Towable Sailboat "Trailer Sailing"

[Brian McVickers]

Nice Photoshop

That reminds me of about two years ago when Amy and I were in the Exuma Islands in the bahamas. We spend a few weeks on Farmers Cay and there was an 8 foot Tiger Shark in the area that would CHASE DINGHYS!!!

No Joke! This shark would chase dinghys around in the bay and bite their outboard motors:smileeek:

It never happened to us but a few people we met. Then a few days later during one of the local sailing races a local C-class Bahamian racing boat sank in about 15 feet of water. We dove in to help them re-surface the boat and all I remember is trying very hard to concentrate on the task while looking over my shoulder every other second! Never saw the shark and very thankful of that!

We did however get to see som large Lemon Sharks in the same area

So word to the wise, if you are ever in an anchorage don't clean your fish and throw the scraps overboard among all the boats. It attracts the predatory fish like sharks and big baracuda and then they tend to hang out in the area waiting for more! I was a little iritated by the boat that was tossing the scraps as it spoiled the swimming experience for the whole anchorage.

SHARKS KINDA FREAK ME OUT:smilies27

 

[Scott Brady]

Having swam with sharks in Florida, they can be quite intimidating. I am most concerned after spearing a fish. Then I dont have a loaded speargun and have a bleeding fish in my hands.

You know your alive then.

I will say that the Giant Barracuda are the most unnerving. They are so fast and sleek that they can swim right up to your head without you knowing. You turn and there they are, mouth open trying to decide if they can eat you or not...

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Caution!........Very Strange Sharks!

.....another one spotted!.....hehe

 

[bigreen505]

For those looking for a boat of the faster sort that can be easily taken to Baja or someplace else, check a Hoot!

All I can say is I am buying one as soon as I can get the cash to do so. Sailing is one of my passions and a single handed skiff that I can easily cartop and take with me is too cool to pass up! How cool would it be to bring one of these with you to Baja? I know the thread is really about live aboard boats, but this way you can camp on the beach and sail a skiff. Works for me.

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

OK!

It's been a while since this thread has been active!

But I still want to do this one day!

I've recently seen some really kewl Baja Sailing Expeditions! Looks REALLY Fun!.....I think I would need an Off~Road dirt bike at least!


http://www.baja-haha.com/


How can I do this with my little Toyota 4Runner>?!!.......OR.......Other.

A MacGregor?

(Attn. Wil............I was able to post this pic from the MacGregor website. But I can't post up IMG Pics from Photobucket!)




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[Andrew Walcker]

When I start looking for my trailer sailor I will seriously consider a Corsair folding trimaran. I crewed on a F31 in college and they are very well constructed, fun to sail, lightweight, minimal draft, and plenty of storage space. Check out www.corsairmarine.com

The F boats by Corsair are very nice, but even used will be near the 100K mark. You are insured of being one of the fastest sailboats in the water. The almas are very light weight and since they fold, you can store one in a regular width birth.

My dad and I actually own a Stiletto 27' foot catamaran that is fully collapsible and can trailer. We keep it down in Mission Bay since it sees a lot of use The local Corsairs won't mess with us anymore since we can usually smoke them as long as it not an upwind beat. :gunt: The plus side is that we regularly take the boat from San Diego to Catalina with no problems, can cruise w/ a 9 hp Honda 4 stroke at 13 knots all day long and the best part, you can find them used and in good shape in the 20k range. I had a friend last year that sold his Stiletto 23' and is now living full time in the Carribean on a 45' Fountain Pajot!

http://www.stilettocatamarans.com/
http://stiletto.wildjibe.com/

 

[Andrew Walcker]

Having swam with sharks in Florida, they can be quite intimidating. I am most concerned after spearing a fish. Then I dont have a loaded speargun and have a bleeding fish in my hands.

You know your alive then.

A trick from the native spear fisherman when I lived in the Marshall Islands was to tie 20 feet of line to your waist and tow a large plastic bin or bucket behind you. When you speared the fish take it straight to the top and dump it in the bucket.

Old Marshallese saying, "It's always the shark you don't see that eats you!"

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

Would you buy this boat?

http://www.hereintown.net/~jsiehler/Tradewinds/Tradewinds.html

A Luger Tradewinds 26............


And.............

Would you tow it down to San Felipe or other, nearby..........
....and juz cruise?

What if you could pick one up for as little as $5,000.................including dual axle trailer!!?

 

[Ursa Minor]

Luger...

...could be a decent little boat, but:

What drives worth in a 20+ year old boat isn't what you buy, but what you'll need to replace to make it seaworthy. If there's rot in any of the marine ply or balsa, it's chainsaw & landfill it. Same for any blisters or damage to hull/deck/mast. Engine, sails, rigging, hardware also add up very quick, the usual joke is exponential to length, and Lugar has been closed for 20 years, so when the odd fitting goes (and they will) you're looking at custom work. There are no sailboat junkyards.

The other thing that impacts used boat prices is the reputation - both build quality as well has how it sails. It may look ok but not go to windward with that swing keel for example. I'd definitely want to see it towed, launch & sail it, but for $5K I doubt the seller will bother. A tough negotiator would go see it, if you like it then talk to his spouse a week later and offer to haul it away.

This is probably at least a 3500 pound tow, including trailer & boat & equipment, you'd might want to check the trailer out pretty well before heading to Baja - it's tires, brakes & bearings that go here in SoCal.

For me, at 27 feet it's sorta big for pocket cruising (hard to tow or beach it) but light for the open ocean given the trailerable part. On a nice day, you'd be good for Catalina. On the other hand, nothing tightens the ol' bowels more than clawing off a lee shore in a chubasco when your anchor dragged, the prop's wrapped and it's pitch dark. Ain't no coasties in Mexico listening for your call...

No, for me this one looks better for inland lakes. Like most things though, with alternate sailing experience you could have a diamond in the rough!

cheers
John

 

[Scenic WonderRunner]

What>?!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If it were that bad...................?

Nobody would Ever Buy a Boat................!





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[Sojourn]

I am suprised that no one has mentioned Hunter trailerables.

http://www.sailboatowners.com/classified/results.tpl

However, as a former trailer sailor, I have yet to see a water ballast boat that would standup to off shore conditions(the Gulf of California is a big place). The rigging is too light, not enough ballast and usually if the cabin is large enough to spend any time in it, it sets too high in the water. Which make them tough to sail in anything but the calmest conditions. Simply put they are very "tender", they are designed for protected bays and small lake sailing. With that said, they is nothing more rewarding than sailing a well built boat in conditions that it was designed for.

What bliss to be in the cockpit with the sun and the warm breeze on one's skin, just watching the sea, and the sky and the sails...

- Sir Francis Chichester

For beach exploring, my money is on a roll up inflatable large enough to handle a 15hp outboard.

View attachment 20821

 

[24HOURSOFNEVADA]

I've enjoyed this thread.

 

[Ursa Minor]

alternates

If it were that bad...................?
Nobody would Ever Buy a Boat................!
................................................................

no, no, no...it's not that it's that bad (worst day on the water is better than the best day at the office methinks) but buying a trailer sailboat capable of a week long trip in Baja...the Lugar might not be the boat to buy @ $5K for that trip.

There's a West Wight Potter down in IB on craigslist san diego under $2000 this moment. That's a nice little boat from a company still in business, good for light cruising, Baja even if done with a eye out for the weather. You can pop it in Mission Bay for fun or to build experience. A new one will run you ~10K or so.

 

[kerry]

I've got a 23' Macgregor Venture Newport. Paid $3k for it with a double axle trailer. It's way more pleasing to the eye than the other Macregors. It's cutter rigged with a bowsprit and clubfooted staysail. It draws about a foot and a half with the keel up.
I've also got a Ranger 33 but I wanted a trailerable boat for places like the Baja.

 

[Nullifier]

Sea Pearl 21

Personally I am really into the Sea pearl 21 units from Marnine Concepts. These little boats are based on an old Herreshoff design and are incredible little boats. True yacht quality that can go anywhere. They can be towed by a 4 cyl car no problem and hang with any small boat on the water. They come in a mono hull standard however can be ordered as a trimeran.

Ours is a mono hull and we have sailed it for 7 years now. No matter where we go with it we are always stopped by yachters saying man I wish I had one of those. I kbow several owners and they had triailered them up north to the north channel and one even was sent down to patagonia for a sailing expedition.

They cxan comfortable seat 6 and you can even get a camping cabin that can sleep 2 on the mono hull if your in sleeping bags.

Here is a link to the site and some of my pics.

www.marine-concepts.com sea pearl 21
sailing the Sp 21 with gps stats
sp 21 tri sailing