# Buying a small first boat



## mfourn20 (Jun 20, 2010)

I'm looking to by a small sailboat for day sailing, and I really have no idea what's best for me. Here's what type of sailing I'm looking for. I'm looking for a dinghy or small keel boat (not so sure i can afford the upkeep on a keel boat)

I grew up single handing hobie cats so I'm used to a performance boat, and I'd like my first boat to be a performance boat, but it must be easy to single hand. I plan on doing about 75% of my sailing single handed and about the other 25% with my girlfriend, or a friend.

The location I'll be sailing out of which plays a big role on my boat choice as I'd like to be able to hoist the sails at the inland end where it widens and sail out of the canal. Which I'm confident I can do easily. The canal is about .3 miles long and about 150 feet wide.

So as far as dinghies go I'm thinking either a Laser or a Vanguard 15 so far...I know the Vanguard 15 is a double handed boat so I'm not sure how well it single hands (I weigh about 170lbs). On the other hand I feel like unless the wind is way up the Laser will be a dog with 2 adults on board. Are there any other similarly sized and priced boats I should look at? Another thing after sailing Hobies am I going to be bored on a Laser or Vanguard 15/Similar boat? I would just say I'll buy another hobie but their beam makes them take up a lot of room on land.

I've briefly dabbled in the idea of buying a small keel boat J22 size...and just skip the dinghy step but I'm not sure I can afford the upkeep on a keel boat and it'd have to be one I can easily single hand! Obviously if I were to buy a keel boat I'd motor out of the canal...

So my priorities are
1. sailing out of a canal into long island's great south bay
2. easily single handed and moved about on land, but fun with 2 people on board as well
3. performance boat but nothing extreme like a skiff
4. next to nothing in maintenance costs


----------



## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

I don't think you would be disappointed in the performance of a Laser. There is more to sailing than raw speed, and the Laser remains a popular racing class for many reasons. It takes a lot of time to learn how to get the most out of that single sail. Not the best boat for 2 however.


----------



## WanderingStar (Nov 12, 2008)

A used Star?
I sailed a keelboat (Pennant 20) in and out of those canals for years without a motor. You can singlehand most small keelboats easily if you're not using a genoa or spinnaker. In the canal I sailed under the main alone.


----------



## mfourn20 (Jun 20, 2010)

I agree with the raw speed comment, that's why I'm considering a small keel boat, something I could weekend on more along the lines of a pocket cruiser but with at least some performance heritage. I think if I were to get a small keel boat it'd have to wait a year or two more, because I don't want to have to take out a loan for a boat.

Hadn't considered a star, isn't this boat dry sailed? The place I'm considering doesn't have the capability to pull boat like that out of the water.


----------



## CLucas (Feb 10, 2007)

*Flying Scot*

Take a look at a Flying Scot -- a lot more comfortable for daysailing for a couple of friends, but still a decent performer. A quick search showed a number of nice used ones available -- many for less than the cost of a used Laser.

This one looks particularly nice and has a trailer to boot: 19' SAILBOAT FLYING SCOT


----------



## yachtyakka (May 14, 2009)

get a piedy

Piedy


----------



## mfourn20 (Jun 20, 2010)

Flying Scot is a great Idea, I'd have to leave it in the water for the season, definitely too heavy for me to pull up the ramp without a car...I really don't want to put a hitch on my car (It's a Mazda3) I guess that just means bottom paint for it...not a big deal. Plus its definitely more convenient to just hop on the boat and go if I don't have to take it in and out of the water every time I use it which will be frequently. For example When I lived with my parents in Rhode Island I used the Hobie nearly every single day in the summer.


----------



## mfourn20 (Jun 20, 2010)

Never seen a peidy before...looks like an interesting boat!


----------



## CLucas (Feb 10, 2007)

mfourn20 said:


> Flying Scot is a great Idea, I'd have to leave it in the water for the season, definitely too heavy for me to pull up the ramp without a car...I really don't want to put a hitch on my car (It's a Mazda3) I guess that just means bottom paint for it...not a big deal. Plus its definitely more convenient to just hop on the boat and go if I don't have to take it in and out of the water every time I use it which will be frequently. For example When I lived with my parents in Rhode Island I used the Hobie nearly every single day in the summer.


The trailer load pulling a Scot is pretty minimal, but might make a future buyer wary not knowing you were pulling a small sailboat and not a much heavier stinkpot. Also take a look at a Rhodes 19 or an ODay Mariner -- basically a Rhodes 19 with a small cabin (and able to house a portapotty - something to think about). Great South Bay is overall fairly shallow, but you could also consider a Cape Dory Typhoon is keeping it in the water is an option. Typhoon has a full keel (draws 2'7") and is very stable, but less performance oriented.

If it were me, I'd be looking at a Flying Scot, a Rhodes 19/Mariner.


----------



## mfourn20 (Jun 20, 2010)

Flying Scot seems like a good thing for me...Maybe I could hook up a pulley system to pull the trailer up the small launching ramp (and keep it from sliding down while loading/unloading its not a long ramp. Keeping it in the water would cost me $570 a season...$30 a foot. compared to $150 dry storage summer and $140 winter.


----------



## CLucas (Feb 10, 2007)

mfourn20 said:


> Flying Scot seems like a good thing for me...Maybe I could hook up a pulley system to pull the trailer up the small launching ramp (and keep it from sliding down while loading/unloading its not a long ramp. Keeping it in the water would cost me $570 a season...$30 a foot. compared to $150 dry storage summer and $140 winter.


Not a bad idea, as long as it isn't too crowded at the launch ramp. Looking online, I'm not certain how feasible it is to launch using a dolly instead of a trailer. Going down the ramp won't be a problem, but coming up unassisted may be difficult -- the boat alone is about 850# -- a bit more than a Laser  Is there a hoist you can use?


----------



## JL (Feb 7, 2005)

Message Deleted: Selling a boat with an inadequate number of posts in violation of Forum rules


----------



## baboon (Aug 7, 2008)

Another option is a laser 2, I mention it becuase the laser is on your list. The 2 is a little bigger and set up for 2, can be sailed with one unless it is really blowing. Very light, fast and fun (but wet). Can be sailed with the spin, most have a trapeze. I had a laser for years, but it is really only a single person boat. The 2 is no longer made, but they show up used.


----------



## alecs123 (Jul 25, 2007)

there are several boats for day sailing in the 14" range: Lido 14, Flying Tern 14 (in my avatar it's me singlehanding mine), Vanguard 14, JY15, you can also consider a International 420 (can be singlehanded but it's designed to race doublehanded), the 470 same as 420.
All those are very fun to sail, performance oriented but well suited for day sails for two even 3, the boats can move with 4 or 5 but in a slow way,
Then there are the 18-20 footer with cabin so there's a lot to research to narrow your criteria.


----------



## trailblazer1229 (May 27, 2009)

CLucas said:


> Not a bad idea, as long as it isn't too crowded at the launch ramp. Looking online, I'm not certain how feasible it is to launch using a dolly instead of a trailer. Going down the ramp won't be a problem, but coming up unassisted may be difficult -- the boat alone is about 850# -- a bit more than a Laser  Is there a hoist you can use?


Local FS fleet near me uses golf carts and a trailer to launch theirs. Boats are kept on the trailer on the hard and then moved to the ramp with a golf cart. No problems. Check the Flying Scot Association for a fleet near you to see if they have a yards the fleet hangs out in. It may be cheaper???


----------

