Trailer Sailor & Pocket Cruiser Boats, Tips, Advice, Examples

[Steadman Uhlich]

Kent 26' Ranger

LOA = 26'
Trailerable
Asking Price = $10,000
Location = Northern California
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Steady's NOTES:

What captured my attention with this boat is bound to do that when she is on the water: the clipper bow details (also seen on another Pocket Cruiser I will feature later, the Kenner) and overall condition.

I have looked at many Pocket Cruisers, and most do not appeal to me. This one does. I admit I like boats with some distinctive design, and traditional styled boats appeal to me more strongly than most production boats. This boat appears to have both characteristics.

In addition, this boat, while small, does have a feature I highly recommend if you plan on day sailing or cruising with a female guest(s) aboard: An Enclosed Head. I see this as a plus on any small boat.

From my POV, she looks like a boat worth investigating if you have a desire for a Pocket Cruiser that can be trailered.

I will let the photos and the owner's description tell the rest.

NOTE!!
As with most of my posts in this thread and others, I am posting photos to ILLUSTRATE what this boat design may look like. Please be aware that I use photos from a MIX of sources and not all of them may be of the boat linked in any sale listings I provide. I am doing this to illustrate common features and designs.
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From the Sale Listing:

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/boa/5869862107.html

Kent Ranger Sailboat Designed by Raymond Richards and built in Kent Washington. NOT the California built Gary Mull Ranger.
This is a very sturdy boat suitable as a pocket cruiser. She is easily single handed and sails very well. Often mistaken for a Flicka. The Kent Ranger 26 is a lot roomier down below than the Flicka. "Philomena" is a well priced boat. She was repainted in 2013. This is a clean ready to sail boat. The teak is in very good condition and very well maintained. There are two round brass porthole windows and 4 rectangular windows providing lots of light in the salon. The forward berth is very large and very comfortable. There are also two berths starboard and port side. She sits on a tandem axle trailer in a dry slip at Folsom Lake. The trailer has electric brakes.
1978 Hull #47
26' Fiberglass
HONDA 9.9 HP 4 -Stroke (in well)
Aluminum Mast and Boom
Main Sail in good serviceable condition
3 Forward Sails in serviceable condition
Sleeps 4 People
6'2' standing headroom
Enclosed Head
Two burner stove
Sink
LOA 26'
LWL 22'
BEAM 8' BALLAST 1600LB LEAD
DISPLACEMENT 4750LBS
DRAFT BOARD UP 2' 4"
DRAFT BOARD DOWN 4' 10"
CENTERBOARD WAS REBUILT IN 2013 NEW STANCHION SHEAVE HOUSING & PENDANT

Negatives
Sail and railing covers could be replaced
Tires on trailer are in OK condition but will need replacing
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[Sumner]

Hi all, at the beginning of this thread by Steady Hand he posted links to my Bahama trip in my Macgregor 26. I was negligent in finishing the trip report but had been working on it and didn't want to post it in bits and pieces so waited until it was finished.

Well I recently finished it and gave a quick overview of the balance of the trip on here along with links to the trip. If you have interest in the whole or balance of the trip here is a link that will help you....

Finally finished my trip log for the Bahama Trip... - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

Also thanks to Steady Hand for starting this tread for trailer sailors and pocket cruisers,

Sumner

[nautical62]

Telstar Triamaran 26 (Older 70s-80s version)

I owned this for two cruises and then sold it.

Advantages I saw:

*Lighter than most keel boats to trailer
*Nice package on a trailer folds out to much wider boat for sailing.
*More robust and more interior volume than most racing designed trimarans.
*Very fast in light air, low sea conditions (compared to monos)
*Great for exploring shallow water areas, getting in close when anchoring and other shallow water needs.
* Light weight allowed easy anchoring by hand.

Disadvantages I experienced:

*Mine had a very complex trailer launching system
*Need wide ramp to launch
*Rigging was cumbersome and I thought dangerous (raising and pinning Amas)
*Lots of water intrusion through centerboard trunk and pivot bolt in heavier conditions.
*Lots of under deck slamming in any seas of 3 feet or more made upwind progress very, very difficult.
* Good space for a tri, but less than a mono
* Very weight sensitive. (Consider 2 people and provisions for a month)


My overall opinion is it's a boat worthy of consideration for more protected conditions, but I though it was not a good choice for the conditions typical of Florida to Bahamas sailing, including 3 foot chop on the banks, so I sold it and moved onto a non-trailerable boat in charter.

You may find a more detailed review here by another owner. I agree with most of this review, except my feelings about it's performance in heavier conditions differ greatly.

Telstar trimaran introduction by Joe Siudzinski

[Steadman Uhlich]

Originally Posted by nautical62

Telstar Triamaran 26 (Older 70s-80s version)

I owned this for two cruises and then sold it.

Advantages I saw:

*Lighter than most keel boats to trailer
*Nice package on a trailer folds out to much wider boat for sailing.
*More robust and more interior volume than most racing designed trimarans.
*Very fast in light air, low sea conditions (compared to monos)
*Great for exploring shallow water areas, getting in close when anchoring and other shallow water needs.
* Light weight allowed easy anchoring by hand.

Disadvantages I experienced:

*Mine had a very complex trailer launching system
*Need wide ramp to launch
*Rigging was cumbersome and I thought dangerous (raising and pinning Amas)
*Lots of water intrusion through centerboard trunk and pivot bolt in heavier conditions.
*Lots of under deck slamming in any seas of 3 feet or more made upwind progress very, very difficult.
* Good space for a tri, but less than a mono
* Very weight sensitive. (Consider 2 people and provisions for a month)


My overall opinion is it's a boat worthy of consideration for more protected conditions, but I though it was not a good choice for the conditions typical of Florida to Bahamas sailing, including 3 foot chop on the banks, so I sold it and moved onto a non-trailerable boat in charter.

You may find a more detailed review here by another owner. I agree with most of this review, except my feelings about it's performance in heavier conditions differ greatly.

Telstar trimaran introduction by Joe Siudzinski

Thank you for adding to the discussion with such a good post!

I wish everyone posting about their boats would provide the Pros & Cons or things they Liked/Disliked or the peculiar aspects of that particular design.

Such "owner experiences" can be helpful in considering what makes a particular design not only visually appealing, and possibly a joy to sail, but also a possible joy to own or maintain. Some other designs may look good on paper or in brochures, but have some design flaws or shortcomings in performance or comfort or materials that only experience would show or reveal.

So...

I hope anyone posting about a Trailer Sailor Boat they have OWNED will post the Likes AND the Dislikes about that boat. That helps!

[Steadman Uhlich]

Blue Moon Yawl 24' WOOD

Tom Gilmer design.

Here is a link to a cute pocket cruiser (24') I just profiled in a sister thread (Outstanding Boats) here on CF. There is much more information and more photos via the link below.

As a "pocket cruiser" it does have some limitations due to size. There is no standing headroom. There is no enclosed head. The berths and interior are relatively spartan. But, for some sailors (lovers of wood boats, trailer sailors, lovers of gaff rigged boats, lovers of simplicity) this boat may be appealing and offer something not found in more common production plastic boats.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2265499

Shallow Draft: This boat has a 4' draft and LOA 24 feet.
Asking Price = $5,000 firm.

It is a wood boat, and that does cause some need for special care and maintenance. But, it is a wood boat, and that offers a wood boat lover something priceless too.

Take a look! I think it looks Outstanding.

NOTE: This boat may prove challenging to trailer. But, I have seen other boats this size on trailers, and it does fit the "pocket cruiser" description, so I am including it here. It is NOT sold with a trailer, so that would be an additional expense. I intend to start a new thread focused solely on "POCKET Cruisers that may not be trailerable." Until I start that thread, I will include this one example here.

[Steadman Uhlich]

BUMP, because I saw someone ask in another thread for suggestions for trailerable sailboats.

I will also be adding more boats to this thread soon.

I also encourage other "Trailer Sailors" to add more models to it too.

[Steadman Uhlich]

Hobie 33

Hobie 33
Most have a lifting keel. (Some listings say "swing") Some had a fixed keel.
Trailerable. Designed to be trailered. Notice it rides "low" on the trailer.
Beam is just 8 feet.
LOA = 33 feet..
Considered a light boat, (faster) and could be fun sailing if you like speed.
I raced on one and enjoyed it.
Interiors can be Spartan or fitted out with cushions etc.
Used prices as low as $10,000 including a trailer. Most listings are $20K or more, depending upon condition and "race readiness."
Popular for singlehanded racing too.

Here is a link to the Hobie33 class website with much more info and sale listings too:
Hobie 33 North American Class Association

[Learning Curve]

Wow that is one hell of a trailer sailor at 33ft! It must look enormous behind a car.

Sitting low on the trailer is a positive for launching?

[Stumble]

Originally Posted by Learning Curve

Wow that is one hell of a trailer sailor at 33ft! It must look enormous behind a car.

Sitting low on the trailer is a positive for launching?

With the boards up it can float free of the trailer in just a couple of feet of water, which is pretty easy to find at even a shallow ramp. Compare this to standard keel boat that may need 7' of water (5' keel, trailer I see 18" off the ground...

[swparis]

I think the Cape Dory Typhoon deserves a mention.
Mine lived in a wooden cradle on a flatbed trailer for a long time. This was sufficient for moving the boat across town from the boatyard to our property twice a year, but not exactly true trailer sailor criteria, as the travel-lift was necessary to get it in and out of the water.
The boat was recently moved onto a new galvanized steel trailer with an extendable tongue, which allows the trailer to go extra deep down the boat ramp for launching/recovering the full keel. I keep an old 8' aluminum ladder bungeed to the trailer frame and it aids greatly in stepping the mast in the boatyard. My full size pickup is more than ample for towing and recovering the boat. Stepping the mast takes about 30 minutes.

LOA: 18'6"
Beam: 6'3"
Draft 2'9"
displacement: 2000 lbs
ballast: 900 lbs encapsulated lead
bal/disp ratio: 44.9%
(sailboatdata.com)

Pros:
ample ballast, nice long keel.
good motion through chop.
forgiving of sail trim/helm errors.
known for solid fg construction.
simple to rig.
salty good looks.
many available on used market.

Cons:
tiny cuddy cabin not suitable for extended trips.
no standing headroom.
lots of teak (= lots of sanding).
can be a wet ride.


Although the cabin may not be as big as some like, with a boom tent to expand livable space, the boat can feel bigger than it is. With its full, fixed keel and 900 lbs of ballast, the typhoon can handle it when the wind picks up. I like that if we make weekend plans to go sailing and the weather forecast changes, chances are we can still get out. Sometimes referred to as 'America's littlest yacht' I believe these boats fit the bill for pocket cruiser/trailer sailors.

[ordkhntr]

How about Mull's Ranger 26?

Here is ours, the day we brought her home from Lake Tahoe to Eugene, OR (yes, with a F150, but it was really really hard. We had a weekend to get it and my folks had the big truck picking up their 5th wheel in AZ)
We picked one up last summer after about a year of researching what would fit our needs the best. We sail on a lake here in Oregon (Fern Ridge) but also wanted a boat that could be taken to the Gulf Islands and San Juans, maybe even make the way there up the coast. Our reservoir is drained each winter so a trailer to store your boat on is kinda mandatory. We are able to ramp launch it using a long tow strap and a spare tire on the tongue of the trailer. It works if you have a long ramp. There is also a crane/pole at the ramp that we use to lift the mast.

Our needs were:
Enough room for us to be able to stay on it comfortably for a couple weeks
At least close to standing head room
Can cruise and casually race
Can be trailered
A V berth we both fit on (I am 6' tall)
Large safe cockpit
A decent price

What I like;
I like that it moves in a light wind but is comfortable and not tippy in a blow.
It has a nice layout below, which is good in the PNW where the weather isn't always so nice.
I can stand in the cockpit and the boom wont hit me.
Easy to sail with just one or two of us.
and of course, we love the lines. Gary Mull drew some great boats!

What I don't like;
I can ALMOST stand up in it. I thought that it would be ok, but its a bugger to not be able to stand completely.
The head is right next to the V-berth
There is a sink, but not much else of a galley

What we have changed (not including "fixed" stuff or paint);
Added a solar day/night vent to the forward hatch.
Installed 2 deep cycle batteries and a solar panel (our slip on the lake doesn't have power).
Changed the seacocks, the ones on it were the household type.
Added a BBQ and we took our backpacking stove and made a hanging gymbal for it so we could use it while underway.
Added a mast plate and ran the halyards and lines to the cockpit.


Somewhere in my researching I came across the saying "all sailboats are a compromise of one sort or another". And its true. I would have loved to have a Cal 29, or something with standing headroom and an inboard, but the Ranger 26 fit all of our requirements best (including financial).

If its something you are interested in we have a Facebook page. I just became the admin of it and we are trying to make it a hub of info for the Ranger 26.

https://www.facebook.com/Ranger-26-S...-330937192653/

Here are some more photos and such

[Steadman Uhlich]

Exemplary post about the Mull Ranger 26.

Thank you for following the suggested format, and for providing such good content and observations and link and photo too.

That's very helpful to this discussion.

[GTom]

Signed up for the thread! So far I was looking for larger, ~40' ocean-going crafts but realized that kind of vessel would only get yearly 3-4 weeks of use. Being landlocked, with the right trailerable I could make use of the weekends, enjoy great flexibility.

So far I learned: as european, I'll need a type BE license, and swap my car to something that can tow 2 tons.

I've looked at the Bene First 18 (small - could get away with my actual car and B license), First Class 8, the Jeanneau Tonic 23 and the Bene First 235. I think I'll bite the bullet, forget the cheap First 18 and get that license+car swapped. That would cause much less headache than selling a boat which I/my little family finds too small.

[Adelie]

Have you looked at the older Dufour T7?

http://sailboatdata.com/viewrecord.asp?class_id=3111

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Adelie

Have you looked at the older Dufour T7?

DUFOUR T7 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com

Thanks for that one! It sits on the bureaucracy-borderline: it weighs 1.1 ton, with a quarter ton trailer I could keep my actual car and licence. But it's still on the smallish-side especially in case I want to venture a bit out to the sea. My other concern is the balsa core.