20 ft open topped sailboat.

[OhioBreeze]

I've got the disease and I've got it bad, I just finished the sailrig on my summer breeze and have been sailing it. I already yearn for bigger and better, something I can comfortably take 4 people plus a couple small children out on. I like the look of Michalak's Raider and I really like the Bolger Zephyr. Can anyone out there who has built one of these boats tell me a little about them and make recommendations? I've got the carpentry experience to tackle most things, I'm still a fairly new sailor, but I'm not afraid of capsizes, I just figure with flotation built in its all just part of the game.

*I also like michalak's Mikesboat a lot as well.

[skaraborgcraft]

Sorry, i cant comment on Zephyr or raider, but i did build a Michalak family skiff. I also like Mikesboat a lot, i think it is a very good load carrier,though im not sure about going upwind in rough water. Even family skiff will slam in short seas,so i expect riader will too, in rough going. Michalak builds are easy,plans are accurate, but i didnt enjoy working with all that epoxy. Apart from cutting out all the hull and deck panels,there is very little woodwork to do after assemble of the frames. Laguna was another boat of interest,but the flat fore-foot would be a slammer......depends on where you intend to sail. Good luck deciding. Cheers

[BrianY]

The Zephyr has a beam of just 3'8" which, IMO, makes it an awfully narrow boat for that many people unless you sat them one behind the other and told them not to move around (as in a canoe). The Raider is a bit better with a 4' beam but it's still not something that people can move about and stretch out in easily. It seems to me that with these narrow boats you have to be constantly aware of weight distribution - i.e. not having eveyone sit or lean to the same side at the same time. Kids and non-sailor adults might not understand or might forget how important this is.

If you're looking for an open sail boat in that size to carry that many passengers in a reasonable degree of comfort, you should seriously consider Ian Oughtred's Caladonia Yawl

http://www.classicmarine.co.uk/detai...Caledonia+Yawl

There are a few folks here on this forum who have built them and the boat seems get great reviews. I've never sailed one, but I've seen one up close and it's a BIG boat with plenty of room for the crowd you're planing to take along.

If the Caledonia Yawl looks too daunting, how about the Core Sound 20? http://www.bandbyachtdesigns.com/cs20.htm

[OhioBreeze]

I like the look of the Caledonia for sure!! I do plan on sailing some large lakes, like Pymatuning and Mosquito here in Ohio, I also have a hankering for some great lake cruising, coastal mainly, in sight of land... Thanks for the replies!!

[Brian Palmer]

We just had 4 adults (no kids) out in our boat, average weight was about 160 lbs, and it was quite manageable. For reference, length is 15.5 feet and beam is 5 ft, so I would consider that to be the minimum size (length and beam) I would be looking at. I'd tell you the design, but it is made out of that other stuff, so it doesn't matter.

Brian

[James McMullen]

I built a whole variety of Bolger designs similar to the Zephyr, starting with the little 12' Teal and Pirougue, and up past the 15' Surf to the 23' Light Schooner.

But I can't say I really recommend any of them. They are adequate substitutes only for casual sailing in protected waters for those with relaxed expectations of performance.

I now myself sail a sibling of the Caledonia Yawl family.

I ain't never going back.

[Tom Painter]

The Zephyr is more akin to a simple sailing canoe....quite long and lean. Probably not enough capacity for what you want to do.

How about a Firstmate?
http://www.duckworksbbs.com/plans/li...mate/index.htm

Ross is an extremely knowledgeable designer/sailor/boatbuilder.

[johnw]

A very popular boat designed for that kind of crowd is the Lightning, intended to be a picnic boat for the family and a part-time racer. You can probably find a used wood one for not too much money, depending on where you are. Where are you?

They are 19' by 6'6" and quite stable and tractable, and if you want more excitement there's a spinnaker for the class.

[Cuyahoga Chuck]

Here's a hull that doesn't get much play because of it's pram shape. But as you can see it has a good carrying ability, vee-bottom and simple sails and rigging.
http://www.bateau.com/proddetail.php?prod=CV16&cat=13
The designer is a European who says these hulls are quite popular long the northern shores of the Mediterranian so they are used in fairly big water.
It also is used effectively without the sail.
http://www.bateau.com/boats/CV16/index.php

[kenjamin]

You really can't go wrong with a Caledonia Yawl. It's hull shape is a curious combination of efficiency with serious load carrying ability. If you could resist the temptation to modify the plans, the boat will always be popular and easy to sell when you get to the point where you've just got to build something else. I butchered the sheer on my CY trying to reduce freeboard for the Gulf of Mexico and then there's that funky mast but I love her dearly.

[timo4352]

You might look at TR's Ratty. http://www.tadroberts.ca/services/sm...-and-oar/ratty
It should handle the load of people you're suggesting no problem. It's beamier than the two you are asking about. A good thing in my book. plus I'd like to see someone build it
Tim