmission may have been cooked if I had been unable to get out of a really bad traffic jam. Starting while pointed uphill is tough. I avoided anything resembling a mountain pass in any way, shape, or form.

Engine and transmission cooling equipment are big factors. So are brakes.

Tacoma doesn't seem too bad for trailering and trailering opens up so many options. I'm thinking of 22'-24' with an adjustable keel. Being able to sleep on a boat makes it so much better.

My boat is a little too large to relish long tow trips and ramp launches. It can be done of course. Easy enough to attach a cable to the trailer and allow the trailer further out into the lake. May need a working tire under the front of the trailer.
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Old 23-06-2017, 05:14   #9
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Question to those, who trailer in Europe: there is a width limit of 2.55m, as far as I know in the whole continent. Does that mean that I can pick an exactly 2.55m beam boat? How do the authorities check the dimensions usually? Just looking at the boat's papers or measuring? (I am asking because I have to cross a few borders, like Italy, Slovenia, Croatia)
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Old 23-06-2017, 05:25   #10
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Now the rules on width are less than clear. But the 2.55m might be the maximum outside measurement or it might be the outside measurement of the the trailer. The load being a separate issue, this applies to the length as well.

A trailer and its load (your boat) are two different things.

I would start here:

NTTA Guide to Safe & Legal Towing

and then read this in depth:

https://www.theaa.com/european-break...ving-in-europe

I take it you passed your car test before 1997? or if after you have taken a trailer test.

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Old 23-06-2017, 06:26   #11
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

I am younger than that I am prepared to take the BE-test in the coming months. I was not aware of the 7m length limit! In German regulations I keep finding an 18m overall limit and just a 12m limit for the tow. 12m/40' wouldn't be an issue, but 7m very much...

Quote:
Width and length
The maximum trailer width for any towing vehicle is 2.55 metres.

The maximum length for a trailer towed by a vehicle weighing up to 3,500kg is 7 metres. This length does not include the A-frame.
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Old 25-06-2017, 08:29   #12
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cormorant View Post
Do you just want to daysail, or do you want room and amenities for overnights and/or extended cruising?
This criteria really needs to be answered before you can narrow the search down. Shallow draft/retractable keel are a given in a trailer sailor, but the question of day sailing vs. cruising represents a major fork in the road.
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Old 25-06-2017, 10:10   #13
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Hi:

We have a 18.5 foot 1200 pound Sandpiper 565 which we will tow and launch with our Jeep Patriot. Boat, trailer and gear just squeak in under the 2000 pound rating of the vehicle which has the trailer package installed. It is very cramped, but we have stayed on board for 2 weeks at a time in the North channel. It was not sailed at all last season, but I expect it will get out this season on a local inland lake.

We also have a Tanzer 22, which with trailer and gear is a 5000 pound load. We do not own a suitable tow vehicle for this boat, so we borrow a truck to launch and retrieve seasonally. Much more room, but still pretty tight. We have also spent 2 weeks on this boat and it is preferable to the Sandpiper. I would not want to launch and retrieve this boat for any duration under a week, whereas we have taken the smaller boat out for 3 day runs at a local inland lake.

PM me if you have any specific questions, or continue the conversation in this thread.

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Old 25-06-2017, 10:31   #14
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

Quote:
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We have a 18.5 foot 1200 pound Sandpiper 565
Sandpiper owners - represent!
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Old 25-06-2017, 12:57   #15
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Re: Small Sailboats - Trailering

BTW is there a database that can be searched defining weight and size at the same time? Advertising sites I know only allow for length not displacement - and beam is also important, because everything above 2.55m beam requires a special permits in each country you are crossing.
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