The absolute best trailerable coastal cruiser

[Paul Pless]

the Trailer Sailer 24 is the be-all and end-all of coastal cruisers.

Yeadon may disagree.

[TerryLL]

Yeadon may disagree.

I do believe I would take that MacGregor over the Trailer Sailer 24 myself. Compared to that lee-board thing, that plastic atrocity is a real beaut. And water skiing for crissakes!

[JimD]

...So let's all hold hands and agree in blissful harmony that the Trailer Sailer 24 is the be-all and end-all of coastal cruisers...

I dunno about that. Bolger's Loose Moose has a lot going for it, too. Very roomy, for example:

[Woxbox]

Hey folks, I toss these ideas out there so I can get myself a reality check. The battery maintenance issue is real. I own a share in a boat that has 6 batteries on board, and we're always thinking about them. So maybe gas is still the answer. (There is room under the bridge deck to drop in a single-cylinder diesel, but that's way too costly, and then I'd be dragging a prop everywhere I went.)

I was thinking today that one thing I want to do that I haven't is cruise the Erie Canal and associated waterways. Batteries wouldn't get me through the first day of that trip.

As to liking water ballast, It makes sense to me but isn't the main reason for focusing on the Trailer Sailer.

As to that Haiku, the extra length and smallish cabin for such a long boat put me off. Bolger spent a good part of his professional life evolving the sharpie type hull, and his sharpies progressively got shorter for their volume and deeper with more rocker as he worked out the best design for cruising, as opposed to oystering.

So as often happens with these studies, the more I think about it, the more I realize the designer was right about it all in the first place.

[JimD]

You might not like the contemporary styling but its shoal and relatively light weight and looks like it might be a lively sailer:

AILSA 22

The Ailsa 22' is a lightweight trailer sailer which uses plywood/epoxy construction for most of the hull and deck and modern strip planking for the round bilge area. Pre-fabricated plywood sections are used for the basic hull structure allowing a lot of the construction to be done in small easily handled units before the whole hull is put together. Much of the initial construction can therefore be started well away from the final assembly site. The standard layout has four berths and a galley in an open plan arrangement with a separate w.c. compartment. Trailing is made easy because she has a mast mounted in a tabernacle and simple lifting bilge boards rather than a fixed keel. The boards are a larger version of those used in our Lynx 14 design and work in slots outboard of the main accommodation using a hoist arrangement which is controlled from the cockpit. To keep the trailing weight down the ballast is divided between permanent solid ballast and water ballast tanks which are filled once the boat has been launched. The design could take different keel and ballast options if required.

Ailsa 22 Particulars

LOD22'6.7mBeam8'6"2.6mDraft10"/3'10"0.25/1.18mSail Area231 sq.ft21.45 sq.mApprox. Dry Weight3310 lbs1500 kgBallast - solid
Ballast - water595 lbs
595 lbs270 kg
270 kgMaximum Headroom5'3"1.59mAccommodation4 berths plus galley and wcEngine10-12 hp outboard

Hull Shape

U shaped with flat bottom panel and rounded bilgesConstruction MethodsPly over frameMajor plywood requirements for hull6 x 4mm sheets
23 x 9mm sheets
2 x 12mm sheetsGuidance UseOffshoreDrawing/Design Package9 x A1 drawings + 5 x A4 instruction/spec sheetsAdditions and alterations included with the plansLarger rig with 248 sq.ft (23.08m) area

[JimD]

Always liked Paketi, too

[Woxbox]

The sloops are a hard sell for me, especially when they start to look like, for example, an O'Day 23, which can be had for less than $5,000 these days -- with trailer and motor.

Estimated materials cost for the Trailer Sailer is $10,000, plus motor, sails and trailer. If in the end you have a unique boat that suits you perfectly, such costs (and labor) can be worth it. There's little out there in production that compares to this kind of boat. The Rob Roy is the closest. No longer in production, but they do come up for sale. I know of one that sold for less than $10,000, but usually they fetch more than that.

[JimD]

The sloops are a hard sell for me, especially when they start to look like, for example, an O'Day 23, which can be had for less than $5,000 these days -- with trailer and motor.

Estimated materials cost for the Trailer Sailer is $10,000, plus motor, sails and trailer. If in the end you have a unique boat that suits you perfectly, such costs (and labor) can be worth it. There's little out there in production that compares to this kind of boat. The Rob Roy is the closest. No longer in production, but they do come up for sale. I know of one that sold for less than $10,000, but usually they fetch more than that.

Yes, I tend to agree with all of the above. Since for me extreme shoal draft or lightweight long range trailerability is of little value I'd like to see the TS24 with about a foot of ballast keel with a centerboard tucked inside it. Like this:



Or



But my usage sounds like it would be quite different from yours.

[wtarzia]

...Bolger spent a good part of his professional life evolving the sharpie type hull, and his sharpies progressively got shorter for their volume and deeper with more rocker as he worked out the best design for cruising, as opposed to oystering...

--- Although his boats are much smaller than the ones discussed here, Matt Layden's unusual cruising boats (generally between 8 and 15 feet long) have often been sharpies with exactly this quality: deep rocker, inside ballast (often stores, soemtimes sand or water or lead), shallow draft, and comparatively high topsides (righting volume). He reports such boats as being slow but capable of taking care of a tired sailor, and Layden (and friends who have taken on his old boats) has done serious coastal cruising with these boats. So, I find your comment on Bolger, sharpies, and rocker something to keep in mind.

I admired that sharpie featured in Wooden Boat some issues back: the one with the wishbone booms and the ballasted centerboard (enough ballast to need some serious lifting machinery to raise it) that gave the boat some impressively diverse possibilities from shallow draft to self righting depending on where the board was. -- Wade

[andrewe]

No Chance....
A
Cripes! I was commenting on post 50. One blinks, and the world rushes on.

[jo houben]

for me this is the best, however I preferred 21 foot. I scaled the drawing and building him now.......in foam....gr Jo

My list keeps growing. Started with Bolger's Martha Jane many years ago. Bought plans, never built it. Then came the Norwalk Island Sharpies. Very nice. And there was always the Egret, and now Oughtred's drop-dead beautiful Haiku. But every one maybe a bit too much off in one direction or another to be ideal -- a bit too big, or masts hard to step, or not quite roomy enough inside.

But recently I came across this from Chesapeake Marine Design, the very blandly named Trailer Sailer 24. I'm starting to think that it is as good as a coastal cruising trailer sailer can get. Very roomy for 24 feet, flat bottomed for shallow water and easy work on and off the trailer, round bilges for performance and comfort (and quiet at anchor), and classic good looks. Water ballast, and leeboards, adding practicality and character that appeals to me.

So what do you think, is this the best of the litter?

I can see towing this up and down the US East Coast, with stops from Penobscot Bay down to the Everglades, exploring tidal marshes, rivers and estuaries along the way. The mast drops easily to slip under low bridges. I'd fit a little heater for the cool months, maybe have a wind generator tucked away that could be clamped to the mizzen mast on windy nights.

[P.I. Stazzer-Newt]

The Fairey Atalanta.

[Clinton B Chase]

I would say waterballast is the essential ingredient for any state-of-the-art trailerable monohull boat today aspiring to the title of 'Absolute Best'.

Lookup the latest Swallowboats BayCruiser 23 at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5ZvlRZcX6Y .

I would say water ballast has its advantages, bit space saving is not one of them. If you want to cruise you need space for stuff and water ballast robs you of space. On the BR, the floors are pretty high, the cockpit not as deep as you might like. There are always trade offs. What is "essential" depends on which trade offs you are willing to let go.

Cheers

[brucehallman]

I would say water ballast has its advantages, bit space saving is not one of them. ... There are always trade offs.

Power to carry sail can be achieved three ways: 1) Ballast down low, 2) Buoyancy out wide and/or 3) Buoyancy up high

In a trailerable sailboat, you don't want: 1) ballast down low (traditional deep fin sloop) because it won't fit on a trailer plus trailing ballast around is heavy. You also don't want: 3) buoyancy out wide (traditional cat boat) because it won't easily fit on a trailer.

All the suggestions of 'best trailerable' mentioned above rely on the strategy making the boat wide, or of bringing the low ballast up into the cabin, and/or using water because it can be drained; but this has the cost of taking up a lot of useful space in the cabin, plus water is inefficient because it isn't really very dense, nor very low in the boat.

This leaves the option 3) not yet discussed in this thread. Buoyancy up high. (Like with lifeboats). Having robust topsides, and all openings located on centerline with massive freeboard allows the boat to sail powerfully, albeit at great angles of heel. One trailerable sailboat that relies on this option is the Bolger Birdwatcher. It has no low ballast beyond 1 inch thick wooden bottom and the weight of the crew's bottoms seated on the bottom of the boat. Neither is Birdwatcher all that wide, fitting easily between the wheels of a boat trailer. No "ugly" leeboard. And, no problematic gasoline motor, being light weight enough for oar power auxillary when wind is too light. Sprawling wide open cabin with full length headroom.

Bolger Birdwatcher:

http://www.hallman.org/bolger/Birdwatcher/
http://www.hallman.org/bolger/bw/index.html

[kenjamin]

Only the individual can define what is the “best” trailer sailor there is for them. For me, give me an Oughtred Haiku and I would be in heaven. It doesn’t get any more thin water capable for the sailing speed and cost of the build. Since nobody's gonna give me one, I have to consider the cost of the thing. Down here in Florida we’re out of the cabin messing with the lines, checking out the birds and marine animals so standup headroom is not a big issue. I eat sitting down and sleep lying down so very curious about how Mr. Oughtred’s sharpie would be sailing.



As for living space, my Haiku would live in my side yard and I would continue living in my cottage by the Matanzas River.

[brucehallman]

...so very curious about how Mr. Oughtred’s sharpie would be sailing.

Me too. The Haiku, being influenced by Munroe's Egret, certainly has a great sharpie heritage. I would question whether having 1,700 lbs of hard ballast would qualify the Haiku to be called a 'great trailerable' sailboat. Also, I am very curious how much excess drag the double daggerboards might cause.

[Dryfeet]

I wouldn't worry too much about double daggerboards. They don't seem to slow beach cats (or bigger cats) too terribly much.

[kenjamin]

Somebody with plans for Haiku please correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the boards are offset centerboards that pivot up out of the way when not in use. As for the 1,700 lbs. of hard ballast, some of that could be offset with water ballast, outboard motor, gasoline, fishing tackle, batteries, safety gear, canned goods, etc. and some good friends.

[Steve Paskey]

On the smaller end of the scale, I've always liked the looks of Laurie McGowan's NAHLAH, an 18-foot strip-planked cat yawl.

www.mcgowanmarinedesign.com/Nahlah.html

[potomac]

Welsford's Penguin. There's a dearth of information about her and I can't figure it out. She's handsome if not lovely and her cabin seems to make more sense than most- accommodations for four on a 21 footer? I don't know why there aren't more builders out there. This seems like a really "family wise" cruiser. Clint Chase is also working on quite a pretty cruiser that might fit your parameters. I like Clint's thinking and designing- practical and realistic.

[Woxbox]

Since I started this thread more than a year ago, I went and bought a used boat, having decided that I don't have the time or space to build a bigger boat from scratch, and even if I did, I could get a better boat for half the money on the used market.

I almost went with a Rob Roy. Two of them were available at good prices. But SWMBO said if I wanted her to come along, it had to be a nice flat-sailing multihull. That's where the "buoyancy high" solution fails to work for me -- you're always sailing the boat on its ears and, since it is so light, the motion will be very lively. And even if you can tolerate that, your family and guests probably won't.

So here's the boat at anchor this summer out at Block Island. This is exactly what I had in mind -- I drove the boat 5 hours from my home to a launch ramp in Narragansett Bay and explored that area for a few days, spending two of them out at Block Island. Sure, it takes longer to set up and break down a trimaran, but this one, an F27, is designed to make it as painless as possible. And once out on the water, it's fast, comfortable and plenty roomy. So I'm sold on the "buoyancy set wide" solution.

And by the way, the prices are coming down on these older F27s. Mine's an '87. It needs cosmetic work but otherwise is completely solid.

[potomac]

Oh sure, start a thread asking our opinions, get us thinking about what would be "the absolute best trailerable coastal cruiser," have us talk and think about for a year and a half, and then callously choose something your family would like- selfish.

[potomac]

And by the way, this place is called Woodenboat Forum, not GRP/Foam Sandwich Forum. I don't even know if there is a GRP/Foam Sandwich Forum. I voted Penguin! I want Penguin! Trade that giant thing in for some lumber, build a Penguin, then tell me how much it costs... and how long it takes to build... and how it sails. And maybe offer to take me out for a sail.

Seriously, congratulations. Nice looking boat. Nice looking day.

[Woxbox]

These Farrier tris started out as plywood designs, the 680 and 720 I think they're called. One of the things that put me off the Trailer Sailer 24 was my cost estimate. It looked like $30,000 once I got it on a trailer with the motor clamped on the back and sails bent on. And I'd still be building if I'd gone that route. I paid less than that for the trimaran.

This issue has come up a lot on this WoodenBoat forum. Beyond a certain size, you've got to stick with wood purely for the love of it -- there is no longer an argument that building from scratch is the cheaper way to go. But those Stambaugh and Welsford boats do still intrigue me. Maybe in my retirement years...

[Paul Pless]

This issue has come up a lot on this WoodenBoat forum. Beyond a certain size, you've got to stick with wood purely for the love of it -- there is no longer an argument that building from scratch is the cheaper way to go. But those Stambaugh and Welsford boats do still intrigue me. Maybe in my retirement years...

I'm not so sure that a variety of approaches to dealing with the cost of aboat, whether large or small are not legitimate. For instance, if one enjoys the process of boat building in and of itself, building a boat over time allows one to 'pay as you go' in a manner of speaking.

[kenjamin]

Since I started this thread more than a year ago, I went and bought a used boat, having decided that I don't have the time or space to build a bigger boat from scratch, and even if I did, I could get a better boat for half the money on the used market.

I almost went with a Rob Roy. Two of them were available at good prices. But SWMBO said if I wanted her to come along, it had to be a nice flat-sailing multihull. That's where the "buoyancy high" solution fails to work for me -- you're always sailing the boat on its ears and, since it is so light, the motion will be very lively. And even if you can tolerate that, your family and guests probably won't.

So here's the boat at anchor this summer out at Block Island. This is exactly what I had in mind -- I drove the boat 5 hours from my home to a launch ramp in Narragansett Bay and explored that area for a few days, spending two of them out at Block Island. Sure, it takes longer to set up and break down a trimaran, but this one, an F27, is designed to make it as painless as possible. And once out on the water, it's fast, comfortable and plenty roomy. So I'm sold on the "buoyancy set wide" solution.

And by the way, the prices are coming down on these older F27s. Mine's an '87. It needs cosmetic work but otherwise is completely solid.

I for one completely understand and forgive you for your choice. To entertain myself I often look at used boats on e-bay and there are definitely good deals to be had. Having said that I'm one of those guys who enjoys the building process as much or more than the actual sailing. As a retired guy there is also the mentioned pay-as-you-go facet of backyard building that appeals to me. With the work on my little cottage coming to an end I look forward to more boat building. With three different boats to work on I should be busy for at least a few years. Take care and enjoy sailing with your family.

[JimD]

...here's the boat at anchor this summer out at Block Island. This is exactly what I had in mind -- I drove the boat 5 hours from my home to a launch ramp in Narragansett Bay and explored that area for a few days, spending two of them out at Block Island. Sure, it takes longer to set up and break down a trimaran, but this one, an F27, is designed to make it as painless as possible. And once out on the water, it's fast, comfortable and plenty roomy. So I'm sold on the "buoyancy set wide" solution.

And by the way, the prices are coming down on these older F27s. Mine's an '87. It needs cosmetic work but otherwise is completely solid.

Envious.

[Alan H]

The few remaining western states not yet infected with zebra and quagga mussels are implementing programs to keep them out. Idaho has wash-down stations at the state lines, stopping every trailered boat.

How does one guarantee that the ballast chamber is mussel-free?

Bleach. Seriously.

[Glen Longino]

oh sure, start a thread asking our opinions, get us thinking about what would be "the absolute best trailerable coastal cruiser," have us talk and think about for a year and a half, and then callously choose something your family would like- selfish.

lol!

[John Bell]

Haiku is lovely, but I'd never want one. Reason is as much as I think double-enders are pretty, they make for a small boat for a given length. Haiku winds up being a heavy 24 foot boat in 30' package. The pretty stern makes the cockpit too small and cramped and there's no place for boarding ladder for swimmers. If I'm going to build a 30'er, I want to be 30'! Give me a transom any day. Between the two, the Stambaugh package gets my vote every time.

[Woxbox]

To loop back on a couple of comments:

for me this is the best, however I preferred 21 foot. I scaled the drawing and building him now.......in foam....gr Jo

Jo -- can you post any photos of the build? Love to see how it looks.

Kenjamin -- I'm anxiously awaiting the thread on what you do with that big pair of amas in your yard. Lot's of possibilities there.

Potomac -- The Penguin has been built. Have you checked out the Welsford web page, and the builder's forum at Yahoo? There's a nice set of photos of the finished boat here. (You'll have to join the Yahoo group to see them.)

[Clinton B Chase]

Clint Chase is also working on quite a pretty cruiser that might fit your parameters. I like Clint's thinking and designing- practical and realistic.

Why yes that would be Jewell. We are finishing drawings this month depending on how Francois' timeline shakes out.


JWL_31_sail_plan by Clint Chase Boatbuilder, on Flickr

We will be tweaking the cabin (slightly more slope), and finishing details like the mizzen and tiller on centerline area. The box keel that houses the lead and bottom portion of centerboard also is being looked at...then it is party time!

[Jay Greer]

In the summer of 1984 my wife Anne and I did an article for WB on what I consider to be the ultimate trailerable cruiser, the cold molded cat ketch "Shearwater". See WB July/August 1984 #59. The boat is a 28' ceterboarder with carbon fiber masts. All lines lead through stoppers to a central winch on the coach roof that her designer Richard Black calls "The Wurlitzer." The masts are exteamly light and can be raised by a single person. The boat sails like a witch and is capable of an amazing turn of speed. a center table in the forepeak salon seats six under the forehatch area that can be opened to provide light and ventalation. The table makes into a double birth as well. All in all, this is the best laid out light displacement trailer cruiser I have ever seen!
Jay

[Peter Keyes]

I looked at Shearwater when she was for sale on Orcas Island 13 years ago. I ended up buying a Schooner Creek William Garden Eel then, partially because I wanted a real trailer sailer, and I was told by the seller that rigging and launching Shearwater would take about 3 hours. I've just sold my Eel, as I need a larger boat for coastal cruising (I'm no longer single), and once again I've been thinking about Shearwater, which I believe is now up on Saltspring. However, there are a few things about the design that make me hesitate: it was designed as an offshore single-handed racer, and the layout reflects this. A relatively small cockpit, no inboard engine, no enclosed head. If I were still single and wanted to do some fast single-handed cruising, there is no question this is the boat I'd want, but for more normal cruising with a family, the accommodations are a little spartan. Still, when I think about what matters most, the beauty and performance of Shearwater still win me over.

[David G]

Yes, there are a number of fotos of the Welsford Penguin available. And, yes, it would be a good candidate for someone looking for a boat in this category. I had the good fortune to sail on one at Port Townsend this year, and it lives up to my best fantasies about it. It outstrips my best fantasies about the roominess inside. I'm particularly taken by the gaff yawl version:

http://www.jwboatdesigns.co.nz/plans/penguin/index.htm

[potomac]

Thanks for the response David. I call that a pretty hearty endorsement. How did you find the cockpit/ open areas? Do you think four people (two adults/ two kids) would be tripping over themselves after a few hours? It sure seems like the most boat you can get in 21 feet and a beautiful design for a family who wants to cruise for extended weekends without keeping her in the water year-round, but that's only from looking at pictures and line drawings. I even wondered how she'd do lengthened by two feet. Maybe that's heresy.

[David G]

You'd have to query John about stretching the design, but - from what I understand of your intentions - I wouldn't recommend it. I think this design is beamy/spacious enough that you won't desperately need the room (though your standards for space might vary from mine)... and it would cost you in ease of towing, launching, retreiving.

We sailed with three, and it felt quite spacious in the cockpit. This design leans toward a more spacious interior but I'd envision no problem accommodating 4 in the cockpit. It's also a deepish, secure feeling, space - goof for kids. If the kids are older, there's also room on the foredeck to lounge. I enjoyed my time up there.

[Peter Keyes]

I concur on the Penguin design. I went on board the same one in Port Townsend, and was amazed at how much room there was, in the cabin and the cockpit, in what was still a handsome, well-proportioned boat. Here is a photo of the cabin:
IMG_6859.jpg

[Jay Greer]

I looked at Shearwater when she was for sale on Orcas Island 13 years ago. I ended up buying a Schooner Creek William Garden Eel then, partially because I wanted a real trailer sailer, and I was told by the seller that rigging and launching Shearwater would take about 3 hours. I've just sold my Eel, as I need a larger boat for coastal cruising (I'm no longer single), and once again I've been thinking about Shearwater, which I believe is now up on Saltspring. However, there are a few things about the design that make me hesitate: it was designed as an offshore single-handed racer, and the layout reflects this. A relatively small cockpit, no inboard engine, no enclosed head. If I were still single and wanted to do some fast single-handed cruising, there is no question this is the boat I'd want, but for more normal cruising with a family, the accommodations are a little spartan. Still, when I think about what matters most, the beauty and performance of Shearwater still win me over.

I am happy to hear the "Sheerwater" is still around! After the passing of the his wife, the designer, Richard Richard Black chose not to continue with the design and business. The boat is truly one of the best and most innovative trailerable pocket cruisers I have ever seen or been aboard! The boat is a joy to sail and cruise as it is most comfortably laid out from the practical point of view of an experienced sailor. The outboard motor is contained in its own well and can be retracted when not in use. So far as an enclosed head is concerned, I am an advocate of the Herreshoff Cedar Bucket facility which does not occupy valuable space in a boat this small.
Jay