Hello, Everyone!

[ForeverDes]

I'm new to the forum and the sailing world in general, in fact I haven't even a boat yet. Living in dry farm country there is a distinct lack of sailboats near me, but Lake Michigan is not that far.

One day soon I'll have a boat, and do some lake sailing and see how it suits me. (I've done a bit of sailing in the past, always as a very green hand whose main duty was NOT to get in the way of the boom.) Eventually I'd like to take an extended cruise down towards the Bahamas and Yucatan, and perhaps up to Alaska.

I'm mostly interested in single-handing a boat, and I'd be grateful for any advice on the which sailboats would be comfortable for lake sailing and occasional overnighting. (My only preference is for a trailerable/launchable swingkeel or centerboarder. My geographic location means I either sail in a small lake full-time, keep my boat 3+ hours from home In Lake Michigan, or have the ability to move it on my own.)

I'm also aware that some sailing lessons are in order, and that may be how I spend some Winter or early Spring vacation. (In Florida, not Indiana :P)

[Pblais]

I've done a bit of sailing in the past, always as a very green hand whose main duty was NOT to get in the way of the boom.

It's still a good thing to know.

You'll find small trailer-able boats are offered for sale in local papers and at marinas. It's a good way to start and it does not require a huge investment. I would work within the limits of a cash deal and you may find some bargains. Used boat like that would be a lot of fun. You probably won't sail off to far away places with it but you'll learn a lot and have fun. You need to find ways to get on the water and enjoy it. If you never sailed off far away you could still enjoy sailing many years. Think about having fun!

Courses offered in neat places can be found through US Sail and American Sail Association (ASA) around the country and in the islands. It can be a great vacation too. You learn by doing and gain experience. I can't recommend it too strongly. A good start is just a good idea and you can have fun at the same time too.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by ForeverDes

I'm new to the forum and the sailing world in general, in fact I haven't even a boat yet. Living in dry farm country there is a distinct lack of sailboats near me, but Lake Michigan is not that far.

One day soon I'll have a boat, and do some lake sailing and see how it suits me. (I've done a bit of sailing in the past, always as a very green hand whose main duty was NOT to get in the way of the boom.) Eventually I'd like to take an extended cruise down towards the Bahamas and Yucatan, and perhaps up to Alaska.

I'm mostly interested in single-handing a boat, and I'd be grateful for any advice on the which sailboats would be comfortable for lake sailing and occasional overnighting. (My only preference is for a trailerable/launchable swingkeel or centerboarder. My geographic location means I either sail in a small lake full-time, keep my boat 3+ hours from home In Lake Michigan, or have the ability to move it on my own.)

I'm also aware that some sailing lessons are in order, and that may be how I spend some Winter or early Spring vacation. (In Florida, not Indiana :P)

What have you got for a tow vehicle? That affects potential recommendations.

[ForeverDes]

Paul,
Thanks for the words of encouragement!
I've actually found some ASA certified lessons not too far from me, but my schedule doesn't allow time for them this year. However lessons are a priority, and early next year looks good for them.

Adelie,
I have access to about any size towing vehicle I want, one of the benefits of working in construction and farming. Ideally I can pull with a full-size diesel pick-up, and anything under ~8k lbs should be fine. (Our Skid Loader is almost 4 ton, we pull it regularly)

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, ForeverDes.

[Waterway Guide]

Welcome aboard! Hope you find that perfect boat and get sailing!

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by ForeverDes

Adelie,
I have access to about any size towing vehicle I want, one of the benefits of working in construction and farming. Ideally I can pull with a full-size diesel pick-up, and anything under ~8k lbs should be fine. (Our Skid Loader is almost 4 ton, we pull it regularly)

My suggestion would be to buy a used Laser dinghy or a new RS Quba and sail that for 2-4hr every other weekend for a year. (2-4hr sailing time, excluding rigging and derigging.) You want to practice man overboard, tacking, MOB, gybing, MOB, capsizing, MOB, docking, MOB, sailing to a specific point and back, and MOB.

This will teach you SAILING. If you start on a bigger boat you get somewhat distracted with anchoring, managing crew, maps, GPS, head requirements, licensing, electronics, engines, fueling, ... All things you need to learn but you are not focused on the fundamentals of making the boat go with sails.

For a small overnighter I would recommend:
CAL 20 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
CATALINA 22 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
CATALINA 22 CB sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
HOLDER 20 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
BAYFIELD 23 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
BAYFIELD 25 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
There are lots of Cal's and Catalina around.
There are fewer Holders but it is a nice light boat, should be easy to get in and out of the water.
The Bayfield is a fairly serious boat, you could go offshore in it. Actually 2 Cal 20's have sailed from the west coast to HA, but generally they would not be considered an offshore boat without a fair bit of strengthening.


If you wanted something more involved but trailerable:
HOBIE 33 sailboat specifications and details on sailboatdata.com
You would need crew for the Hobie.

[Amapola]

Welcome and may your boating dreams come true.

[micah719]

G'day FD, welcome!

The "start small" advice sounds wise...though one can avoid those nasty MOB surprises by simply heaving the crew overboard before passing the harbour entrance....no surprises that way, and they should be able to dogpaddle back to shore. Dock maneuvring seems to be the hardest for a singlehander, so once those are over one can dispense with the assistants....

[In Training]

Where are you in Indiana? We are in Elkhart.

Bob and Cheryl

[ForeverDes]

Adelie, sounds like some pretty good advice. It's hard to know what a good size boat is for sailing and fun at this juncture, and your input helps narrow down my field.
Whatever I end up with needs to be reasonably comfortable for me and my three children to spend 3-4 hours on at a time, with appropriate swim breaks, of course!
Micah, your mob technique seems both simple and effective, and very much my style :-)
Bob and Cheryl, I'm in Rushville, so Brookville reservoir is my closest sailing arena, although I won't be terribly far from Geist or Eagle Creek if I wanted a change of scenery.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Good to have you here. Lots of opinions about what to get for your sailing pleasure but I certainly wouldn't even consider that until you've had the lessons. My first boat I bought was a Catalina 22 but I'd had lots of experience on other boats before that and would have bought an International Folkboat 26, or Contessa 26 if I'd had the money at the time.
There is also a lot to be said for buying what everyone else on your lake is sailing and possibly racing because you'll have something that you can resell easily and possibly race against others to build your skills.
kind regards,