# Inland and Shallow Waters Cruising



## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Just opening a thread for people to discuss their experiences cruising inland waterways and shallow inshore locations. I assume most will be cat, tri or retractable keel yachts or trailer sailers which are a bit different crowd from the fixed keel traditional cruisers. 
I have gone the about the maximum comfortable trailable trailer sailer route myself to achieve this goal and I am interested in others choices and experiences. 🙂


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## Jolly Roger (Oct 11, 2013)

I have just had a tiresome, and expensive experience with my full keel schooner, which draws 6’6”. It is definitely not a shallow water boat, but the Intracoastal waterway is the nearest place to my home to keep it. Whenever you run a boat with that draft in the ICW, (or any other shoal water area), even to and from the ocean, you are bound to run aground some time, and suck all sorts of muck into the engine cooling water intake. I have just finished stripping and cleaning all the cooling systems on the big Perkins diesel because it started overheating and losing power. This has not been an easy task and has taken me three months. I would say, if you plan to sail in shoal waters, then buy a boat which is suitable for same. That’s not an easy decision, because such a sailboat will invariably be small, and lack accommodation and facilities. A catamaran seems to be the best format for both—unless you can afford a 40-foot Southerly with its swing keel, or one of those whopping great, (and mostly ugly IMO), floating condo-cats. The old saying, “horses for courses” definitely applies here.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

My sailboat draws 5.5'. It is amazing what a different experience it is getting into some really shallow water on our kayaks.


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## SchockT (May 21, 2012)

Barquito said:


> My sailboat draws 5.5'. It is amazing what a different experience it is getting into some really shallow water on our kayaks.
> 
> View attachment 144668


Do you think 1 ft extra draft makes much difference? We draw 6.5ft and we like to have several feet buffer. I probably would avoid the same places with 5.5ft draft as I do with 6.5ft. 

Like you, we use the kayaks to access the really skinny water!









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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

Beautiful photos, both of you.


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## SchockT (May 21, 2012)

MarkofSeaLife said:


> Beautiful photos, both of you.


I saw Barquito's pic and I thought it looked a lot like the anchorage in my pic.

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## SchockT (May 21, 2012)

SchockT said:


> Do you think 1 ft extra draft makes much difference? We draw 6.5ft and we like to have several feet buffer. I probably would avoid the same places with 5.5ft draft as I do with 6.5ft.
> 
> Like you, we use the kayaks to access the really skinny water!
> 
> ...


To put this picture into a more topical context, this is a small narrow inlet. We are anchored in around 13ft at the lowest tide we saw. We were stern tied, and there were 5 more boats well spaced further in. At the end of the inlet there was a good sized trimaran anchored much further in than a keelboat could go. That meant he had all the room he wanted to anchor facing out of the inlet and stern tie diagonally. Not only did that give him a great view of the sunset, it also kept him bow into the prevailing wind should it pick up. The rest of us were tied broadside to the wind, which can be a bit less comfortable, but fine as long as your anchor is well set, and your stern line is strong.

That's one advantage to very shallow draft boats around here. The really shallow anchorages tend to be a magnet for small powerboats as well, so there's that....

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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Hi All Anything over 5 feet is full on deep water for me these days.🙂 3 feet and I can still sail effectively on most points of sail. Having a swing keel, (and a pair of shallower swing rudders), that retracts into the hull upon impact covers the very occasional overplaying my hand or uncharted bump.
An under 2 foot draft with steerage allows high tide access over reefs into sheltered beaches and regular dry feet nose in beach landings where appropriate are pretty regular.
It all depends on your cruising locations just how desirable these options are but here in Australia (especially northern Australia) drying out is a relatively common practice for cats, tri’s and trailer sailers.
Of course having a sailing craft in these same locations often take you far out of fuel range of most powerboats.
I personally live only a few miles from an over 30 square mile freshwater lake which has an average depth of under 7 foot making it a challenging and constrained sailing location for regular keel yachts.
Love the photos of deep narrow anchorages you guys posted but similar locations here in Australia often have much shallower water in them.🙂


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## LaPoodella (Oct 5, 2018)

Grith said:


> Just opening a thread for people to discuss their experiences cruising inland waterways and shallow inshore locations. I assume most will be cat, tri or retractable keel yachts or trailer sailers which are a bit different crowd from the fixed keel traditional cruisers.
> I have gone the about the maximum comfortable trailable trailer sailer route myself to achieve this goal and I am interested in others choices and experiences. 🙂


I’ve been racing on deep keel boats for 30 years. Finally convinced hubby to cruise and chose a 4.5 foot draft whale bottom body with centerboard. It’s 45 feet long. So far, so good. He is still very depth conscious. It also has a bow thruster because it does slip and slide. I’m called the bow thruster queen at the dock because I use it like crazy. We have been sailing around Lewis Bay with depth in the channel to our dock around 7.5’. We plan to take it to FL and Bahamas.


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

We are 6-1/2” draft, full keel, steel hull. We have done most of the ICW and skipped outside to avoid the hassle of shallow water but also idiot boaters, twisty Georgia passage, and general anxiety of constant close navigation. 

This draft does limit us, and at times I wish for a bit less. Albramarle Sound anchorages comes to mind. And a few places in the Bahamas.

But, it is bot a deal breaker and the deep keel helps with comfort in a rolly anchorage among other things. Because if the boat construction running aground is an annoyance, but never threatens the boat structure. And cleans barnacles off the bottom of the keel.

One compensation is to buy a bigger dink. Lots of paybacks for that decision. Lets you anchor further off and makes local excursions easier.

2 other things of note:

AquaMap has a paid (very affordable) feature that imports and displays the most recent soundings. Then Bob424 plots the best line to take through these tight areas. Fantastic bit of navigation kit that will go a ling way to get you through no matter your draft.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Funny, thread drift already at the beginning usually it happens after a day or so.  

Because I'm also a small craft Builder restorer (or used to be) the perfect answer to this discussion are Cat Boats and Sharpies. These boats are usually built in wood and or composite, I don't know if any production boat builders have ever embraced these craft, guessing because they have a small niche of the sailboat market.

Everybody, and rightfully so, most everyone wants to sail oceans not muddy back waters, swamps, wetlands shallow bays that's are teaming with bugs creepy crawlers and river monsters of all sorts and sizes. 
Im not excluding regular Lakes large lakes large Bays like the Chesapeake, Great Lakes Finger Lakes Etc,


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Funny thread drift already at the beginning usually it happens after a day or so.  because I'm also a small craft Builder restorer (or used to be) the perfect answer to this discussion are Cat Boats and Sharpies.


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## joethecobbler (Apr 10, 2007)

32' cc Bayliner buccaneer, 3 1/2' draft cutaway forfoot.
Shallow draft opens up hundreds of square miles of sailing opportunity.
And makes sailing the Chesapeake and the sounds less trouble.
Depending upon the shoreline " steepness" I can beach the bow to alot of river banks .


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## hpeer (May 14, 2005)

RE: Thread drift.
You are correct, my apologies for contributing.


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Just because it’s shallow doesn’t mean it has to be murky or bug infested but regardless even if it is on occasions it still opens up a new world of experiences and beautiful places unobtainable with conventional keel yachts.
I personally prefer attaching my flyscreens when infrequently required to sitting out in a wave impacted anchorage worrying if my anchor is going to hold against the predicted storm front.
Sailing in sight of the shoreline animals and birds along with dramatic scenery can rival endless miles of open ocean in my view. 
When I owned smaller trailer sailers I called it tent camping on water but now with a trailer sailer close to the comfortable maximum easily trailed and launched size I feel it’s more like motorhoming on water. 🙂
The ability to drop the mast whilst on water is also a great bonus exploring inland waters.


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## boatpoker (Jul 21, 2008)

We draw 3' 8" and sometimes use our shallow draft to our benefit ie. we've anchored in drainage ditches in the Carolinas. The photo below is us anchored well south of the USCG station (anchorage was full) in Cape May several years ago. A significant storm was brewing and we ran DIRT FREE into 2' (mud) at low tide. A helluva storm passed overnight and we didn't budge an inch. Next morning the tide rose, we popped free and headed up the Delaware.


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## Waltthesalt (Sep 22, 2009)

Grith said:


> Just opening a thread for people to discuss their experiences cruising inland waterways and shallow inshore locations. I assume most will be cat, tri or retractable keel yachts or trailer sailers which are a bit different crowd from the fixed keel traditional cruisers.
> I have gone the about the maximum comfortable trailable trailer sailer route myself to achieve this goal and I am interested in others choices and experiences. 🙂


May want to check out the Shallow Water Sailors website


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Hi Walt Will do but I am sure they are the already converted rather than the maybe possible to convince!😂
When I talk about accessing shallow water with a yacht I am talking under 3 feet ie. wading depth as distinct from swimming depth.
I have noted even many mono hull trailer sailers in the US have some form of significant skeg precluding drying out flat or safely passing over waist deep rather than neck deep sand bars or other obstructions.
Running aground for me (pushing the envelope just a bit too far) has often meant getting off (with line in hand!) and pushing the yacht backwards into deeper water rather than kedging off with a dingy and anchor or similar.








Hill Inlet in The Whitsundays in Australia which is a spectacular shallow water anchorage right next to Australia’s Whitest Beach Whitehaven which is a wave/tide/wind affected anchorage generally thought often unsuitable for overnighting except in one small crowded pocket.


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## dennismenace111 (May 23, 2007)

rogerhughes18 said:


> I have just had a tiresome, and expensive experience with my full keel schooner, which draws 6’6”. It is definitely not a shallow water boat, but the Intracoastal waterway is the nearest place to my home to keep it. Whenever you run a boat with that draft in the ICW, (or any other shoal water area), even to and from the ocean, you are bound to run aground some time, and suck all sorts of muck into the engine cooling water intake. I have just finished stripping and cleaning all the cooling systems on the big Perkins diesel because it started overheating and losing power. This has not been an easy task and has taken me three months. I would say, if you plan to sail in shoal waters, then buy a boat which is suitable for same. That’s not an easy decision, because such a sailboat will invariably be small, and lack accommodation and facilities. A catamaran seems to be the best format for both—unless you can afford a 40-foot Southerly with its swing keel, or one of those whopping great, (and mostly ugly IMO), floating condo-cats. The old saying, “horses for courses” definitely applies here.


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## dennismenace111 (May 23, 2007)

Yes those cats are big and ugly....but boy are they ever comfortable...some are actually pretty quick too.


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## DRichardson (Jul 23, 2020)

I bought my newest boat to be practical on the North Carolina Neuse River we just moved to, and chose a swing keel Irwin 25" 10/4, beamy boat. The river at its widest is six miles, but is mostly less than 20ft deep, shoals everywhere. My goal was to have a boat that was easy to take out for short sails, but also had the capacity for longer excursions. 

I mostly keep the keel up because I found that in a blow the dropped keep acts like a pivot and can get out of hand, but at the same time I'm aware that every time I crank on that keel cable it's one day closer to the cable snapping – and that's a job.


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## kallettla57 (6 mo ago)

I grew up sailing in Cotuit Harbor. It has a channel, but we had centerboard boats and we could do a lot of exploring
. My husband has a 38 foot keel boat which is nice, but he works overseas and I wanted a boat for myself. I bought a Corinthian Sailstar, which is 21 feet and a mini version of his. Very nice boat, but it is not for me with a keel. I like puttering and going up on sandy beaches. So I bought an O'Day with a centerboard. Once I get used to it, it will suit my puttering needs. I like the bump and pull up the centerboard style of sailing. I will fix up my Corinthian and sell it. It is a sturdy boat and certainly a keel is best if you are a hard-core sailor. We almost dumped the O'Day yesterday. A little too windy and someone set it up for racing and lowered the combing. I will go out on calm days.


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Having sailed all types of yachts over 50 years of sailing now I actually prefer to go really fast if just day sail racing ( ie racing catamaran, high performance planning hull or foiler ) and concentrate of getting too and hanging out in unusual places away from the maddening crowds when just cruising. Being able to access places with as little as a foot and a half of water at some point during the journey and sneak under powerlines and bridges can open up some really delightful cruising locations.
As my 28 foot yacht is also comfortably legally trailable the whole country becomes open to explore both coastal and inland waters.
We have recently returned from a 5.5 week cruise living onboard in company with older friends who have been trailer sailer cruising their 25 foot Court 750 TS for about 6 months a year for over 30 years now.
To still be out there doing it in my later eighties would be a dream come true.🙂


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## Gene Rossano (9 mo ago)

Due to a 2019 Right Side Paralytic Stroke at 83 years old, I have of late been sailing via YouTube sailing videos. I have noticed that about everyone replying to this comment has spoken about just about all kinds of shallow draft sailboats except the old European standby, a twin keel shallow draft. One of these can be seen on YouTubeSailing. it is the S/V Karl it is a Reinke Super 10 yacht that is 33-feet long. The gal that owns and captains the yacht is forever taking Karl into really shallow water and even has beached it a couple of times to redo the bottom. It might be worth a consideration.








White Spot Pirates: Who Is Nike Steiger From YouTube? (2022)


The Ultimate Guide to White Spot Pirates For 2022 Everything You Always Wanted To Know Joshua Smith Founder and Editor at Cruising Freedom This is the definitive guide on White Spot Pirates for 2022. Over




www.cruisingfreedom.com


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Sorry to hear about your health restrictions now, getting old and unwell is a unavoidably unfortunate. ☹ Yes the twin bilge keelers can get in fairly shallow and most were designed to dry out in high tidal range areas. We don’t see many of them here in Australia and seems they are not that popular in America either. 
I get some flak from some speed oriented and offshore sailers about many swing keel trailer sailers being terrible upwind into a chop and wonder how the twin bilge keelers cope with this same point of sail? 
I am happy to sacrifice some performance for access to the many locations denied conventional deeper keel mono’s. 
My own home here in South Australia on the Murray River is located in a tiny canal development which has a general minimum depth of about 4 feet sadly precluding most conventional yachts but not trailer sailers, cats or tri’s drawing about 3 foot or less.


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## seabeau (Oct 5, 2014)

My home is right off the ICW, behind St. Catherines Island, GA. and my cruising ground is the South East Coast of the US, Subsequently, I drive a Presto 36, designed in 1884 by Ralph Middleton Munroe. The Presto is an 18,000 lb, disp, ketch rigged, true Centerboarder no external keel save for a 9"X6"X15' lead "Grounding Shoe" for taking the ground upright. Draft BU, 2'-6", BD 5'-6" (light ship). Any sandbar can be home for a day of play and or maintenance. More modern large American true centerboarders include Hobie, Carter, and Seguin and possibly Tanzers?


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## Gene Rossano (9 mo ago)

Grith said:


> Sorry to hear about your health restrictions now, getting old and unwell is a unavoidably unfortunate. ☹ Yes the twin bilge keelers can get in fairly shallow and most were designed to dry out in high tidal range areas. We don’t see many of them here in Australia and seems they are not that popular in America either.
> I get some flak from some speed oriented and offshore sailers about many swing keel trailer sailers being terrible upwind into a chop and wonder how the twin bilge keelers cope with this same point of sail?
> I am happy to sacrifice some performance for access to the many locations denied conventional deeper keel mono’s.
> My own home here in South Australia on the Murray River is located in a tiny canal development which has a general minimum depth of about 4 feet sadly precluding most conventional yachts but not trailer sailers, cats or tri’s drawing about 3 foot or less.


I think Nike Steiger of WhiteSpot Pirates 33 footer, Aluminum, Twin Keel, Karl often times speaks of Karl's real shallow draft which I just heard her say is, 1.3 Meter's or 4'.27". And in the same video I recall her saying Karl's windward ability is 60%/120%. She has a Roller furling Genoa i would guess about a 159% and a staysail probably 100% which she uses to point higher to windward. Nike does not have maximum speed or the highest pointing capability as her 2 top priorities. I think she sails more to be safe and relatively comfortable. Good luck in your search.


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Gene Rossano said:


> I think Nike Steiger of WhiteSpot Pirates 33 footer, Aluminum, Twin Keel, Karl often times speaks of Karl's real shallow draft which I just heard her say is, 1.3 Meter's or 4'.27". And in the same video I recall her saying Karl's windward ability is 60%/120%. She has a Roller furling Genoa i would guess about a 159% and a staysail probably 100% which she uses to point higher to windward. Nike does not have maximum speed or the highest pointing capability as her 2 top priorities. I think she sails more to be safe and relatively comfortable. Good luck in your search.


1.3 metres draft is still relatively substantial draft given the other sailing compromises experienced by many bilge keelers.
My Imexus 28 can float in 0.3 of a metre and sail in about 0.6 of a metre off the breeze in shallow water mode.
It’s 0.3metre draft actually allows get off and push if accidentally running too shallow.😂
It draws 1.45 metres in full depth sailing mode but with its retracting swing keel and shallower swing rudders it can comfortably sail upwind in about a metre of water. 
My marina frontage home base on a side lake of the Murray River in South Australia is generally around 1.4 metres deep meaning just having the keel raised very slightly intil reaching the river or Lake Alexandrina is fine.


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## Gene Rossano (9 mo ago)

Grith said:


> 1.3 metres draft is still relatively substantial draft given the other sailing compromises experienced by many bilge keelers.
> My Imexus 28 can float in 0.3 of a metre and sail in about 0.6 of a metre off the breeze in shallow water mode.
> It’s 0.3metre draft actually allows get off and push if accidentally running too shallow.😂
> It draws 1.45 metres in full depth sailing mode but with its retracting swing keel and shallower swing rudders it can comfortably sail upwind in about a metre of water.
> My marina frontage home base on a side lake of the Murray River in South Australia is generally around 1.4 metres deep meaning just having the keel raised very slightly intil reaching the river or Lake Alexandrina is fine.


Well my new Australian sailing friend, we tried. I completely understand where you are coming from. Anyone sailing in that skinny water and a rather narrow river and limited lake needs to prioritize moving about just about above everything else. Good luck.


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## Gene Rossano (9 mo ago)

Well my new Australian sailing friend, we tried. I completely understand where you are coming from. Anyone sailing in that skinny water and a rather narrow river and limited lake needs to prioritize moving about just about above everything else. Good luck.


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

Hi All Seems cruising by trailer sailer and shallow water and inland waters cruising remain an unknown or perhaps unloved alternative to the deep water, deep keel and offshore cruising.
Having a take home and park on your front lawn or side yard cruiser myself I can highly recommend the joys of being able to relocate to different cruising grounds with relative ease and access spectacular locations unavailable to those with in the water all the time larger, deep keel cruisers. Many inland waterways, lakes and shallow coastal areas are out of bounds for conventional cruisers yet open up a wide range of delightfully different experiences.
Perhaps being in a relatively unpopulated country where the majority of these places have low numbers of other users increases the attraction here in Australia.
Having just completed a 6 week mid winter cruise a relatively short way up Australia’s equivalent to the Mississippi I can say it was a wonderful trip.
We cruised in company with friends on their 25 foot trailer sailer and managed to sail about fifty percent of the time despite going mostly upstream on a flowing river with changing wind directions due to the twisting course as well as normal wind changes.
Next trip may be across our nearby 30 square mile freshwater lake ( which averages about 6 foot in depth ) and down to the Murray River mouth and into the Coorong a very long and shallow relatively narrow strip of salt water running behind a barrier set of sand dunes creating a recognised world heritage listed shore birds and pelican breeding area.
We are just exploring some of our new local areas ( just retired down here) before hitching up the yacht behind the trailer and heading for more distant cruising grounds.
Ocean sailing from here in South Australia around the coast to reach more northern Cruising grounds is fairly long and challenging and not particularly pleasant in my view.


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## MarkofSeaLife (Nov 7, 2010)

I was in/at the Coorong a few weeks ago. Stayed at Pelican Point, camping. Stunning place.


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## OntarioTheLake (4 mo ago)

SchockT said:


> Do you think 1 ft extra draft makes much difference?


Yes. My sailing buddy and I arrived at a remote port on our two almost-identical boats, mine shoal draft, his full fin, one foot difference. He couldn't make it over the bar, so on we went another 9 hours.

We regularly squeaked into places others could not. And you could see the quizzical look on locals' faces wondering how a sailboat got in here. Now the new boat has 1' more draft, and yes, that will eliminate some of those backwaters.


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## Grith (Feb 4, 2019)

OntarioTheLake said:


> Yes. My sailing buddy and I arrived at a remote port on our two almost-identical boats, mine shoal draft, his full fin, one foot difference. He couldn't make it over the bar, so on we went another 9 hours.
> 
> We regularly squeaked into places others could not. And you could see the quizzical look on locals' faces wondering how a sailboat got in here. Now the new boat has 1' more draft, and yes, that will eliminate some of those backwaters.


I think even a shoal draft fixed keel yacht is still way beyond the depth requirement I was advocating for when talking shallow water cruising. My 28 foot trailable cruiser can sail in about 2-3 feet of water if necessary and float in 1 foot allowing access to park right on the beach or bank. This also allows access over bars with breaking waves into rivers and into very sheltered shallow areas behind fringing reefs or sand bars. It allows threading between islands joined by shallows and access anywhere a small powerboat can go.
Yes that means significant offshore sailing is not an option but it opens up a huge range of coastal and inland waters sailing/cruising/exploring destinations.
Finally in tidal areas we sometimes choose to dry out flat completely if the bottom and shelter from wind/waves is appropriate.
Whilst many larger catamarans and trimarans also enjoy the benefits of relatively shallow water access only a trailable cruiser can up and change to distant cruising grounds with relative ease along with opening up significant inland waterways/lakes/dams to a different kind of sail cruising. Our very shallow draft has also allowed us to purchase a very cheap home with its own jetty and allowed us to retire early as the small marina development has a workable general depth of only 5 feet precluding deeper draft craft and therefore richer buyers.


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