20 foot sailboat with motor

10 Best Small Sailboats (Under 20 Feet)

Best Small Sailboats Under 20 Feet | Life of Sailing

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

Compact, easy to trailer, simple to rig, easy to maintain and manage, and affordable, the best small boats all have one thing in common: they offer loads of fun while out there on the water.

So whether you're on a budget or just looking for something that can offer ultimate daytime rides without compromising on safety, aesthetic sensibilities, alternate propulsion, and speed, the best small sailboats under 20 feet should be the only way to go.

Let's be brutally honest here; not everyone needs a 30-foot sailboat to go sailing. They come with lots of features such as electronics, entertainment, refrigeration, bunks, a galley, and even a head. But do you really need all these features to go sailing? We don't think so.

All you need to go sailing is a hull, a mast, rudder, and, of course, a sail. And whether you refer to them as daysailers, trailerable sailboats , a weekender sailboat, or pocket cruisers, there's no better way to enjoy the thrills of coastal sailing than on small sailboats.

There are a wide range of small boats measuring less than 20 feet available in the market. These are hot products in the market given that they offer immense thrills out on the sea without the commitment required to cruise on a 30-footer. A small sailboat will not only give you the feel of every breeze but will also give you the chance to instantly sense every change in trim.

In this article, we'll highlight 10 best small sailboats under 20 feet . Most models in this list are time-tested, easy to rig, simple to sail, extremely fun, and perfect either for solo sailing or for sailing with friends and family. So if you've been looking for a list of some of the best small sailboats , you've come to the right place.

So without further ado, let's roll on.

Table of contents

The Marlow-Hunter 15 is not only easy to own since it's one of the most affordable small sailboats but also lots of fun to sail. This is a safe and versatile sailboat for everyone. Whether you're sailing with your family or as a greenhorn, you'll love the Hunter 15 thanks to its raised boom, high freeboard, and sturdy FRP construction.

With high sides, a comfortable wide beam, a contoured self-bailing cockpit, and fiberglass construction, the Hunter 15 is certainly designed with the novice sailor in mind. This is why you can do a lot with this boat without falling out, breaking it, or capsizing. Its contoured self-baiting cockpit will enable you to find a fast exit while its wide beam will keep it steady and stable no matter what jibes or weight shifts happen along the way.

This is a small sailboat that can hold up to four people. It's designed to give you a confident feeling and peace of mind even when sailing with kids. It's easy to trailer, easy to rig, and easy to launch. With a price tag of about $10k, the Hunter 15 is a fun, affordable, and versatile boat that is perfect for both seasoned sailors and novices. It's a low-maintenance sailboat that can be great for teaching kids a thing or two about sailing.

Catalina 16.5

Catalina Yachts are synonymous with bigger boats but they have some great and smaller boats too such as Catalina 16.5. This is one of the best small sailboats that are ideal for family outings given that it has a big and roomy cockpit, as well as a large storage locker. Designed with a hand-laminated fiberglass sloop, the Catalina 16.5 is versatile and is available in two designs: the centerboard model and the keel model.

The centerboard model is designed with a powerful sailplane that remains balanced as a result of the fiberglass centerboard, the stable hull form, and the rudder. It also comes with a tiller extension, adjustable hiking straps, and adjustable overhaul. It's important to note that these are standard equipment in the two models.

As far as the keel model is concerned, this is designed with a high aspect keel as the cast lead and is attached with stainless steel keel bolts, which makes this model perfect for mooring or docking whenever it's not in use. In essence, the centerboard model is perfect if you'll store it in a trailer while the keel model can remain at the dock.

All in all, the Catalina 16.5 is one of the best small sailboats that you can get your hands on for as low as $10,000. This is certainly a great example of exactly what a daysailer should be.

There's no list of small, trailerable, and fun sailboats that can be complete without the inclusion of the classic Hobie 16. This is a durable design that has been around and diligently graced various waters across the globe since its debut way back in 1969 in Southern California. In addition to being durable, the Hobie 16 is trailerable, great for speed, weighs only 320 pounds, great for four people, and more importantly, offers absolute fun.

With a remarkable figure of over 100,000 launched since its debut, it's easy to see that the Hobie 16 is highly popular. Part of this popularity comes from its asymmetric fiberglass-and-foam sandwiched hulls that include kick-up rudders. This is a great feature that allows it to sail up to the beach.

For about $12,000, the Hobie 16 will provide you with endless fun throughout the summer. It's equipped with a spinnaker, trailer, and douse kit. This is a high-speed sailboat that has a large trampoline to offer lots of space not just for your feet but also to hand off the double trapezes.

Montgomery 17

Popularly known as the M-17, The Montgomery 17 was designed by Lyle C. Hess in conjunction with Jerry Montgomery in Ontario, California for Montgomery Boats. Designed either with keel or centerboard models, the M-17 is more stable than most boats of her size. This boat is small enough to be trailered but also capable of doing moderate offshore passages.

This small sailboat is designed with a masthead and toe rail that can fit most foresails. It also has enough space for two thanks to its cuddly cabin, which offers a sitting headroom, a portable toilet, a pair of bunks, a DC power, and optional shore, and a proper amount of storage. That's not all; you can easily raise the deck-stepped mast using a four-part tackle.

In terms of performance, the M-17 is one of the giant-killers out there. This is a small sailboat that will excel in the extremes and make its way past larger boats such as the Catalina 22. It glides along beautifully and is a dog in light air, though it won't sail against a 25-knot wind, which can be frustrating. Other than that, the Montgomery 17 is a great small sailboat that can be yours for about $14,000.

Norseboat 17.5

As a versatile daysailer, Norseboat 17.5 follows a simple concept of seaworthiness and high-performance. This small sailboat perfectly combines both contemporary construction and traditional aesthetics. Imagine a sailboat that calls itself the "Swiss Army Knife of Boats!" Well, this is a boat that can sail and row equally well.

Whether you're stepping down from a larger cruiser or stepping up from a sea kayak, the unique Norseboat 17.5 is balanced, attractive, and salty. It has curvaceous wishbone gaff, it is saucy, and has a stubby bow-sprit that makes it attractive to the eyes. In addition to her beauty, the Norseboat 17.5 offers an energy-pinching challenge, is self-sufficient, and offers more than what you're used to.

This is a small, lightweight, low-maintenance sailboat that offers a ticket to both sailing and rowing adventures all at the same time. At about 400 pounds, it's very portable and highly convenient. Its mainsails may look small but you'll be surprised at how the boat is responsive to it. With a $12,500 price tag, this is a good small sailboat that offers you the versatility to either row or sail.

If you've been looking for a pocket cruiser that inspires confidence, especially in shoal water, look no further than the Sage 17. Designed by Jerry Montgomery in 2009, the Sage 17 is stable and should heel to 10 degrees while stiffening up. And because you want to feel secure while sailing, stability is an integral feature of the Sage 17.

This is a sailboat that will remain solid and stable no matter which part of the boat you stand on. Its cabin roof and the balsa-cored carbon-fiber deck are so strong that the mast doesn't require any form of compression post. The self-draining cockpit is long enough and capable of sleeping at 6 feet 6 inches.

The Sage 17 may be expensive at $25k but is a true sea warrior that's worth look at. This is a boat that will not only serve you right but will also turn heads at the marina.

Having been chosen as the overall boat of the year for 2008 by the Sailing World Magazine, the Laser SB3 is one of the coolest boats you'll ever encounter. When sailing upwind, this boat will lock into the groove while its absolute simplicity is legendary. In terms of downwind sailing, having this boat will be a dream come true while it remains incredibly stable even at extraordinary speed.

Since its debut in 2004, the Laser SB3 has surged in terms of popularity thanks to the fact that it's designed to put all the controls at your fingertips. In addition to a lightweight mast, its T- bulb keel can be hauled and launched painlessly. For about $18,000, the Laser SB3 ushers you into the world of sports sailing and what it feels to own and use a sports boat.

As a manufacturer, Fareast is a Chinese boat manufacturer that has been around for less than two decades. But even with that, the Fareast 18 remains a very capable cruiser-racer that will take your sailing to the next level. In addition to its good looks, this boat comes with a retractable keel with ballast bulb, a powerful rig, and an enclosed cabin.

Its narrow design with a closed stern may be rare in sailboats of this size, but that's not a problem for the Fareast 18. This design not only emphasizes speed but also makes it a lot easier to maintain this boat. Perfect for about 6 people, this boat punches above its weight. It's, however, designed to be rigged and launched by one person.

This is a relatively affordable boat. It's agile, safe, well-thought-out, well built, and very sporty.

If you're in the market looking for a small sailboat that offers contemporary performance with classic beauty, the Paine 14 should be your ideal option. Named after its famous designer, Chuck Paine, this boat is intentionally designed after the classic Herreshoff 12.5 both in terms of dimensions and features.

This is a lightweight design that brings forth modern fin keel and spade rudder, which makes it agile, stable, and faster. The Paine 14 is built using cold-molded wood or west epoxy. It has varnished gunnels and transoms to give it an old-time charm. To make it somehow modern, this boat is designed with a carbon mast and a modern way to attach sails so that it's ready to sail in minutes.

You can rest easy knowing that the Paine 14 will not only serve you well but will turn heads while out there.

Many sailors will attest that their first sailing outing was in a Lido 14. This is a classic sailboat that has been around for over four decades and still proves to be a perfect match to modern small boats, especially for those still learning the ropes of sailing.

With seating for six people, the Lido 14 can be perfect for solo sailing , single-handed sailing, or if you're planning for shorthanded sailing. While new Lido 14 boats are no longer available, go for a functional used Lido 14 and you'll never regret this decision. It will serve you well and your kids will probably fall in love with sailing if Lido 14 becomes their main vessel during weekends or long summer holidays.

Bottom Line

There you have it; these are some of the best small sailboats you can go for. While there are endless small sailboats in the market, the above-described sailboat will serve you right and make you enjoy the wind.

Choose the perfect sailboat, invest in it, and go out there and have some good fun!

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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20 Best Small Sailboats for the Weekender

By Mark Pillsbury
Updated: August 4, 2021

In order to go cruising, most of us require a sailboat with a head, a galley, and bunks. The boat, likely a 30-footer and more often a 40-footer, will have electronics for navigation and entertainment, refrigeration if the trip is longer than a coastal hop, an engine for light wind, and, depending on our appetites for food and fun, perhaps a genset to power our toys and appliances.

To go sailing , however, all we really need is a hull, mast, rudder, and sail. To experience the pure joy of sheeting in and scooting off across a lake, bay, or even the open ocean, there’s nothing better than a small sailboat – we’re talking sailboats under 25 feet. You can literally reach out and touch the water as it flows past. You instantly feel every puff of breeze and sense every change in trim.

Some of the boats in this list are new designs, others are time-tested models from small sailboat manufacturers, but every one is easy to rig, simple to sail, and looks like a whole lot of fun either for a solo outing on a breezy afternoon or to keep family and friends entertained throughout your entire sailing season. This list is made up of all types of sailboats , and if you’re looking for a list of some of the best small sailboats for beginners, you’ll find exactly that here.

Any one of these popular boats could be labeled as a trailerable sailboat, daysailer, or even a weekender sailboat. And while most would be labeled as a one or two person sailboat, some could comfortably fit three or even four people.

Marblehead 22 Daysailer

If you have an eye for elegant lines and your heart goes pitter-patter over just the right amount of overhang beneath a counter transom, the Marblehead 22 daysailer, designed by Doug Zurn and built by Samoset Boatworks in Boothbay, Maine, will definitely raise your pulse. Traditional-looking above the waterline and modern beneath, the cold-molded hull sports a deep bulb keel and a Hall Spars carbon-fiber mast with a wishbone rig and square-top main. The 11-foot-9-inch cockpit can seat a crowd, and a small cuddy forward will let you stow your friends’ gear for the day. samosetboatworks.com

Catalina 22 Sport

Many a harbor plays host to an active fleet of Catalina 22s, one of the most popular small sailboats over the years, given its basic amenities and retractable keel, which allows it to be easily trailered. Recently, the company introduced the Catalina 22 Sport, an updated design that can compete with the older 22s. The boat features a retractable lead keel; a cabin that can sleep four, with a forward hatch for ventilation; and a fractional rig with a mainsail and a roller-furling jib. Lifelines, a swim ladder, and an engine are options, as are cloth cushions; vinyl cushions are standard. The large cockpit will seat a crowd or let a mom-and-pop crew stretch out and enjoy their sail. It’s clear why the Catalina 22 is one of the best sailboats under 25 feet. catalinayachts.com

With its large, open-transom cockpit and sloop rig, the Hunter 22 makes a comfortable daysailer for family and friends. But with its cuddy cabin, twin bunks, optional electrical system, opening screened ports, and portable toilet, a parent and child or a couple could comfortably slip away for an overnight or weekend. Add in the optional performance package, which includes an asymmetric spinnaker, a pole, and a mainsheet traveler, and you could be off to the races. The boat features a laminated fiberglass hull and deck, molded-in nonskid, and a hydraulic lifting centerboard. Mount a small outboard on the stern bracket, and you’re set to go. marlow-hunter.com

Not sure whether you want to race, cruise or just go out for an afternoon sail? Since 1958, sailors have been having a ball aboard the Uffa Fox/George O’Day-designed Daysailer. Fox, who in the 1950s was on the cutting edge of planning-dinghy design, collaborated with Fall River, Massachusetts boatbuilder O’Day Corp. to build the 16-foot Daysailer, a boat that features a slippery hull and a small cuddy cabin that covers the boat roughly from the mast forward. Thousands of Daysailers were built by various builders, and they can be found used for quite affordable prices. There are active racing fleets around the US, and new Daysailers are still in production today, built by Cape Cod Ship Building. capecodshipbuilding.com

BayRaider from Swallow Boats

Easy to rig and trailer, the BayRaider from England’s Swallow Yachts is a relative newcomer to the small-boat market in the United States. Nearly all of its 19 feet 9 inches is open cockpit, though a spray hood can be added to keep the forward sections dry. The BayRaider is ketch-rigged with a gunter-style mainmast. The topmast and mizzen are both carbon-fiber, which is an option for the mainmast as well. The BayRaider can be sailed with a dry hull in lighter conditions or with 300 pounds of water ballast to increase its stability. With the centerboard and hinged rudder raised, the boat can maneuver in even the thinnest water.

$28,900, (904) 234-8779, swallowyachts.com

Big fun can come in small packages, especially if your vessel of choice happens to be the 12 ½-foot Beetle Cat. Designed by John Beetle and first built in 1921, the wooden shallow draft sailboat is still in production today in Wareham, Massachusetts at the Beetle Boat Shop. With a draft of just 2 feet, the boat is well-suited for shallow bays, but equally at home in open coastal waters. The single gaff-rigged sail provides plenty of power in light air and can be quickly reefed down to handle a blow. In a word, sailing a Beetle Cat is fun. beetlecat.com

West Wight Potter P 19

With berths for four and a workable galley featuring a cooler, a sink, and a stove, West Wight Potter has packed a lot into its 19-foot-long P 19. First launched in 1971, this is a line of boats that’s attracted a true following among trailer-sailors. The P 19′s fully retractable keel means that you can pull up just about anywhere and go exploring. Closed-cell foam fore and aft makes the boat unsinkable, and thanks to its hard chine, the boat is reportedly quite stable under way. westwightpotter.com

NorseBoat 17.5

Designed for rowing and sailing (a motor mount is optional), the Canadian-built NorseBoat 17.5—one of which was spotted by a CW editor making its way through the Northwest Passage with a two-man crew—features an open cockpit, a carbon-fiber mast, and a curved-gaff rig, with an optional furling headsail set on a sprit. The lapstrake hull is fiberglass; the interior is ply and epoxy. The boat comes standard with two rowing stations and one set of 9-foot oars. The boat is designed with positive flotation and offers good load-carrying capacity, which you could put to use if you added the available canvas work and camping tent. NorseBoats offers a smaller sibling, the 12.5, as well; both are available in kit form.

$19,000, (902) 659-2790, norseboat.com

Montgomery 17

Billed as a trailerable pocket cruiser, the Montgomery 17 is a stout-looking sloop designed by Lyle Hess and built out of fiberglass in Ontario, California, by Montgomery Boats. With a keel and centerboard, the boat draws just under 2 feet with the board up and can be easily beached when you’re gunkholing. In the cuddy cabin you’ll find sitting headroom, a pair of bunks, a portable toilet, optional shore and DC power, and an impressive amount of storage space. The deck-stepped mast can be easily raised using a four-part tackle. The builder reports taking his own boat on trips across the Golfo de California and on visits to California’s coastal islands. Montgomery makes 15-foot and 23-foot models, as well. If you’re in search of a small sailboat with a cabin, the Montgomery 17 has to be on your wish list.

With long overhangs and shiny brightwork, the CW Hood 32 is on the larger end of the daysailer spectrum. Designers Chris Hood and Ben Stoddard made a conscious decision to forego a cabin and head in favor of an open cockpit big enough to bring 4 or 5 friends or family out for an afternoon on the water. The CW Hood 32 is sleek and graceful through the water and quick enough to do some racing, but keeps things simple with a self-tacking jib and controls that can be lead back to a single-handed skipper. A top-furling asymmetrical, electric sail drive and Torqeedo outboard are all optional. The CW Hood 32 makes for a great small family sailboat. cwhoodyachts.com

Sun Cat from Com-Pac

Shallow U.S. East Coast bays and rock-strewn coasts have long been graced by cat boats, whose large, gaff-rigged mainsails proved simple and powerful both on the wind and, better yet, when reaching and running. The 17-foot-4-inch Sun Cat, built by Com-Pac Yachts, updates the classic wooden cat with its fiberglass hull and deck and the easy-to-step Mastender Rigging System, which incorporates a hinged tabernacle to make stepping the mast a one-person job. If you want a personal sailboat ideal for solo sailing, the Sun Can is a great choice. Belowdecks, the twin 6-foot-5-inch berths and many other features and amenities make this cat a willing weekender.

$19,800, (727) 443-4408, com-pacyachts.com

Catalina 16.5

The Catalina 16.5 sits right in the middle of Catalina Yachts’ line of small sailboats, which range from the 12.5 to the 22 Capri and Sport, and it comes in both an easy-to-trailer centerboard model and a shoal-draft fixed-keel configuration. With the fiberglass board up, the 17-foot-2-inch boat draws just 5 inches of water; with the board down, the 4-foot-5-inch draft suggests good windward performance. Hull and deck are hand-laminated fiberglass. The roomy cockpit is self-bailing, and the bow harbors a good-sized storage area with a waterproof hatch. catalinayachts.com

No roundup of best small sailboats (trailerable and fun too) would be complete without a mention of the venerable Hobie 16, which made its debut in Southern California way back in 1969. The company has introduced many other multihulls since, but more than 100,000 of the 16s have been launched, a remarkable figure. The Hobie’s asymmetric fiberglass-and-foam hulls eliminate the need for daggerboards, and with its kick-up rudders, the 16 can be sailed right up to the beach. Its large trampoline offers lots of space to move about or a good place to plant one’s feet when hanging off the double trapezes with a hull flying. The boat comes with a main and a jib; a spinnaker, douse kit, trailer, and beach dolly are optional features. hobiecat.com

Novice sailors or old salts looking for simplicity could both enjoy sailing the Hunter 15. With a fiberglass hull and deck and foam flotation, the boat is sturdily built. The ample freeboard and wide beam provide stability under way, and the heavy-duty rubrail and kick-up rudder mean that you won’t have to worry when the dock looms or the going grows shallow. Both the 15 and its slightly larger 18-foot sibling come standard with roller-furling jibs.

$6,900/$9,500 (boat-show prices for the 15 and 18 includes trailers), (386) 462-3077, marlow-hunter.com

Super Snark

Under various owners, the Snark brand of sailboats, now built by Meyers Boat Co., has been around since the early 1970s. The Super Snark, at 11 feet, is a simple, easily car-topped daysailer that’s fit out with a lateen rig and sail. Billed as unsinkable, the five boats in the company’s line are built with E.P.S. foam, with the external hull and deck vacuum-formed to the core using an A.B.S. polymer. The Super Snark weighs in at 50 pounds, and with a payload capacity of 310 pounds, the boat can carry two.

$970, (800) 247-6275, meyersboat.com

Norseboat 21.5

Built in Canada, the NorseBoat 21.5 is a rugged looking craft that comes in a couple of configurations: one with an open cockpit and small doghouse, and another with a smaller cockpit and cabin that houses a double berth for two adults and optional quarter berths for the kids. Both carry NorseBoat’s distinctive looking carbon fiber gaff-rigged mast with main and jib (a sprit-set drifter is optional), and come with a ballasted stub keel and centerboard. Because of its lightweight design, the boat can be rowed and is easily trailered.

$36,000 (starting), 902-659-2790, norseboat.com

Flying Scot

Talk about time-tested, the 19-foot Flying Scot has been in production since 1957 and remains a popular design today. Sloop rigged, with a conventional spinnaker for downwind work, the boat is an easily sailed family boat as well as a competitive racer, with over 130 racing fleets across the U.S. Its roomy cockpit can seat six to eight, though the boat is often sailed by a pair or solo. Hull and deck are a fiberglass and balsa core sandwich. With the centerboard up, the boat draws only eight inches. Though intended to be a daysailer, owners have rigged boom tents and berths for overnight trips, and one adventurous Scot sailor cruised his along inland waterways from Philadelphia to New Orleans.

Known primarily for its line of racing dinghys, RS Sailing also builds the 16-foot, 4-inch Venture, which it describes as a cruising and training dinghy. The Venture features a large, self-draining cockpit that will accommodate a family or pack of kids. A furling jib and mainsail with slab reefing come standard with the boat; a gennaker and trapeze kit are options, as is an outboard motor mount and transom swim ladder. The deck and hull are laid up in a fiberglass and Coremat sandwich. The Venture’s designed to be both a good performer under sail, but also stable, making it a good boat for those learning the sport.

$14,900, 203-259-7808, rssailing.com

Topper makes a range of mono- and multihull rotomolded boats, but the model that caught one editor’s eye at Strictly Sail Chicago was the Topaz Taz. At 9 feet, 8 inches LOA and weighing in at 88 pounds, the Taz is not going to take the whole crowd out for the day. But, with the optional mainsail and jib package (main alone is for a single child), the Taz can carry two or three kids or an adult and one child, and would make a fun escape pod when tied behind the big boat and towed to some scenic harbor. The hull features Topper’s Trilam construction, a plastic and foam sandwich that creates a boat that’s stiff, light, and durable, and shouldn’t mind being dragged up on the beach when it’s time for a break.

$2,900 (includes main and jib), 410-286-1960, topazsailboats.com

WindRider WRTango

WRTango, a fast, sturdy, 10-foot trimaran that’s easy to sail, is the newest portable craft from WindRider International. It joins a line that includes the WR16 and WR17 trimarans. The Tango features forward-facing seating, foot-pedal steering, and a low center of gravity that mimics the sensation of sitting in a kayak. It weighs 125 pounds (including the outriggers and carbon-fiber mast), is extremely stable, and has single-sheet sail control. The six-inch draft and kick-up rudder make it great for beaching, while the hull and outriggers are made of rotomolded polyethylene, so it can withstand running into docks and being dragged over rocks.

$3,000, 612-338-2170, windrider.com

More: 21 - 30 ft , Boat Gallery , day sailing , dinghy , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , under 20 ft
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How to Calculate Outboard Motor Size for Sailboats

It seems so complex to pick the right engine size for your sailboat. I was done with complex calculations and tried to make it easier here.

How to pick the right outboard motor size for your sailboat? To get the right amount of horsepower needed to efficiently propel a sailboat, divide the displacement of the boat (in lb) by 550. You need approximately 1 HP per 550 lb of displacement or 4 HP per 2200 lb. Most sailboats don't need a motor with more than 30 HP.

In this article, I'm talking about small outboard engines for sailboats. We're talking about displacement hulls here, so in other words: keel boats. They need more power than flat bottoms.

But they're not powerboats - so it's not our mission to go fast. It's our mission to get decent speed, good control over the boat, and the best possible fuel efficiency. Without breaking the bank of course.

Sunset in calm waters from a boat with small outboard motor

If you're serious about getting a new engine, I definitely recommend to get advice from an expert . But you know, salespeople always recommend the Turbo version. Remember that you don't have to overpower a sailboat. Usually you don't need anything over 30 HP. So at least you now know what will work on average.

What is hull displacement?

Hull displacement is the weight of the boat, or the amount of water the boat displaces.
Maximum hull displacement is the weight of the boat when it's fully loaded, including crew.

The weight of the boat is the same as its displacement, because the weight of any object is exactly equal to the weight of the water it displaces (aka: pushes aside). This is called Archimedes Principle.

The weight slightly differs in saltwater from freshwater, because saltwater is heavier. In saltwater, the boat gets a bit lighter. So in theory you can use a smaller engine for a bluewater boat, but in practice this is offset by the stronger current and wind.

How to find the displacement of your boat?

Most manufacturers simply give you the displacement of your boat. If you can't find any data, because, for example, you own an old boat, you can weigh your boat on a truck scale. You can also haul it out and measure it (which is painstaking work).**

Tip: if you're gonna weigh your boat, simply drive it onto a truck scale, and retract the weight of the trailer from the total weight.

Of course, it's not so simple. This formula gives a rough estimate. But for me this was way clearer than all that black magic that I get when I ask people what size engine I should get.

Let's look at the things this formula doesn't take into account.

2-strokes are more powerful than 4-strokes. Two-stroke engines fire once every revolution and four-strokes fire once every other revolution. This makes the 2-stroke twice as powerful. They provide more torque at a higher RPM. But they also wear more quickly. The 4-stroke will last you a lot longer, and its also more fuel efficient.

The right propellor size is just as important as having enough horsepower. With a smaller prop diameter, it has to work harder to generate the same propulsion as a larger diameter. But you can't just go larger always. The prop affects the RPM of your engine, and you have to get in the right range (more on this later). You also have to check the maximum diameter that fits your boat.

Diesels have more torque, because the compression rate is higher than that of gasoline engines. So if you consider a diesel, you can do with less HPs.

High windage hulls (multihulls) need a bit more. A multihull (or larger hull in general) suffers from more friction because of the larger surface. So the engine needs to work a little harder.

If you sail longer distances under power , or against the wind it's a good idea to get a larger engine (but not too large). This helps you to save on fuel since you have lower RPM. Especially if you sail offshore or on open sea. The engine needs to work harder due to stronger wind and current.

If you're just sailing in and out of the marina under power, you may need less HP.

Smooth hull designs need less HPs than bulky hull designs, like the classic wooden clippers and crabbers for example.

It matters to get the right size outboard motor for a couple of reasons.

First of all: smaller engines are cheaper, so you save money on buying the engine.

Secondly: smaller engines use a lot less fuel, so you save money on using the engine.

Thirdly: smaller engines are cheaper to maintain: so you save money on maintenance.

So why not get the smallest engine and get the best fuel economy? There are a couple of advantages to getting a (slightly) bigger engine:

More power means more control (easier to stop the boat, in case you need to)
Finding the sweet spot might actually reduce fuel consumption

The sweet spot

To perform optimally, an engine should get up to speed. The problem with an overpowered boat is that the engine won't rev up to 80 - 90% of the RPM. This kills fuel efficiency and also the cooling system won't operate optimally.

The optimal cruising RPM of the engine is about 85-95% of the maximal RPM
You should reach cruising RPM at hull speed, so your engine should be at about 90% RPM

The propeller size is very important for the RPM. If your prop diameter is too wide, the engine can't get up to speed and struggles to build power. Bad for fuel economy, bad for the engine, and bad for performance.

On the other hand, if your prop is too small, you don't make use of the engine's full power.

If you struggle to get to high RPM, your prop is too large. If your engine is constantly in the red, you're underpropped.

So don't go too big on the prop, but also don't go too small. The easiest way to get it right is to check the engines manual and see what the manufacturer recommends.

You can definitely go too big on a sailboats engine. An overpowered yacht doesn't make any sense. True, it can look cool, but it can't feel cool. Every displacement hull has a maximum hull speed. That means that it cannot go any faster than the max speed. So if your engine can cruise at that speed, it's not getting any better.

The problem with displacement hulls is that they displace the water, or in other words: they push the water in front of them. They cannot move any faster than they can push away the water. And because the resistance increases as speed increases, there's an absolute, physical speed limit for each keelboat.

That's why powerboats have to get out of the water to reach top speed.

Fun fact: the longer your boat, the higher the hull speed. Want to know the maximum hull speed for your boat? You can find it in this article .

So, you can't go faster than your maximum hull speed, so a 50+HP engine is kind of ridiculous. Bear in mind that a large engine also has the following disadvantages:

First of all: larger engines are more expensive, so you spend more money when buying the engine.

Secondly: larger engines use a lot more fuel, so you spend more money when using the engine.

Thirdly: larger engines are more expensive to maintain: so you spend more money on maintenance.

Also, if your engine is too big, it doesn't reach the optimal cruising RPM, so your fuel economy also gets really bad FAST.

I suggest getting the smallest possible engine that gets you to maximum hull speed while it's at roughly 90% of the RPM. As long as it gives you enough control and good handling, it will get you there. If you give up on going fast, you can actually get really good fuel economy and your engine will last you probably 20 years.

If you want to go fast, a sailboat is not the right one for you. You should instead get a powerboat.

I'm just kidding. Read my 13 Reasons Why Sailing is Better Than Powerboating here .

Do sailboats have motors? Most sailboats are power assisted boats, which means they have a small auxiliary engine to cruise in light air. When a sailboat is sailing under engine power, it is considered a motorboat and it doesn't have right of way.

Thanks for answering my questions.

Taylor Bishop

Thanks for explaining how you can figure out what size you need for an outboard motor. You mentioned that you should find the displacement by weigh a boat on a truck scale. I’m interesting to learn if you need to regularly weigh it in case the hull displacement could change or if it will always be consistent.

Shawn Buckles

Hi MitI, you’re welcome, my pleasure.

Hi Taylor, my pleasure.

You don’t need to weigh your boat regularly, as the hull displacement will stay consistent. You could literally see the hull displacement as the amount of space your hull takes up in the water. So as long as you don’t make any major changes to the hull shape or ballast of your boat, you should see no differences in displacement.

Roger S Johnson

How do you measure for shaft size, most outboard motors are for flat bottom and say measure to the bottom of the boat, most sailboats tapper to the aft. Where do you measure for a tapered bottom sail boat?

Will a 5 horse Honda 4 stroke be ok for a 25 foot Pearson Commander sail boat. Thanks for your time Luke

I think it would be Luke.

Great post, thanks for the info. A naive question from a soon-to-be sailor: I’m considering buying a 28 ft sailboat, with 2500 kg (ca. 5500 lbs) displacement. The engine is in pretty good condition, but is old and the original one (from 1977!), so I am also thinking of an alternative scenario in which it fails. I know that in my area replacing an inboard engine will cost double the price I’m putting down for the boat, and since I’m on a budget, that simply won’t be an option and outboards seem to be cheaper. So the question is: is it possible to put an outboard engine on all boats? Is there some factor that would make it impossible to mount an outboard engine on the boat? Thanks!

Garth Powelson

What is minimum length that a sailboat can go without an outboard. Does a 29’ “require by law” to have engine?

Hello Mr. Buckles, Thanks for the informative article. I’m looking to get the smallest possible outboard for my 1.5 ton displacement fiberglass monohull Hood 23’ sloop. Can I get away with a 4HP?!? What size prop would I need?!? (I’m only going to use it when there is NO wind, and, if I can stay 4HP or below, I am not required to register my vessel—which is pretty cool, so here’s hoping!)

Thanks again, Ship

Hi, I’ve got a older Pearson 39’ . I’m looking to remove the old 40 ho westerbeke and go electric. Unsure of what hp is going to be needed?

emilio h javier

i am purchasing a catalina 22 ft. i have in mind a 4 HP motor. what would be the length of the shaft.

I am considering buying a 25 ft sailboat with a 7200 lb displacement. The boats top speed is listed at 7knots per hour but the diesel motor does not work. The owner has a 9.9hp outboard that can be purchased with the boat. Is 9.9hp enough to power the boat to at least 5 to 6 knots per hour? Thanks. Rick

What weight outboard would be too much for a 20’ Santana, displacement 1,350 lbs? I don’t want too much weight at the back. I want the boat to be seaworthy.

I have not seen this amount of BS in years :) I’m not a marine engineer, yet physicist & avation engineer. You even can’t tell the difference between mass of the vessel and diplacement :D Fcking genius.

You may also like, what’s the life expectancy of a marine diesel engine.

Being a fan of the waters, I found the life expectancy of marine diesel engines an interesting topic to deeply research. I went on and on and I couldn’t stop …

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Best Small Sailboats Under 20 Feet

The ideal size boat for beginners is anything under 20 feet. So, what are the best small sailboats under 20 feet? Let’s find out.

October 17, 2023

This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a commission from qualifying purchases.

Smaller boats are easy to navigate and not a hassle to maintain compared to larger yachts, which is why many choose sailboats under 20 feet as the ideal starter boat.

From the Catalina 16.5 to the Beneteau First 20 or the Marlow Hunter 15, there are many smaller sailboats under 20 feet that offer beginner or expert sailors great value for money. Many sailing enthusiasts prefer smaller sailboats because they are easy to handle and are cheaper to own.

No two 20 feet sailboats are made equal, which is why you need to do your research and find the best fit for you. We have gone through many blogs, articles, and videos on the sailing yachts below 20 feet and are here to share with you the best options available in the market today.

As sailing enthusiasts who have owned multiple sailing boats below 20 feet, we are in the ideal position to help guide you through the process so that you are able to make a more informed decision when it comes to investing in a small yacht.

Table of Contents

‍ Best Small Sailboats Under 20 Feet

Small sailboats are the way to go sailing RIGHT NOW, not after you retire or discover the "ideal" bluewater cruising boat. "Go tiny, go simple, go now," is the first premise of cruising philosophy.

Small yachts may be inexpensive, straightforward, and seaworthy. However, they are uncommon in today's cruising grounds. We could count the number of under 30-foot sailboats we've seen after three years and 13,000 nautical miles of bluewater traveling. They were all skippered by persons in their 20s and 30s. Today's anchorages are brimming with 40, 50, and 60-foot ocean sailboats, but that doesn't mean a tiny sailboat can't sail around the world.

The Saffier SE 33 UD

If you're looking for a high-performance daysailer, the Saffier Se 33 UD is a great option. The designers, the Hennevanger brothers, put a lot of effort and money into making this dream boat a reality. The vacuum-infused construction and high-quality polish of the boat demonstrate the production facilities.

Saffier offers a variety of models ranging in size from 21 to 37 feet, all of which have been fully tested for seaworthiness. Given the size of these boats, it's logical to expect that they'll be tough to sail. This is not the case with these boats, though. One person may sail even the largest versions with ease.

In 2014, the Se 33 UD was released with a sporty style. Thanks to its strong sprayhood, it sails effortlessly in all weather. The sailboat has a handy self-draining cockpit that allows any water to drain off. A folding transform and two-meter benches are included in the cockpit. The boat has ample room for a four-person crew, and you can even take a brief snooze below deck.

This high-end yacht is a good choice if you have a large budget. For new boats, the starting price is around $150,000. If you're looking for something really entertaining, check out the new Se 27 model. The latest versions have a top speed of 20 knots.

The Norseboat 17.5

Looking for a one-of-a-kind daysailer that will stand out in a crowd? The Norseboat 17.5 might be exactly what you're looking for. This one-of-a-kind sailboat dubbed the "Swiss Army Knife of Boats," can be sailed or rowed.

But wouldn't row this boat takes a lot of effort? No. With the boat's sheer, no way! The fiberglass hull has a lot of sheers, which is an intentional and effective design for effortless rowing. So, even if there's no wind, you can still have a good time rowing while getting some workout. With strong enough winds, you may sit back and relax while the jib and mainsail take care of the rest.

The Norseboat 17.5 is ideal for daysailers looking for a high-performance boat with classic styling. But whether you're a beginner sea kayaker or a cruising sailor wishing to downsize, you'll find its famous pedigree to be a terrific fit for you.

A small draught, furling headsail, a full battened mainsail, and a trademark curving headboard are just a few of the features. The lightweight boat has two rowing stations and works admirably, whether rowed or driven by the wind. It also offers lots of storage space. The boat's modest weight makes it simple to move. All you need is a mid-sized automobile to haul it.

The Paine 14

This sailboat is modeled after the well-known Herreshoff 12 1/2 e. The Paine 14 is essentially a smaller version of the latter. This daysailer will attract a lot of attention whether sailing or just parked at the marina because of its classic appearance.

However, this yacht is more than just a pretty face. The Paine 14 is lighter than its predecessor due to its smaller size. On the water, it is thus quicker and more agile. Despite this, changes to the keel and rudder design have helped it maintain its stability in the water. Other benefits of its size include ease of trailering, low maintenance, and simple storage and transportation. This sailboat is great if you're seeking a basic sailboat.

The Laser 13”

This is probably one of the smallest boats on this list and is an excellent option for beginners who are not ready to take on the responsibility of maintaining or paying for larger boats just yet. If you are just testing the waters, then this is a smart option if you find that sailing isn’t your cup of tea.

The 13' 10" Laser dinghy is an excellent alternative for one or two persons looking for a workout and adrenaline rush in a breeze or simply plain pleasant sailing in lighter breezes. That is if you don't mind the fiberglass boat's small weight and strong sail making it simple to capsize—and recover from.

The Laser is an international sailing class that competes in everything from Olympic sailing competitions to club races. Most of the 200,000 boats manufactured over the years are just sailed for enjoyment, thanks to the 1969 design's single sail, two-part mast, daggerboard, and kick-up rudder, all of which make it very easy to store, and carry, and launch.

LaserPerformance sells new boats for less money, which is why they are one of the favorites for first-timers and those sailing enthusiasts who are on a budget. LaserPerformance sells yachts for around $7,500, as well as a variety of rigs and sails as well as replacement components. Used boats, as you might expect, are also easily available.

The Hobie 16

It is easy to see why the historic Hobie 16 , which made its debut in Southern California way back in 1969, made it on this list. Since then, the business has produced a number of additional multihulls, but the 16s have sold over 100,000 times, which is an incredible number.

The Hobie 16's fiberglass-and-foam hull takes away the requirement of traditional daggerboards, thanks to its kick-up rudders. Its huge trampoline provides enough room for movement or a suitable spot to put one's feet when hanging from the two trapezes with a hull flying. A main and jib sail are included, and a douse kit and trailer with a beach dolly option.

The West Wight Potter 19

This type is popular because of its excellent performance, cutting it close to 20 feet. This miniature cruiser was initially shown in 1971. It has since gained a devoted following, particularly among trailer sailors. While it isn't the cheapest tiny sailboat (it costs about $26,000), you will surely get your money's worth.

The Potter 19 is compact and light in terms of capability. Its performance in the water, however, is unaffected. In fact, it has a lot of punch for its tiny. People remark about this yacht’s stability and ease of handling in particular.

It also features a retractable keel that allows it to be beached completely. Alternatively, you will be astonished at how big and comfortable the interiors are, along with the fact that it is easy to rank the Potter 19 among luxury yachts for its many features and amenities.

The Montgomery 17

The Montgomery 17 is designed and made out of fiberglass by Montgomery Boats in Ontario, California. The boat boasts its way onto this list as a trailerable pocket cruiser. You get a keel and centerboard that takes the guesswork out of preparing the boat to be readily beached when gunkholing and draws slightly under 2 feet with the board up.

There's sitting headroom, a couple of bunks, a portable toilet, optional shore, and DC power, and a lot of storage space in the cuddy cabin. A four-part tackle makes it easy to raise the mast with relative ease. The builder claims to have taken his boat on journeys across the Gulf of California and to the state's coastline islands. In case you were wondering, Montgomery also offers 15-foot and 23-foot variants. The Montgomery 17 must be on your wish list if you're looking for a small sailboat with a cabin.

The Bluewater Cygnet 20

The Cygnet 20 is a great trailer sailer and pocket cruiser, and it has the potential to revitalize the sub-20-foot segment. The Cygnet has everything you want in a pocket cruiser: it's easy to transport, sail anywhere, and it's economical. It also happens to look gorgeous. Beaching the boat is simple because of its flat bottom and hand-laid fiberglass hull.

The Cygnet 20 is a fun weekend sailboat; as a result, while the cockpit can accommodate four to six people, it leaves less space below decks, but there is still enough space to sleep a crew of four. There are also several choices for customizing the cabin to your liking.

There are also several choices for customizing the cabin, but the typical form includes a V-berth, a portable toilet stored beneath the V-berth, a sink to starboard, two beds, and a portable stove beneath the cockpit. Apart from the swing keel box, the saloon table pulls out to seat four people, which is ideal for sailing solo or taking friends along for a weekend trip.

The Beneteau First 20

This is often ranked as one of the best trail-able pocket cruisers and for good reason. It's beautiful, tiny, has a retractable keel, and is speedy, but because of its big cabin, it can also accommodate a small family for a weekend on the lake.

The hull of the First 20 is one of those that, although quite stable in windy conditions, allows you to have as much fun as possible. Unfortunately, Beneteau has stopped producing boats under 20 feet in order to focus on larger sailboats, but you may still find these boats for approximately $25,000 secondhand.

The Catalina 16.5

Catalina Yachts are known for their larger boats, but they also offer some fantastic smaller boats, such as the Catalina 16.5 . Because it features a huge and airy cockpit and a large storage box, this is one of the best small sailboats for family vacations. The Catalina 16.5 is a versatile boat with a hand-laminated fiberglass sloop that comes in two styles: centerboard and keel.

Because of the fiberglass centerboard, the stable hull form, and the rudder, the centerboard model has a strong sailplane that remains balanced. It also includes a tiller extension, adjustable trekking straps, and an overhaul that can be adjusted. It's vital to remember that these are both standard features.

It's worth noting that these features come standard on both variants. When it comes to the keel model, it's constructed with a high aspect keel as the cast lead and stainless steel keel bolts, making it ideal for mooring or docking when not in use.

In essence, the centerboard form is ideal for trailer storage, whilst the keel model may be left at the dock. Overall, the Catalina 16.5 is one of the greatest small sailboats available for around $10,000. This is undoubtedly an excellent example of what a daysailer is.

The Fareast 18

Fareast is a Chinese boat builder that has only been in business for around two decades. Despite this, the Fareast 18 is a competent cruiser-racer that will elevate your sailing to new heights. This boat has a retractable keel along with a nifty ballast bulb, a strong rig, and an enclosed cabin, in addition to its attractive appearance.

The Fareast 18's narrow shape with closed stern is unusual in this size, but the good news is that's not an issue in the Fareast 18. This design stresses speed while also making the boat easier to maintain. This boat is ideal for roughly six passengers and punches above its weight. It is, however, intended for one person to rig and launch.

Most sailors start to sail on a daysailer, and the author of this piece has a special place for the Lido 14 , which is where she began to sail. The little boat offers seats for six people, but it may be operated alone and even raced.

The first year the type was introduced, 200 boats were purchased, and 40 years later, roughly 6,300 Lido 14s had been produced. Although new boats are no longer available, old boats are still readily accessible. Although new boats are no longer produced, secondhand boats are readily available; there is an active owner's group and plenty of one-design racing in various regions of the nation.

In a pocket cruiser, don't expect to be sailing at great speeds. Monohulls with a lesser displacement will always be slower than monohulls with a bigger displacement. As a result, a smaller cruiser will take longer to complete a journey, leaving them more exposed to weather variations.

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Better Sailing

Best Pocket Cruisers Under 20 Feet

If you are looking for a pocket cruiser to help you learn the ropes and get started sailing, daysail, or for a weekend-long fun sailing trip, then you are in the right place. In this article, we are taking a look at some affordable options to get you started in the sailing game. It doesn’t matter if you are looking for a boat with a cabin or not because we have both options, all under 20 Feet!

Obviously, the best pocket cruiser for me is not necessarily the best one for you. For example, when I am out looking to purchase a boat, I am always looking for something that can accommodate at least 2 people for at least a couple of days. However, you could be looking for a faster daysailers with no cabins because you only want to use it for daysailing. Not to worry, I wrote this article with you in mind as well.

Beneteau First 20

This is probably my favorite trailable pocket cruiser on the list. It is gorgeous, compact, has a retractable keel, it is fast but can also accommodate a small family for a weekend on the water thanks to its spacious interior. The First 20 has one of those hulls that, despite being very sturdy in windy weather, will allow you to have fun like a child! Unfortunately, however, Beneteau has suspended production on boats under 20 feet to focus on larger sailboats, but you can still find these boats for sale around $25,000 used.

>>Also Read: Best Sailboats to Live On

Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20

This is also a wonderful pocket cruiser that feels like a much larger blue-water sailboat. For her small size and displacement, she handles exceptionally well on the water. She is not only extremely fast for her size, but she is also very seaworthy and has a kind motion, and seasoned sailors will tell you that she has a very good reputation for keeping her crew safe. It is rarely available, but if you look online you will probably find a few for sale throughout the US.

Liteboat XP

This intriguing 20-footer is what you get when someone who has rowed solo across the Atlantic decides to produce a fun pocket cruiser that can either be rowed or sailed. It’s the brainchild of Mathieu Bonnier, while renowned French naval architect Sam Manuard did the design work and North Sails helped develop the simple but efficient rig. Use of carbon keeps total weight down to 145kg, including a 20kg bulb on the bottom of the centerboard – that’s 15% lighter than a Wayfarer dinghy.

Lasers are a great choice for trailerable daysailers suitable for two adults. If you want to experience adrenaline or a cool breeze, or just sailing into nowhere, this 13’10” Laser is the option available in the small boat section. This boat has a fiberglass body that is lightweight and has a powerful sail making it easy to capsize and recover fast. This boat is also raced as an international sailing class and has participated in competitions like Olympic sailing championships to normal club racing.

Almost all the 200,000 boats that have been made over the years were made for fun as the 1969 design only had a single sail, daggerboard, and two-part mast. It also has a kick-up rudder, which is easy to transport, store and launch. These boats are available at less than $5K, and it is also available in different sized sails and rigs along with spare parts. Used boats are also available easily.

>>Also Read: Best Small Sailboats To Sail Around The World

Catalina 16.5

Catalina 16.5 is the largest sailboat that the brand makes under 20 feet. The Catalina brand is known for its own large cruise boats, but they have small boats too. This boat is a hand-laminated fiberglass sloop, which is one of the most versatile boats, and it has two options, i.e. one with a centerboard (5″) and shoal-draft keel (4’5″). If you require to store a trailer, then buy the centerboard, the lead-keel vessel gives the stability to stay parked at a dock. Like most boats that are built by Catalina, this boat has a huge self-bailing cockpit. It also has a waterproof hatch and a storage space. The standard equipment has a tiller extension and hiking straps. You can get out on the side deck for better visibility forward. The new version of this boat is available at $10,000.

Hobie 16 Catamaran

This is another great design with a great turn of speed and space for four people. The Hobie 16 beach catamaran has sold over 100,000 units since its release in the year 1969. It debuted in Southern California. It is a lightweight boat that weighs only around 320 pounds. This boat has an asymmetric fiberglass sandwich hull that has kick-up rudders. It means that it can reach all the way to the beach. This boat has a sail area of 218 square feet. This boat also has a douse kit, a trailer, spinnaker. As you can see from the photo of this sailing dinghy, it is only suitable for daysailing since it lacks cabins, saloon, etc. This is a fast boat and ideal for some sailing fun, and it costs around $2,000-12,000 depending on the age of the sailboat and whether you buy it new or used.

>>Also Read: Best Sailboats Under 100k

Marlow-Hunter 15

If you need an affordable, low-maintenance, and new knockabout to teach your children sailing, then Marlow-Hunter 15 is the best thing you can use. This boat has high freeboard and fiberglass construction. You can do lots of things in this boat without capsizing, failing, or breaking it. It has a self-bailing cockpit that means when inside water, it can find a quick exit, and the wide beams keeps her steady in the strong breeze or any kind of weight shifts that happened along the ride. This boat allows four people to sail together, and when you are done, you can store it in your garage or your trailer. The best thing about this boat is that it has no wood that requires varnishing, and you can buy this boat at around $10,000.

Bluewater Cygnet 20

The Cygnet 20 is an excellent addition to the trailer sailer and pocket cruiser market that could easily rejuvenate the under 20 feet market section. Having everything that you want in a pocket cruiser: take everywhere, sail anywhere, sail easily, and affordable, the Cygnet has the added benefit of looking adorable as well. With its flat bottom and hand-laid fiberglass hull, it is an easy matter of beaching the boat.

The Cygnet 20 makes an enjoyable weekend sailboat; to this end, while the cockpit is large enough to fit four to six people, it makes less space for down below, but there is still room enough to sleep a crew of four. Also, there are various options to customize the cabin the way you want, but the standard configuration with the V-berth, a portable toilet stored underneath; a single burner portable stove to port with a sink to starboard two long single berths running under the cockpit. Also, the saloon table folds out to seat four on top of the swing keelbox.

Cygnet 20 Best Blue Water Pocket Cruiser

Final Thoughts

Finding the best pocket cruiser or daysailer is not an easy task. I hope this list will be helpful to pick your ideal vessel for your sailing experiences. However, keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive and if you find a pocket cruiser that you like and fits your budget you should definitely take it out on the water to give it a spin and see how you like it. On a last note, you can find plenty of pocket cruisers for sale if you look at your local marina, browse websites like BoatersWorld, YachtWorld, Boat24, BoatTrader, Boats.com, Craigslist, and even FaceBook marketplace.

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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7 Best Trailerable Sailboats for Cruising

Many sailors balk at the idea of leaving their boat in the water at a marina. Slip fees are expensive, and maintenance bills get bigger the longer you leave a boat in the water. However, if you want a boat under 30 feet long, there are trailerable sailboats that will fit the bill.

Like any boat purchase, you’ll need to analyze precisely what kind of trailer sailer you want. Will a simple weekend sailboat suffice, or do you really need the best trailerable cruising sailboat you can find?

Here’s a look at some of the pros and cons of the best trailerable sailboat. Plus, we’ll look at how to compare them for your purposes.

Best trailerable sailboats, easy to launch trailerable sailboats, quick setup time, towing weight, catalina 22/25 “pop-top”, com-pac horizon cat for classic coastal cruising, marshall sanderling — small, portable, classy, west wight potter 19 — the tiny go-anywhere sailboat, seaward 26rk with retractable lead keel, corsair f-24 trimaran – sporty sailing, macgregor 26m — maximum speed meets maximum living space, long-range cruising boats, 7 best trailerable boats – a recap, what’s the best trailerable sailboat for a cruise, trailerable sailboats faqs.

Catalina 22/25
Com-Pac Horizon Cat
Marshall Sanderling
West Wight Potter 19
Seaward 26RK
Corsair F-24 Trimaran
MacGregor 26M

We’ll get into more detail about each brand in my post today, so hang tight!

What Is a Trailerable Sailboat, Exactly?

For this article, the priorities for a trailerable sailboat are:

Easy to launch
Require minimum setup to launch and store
Lightweight enough to be towed by the average vehicle

Before you can really classify a sailboat as trailerable, you need to evaluate and narrow your search criteria. Truthfully, 50-plus-foot ocean-going sailboats are regularly put on trailers. But that’s done commercially, on a big rig, with special permits for oversized loads, and even led cars.

That probably isn’t what most people mean when they think of a trailerable sailboat. But what is the priority here, the trailerable part or the sailboat part? Compromises are going to have to be made somewhere.

If you’re looking at the 20-foot-and-under sailboat crowd, finding a trailerable example should not be hard. Most sailboats this size are designed for trailers anyway since they aren’t the sort of boats people want to pay to leave in a slip year-round.

Things get more interesting when you look at the 20 to 30-foot boats. In this class, there are stout ocean-going cruisers with deep keels and lightweight centerboard trailer sailboats designed from the get-go to be trailered by the average car or SUV. The differences between these boats are night and day.

Sailboats often have a hard time at boat ramps. First, deep keels mean that the trailer must extend farther into the water than the average boat ramp allows. This means the ramp needs to go back far enough, and the trailer tongue needs to be long enough not to swamp the car.

If you have a boat like this, you’ll need to find the right boat ramps. Unfortunately, not all ramps are created equally. If your boat draws more than two or three feet on the trailer, you’re going to be limited to steep, paved, and high-quality boat ramps. Unfortunately, those aren’t standard features, so your cruising grounds are going to be limited.

Usually, ramps aren’t built steeply because they are often slippery. Your tow vehicle will need excellent traction and torque to pull your fully loaded boat out of a steep ramp. The steeper the ramp, the more trouble you’ll have.

The alternative to finding steep ramps is to use a trailer tongue extender. This lets you get the trailer into deeper water without swamping the tow vehicle. But it also means that the ramp needs to extend deep enough. Many ramps end abruptly. Allowing your trailer to sink off the edge is an excellent way to get stuck or pop a tire.

Pick a boat as easy to launch and retrieve as a similarly sized powerboat to remove all of these boat ramp problems. The soft chines of most sailboats will always require a little more water, but a swing keel and the hinged rudder raised mean that the boat can sit low on the trailer bunks. That way, you only need one or two feet of water to launch, an easy feat at nearly every boat ramp you can find.

The next consideration for a sailboat to be portable enough to call it “trailerable” is the amount of time it takes to step the mast and get it ready to cruise.

To accomplish this, you need a mast that can be stepped by a two-person team–maximum. Ideally, it will have some tabernacle hardware to enable one person to do the task for solo sailing.

There is an entire family of pocket cruisers that could ideally fit on trailers. But you won’t find the Fickas or the Falmouth cutters on my list, simply because they aren’t easy to launch or easy to rig. But, of course, they’re also too heavy for most vehicles to tow, which leads us to the final point of excluding them this trailable pocket cruiser’s list.

One of the most significant financial burdens the trailer sailer faces is their tow vehicle. You are all set if you already drive a two-ton dually diesel pickup truck. But if your daily driver is an SUV or light pickup, you need to think long and hard about the math of the towing equation.

Whatever boat you buy cannot exceed the towing rating limits of your tow vehicle. If you don’t have a tow vehicle, you’ll need to buy one. This will double or triple the cost of getting a trailer sailer in most cases. For the same money, you may want to look at a boat that stays in the water at a traditional boat slip. For the cost of a trailer sailer and a tow vehicle, you can probably step into a nice boat that is larger and more comfortable than any towable.

If you have a tow vehicle, you need a light enough vessel for it to tow. Most modern SUVs tow less than 2,500 pounds. Anything more than 5,000 will require a full-size pickup. Remember that the tow weight isn’t just the boat’s displacement—it’s the empty hull weight, plus the weight of the trailer and any extra gear you need to pack into the boat.

Finding a vessel that fits these limitations on weight isn’t easy. If the manufacturer’s goal is to make it towable, immediate limits are placed on the materials they can use. This means less seaworthiness since boats are built light and thin. As far as stability goes, lead keels are generally out, and water ballast systems or centerboards might be used instead. It doesn’t mean these boats aren’t safe and fun, but they aren’t designed for rough conditions, crossing oceans, or living on in the water full-time .

Trailerable sailboats are usually limited to the best paved ramps

7 Best Trailerable Cruising Sailboats

There are more trailerable sailboats out there than you might imagine. Here’s a look at seven popular options of all shapes and sizes to give you a taste of what you might want to take to sea.

The boats here are selected for their storage and living space. With these boats and a little outfitting, you can spend weeks gunk-holing in the Chesapeake Bay or island hopping the Bahamas. If you broaden your scope to include daysailers with no cabin space, there are countless more options.

One of the worst parts of a small trailerable sailboat or pocket cruiser is the lack of stand-up headroom. One clever solution that you’ll find on some weekend sailboat types is the pop-top.

The pop-top is simply an area around the companionway hatch that extends upward on struts. So when you’re at the dock or anchor, you get standing headroom down below—at least right inside the pop-top.

You can build a canvas enclosure for your pop-top to use it in all weather. A pop-top makes your boat feel much larger than it is and allows you to move freely to cook or get changed down below or even do a nice boat bed area.

Later models of the Catalina Sport 22 and Capri 22s lacked this cool pop-top feature, so if you want it, you’ll need to seek out an older model on the used market.

Com-Pac has been building small sailboats since the early 1970s. They currently sell two lines, each with various-sized boats. All are well built, and a majority of their boats are trailerable.

Most interesting at the Com-Pac traditional catboats . The rigging is more straightforward than modern sloops, with only one large mainsail. Com-Pac boats come with a unique quick-rig system to make getting on the water fast and simple.

The Horizon Cat Coastal Cruising has a displacement of 2,500 pounds with a 2’2″ draft when the board is up. She has a separate head forward and space to lounge either topside or down below. The smaller Sun Cat has slightly few amenities but shaves off a few feet and pounds, making it easier to tow and it is one of these amazing small sailboats. Com-Pacs features stub keels, so their centerboard and hinged rudder do not take up space in the cabin.

On the sloop rig side, the Com-Pac 23 comes in a 3,000-pound traditional sailboat or a very interesting pilothouse. Both are incredibly livable for their size , with shallow two-foot-long fixed keels and high-quality construction.

Another option if you like catboats is the Marshall Sanderling. This salty 18-footer oozes traditional charm , all while being easy to sail and easier to tow. And while she has wooden boat lines, she has a modern laminated fiberglass hull.

The Sanderling has a 2,200-pound displacement, so tow weights will be around 3,000 pounds. At only 18-feet, she’s on the small side for cruising. The cuddy cabin has no galley, and the portable toilet is not enclosed. But that small size means a simple boat that’s easy to maintain and take anywhere.

An electric motor package is an exciting option on this weekend sailboat!

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You can’t mention tiny trailer sailers without touching on the famous West Wight Potter . These 15 and 19-foot pocket cruisers have earned a worldwide reputation as the ultimate go-anywhere coastal cruiser.

The West Wight Potter 19 offers the most living space for staying aboard and cruising. So even though its dimensions are diminutive, this little boat packs a lot in. There’s a single burner hotplate and sink and a porta-potty tucked under a cushion. Yes, it’s tight—but the company claims the little boat can sleep five people. Any more than two will feel pretty crowded, however.

The boat comes standard with a mast-raising system that a single person can manage alone. It has a daggerboard for a shallow draft of a half-foot when the board is up. The total towing weight is around 1,500 pounds, which means nearly any car can tow a West Wight Potter.

This little-known trailer sailer is produced at the same Florida factory that makes Island Packet Yachts. That should give you a little bit of an idea of what sort of boat it is—trailerable, yes, but also high-quality, beautiful, and built for cruising. In other words, it’s one of the nicest all round pocket cruisers and it feels like a much larger boat.

The Seaward is easily the saltiest boat on this list . It’s beefy and seaworthy. Instead of a lightweight centerboard, Seaward fits the RK with a bulb-shaped retracting keel. Other big-boat items include a Yanmar diesel inboard motor and an enclosed head. The spacious cabin of the boat features a double berth and is ready for salt water cruising.

According to sailboatdata.com , the tow weight of the 26RK is 6,000 pounds. With the keel up, the draft is 1.25 feet.

Multihull sailors need not feel left out from the trailer sailer club and the pocket cruiser. Beyond the ubiquitous beach Hobie Cat, there are not many options for catamarans. But trimarans are uniquely suited to be towed.

Why? For one thing, performance oriented boats like trimarans are based on it being built light. There is no ballast—a trimaran’s stability comes from its two outer hulls. Additionally, the living space is entirely housed in the central hull–the outer floats are small and sometimes foldable. Finally, there are no keels on tris, so they are extremely shallow draft and perfect for trailering.

If you’re looking for adrenaline-pumping sporty and fun sailing, it’s impossible to beat what a trimaran will offer. Let’s not beat around the bush—most of the trailer sailers on this list have hull speeds around five knots. The Corsair has no such limits, routinely sailing at 15 knots or more .

The new Corsair 880 trimaran has an unloaded weight of 3,659 pounds. It is trailerable behind a big SUV or small pickup and is probably the most fun sailing option that is trailerable at all.

An even more portable option is the older Corsair F-24. It has a light displacement of under 2,000 pounds—so nearly any SUV can tow it.

MacGregor owns the market on trailerable motor sailers since they more or less created the product to fit the bill. The MacGregor 26 is not like other boats. The design combines a planing powerboat with a centerboard sailboat. Imagine scooting along at 20 knots or more when the wind is down or enjoying a sporty sail on a breezy day–in the same boat.

The entire boat is built from the ground up for towing and long-range sailing. So if you want a big sailboat that you can tow behind pretty much any SUV, the MacGregor has to be on your list.

Depending on the model, the 26-foot-long boats have incredibly light dry weights of between 1,650 and 2,350 pounds. Considering the massive volume of the roomy cabin, the ability to tow such a large vessel opens up an entire world of opportunities for owners.

It’s not all good news, of course. MacGregor owners love their boats, but they are built light and are not ideally suited for offshore cruising or rough weather. But in bays and for coastal sailing on nice days, few boats can get as much use as a MacGregor.

The motorboat capability of the 26M and 26X might not appeal to hardcore sailors, but for those looking to maximize their use of the boat depending on the weather, their mood, or location, it makes a lot of sense.

MacGregor shut down in 2015, but the daughter and son-in-law of the original owners took over production and renamed the boat the Tattoo 26 . The company will soon release a smaller version, the Tattoo 22 .

If the 26 is a bit big to make your list of best trailerable small sailboats, consider the smaller Powersailer 19. It’s nearly identical to the 26, just smaller and lighter.

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What Do You Want Your Trailer Sailer To Do?

After you’ve settled on how you will tow and launch your trailer sailer, now it’s time to dream about what you want it to do. Where will it take you?

The beauty of a towable boat is that you can travel anywhere. A boat in the water might take weeks or months to move a few hundred miles. But if you can attach it to your car and do 65 mph on the interstate, you could sail on the Pacific on Monday, the Gulf of Mexico on Wednesday, and the Atlantic on Friday.

We can divide our trailerable sailboats into three groups – daysailers, weekenders, and cruisers.

These are designed with open cockpits and no space to sleep. This is a majority of the sub-22-foot boats on the market. They are designed to be launched, play for the day, and return to the ramp or dock.

A weekender will have rudimentary sleeping facilities. Think of it as a floating tent—it’s not a five-star hotel, but you can sleep under the stars or get out of the rain. Conceivably you could stay aboard indefinitely, but it doesn’t have much room for gear. So most people are ready to get off after a day or two.

A cruising boat has sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities built-in. These might be small and simple, but in any quantity, they mean you can disconnect from shore for a long time. Unfortunately, squeezing all of this into a tow-friendly package isn’t easy, and very few boats do it well.

The best trailer sailor for your adventures will depend on many factors. Like any boat, whatever you decide on will be a compromise – boats always are. But there are plenty of choices out there, no matter what size your tow vehicle is and no matter what sailing adventures you have in mind.

What size sailboat is trailerable?

Even large yachts are routinely transported by towing across land, so the question is more of how big a sailboat can you tow? Your tow vehicle will be the limiting factor. The upper limit for most large SUVs and trucks is usually a sailboat around 26 feet long.

Sailboats are generally very heavily built, with ballast and lead keels. Sailboats specifically made to be trailer sailers are lighter. They may use drainable water ballast tanks instead of fixed ballast and have fewer fixtures and amenities.

To find the best trailer sailer, you need to balance the total tow weight, the ease of rig setup at the boat ramp, and the boat’s draft. Shallow draft boats with centerboards are the easiest to launch and retrieve.

Is a Hunter 27 trailerable?

No. The Hunter 27 is a one of those fixed-keel larger boats built from 1974 to 1984. The boat’s displacement is 7,000 pounds, not including trailer and gear. That alone makes it too heavy to tow by all but the beefiest diesel trucks.

Furthermore, the fixed keels had drafts between 3.25 and 5 feet, all of which are too much for most boat ramps. In short, the standard Hunter Marine 27 is too big to tow for most people.

On the other hand, Hunter has made several good trailer sailers over the years. For example, the Hunter 240 and 260 were explicitly designed for trailering. They have drainable water ballast and shallow keel/centerboard drafts less than two feet.

Is a Catalina 22 trailerable?

Yes, the Catalina 22 is easily trailerable and makes a wonderful weekend sailboat. In fact, there were over 15,000 Catalina 22s made and sold over the years.

The boat’s displacement is 2,250 pounds, which means your total tow weight with trailer and gear will be under 3,000 pounds. This is within the capabilities of most mid to full-size SUVs and light trucks. Be sure to check your vehicle’s towing capacity, of course.

The centerboard on the Catalina 22 is another factor in its easy towing. With the board up, the boat draws only two feet. This makes it easy to float off the trailer at nearly any boat ramp. You should avoid fixed keel versions of the 22 for towing unless you have access to extra deep ramps.

Matt has been boating around Florida for over 25 years in everything from small powerboats to large cruising catamarans. He currently lives aboard a 38-foot Cabo Rico sailboat with his wife Lucy and adventure dog Chelsea. Together, they cruise between winters in The Bahamas and summers in the Chesapeake Bay.

Can someone tell me why no other manufacturer makes pop tops? Those who have them, love them. Makes sense for head space with a trailerable boat too. Catalina stopped making them decades ago, yet people still swear by them. So, why isn’t there any newer models?

MacGregor put pop tops on many of its trailerables

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20 Ft Sailboat Trailer

20 Ft Sailboat Trailer Boats for sale

1972 Ensenada 20 ft. Sailboat

Oceanside, California

Posted Over 1 Month

this sailboats in good condition comes with custom trailer and outboard motor in.

27Ft Sailboat, Dofour Safari

Huron, Ohio

Make Dufour

Model Safari

Category Daysailer Sailboats

Length 27.0

This is an outstanding READY TO SAIL Sloop. Length 27 Ft , beam 9.2Ft, draft 4.3 Ft. Used in fresh water on Lake Huron and on Lake Erie. There are impressive upgrades and improvements aboard this vessel. A new navy blue bimini was installed new this year and not on the pictures, but comes with boat. The power train consists of a professional factory rebuild on a Westerbeke four cylinder self-bleeding 30 HP Diesel (80 hrs.). Oil changes can be done in less than 15 minutes!. The attached drivetrain is 100% new as of 2014 as follows: Damper plate, Heavy duty adapter plate, Z-transmission, Coupler, Drive Shaft, Dripless seal, Cutlass bearing, Zinc, Engine rails and Mounts. This drive train provides superior maneuverability, smoothness, and quiet operation in any weather conditions and quickly starts in warm or cold temperatures. The rigging is in excellent condition with dual back stays, six shrouds and furling forestay. The aluminum mast features interior lines and floatation, All safety lines are new with heavy duty ¼ in ss cable and fittings. Sails consist of a nearly new 135% furling Genoa (This is a high end QUANTUM SAIL with all the bells and whistles) costing in excess of $2k. This sail is crispy and white complete with Sunbrella sun guard. The main is a fully battened Ray Leonard with double slab reefing and is in great shape (no rips or repairs) and comes with a matching Sunbrella sun cover. Lewmar winches in good working order, CSI Flexible Furler, Boomvang, Cunningham, Travel Car for main sheet,CQR 20 pound anchor and 100 feet of rope with short SS chain. 2nd Danforth lunch hook anchor, Simpson Lawrence 600 Electric windlass with capstan and deck mounted foot switches, Standard marine radio, New blue sea systems AC and DC electrical panels and all new wiring throughout, including the mast, new Moore digital sonar depth sounder, Bulkhead mounted compass and speed log. The hull is solid hand laid glass in superior condition with new Groco seacocks. The hull was awlgripped a few years back. Misc: Transom mounted SS swim ladder, solid SS bow cleats, Cabin fan, Halogen and LED interior lights, Custom dinette, New interior Cushions, Cockpit cushions (open cell foam), Electric and manual bilge pumps, plug in shore power and plug in generator wiring, SS fuel tank, Solid Brazilian cherry cabin sole, Map table with storage, Panasonic SS inverter microwave, Butane stove top burner, built in icebox and ice chest, deep sink, New Sealand toilet with new 7 gallon holding tank, and electric pump water flush, two New water storage tanks and all new water hoses and deck fittings for toilet, Hanging closet , V-bunk cabin with locking doors. This is a superior sailing boat with a very low center of gravity giving a stable ride without excessive healing. This sailboat is at its best in heavy weather. A great interior (see photos). And some other items not mentioned/pictured here. There is over twenty thousand dollars invested in this fine boat. Clear Ohio title. NOTE! The trailer shown with the boat is NOT part of this auction but is available for purchase (see details below).The trailer is a custom designed trailer and built in an iso certified mfg. facility on a Venture triaxle. It is unique in that it will transport a wide variety of both sailboats and power boats and can be changed over in under an hour with just a set of standard wrenches. Specs. are as follows; Max boat length power or sail= 32 feet, max payload=13000 lbs. keel depth up to 6 ft. The trailer has truck style heavy duty drum brakes on all three axles. It has a 7 inch high strength beam with 10 guage hot dipped galvanized cross members. If the winning bidder on the sailboat opts to buy the trailer the price would be 8,000 (firm) and paid for separate from ebay. If not, the trailer will be listed later at 9,000. The trailer has only 3500 miles and would cost 12,500 if you buy it as a new trailer.Shipping will be the responsibility of the buyer.Please see my 500+ all positive feedback, bid with confidence.

1999 NACRA 6.0 20ft Racing Catamaran Sailboat

Keller, Texas

Category Racer Boats

Length 20.0

1999 NACRA 6.0 in excellent condition. I'm selling because I have too many toys. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. I have tons of extra gear and hardware. I just waxed 2 weeks ago. Been stored indoors until the last month, now stored at fresh water lake. Very easy boat to sail by yourself, I sail by myself all the time. ANY QUESTIONS CALL ME 817-896-9342ANY QUESTIONS CALL ME 817-896-9342CLEAR TITLE 20ft 1999 Nacra 6.0 with 1999 trailer aluminum trailer, sailbox, beach wheels, harness and 4 trapeze wires'. Everything needed for boat included and in excellent condition. Spare rigging and all sheets and halyards including roller fuller jib setup. Also has a new Kevlar sail and Spinnaker, jib sail is in perfect condition. This boat has standard 8.6 beams and weighs 450lbs. All tires in great condition on trailer. BOAT ALSO HAS A CARBON FIBER RIGHTING POLE VERY EXPENSIVE. Ready to sail, no soft spots, or leaks. I have an electric winch setup for hoisting the mast alone with a car key transmitter to start the winch. Included is a custom mast stand and all the rigging. The cat box stores everything including the sails. Boat has just been waxed. No cracks, holes, or leaks anywhere on boat. I also have the instruction manual and whoever buys I can show how to setup. I just sailed it last week and had a blast. This is faster than any modern Hobie I've ever been on. It has 280sq ft of sail. The only cosmetic things I can think of are a 3 inch hole in the trampoline from the previous owner caused by the belt from the trailer not properly secure and tied down. I've been sailing with it for a while it hasn't been an issue. Minor nicks and scratches on hulls underneath. Mast is 30ft tall and boat weighs 450lbs. Buyer pays for shipping and transport. Ships within continental US excluding Hawaii and Alaska. Also included is -Hobie large mast buoy brand new they are $200 -Custom cat box-$500-New trailer lights and wiring- $50-cat box tarp cover- $20-New Kevlar sail $3000-Extra hardware alone $400-Beach wheels $500 -Long Carbon Fiber righting pole $550-Trapeze harness-Box of hardware $300.00 Hulls are super thick compared to a Hobie. Mast is sealed and also has a Hobie large mast float. This is faster than any modern Hobie I've ever been on. It has 280sq ft of sail. The only cosmetic things I can think of are a 3 inch hole in the trampoline from the previous owner caused by the belt from the trailer not properly secure and tied down. I've been sailing with it for a while it hasn't been an issue. Minor nicks and scratches on hulls underneath. Mast is 30ft tall and boat weighs 450lbs. Buyer pays for shipping and transport. Ships within continental US excluding Hawaii and Alaska.

blue and white vintage classic fiberglass sailboat

Broadus, Montana

Make Coastal Recreation

Model Ensenada 20

Length 20 ft

Selling my 20 ft fiberglass Ensenada sailboat, it's a gorgeous classic sailboat made by Coastal Recreation and is quite rare, I believe less than 1000 were ever made. The interior is intended to sleep 4 people, one on each side berth and two in the V-berth. I have a brand new Bimini Top for the sailboat but never got it installed.All interior wood has all been torn out and rebuilt, a little coating of the interior fiberglass will be needed and the interior should be ready to use. It has a swing keel so it can be hauled easily on a trailer as well as use in shallower waters. All parts are there, just needs finishing touches putting it all together. Sails are in good shape, no tears, etc.I have a 5 or 6 horsepower long shaft Honda outboard motor that pairs nicely with this boat and it also comes with a 2005 Roadrunner aluminum trailer that has only been in water twice, all lights work great and it pulls easily.

1973 Coastal Recreation Ensenada 20 Sailboat

sailboat 33 ft Taren Ten and Trailer Race boat Day Sailer less than 100 hours

Ada, Michigan

Make S&S

Model Tarten Ten

1978 S&S Tarten Ten in above average condition senior citizen owned. less that 100 actual hours of use. comes with custom built trailer for easy launching. has extender very heavy duty construction. add 20ft to ease launch. call 616 874 8235 for details paypal used for deposit only

1984 CAL 24' Sailboat Galvanized Tandem Trailer Rhode Island

East Greenwich, Rhode Island

Length 24.0

This is my 1984 25th Anniversary Special Edition Cal 24' Sailboat with tandem axle galvanized trailer I have owned the boat for the last several years and it has seen little use in that time. The boat is in good shape for its age. The following work was done within the last two years I have owned it. Please review all pictures. I have detailed pictures unlike most showing 5 pictures. Johnson 7.5HP outboard can be purchased additonally Trailer: New 3,500lb dual axlesNew galvanized wheels/tiresNew wiring/lightsPainted Boat supportsFenders Boat: Standing rigging replacedWiring replaced (connection from cabin to mast needs to be completed)Bottom stripped/barrier coated 1 layer of bottom paintMail sail 2-3 years old1 genoa no roller furlingBoom VangAluminum anchor and rhode Hull is in good shape for its age with no soft spots on deck or major damage. Has usual cracks and dings here and there. Interior has all cushions, cooler step, drop down table, porta potie etc. Bulkheads are solid and well as stainless keel bolts. I hate to sell it but do not have time to use it and would rather let someone else enjoy it. Title for boat in hand as well as registration for trailer. Full payment is required within 7 days of listings ending. Hull Type: Fin w/spade rudderRig Type: Masthead SloopLOA: 24.67' / 7.52mLWL: 20.00' / 6.10mBeam: 8.00' / 2.44mListed SA: 261 ft2 / 24.25 m2Draft (max.) 4.25' / 1.30mDraft (min.) Disp. 3300 lbs./ 1497 kgs.Ballast: 1175 lbs. / 533 kgs.SA/Disp.: 18.89Bal./Disp.: 35.60%Disp./Len.: 184.15Designer: C. Raymond Hunt & Assoc.Builder: Bangor Punta Marine (USA)Construct.: FGBal. type: LeadFirst Built: 1983Last Built: # Built: AUXILIARY POWER (orig. equip.)Make: YanmarModel: Type: DieselHP: 8TANKSWater: 12 gals. / 45 ltrs.Fuel: 15 gals. / 57 ltrs.RIG DIMENSIONS KEYI: 29.75' / 9.07mJ: 9.30' / 2.83mP: 25.75' / 7.85mE: 9.50' / 2.90mPY: EY: SPL: ISP: SA(Fore.): 138.34 ft2 / 12.85 m2SA(Main): 122.31 ft2 / 11.36 m2Total(calc.)SA: 260.65 ft2 / 24.21 m2DL ratio: 184.15SA/Disp: 18.86Est. Forestay Len.: 31.17' / 9.50mBUILDERS (past & present)More about & boats built by: Jensen Marine/Cal BoatsMore about & boats built by: Bangor Punta Corp.DESIGNERMore about & boats designed by: Raymond Hunt (C.R. Hunt & Assoc.)NOTESShoal Draft version: Draft= 3.33' Bal.=1400 lbs.

Rebel 16 Mark II Sailboat with Aluminum Trailer

Angola, Indiana

Length 16.6'

Stable fiberglass sailing boat carries six people (or 1170 pounds). Includes trailer, full rigging, and TWO suits of sails. One suit of sails is in like new condition, the other set is in very good condition. Serial number 1929 (built in late sixties to early seventies I believe). The centerboard swings up into the cockpit, so you can change the depth to dock in shallow water. The rudder also swivels up if it hits an obstruction. The trolling motor in the photos is not included. There is, however a permanent motor mount on the stern. The boat will take up to a 5hp motor, but my 30lb. thrust trolling motor drives it around just fine. The boat is located on West Otter Lake, Angola, IN. Buyer with the selling price in cash or Pay Pal payment can drive it away. (Trailer takes an 1 7/8" ball hitch.) The following article from Sailing Magazine gives a great description of Rebel sailboats. You can access the original on SailingMagazine.net. Rebel 16 2008 January 8 By Staff This nimble and tough classic is perfect for a daysail or a day of racing This year the boat that holds claim to being America's first production fiberglass one-design will celebrate its 60th birthday. That the boat is still in production makes this milestone that much more remarkable. In 1948, fresh out of the Navy, Ray Greene began building a 16-foot family daysailer out of his Toledo, Ohio, shop using a revolutionary new material called fiberglass. The design of the boat was based on lines drawn by a local high school drawing instructor by the name of Alvin Younquist. With its wide, 6-foot, 7-inch beam and 110-pound steel centerboard the stable little boat known as the Rebel soon became a hit on the Midwest's inland lakes. And while Greene said he never intended to create a racer, thanks to the boat's performance-courtesy of a large 120-square-foot main and 46-square-foot jib on a fractional rig-it wasn't long before a competitive structure was built around the boat. By 1952 a class association had been firmly established and by 1963 the class boasted 138 active members. Not bad. Fleets started popping up across the Midwest, south into Kentucky and all the way down to Texas. Meanwhile, class members could be found sailing the inland lakes of the Eastern Seaboard from New York to Florida. After 25 years of building the Rebel, with more than 3,000 hulls produced, Greene was ready to call it quits and sold the works to a group of Chicago investors. Production of the Rebel continued at a steady pace during the 1970s, and was done under a number of names: Melling Tool Co., Rebel Industries and finally Spindrift One Designs. After Spindrift folded, the Rebel moved to Michigan in 1988 when Nickels Boat Works of Fenton took over with the production of the Mark V model. Nickels continues to build the Rebel, offering buyers a choice of a daysailer version for $9,860 or the optimum racing version for $11,872 less sails and trailer. A stainless steel centerboard now comes standard with the Rebel. Nickels also continues to be a great source for parts and accessories, as well as information, on the Rebel. One tough Rebel While there have been reports of problems with the foam flotation on older boats becoming waterlogged, that has been less of a problem on boats from the 1970s and later. Other than that, a buyer of a used Rebel should find few issues with the condition of this durable little boat. Indeed, boats 25 years and older will still top regatta leaderboards. "They're well made, very rugged boats that will last forever," said Al Vorel, National Rebel Association Commodore, who has been racing the same boat, No. 3914, for almost 20 years. "You don't have to run out every 5 to 10 years to buy a new boat." This is one of the reasons for the longevity of the class. Boats tend to stay in the family, passed down from parent to child, with the younger generations wanting to keep the racing going. "My mother races, and my daughter sometimes races, so there are times we'll have three generations on the course," Vorel said. This also, of course, keeps a lot of boats off the market, and finding a used Rebel can be a bit of a challenge. But thanks to the Internet, it's possible to locate a few sellers. Prices can vary from just under $1,000 for an older boat in need of some work to $3,000 or more for a later model. Buyers can typically expect to pay in the neighborhood of $1,500 for a pre-Nickels-era boat in good shape. We were fortunate enough to find a late 1970s Rebel listed for sale on www.craigslist.org. Better yet, the seller was within trailering distance. The offer on the boat was $1,400, so we drove out to take a look. The boat was well cared for, kept under a roof winters, and showed no structural damage. Other than some algae stains and scuff marks the finish looked good, and all the gear was there, including the main and jib, which the owner said he bought new about seven years ago. We did see some possible issues, including a rusty, pitted centerboard and a wooden rudder that looked to have some rotting. So we offered to pay the full $1,400 if the owner threw in the trailer, which he originally wanted an extra $200 for. The deal was closed and we drove off with the Rebel in tow. Rebel with a cause With the boat parked in our yard the first item of business we wanted to take care of was the rusty centerboard. Nickels offers a stainless steel replacement board, and we could picture how sweet the boat would look with a shiny new stainless fin. Unfortunately, these centerboards run close to $1,000; more than two-thirds the cost of the entire boat. So such an extravagant purchase didn't make much sense. Instead we set about rehabilitating the old board. We removed, with a bit of difficulty, the 110-pound board and set in on sawhorses. The first step was to remove the old paint using paint stripper, then power sanding. We then slathered on some Duro Naval Jelly to remove the rust, wiping down everything with paper towels then finishing up with a clean, acetone-soaked rag. Next, we filled in the pits and hollows with West Marine Surfacing Putty, and sanded everything smooth. We made certain the blade was fair by running a straight edge along the board. We also further faired the rounded leading edge of the board to within the class rule limits, which prohibit tapering less than 1/16th of an inch and more than one inch in from the leading edge. We then primed the board with several coats of Interlux Primocon primer, which when dried we wet sanded with 400-grit paper, and finished with a couple coats of Interlux VC-17m Extra bottom paint. With the centerboard done, we then turned to the rudder. An ice pick determined the wood was beginning to rot near the lower trailing edge. We probably could have rehabilitated the rudder as well, but since we had saved some money by not replacing the centerboard we decided to spring for a new rudder. We opted for a fiberglass blade, supplied by Nickels for $375. This cost covered just the blade, as the original aluminum rudder cheeks and hardware were still in good shape. While we were on the phone with Nickels, we decided to order all new running rigging to replace the weathered lines the boat came with. This included lines for the cunningham, boom vang, centerboard system, as well as sheets and halyards for both main and jib. The total for 112 feet of ¼-inch line and 105 feet of 5/16-inch line came to $100. Next we took a closer look at the standing rigging. The spars showed no defects, and with a bit of metal polish and elbow grease the rotating mast, boom and aluminum whisker pole looked good as new. The 1-by-9 stainless steel shrouds and forestay also showed no visible defects. We did, however, find the diamond stays on the mast to be tuned rather tight. According to the North Sail's One-Design tuning guide for the Rebel, an overly tight diamond can limit fore and aft mast bend, and can even cause negative pre-bend, where the mast bends forward at the tip. Since we want to have a competitive boat, we loosened the diamond tension and will readjust after doing some sea trials. As we said, we ultimately wanted to race our Rebel and didn't want a slow boat. So obviously the 7-year-old suit of sails had to go. This would be our biggest expense, and a new suit of sails would alone exceed the original cost of the boat. A new main and standard jib (a light air jib is also available) from North Sails set us back $1,615, which included $20 for class royalties but not shipping. Certainly this was a blow to our budget, but we rationalized it by thinking about the fun we would be having with some close racing come summer. Our last order of business was getting our bottom clean and smooth. We first scrubbed the hull down with a detergent then wet sanded everything below the rails to a slick surface with 1,200-grit paper. After a rinse and wipe down with the hose and clean towels we were satisfied we had a slick bottom. We finished off by treating all our hardware and moving bits to a little McLube Sailkote spray. We now have what we feel will be a contender on the course for our racing crew of two. Yet, with the roomy Rebel cockpit that can seat six, we're also looking forward to some lazy summer daysailing when friends and family show up. Either way, we'll certainly get our money's worth from this tough but nimble little classic. LOA 16' 1.5" LWL 15' 10" Beam 6' 7.5" Draft 3' 4" Weight 700 lbs, Sail area 166 sq. ft.

Narragansett, Rhode Island

1968 Johnson "Y" model sailboat

Vancouver, Washington

Johnson Boat Works was a builder and developer of racing sailboats of the scow design in White Bear Lake, Minnesota. It was founded in 1896, by John O. Johnson who had emigrated from Norway in 1893. After working with Gus Amundson for three years, Johnson started his own boat building business in 1896. His first major success was the "Minnezika" a 38 ft. scow design which won the championship on White Bear Lake in 1900. This sailboat was the beginning of the A-Class. As more classes were founded, Johnson moved on to design other classes of boats. J.O. Johnson was always interested in new designs, innovations, and inventions. In 1909, he designed a bi-wing airplane with a 20-horsepower engine. This design was totally unlike the Wright brothers, as the wings were arranged in front of each other, and the structure carrying the motor and the aviators seat hung beneath the 2 wings and right between them. In January of 1910, on frozen White Bear Lake, he flew his originally designed plane a distance of 200 feet at 20 feet in the air, making him the first Minnesota aviator to fly that distance. In 1923, he designed and subsequently received the US patent on the first rotary snowplow. Five years later, he sold the patent for $50,000.00 and this money was used to expand and modernize the Johnson Boat Works. In 1998, two years after JBW turned 100 years old, the family sold the company. I acquired this boat in 2005 and have Washington title for both boat & trailer. The hull is fiberglass. It has a wooden mast. The boat, mast, sails, trailer and rigging are in good condition and ready to sail.

17 ft. Gaff Haven 12 1/2 Sailboat. Centerboard version of the Herreshoff 12 1/2

Grosse Pointe, Michigan

Make Custom Built

Length 17.0

The Haven 12 1/2 is Joel White's centerboard version of the Herresshoff 12 1/2. This boat was built to the highest standards, completed in 2006. It has a white oak keel and steam bent oak frames. It was built with plank on frame construction over molds at each frame with Atlantic White Cedar. The front deck is 3/8" marine plywood with teak marine grade plywood laminated on top and scribed with lines to represent deck planking. The rest of the wood is all mahogany and teak. The gaff rigged sails (main and jib), are from Center Harbor (Maine) sail makers. The metal hardware is all silicone bronze as are all the screws. All the spars are Sitka Spruce, which is very light weight and very strong. She has Sunbrella main and jib sail covers. There is a marine grade deep discharge 12 volt battery which powers Minn-Kota electric trolling motors for auxiliary power. There is also an AM/FM/Marine stereo system with iphone/ipod input and two mounted speakers. A galvanized wire lifting harness is also included. It comes with a custom built galvanized Triad trailer (~2006), which has a custom mast holder and "sail off" capability. New paint and varnish was completed inside and out in April, 2015 using Epifanes Varnish and George Kirby Jr. paint. The boat is located near Detroit, Michigan - worth the trip! $20,000. Reasonable offers considered. Shipping and payment: Cannot deliver boat. Payment required in full at time of purchase.

sailboat 16' classic wooden custom built one year old with trailer

Benton, Pennsylvania

Make Does Not Apply

Specifications: LOA 16'; DWL 12'6" Beam 6'1" Draft 1'6" Displacement 1,389 lbs Sail Area 134 sq ft This boat was custom built and sailed only one season.With 550 lbs lead ballast and 20 lbs in center board, she is a delight to sail. Very easy and stable for beginner or experienced sailor. . With Mahogany trim, seats, floors and transom, she shows off very nice. The mast is Sitka Spruce and handles easily. This design is very similar to the famous Herreshoff 12 1/2. The custom trailer is galvanized, and she tows easily by a standard sedan, no need to have a truck.

Herreshoff Eagle 22' Sailboat. Catboat 1974 fiberglass day sailer. beautiful!

Middletown, New Jersey

Make Herreshoff

Model Herreshoff

Length 22.0

Herreshoff Eagle, 22 ft., 1974 My father owns this boat and questions can be directed to him via: 732.671.2477 Stately daysailer and elegant weekend cruiser designed by famed naval architect Halsey Herreshoff. You either know about the Eagle or you dont. For those who do and have had the pleasure of sailing one, it is considered of of the best designed day sailers ever built. Easy to handle alone, but with room for 4-6. It is stable and very manuverable. With the centerboard up you can bring it into very shallow water. This 22 footer, with classic lines, is for those not satisfied with the ordinary. Gaff rigged sloop, club footed self tending working jib, and topsail. The Eagle sails smartly; shallow draft and retractable center board makes the Eagle easily trailable; all haylards go directly to the cockpit; rigging blocks of wooden or bronze; Spacious cockpit, roomy 6'-6" berths , comfortable handling are worthy of 'big boat' features. Boom tent permits ready, roomy cockpit sleeping. Bowsprit with Eagle figurehead; extraordinary amount of handcrafted teak. There are two small rotten spots of teak that will need fixing. Fiberglass construction, 5 bronze portholes (4 fixed, 1 opening) It also comes with opening portholes and screens. All sails, tent, and cushions in extremely good condition. The included trailer has not moved in over 20 years and we cannot vouch for its roadworthy ability. Buyer must inspect trailer and pay in full before attempting to move the boat. At the very least new tires will be needed. Specifications: LOA 22' Beam 8'-0" Draft 1'10" with centerboard upDisplacement 2,700# Ballast 700# Sail area 320sf Mast height 32'-6" Main 185 sf (1 set of reef points); Jib 68sf; topsail 49sf <

2005 Marlow-Hunter 260

Bradenton, Florida

Make Marlow-Hunter

Category Cruiser Sailboats

2005 Hunter 260 SailBoat Price: $ 21,900.00 OBO Conditions : good , ready to sail. Clear Boatfax Type: Water Ballast with centerboard Control: pedestal with wheel steering rudder Sails: Main, roller furling jib Roller Furling: Cruising Design Canvas: Sailcover, Bimini and many more Outboard: 2005 Nissan 9.9 hp, 4 stroke with remote start and throttle (in vry good conditions) Specs: LENG OVERALL (LOA) 26’ 3” LENG OF WATER LÑINE (LWL) : 23’ 3” BEAM (MAX): 8’ 11 ½” DRAFT (center board up): 1.9 Ft. DRAFT (center board down): 6 Ft MAST HEIGHT (from water line) : 40 Ft DISPLACEMENT (w/o water ballast) : 3000 Lbs DISPLACEMENT (with water ballast) : 5000 Lbs SAIL AREA (100% triangles): 289.5 sq. Ft. Trailer: Original 2005 Magic Tild Galvanized double axle with fenders, guides, extending tongue, with new trailer jack, tires ,wheels, drums , springs . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4GFVMLPSiY&feature=youtu.be (video sailing) email: [email protected] or text 941 9204936 (juan Rosabal) Current location : Sarasota Sailing Squadron Marina at Sarasota Bay , Florida (las 3 years, not on the water, normally in parking lot) Position at the marina parking Lot : B26 Information about de sailboat https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/hunter-260 https://www.marlow-hunter.com/wp-content/uploads/260_1997-2005.pdf The boat includes all the standard features and more… Pedestal guard w/cockpit table Cabin vent fan Cabin 12v receptacle Cockpit 12v receptacle Cockpit cushions, helm seat cushion Solid boom vang with ajustment Rail mounted propane grill 2nd battery & selector switch / solar charger Stern rail seat covers and cushions Helm seat cushion 2 Anchors Port-o-potti toilet Jib w/roller –main w/reef points Lazy jack systems Mast 40' with raising and lowering system Custom screen for main hatch AM/FM/CD Stereo w/cabin and cockpit speakers Cabin shades Draft 1.9 ‘board up, 6’ boar down 8 livesaver Miscellaneus , spare parts Deph meter Pressurized on-desmand water pump in kitchen sink and bath room faucets -- 20 gal fresh water tank Built in cooler- and double burner propane stow Moon light hatch Replaced recalled petcock ball valves EZ steer Teak Cabin bookshelf and VHS holder Pedestal compass Windex 6 fenders Hand held Garmin GPS and VHF – Radio Solar charging Boat cover Cockit cushion bottom paint Bimini top

2004 Unlimited Unknown

El Dorado, California

Make Unlimited

Model Unknown

Category Sloop Sailboats

2004 Unlimited Unknown, Make is unknown. This is a brand new sloop rig sailboat with masthead forestay that was built in 2004 but has never been put in the water. It has never been registered and comes with a trailer that is NEW as well and has never been registered. It is not LIKE new it IS new. Appraised by Marine Surveys for up to $22k. The teak and finishes are fantastic. You will see in the pictures that the mast still has some plastic on it from shipping. You can see in the pictures the interior IS NEW.20.5 ft.8ft beam.4ft draft.Fiber Reinforced plastic construction.Yamaha T8PLRB four stroke outboard, never been run! Has remote throttle and shift lever in the cockpit.The gas take has never had fuel in it.The 12V battery had never been hooked up until I hooked it up and tested all the stems.The engine is electric key start.Custom interior joiner work inside.Hull is a fin keep design with external ballast keel that retains a ballast bulb.Custom wood bulwarks around the aft cockpit that raise them near the height of the deckhouse top.Removable custom doors on the bulwarks on each side for easy entry.The aft Lazaret is watertight and sealed from the rest of the interior.Four opening windows with new screens never installed. Bronze fitting for ventilation with bronze vent cols that have never been installed. They need to be polished.Sink that drains over the side through a ball valve with a large fresh water tank under the sink.Rule 450 electric submersible bilge pump and float switch.Tiller controlled spade rudder.Aluminum mast with single spreader rig.Includes running rigging and life lines. Missing one turnbuckle.All rigging is brand new and in perfect shape.Anderson #12 self tailing primary winches on the deck house for the jib.Harker roller furler on the headstay.Three BRAND NEW sails: 1-Jib (no markings); 2-Dacron mailsails (on with T-21 logo) with partial battens. Mailsail cover.What needs attention:The brass needs to be polished.The sliding hatch cover has slight warp and the top of it needs to be resealed.The interior cushions have some discoloration from something being stored on them. $17995.00

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Boating Safety

How to Choose an Outboard Motor

By Steve Griffin
Updated: February 11, 2020

6 Burning Questions About Outboards

For many kinds of boating, the outboard motor is the answer. But it comes with questions, too — which is better, two strokes or four? What’s the right prop ? Is the bigger motor the better motor? We’ve presented a few of the most debated questions to the experts, and here’s how they answer them.

Are four-strokes always better than two-stroke engines?

Answer: Are Fords better than Chevrolets? When it comes to outboard motors , the question is four-stroke vs. two-stroke . If you believe what you hear, the answer is etched across the stone board — four-strokes rule. But dig deeper and you find the answer isn’t so clear.

First, the technical distinction and difference between two-stroke and four-stroke engines. Four-stroke outboards, like the engine in the car in your driveway, burn straight gasoline within cylinders, circulating lubricating oil through a separate system. Oil and gas don’t mix, unless there’s a breakdown. Two-stroke engines, in contrast, burn a blend of gas and oil.

Traditional two-strokes were fed their oil-gas mix fuel by carburetor or injector into the cylinder through an intake valve. During part of this feeding, the exhaust valve was also open, and up to 30 percent of the fuel escaped unburned.

Jump ahead to two-stroke direct-fuel-injection (DFI) engines. The fuel is sprayed into the cylinder with precision timing while the piston covers the exhaust valve. There’s no loss of fuel. (In four-stroke engines, thanks to their four piston strokes per cycle, intake and exhaust take place at separate times.) DFI two-strokes and four-strokes both deliver much better fuel economy than traditional two-strokes, since they’re directed by computer and burn virtually all of the fuel.

Evinrude’s E-TEC two-stroke DFI engines inject fuel twice as fast as standard direct injection, even adjusting the fuel delivery and oil-gas mix as needed. We’ve tested the E-TEC engines, and they’re just as smooth and almost as quiet as four-strokes while maintaining more traditional two-stroke power.

On the other side, four-stroke motors are also erasing what was a clear division just two years ago, the one that said two-strokes are inherently more powerful. The industry once envisioned a 100-horsepower limit for four-strokes because of their extra weight. But the limit has vanished. Witness Suzuki’s 300-horsepower four-stroke at just 604 pounds.

“It’s a closer call than ever before,” says Mercury spokesperson Eric Pope. “The biggest myth is the idea that two-strokes are noisy, smelly and not very fuel efficient. It isn’t true today.”

Two versus four is now more a matter of boater preferences than ground-shaking practical distinctions. Through it all, both modern four-strokes and DFI two-strokes are mechanical marvels.

The Differences in Performance Between Two-Stroke and Four-Stroke Engines Are Shrinking

• Two-stroke DFIs are lighter than four-strokes with the same power, but the difference is shrinking. • Four-strokes are quieter than two-strokes, but the difference is shrinking. • Two-strokes generally provide a stronger hole shot, but the difference is shrinking.

Are two motors better than one?

You’ll mainly see duals (and triples) in offshore fishing applications. In most cases you can bet they’ve been installed for peace of mind for boaters who have visions of catastrophic loss of an engine at sea. Duals have also earned favor for making docking an easier task, thanks to the engines having props revolving in opposite directions.

But for this protection against an unlikely event, and for simpler steering dockside, a boater pays more money upfront — a lot more. Rigging with a pair of motors means you have to duplicate the controls and generally complicates installation.

“In performance, it’s a wash,” says Suzuki spokesman Rick Hauser. “Three hundred horses are three hundred horses, whether it comes through one prop or two.”

It really comes down to economics. If the price difference is not an issue, then twins are worth considering. Otherwise, a single is the simpler call.

Why Two Outboards Might Not Be Better Than One

• Multiple motors only provide security against breakdown if they’re truly independent, including fuel and power sources. • Hanging multiple motors adds power only if they exceed the power available in a single. • Another alternative is to run a single unit and add a satellite phone for breakdown recourse.

Is High Octane Gas the Best for my Engine?

Answer: When high-compression engines came on the scene, the increased pressure in their cylinders sometimes caused fuel to explode too early. That preignition, called spark knock, was more than an irritating noise (although certainly that); it caused engine damage.

The solution was to add materials to the fuel that would slow the ignition until the piston was ready for the spark plug to activate, which would avoid damage and make efficient use of that higher compression. So now, the higher the octane rating, the better the fuel can handle compression.

Sounds good. But the truth is high-octane fuel — usually 92 or 93 octane — is a waste of money for the majority of outboards. Most are built to run happily on 87 octane. Some manufacturers — such as Tohatsu — do recommend midrange fuel, usually 89 octane. Check your owner’s manual, and fuel up with what it prescribes. Go above the recommended octane and you’re giving away about 20 to 30 cents per gallon.

High Octane Gas is Probably Not Necessary for your Outboard Engine

• Only high-performance engines need high-octane fuel. • High-octane fuel in motors made for low-octane fuel nets no better performance, but bigger fuel bills. • In a few cases, motor makers might prescribe midrange fuel, usually 89 octane.

What Size Outboard Motor do I Need?

Answer: Boat buyers years ago were made rightfully leery of boat packages when some dealers priced them with puny outboards, and then coached the consumer up to a more respectable power plant before closing the deal. Those who spent the extra bucks for a bigger motor were generally well-served; those who stayed with a small motor for the lower price point were often disappointed.

Things are better now: There are fewer underpowered packages on the market. Still, bigger is generally better.

One of the worst things you can do is under-power a boat. You’ll never savor the performance built into the hull. You won’t be as prepared to scoot from an approaching storm. Potential buyers of your boat down the road will cast a jaundiced eye.

Going with the boat maker’s maximum rating, found on the inspection plate, is a pretty safe bet. If you’re on the fence, you can check with boat manufacturers, who generally have available test data on the boat of your choice powered with various makes and models of engines.

Why a Larger Outboard Engine Makes Sense

• Take sea trials with boats that have less-than-max motors. We’ve noted in tests that some smaller motors power boats — particularly pontoons — beautifully. • For the biggest seas and the heaviest loads, you want the biggest boy on the back of the boat. • When was the last time you heard someone say they bought a boat with too large a motor?

How do I get the Right Prop for my Engine?

Answer: The maker of your outboard probably equipped it with a decent, middle-of-the-road propeller. If not, the dealer likely did. But if either of them installed the perfect prop for you, it was probably dumb luck: The correct prop depends on how you’ll load your boat, and how you’ll use it.

First, some propeller basics. Props are measured in diameter and pitch. You remember diameter from high-school geometry, of course, but pitch? Propeller pitch is the theoretical distance the propeller would travel through one complete revolution if there was no slippage.

Moving away from the prop itself for a minute, consider that engine manufacturers rate their product’s horsepower at a specific rpm, setting rpm ranges for top-end operation. It can only hit that top-end bracket if it’s powering the right propeller. If the prop allows the motor to over-rev, then wear and friction can occur. If the propeller restrains the motor from reaching that prime range, it gets poor mileage and you risk other damage. You can protect your motor and improve its performance by picking the right pitch.

You can test your prop by running your boat at wide-open throttle. (If you’re over the maximum rpm, throttle down until the needle is within the manufacturer-suggested range.) Ashore, inspect the propeller to learn its pitch. Figuring that you get about a 200 rpm drop for each increase in pitch, try a different prop. A cupped propeller will also reduce rpm by about 200. Some dealers will even let you test a prop, provided you return it undamaged and promptly.

As long as it hits but doesn’t exceed the motor’s top-end range, a prop delivering wide-open rpms toward the bottom of the range provides stronger hole shots, while those toward the top generate slightly higher top speeds.

What to Know About Boat Engine Propellers

• Prop condition can be more important than type: A damaged prop can destroy the engine spinning it. • Stainless-steel props run truest and are five times as strong, but aluminum is cheaper and sacrifices itself to protect the lower unit. • A four-blade prop beats a three-blade in time to plane, midrange speed and low-speed handling.

How Much Maintenance is Necessary on my Outboard Engine?

Answer: There is little you need to do to maintain an outboard motor — but what is still needed is vitally important. You can blow up an engine by neglecting its cooling needs, clog it up by ignoring potential fuel problems, bust it up by letting the lower unit sit over winter with leaky seals. Depleted zincs can invite corrosion. Dinged props can shake the stuffing out of bearings and other moving parts. Owner’s manuals have slim maintenance sections. That doesn’t mean they’re unimportant.

Easy Outboard Engine Maintenance Tips

• Keep the fuel tank topped to reduce the chances of condensation building up when the motor isn’t in use. • Add fuel stabilizer every time you add fuel — it’s important now with ethanol fuels. • Inspect the prop at every opportunity. A ding might cause chatter at cruising speeds, but a tiny one could go unnoticed — and still do damage. • Look over the fittings and hoses; cool water needs to run through the motor to keep it from burning up.

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Using a trolling motor on small boat

Thread starter PK Harvey
Start date Apr 28, 2021
Forums for All Owners
Trailer Sailors

Hi, all. After years of sailing medium-sized Hunters (sold my last of those after a move a few years ago), I'm starting in with a Classic Lido 14, as a boat I can trailer and use to teach my grandsons to handle a sail. I'll be taking the boat out on Lake Buchanan in the Texas hills. There aren't any good choices for a permanent slip for a little boat like this, so I'm going to be launching her new each time out. Here's the issue: The ramp near my property on the lake has an available dock for loading, etc., but it's in close enough quarters that it's not an option to move from the trailer to the ramp under sail. I'd like to add a small electric trolling motor just to move the boat around in the inlet where we'll be launching. I've read some advice that a small gas outboard is a better choice, but in Texas that means registering and all the paperwork for being a power boat. My plan would be to just use the trolling motor to move the boat the 50 or so feet to the dock, and then offload it before I head out on the lake. Wondering how much thrust I'd need on a trolling motor to move a roughly 350 lb. (fully rigged) boat around in those limited circumstances. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for any help.-PK

PK Harvey said: .................... Wondering how much thrust I'd need on a trolling motor to move a roughly 350 lb. (fully rigged) boat around in those limited circumstances............... Click to expand

I am sure a trolling motor will work just fine. My concern would be with the battery when you capsize. I learned on a Lido 14 and those things are super light / stable so moving it around is no issue at all. May I ask why not just use a paddle for the 50 feet or so? Seems like a lot less cost and hassle.

I think the problem paddling a small light boat is the you have to lean to each side to make a paddle stroke and the boat will list as a result. If the main is up the boom will swing back and forth and be annoying not to mention the rudder flopping back and forth. I tried this on my Bandit 15 and it wasn't that effective. I would consider sculling. You could fit a half circle fitting on the transom and once you get the technique down move pretty effectively for 50 feet. Off Center Harbor has some Vids posted on this subject and you get to view a few free.

Of course you could buy an electric motor with a water proof battery like a Torqeedo. I have a 503 on my dinghy. Kayak Trolling Motor - Ultralight 403 A -Torqeedo Electric Outboard with direct drive - Travel 603 - Torqeedo

Okay so.... one more thing to consider. Once you put a motor on it, you have to register it, display a registration number & tags and pay annual registration fees. COST and HASSLE That might be another reason to stick with human power.

"No officer. That's not a motor. It's a blender but I don't have another way to stow it!"

SailingLoto

I used an old transom mount minnkota and small car battery the first couple times I ever went sailing. Worked fine. I had to go 250-300 yards in and out. Zero issues. Light, easy to remove and stow. The battery was from a mid 90s civic and fit directly infront of my trolling motor. Gas was a definite upgrade for me, but you on a small boat, going such a short distance.... I think it would be ideal

sloughsailer

When the motor on my 3000 LB Columbia 22 self destructed I installed an oarlock on the transom and got a long oar. With a little practice I was able to scull anywhere I wanted to go. One windless night I sculled 2 miles against the current without a great deal of effort. Your 14 foot dingy will scull easily.

I used a trolling motor on my 16' AMF Sunbird for years. The 'bird was already titled so that wasn't an issue. But when I sold the 'bird and put the trolling motor onto my 8' Walker Bay, I had a Texas Game Warden give me a warning about registering the Walker Bay. I used a small AGM battery to power the trolling motor. I still have the trolling motor if you want it. Just collecting dust here at Canyon Lake.

I used a 22 lb thrust Minnkota on a Taser to motor out of the dead air in an inlet ramp and get back across the lake if the wind died. Battery was mounted under the mid thwart and a dead-man switch. Do use a dead-man switch for any smaller boat/dingy for safety. (momentary push-on switch).

I've used a really small trolling motor on a boat that weighed 500 lb alone. I can motor around for at least a couple hours on a lawn mower battery.

I use an older 12-volt Minnkota 48LB thrust trolling motor on my Macgregor 26S for electric-only lakes. It pushes me at three knots in light wind. I've used it the whole day (without sailing) at times with six people on board.

I used a 36lb thrust one summer on my SJ21, and it worked great. I would recommend an AGM battery just because of the motion, you don't want to expose the plates during discharge.

Crazy Dave Condon

You have to ask your state if registration and/or titling is required. Virginia requires it even with a trolling motor

George_NJ said: I use an older 12-volt Minnkota 48LB thrust trolling motor on my Macgregor 26S for electric-only lakes. It pushes me at three knots in light wind. I've used it the whole day (without sailing) at times with six people on board. Click to expand

bgstar19 said: Hey George, What size battery (amp- hours?) did you use to motor around all day on your 26S with the 48 lb thrust trolling motor? I've got a 1983 O'Day 19 with a very finicky 5 hp 2 stroke Mercury outboard that failed to start on a number of occasions as I tried to motor back to the crowded marina, making for long frustrating returns to the dock. I'm guessing that a 48 lb thrust trolling motor would work for my sailboat as well based on your experience. Click to expand

Philly2DC2LBI

New to the site, still a sailing newbie relatively as well, this is exactly the conversation I was looking for. I'm on a small, narrow inlet off Barnegat Bay in NJ, have sailed a sunfish for years but recently upgraded size-wise to a used but hardly-used Javelin. Depending on wind/current sometimes I can't tack in/out on the sunfish, so I kept a little paddle with me, but of course that's not an option for a larger boat so I have to figure out best solution. Electric trolling motor seems the best choice, but the range of options is a little overwhelming. I'm assuming I need one that's saltwater rated, but not sure about shaft length/how powerful. Cheapest seems Min-Kota, they are all on backorder for weeks (supply chain problems with the pandemic, apparently), so looking for a used one or I have to drive to a dealer. I see George's tip above on what battery to get - any tips on the battery storage/housing? Any other safety features needed with a battery on board??

Philly2DC2LBI, I don't know what the difference is between the saltwater & fresh water motors, like if it's just the paint? If it was just the paint you could paint it yourself with some Rustoleum or the like. You would want to put the battery by the transom, the trolling motors don't like long cords. I would put some kind of grippy pad to keep it from wanting to slide and maybe a bungie cord to keep it in place for when you heel, or a more permanent battery box install. I buy used all the time, craigslist, facebook marketplace, offerup... I think I paid $75 for my 48 LB thrust troller out of season (the time for deals). Keep an eye out at garage sales & flea markets also. I paid $5 for a 12 LB troller at a Habitat For Humanity store years ago and that thing still works great on my 14' crestliner V hull boat.

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SeaCraft 20 Master Angler Review

By Dean Travis Clarke
Updated: October 26, 2001

The morning dawned flat calm with a light fog on the water’s surface; I couldn’t imagine a more peaceful setting. As we idled out across the glassy bay on Florida’s Gulf coast to head for snook, trout and redfish in SeaCraft’s 20 Master Angler, I realized that today’s new breed of bay boats can be considered the SUVs of fishing. They offer a deadrise to smooth offshore seas but a draft to run in the shallows, making for great utility.

Performance If you love the smoothness of a “heavy-boat” ride, then you’ll love this classic 20. Even launching off the waves created by snowbirds in their big cruisers running the Intracoastal Waterway at half-throttle, the stern-first landing is barely noticeable. Trim tabs on this SeaCraft do a good job of adjusting fore-and-aft angle but have relatively little effect side to side. I found most trim needs easily answered through engine trim.

The quiet OptiMax 150 didn’t even hint at smoke upon the morning’s cold start. Once out to open water, it lifted the SeaCraft onto plane quickly and with remarkably little bow rise. My hand-held GPS pegged top speed with the single outboard at 44 mph. A comfortable cruise speed seemed to be about 35 mph.

Trim the engine down and carve cruising-speed turns as tightly as you want. I was unable to break the rear end free. SeaCraft is using only Lenco electric trim tabs now. I’d opt for the Lenco tab-mounted trolling motors, too. Not only do they work great for chasing nearshore fish like tarpon, bluefish or stripers, they handle backcountry well. They also eliminate trolling-motor clutter on the bow or those ugly vertical motors on the transom. You’ll definitely need trolling motors if you like to pull live baits, since the 150 OptiMax moved us too fast at idle.

Fishing The foredeck isn’t as big as that on a flats skiff; nonetheless, it serves well as a casting platform for cast netting or fly casting and provides gunwales wide enough to walk on around the front half of the boat. The 20 remained quite level with an angler on the bow and me on the gunwale. I particularly like the simplicity of the baitwell with both a straight flow-through and a pump. Fishing from the stern or atop the baitwell or rigging hatches in each corner is acceptable if you don’t move around much.

Vertical rod storage on the console side isn’t standard, so you’ll probably want to add some to augment the three fly-rod-capable storage spots under each gunwale and the four gunwale-mounted tubes. I’d probably even add more rod holders in the bow walkaround area.

From stem to stern, you’ll find nothing sticking out to snag a line. The bow uses pop-up cleats and bow light; the stern cleats, located under the gunwale, feature large hawse holes – just like big boats – for the dock lines to pass through.

Design/Construction It’s hard to honestly refer to this as a center-console with the helm so far aft. But it sure makes for great fishing room forward and amidships. SeaCraft pulled a plug from a 30-year-old hull to make the mold for this boat. Fortunately, you won’t find a single change made to the original hull; it’s still the same classic 20 that proved itself so many years ago. Thanks to the experienced input of Lefty Kreh and Flip Pallot, the SeaCraft 20 serves as a monument to functionality. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a cleaner or simpler boat.

The small “button” seat (like that at a diner counter) replaces a leaning post to provide more room. After all, when the boat’s under way, most passengers stand alongside the console holding on to the windshield guardrail anyway.

The console even looks old-fashioned: It has an Edson aluminum destroyer wheel with a great “suicide knob.” Brushed-aluminum plating backs the waterproof, old-style push/ pull switches, and the chrome-bezeled gauges all have that classic look as well. Just add electronics.

Every hatch, molded with deep drainage gutters, has a gasket around the opening to make it quiet and dry. Forward of the console, a centerline box, much like those found in the popular professional guide boats in Key West, provides storage for fish, ice, equipment or tackle. Separated into two sections, the front box uses a third of the space. A large in-deck storage area forward of that will accommodate your anchor and line, cast net in a bucket, and the like.

The SeaCraft 20 consists of three parts – hull, liner and deck – all built with more desirable vinylester resins, bi- and triaxial as well as knitted fiberglass, and Airlite coring in the hull. You’ll find beefy stringers designed to provide strength while also tying the hull and liner together. The bottom also sports three distinct deadrises that make a transition to quite wide, flat chines aft for good roll stability. These same chines, however, keep you from using trim tabs to lean the weather side of the boat up very much in a beam-sea chop. Oh, well, everything’s a compromise.

I’m one of those who truly appreciate “old-fashioned” when it comes to boats. With its simple, traditional lines, I’d own a SeaCraft 20 in a heartbeat.

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What size trolling motor is needed for a 20-foot boat?

When it comes to boating, there are a lot of decisions to be made, including what size trolling motor to use. Trolling motors are essential for fishing, and they can help you move your boat through the water with ease. But? This is a question that many boaters have, and the answer is not always clear cut. In this article, we’ll explore the factors that determine the size of trolling motor you need for your 20-foot boat.

Size Matters

First and foremost, the size of your boat will dictate the size trolling motor you need. As a general rule of thumb, you should choose a trolling motor with at least two pounds of thrust per 100 pounds of boat weight. Therefore, a 20-foot boat weighing in at roughly 2,500 pounds would require a trolling motor with a minimum of 50 pounds of thrust. This will provide enough power to move the boat efficiently in calm waters.

However, the type of boat you have will also play a role in determining the size of trolling motor you need. For instance, if you have a heavy fiberglass fishing boat, you may need a larger trolling motor than if you have a light aluminum model. The type of water you plan to navigate will also influence your decision. If you fish in rough water or strong currents, then you might need a motor with more thrust.

Battery Size

Another consideration is your battery size. Trolling motors run off batteries and the size of your battery will affect how much power you can get out of it. If you have a larger battery, you can use a larger trolling motor to get more power. A good rule of thumb is to match the size of your trolling motor to the size of your battery so that you don’t drain the battery too quickly.

Finally, the type of motor you select will also affect the size of your trolling motor. There are two types of trolling motors: bow mount and transom mount. Bow mount motors tend to be stronger and more efficient, making them a great choice for larger boats. Transom mount motors are more suited to smaller boats and tend to have lower thrust levels.

If you have a 20-foot boat, you’ll need a trolling motor with a minimum of 50 pounds of thrust to move it around efficiently in calm waters. However, the type of boat you have, the type of water you fish in, the size of your battery, and the type of trolling motor you choose can all influence the size you need. The best way to determine the perfect size trolling motor for your boat is to consult the manufacturer’s recommendations and factor in all of these key considerations. By doing so, you can make the most of your boating experience and catch more fish with ease.

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Sounds good. But the truth is high-octane fuel — usually 92 or 93 octane — is a waste of money for the majority of outboards. Most are built to run happily on 87 octane. Some manufacturers — such as Tohatsu — do recommend midrange fuel, usually 89 octane. Check your owner's manual, and fuel up with what it prescribes.
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O'day 19 MK-II Weekender Narragansett Bay. May 14, 2021. #17. George_NJ said: I use an older 12-volt Minnkota 48LB thrust trolling motor on my Macgregor 26S for electric-only lakes. It pushes me at three knots in light wind. I've used it the whole day (without sailing) at times with six people on board.
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SeaCraft 20 Master Angler Review
SeaCraft pulled a plug from a 30-year-old hull to make the mold for this boat. Fortunately, you won't find a single change made to the original hull; it's still the same classic 20 that proved itself so many years ago. Thanks to the experienced input of Lefty Kreh and Flip Pallot, the SeaCraft 20 serves as a monument to functionality.
What size trolling motor is needed for a 20-foot boat?
As a general rule of thumb, you should choose a trolling motor with at least two pounds of thrust per 100 pounds of boat weight. Therefore, a 20-foot boat weighing in at roughly 2,500 pounds would require a trolling motor with a minimum of 50 pounds of thrust. This will provide enough power to move the boat efficiently in calm waters.

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