iSi 0 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Hi team, I'm looking to purchase a trailer sailer for use in the Otago Harbor / Lakes and after a bit of advice as to what to look at - or what not to look at. I have a young family, my wife has never been on a yacht but intends to do a learn to sail class this coming summer. I have done a bit of Sunburst sailing but would certainly consider myself a beginner. We're initially just looking to potter around day sailing but will presumably want to be able to spend a night or two onboard and sail in local regattas in future. I believe we're looking for something with a decent self righting ability, around 20 foot, able to be rigged and preferably sailed single handed, at least four berths, able to be beached, not too worried about weight as we have a 4x4 to tow with. There's probably other requirements that I haven't thought of too... I think a realistic budget for us is probably in the $7-8k range, though from previous experience I tend to end up spending more than I plan on toys but don't want to overcapitalise without knowing how interested in sailing the boss will become. I have spoken to a few members of the local yacht club and everyone seems to have their preference but people have recommended the Bonito Aquarius, Farr 6000, Noelex 22 and Davidson 20, not necessarily in that order and I realise that the Bonito and Farr are certainly a little outside the ideal price range. The other yachts I've seen on trademe which appears suitable are Rover 6.8 though there seems to be very little information around about these So any advice the resident experts could offer would be much appreciated. I'd like to get as much info as possible before jumping in (though I'm pretty keen to be out on the water too!) so I guess the question is are ~20 foot trailer sailers all much the same or is there something that really stands out from the crowd? Cheers! Si. Link to post Share on other sites
philstar 61 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 If you're looking at spending the cheaper end of the market 5 - 7k look at a Young water ballasted trailer yacht they sail nicely, have a fair amount of room in them and are easy to repair. Look out for rot when buying and try to get a looked after one. You should be able to find a 6m example for that price. If you're not a handyman and want something more solid farr 6000 can't be beat. Well built, good resale value, good room in them and the design of the interior etc is excellent. They're not amazing sailors and are 10 - 15k but good solid boats which will give the boss confidence which is a make or break in my book. If you are "handy" I would search trailer parks for neglected farr 6000's or youngs that are never used find out who owns them and make them an offer. All boats are for sale especially ones that are never used. With the Farrs you can't really go wrong as they won't rot. just be aware that sails, squabs etc are expensive and make sure all the gear is there. There are literally hundreds of unused trailer yachts lying around you just need to sniff them out. The key is to get your wife sailing in the sunburst first and get her to like sailing before you buy a trailer yacht. most important DO NOT FRIGHTEN HER, this is guaranteed to kill her sailing enjoyment. Good luck pm me if you need any advice. Link to post Share on other sites
Kestrahl 6 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 The locals in Dunedin generally know what they are talking about. The Noelex 22 would probably suit best as they are within your budget. They don't have as much room as the farr 6000 but are safer and faster. The downside is they are all a little different so the class racing isn't as tight as you need a quick one to win the nationals. But at club level its pretty good. The Martin Marine built boats one of the better ones. http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-m ... 380350.htm http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-m ... 919366.htm I sailed on a bigger rover once and wouldn't recommend it. Some good cruising on lake Benmore, and the Avimore classic is a must do. Biggest lake regatta in NZ, normally about 50-65 yachts. Link to post Share on other sites
iSi 0 Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thanks for the replies guys. Kestrahl, can you tell me why you wouldn't recommend a Rover? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites
Terry B 71 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 And check out the trailer thoroughly. Very thoroughly. I know you're buying a boat but the trailer (at the value you're buying at) is 1/2 the package. If it's not been looked after you could be in for a new one - very expensive. They rust from the inside out so it may look okay at first glance ............but.......... Don't ask me how I know Link to post Share on other sites
Kestrahl 6 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thanks for the replies guys. Kestrahl, can you tell me why you wouldn't recommend a Rover? Cheers Actually it must have been a 6.8 I sailed on as I can't find a reference to a bigger one. Don't take me to serious because it was many years ago when I used to take people out for demos on trailer yachts for the local boat broker. What I remember was it was a pain in the ass to get on and off the trailer with the stub keel, and was quite tippy while sailing (prehaps due to the hull shape and the ballast being in the stub rather than the plate) Link to post Share on other sites
iSi 0 Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Don't ask me how I know Excellent point. I'll just assume you've learnt that from other peoples mistakes prehaps due to the hull shape and the ballast being in the stub rather than the plate Are all of the designs with the ballast in a stub going to feel less stable than weighted centreboards, or it is more hull design etc that will effect this? Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Nope, it's the package. Some boats are very stable with ballast in the stub, some are not. Initial stability from the hull is know as form stability - as the boat heels more and more the ballast comes into play - it has no effect when the boat is actually upright. More modern designs tend to have it at the bottom of the keel - less weight, more leverage to give the same righting moment. That is why the Ballast Ratio is not the whole story. Sorry, but there is no easy answer.... Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 get the wife sorted first! really suggest you both get involved maybe in local club scene on either TY or keelers, even some racing. Having the good lady really understand how a yacht performs, makes it a whole lot easier when it comes to having little kiddies on the boat. = Family enjoyment Link to post Share on other sites
JK 28 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 May be best to steer clear of this one: 18 foot trailer sailer pussy magnet 'Ranzo' http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/trailersailer/auction-621182566.htm Link to post Share on other sites
Kestrahl 6 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 May be best to steer clear of this one: 18 foot trailer sailer pussy magnet 'Ranzo' http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/trailersailer/auction-621182566.htm Even looks like it has old holden rims on the trailer, that's Waimate. Link to post Share on other sites
iSi 0 Posted July 31, 2013 Author Share Posted July 31, 2013 May be best to steer clear of this one Saw that, built in bath is certainly a selling point, though on further investigation it appears most builders have now cottoned on to this being a useful feature Link to post Share on other sites
madyottie 82 Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 In my opinion you can't beat a Noelex 22. The small rig makes them easy to sail physically when the wind gets up, and there's ample space below for the odd overnight, although tiny compared to an aquarius or Young 6.7. I'm slightly biased, having owned one, but when it blew 25 knots and most of the fleet were being bowled over, the noelex's just powered away in full control - the hardest part was avoiding the other boats careering around out of control! The Marten Marine version had a good layout with a swinging centreboard under the table, with the relevant winch tucked away safely out of reach of kids fingers, with just a folding handle in the cockpit. The Noelex Marine (I think that's what they were called - the non-Elder built south island boats) were said to be faster, but to my eye didn't quite look as nice, and had a vertical lift centrecase through the middle of the cabin. As has been mentioned by others, the trailer is a big part of the equation. Take the boat for a test sail to find out how easy of hard the boat is to get back on the trailer. I sailed on a Noelex 22 last winter for a couple of races, and it took an electric winch to get the boat OFF the trailer, and then when the winch broke down, about 10 minutes of winding to get the boat back on afterwards. A decent trailer yacht should be able to be launched and retrieved easily in most weather conditions without any drama, taking no more than 2-3 minutes. That's my 2c worth... who's next? Link to post Share on other sites
eruptn 95 Posted August 1, 2013 Share Posted August 1, 2013 Hi Check out what the locals are sailing, they will have found boats that suit the local area. There is a active Trailer yacht group in Otago. Check out the NZ Trailer Yacht Association web page, there are reviews of many designs there, the rating data and SRI (self righting index). Have a look at some 20 footers like the Sabre 20 and Tasman 20 as well. The Rover was popular down south, have never seen one up north. Also check out the motor, nothing beats the smile on your wifes face when you are able to motor home in shitty weather. Good luck. Link to post Share on other sites
iSi 0 Posted August 27, 2013 Author Share Posted August 27, 2013 Thanks for the advice everyone. We looked at a number of yachts, but ended up with only the Aquarius 22, Noelex 22 and, if we could find a cheap one, Farr 6000 being real contenders. We ruled out the Noelex for a couple of reasons, the low headroom was probably the dealbreaker but I didn't particularly like the layout, motor in the cockpit seemed a bit of a waste of space for our use and the traveller running across the cockpit was also an annoyance. The Aquarius 22, we had a look at and quite liked but nobody around here wants to sell one it seems so that put a damper on those plans. We found a Farr 6000 and a very agreeable seller, who let us have her for a price we were happy with. She could do with a bit of a tidy up but certainly nothing major and doesn't have all the fancy electronic gadgets (yet?) but has a decent outboard, very good condition main, jib, spinnaker and genoa and a good trailer. So now I just need to figure out how to drive her and we should be good to go for summer (year after year until we convince ourselves we need something bigger/faster/better/more hassle etc) Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,235 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 well done! a good solid and forgiving boat, great for the family. I'm sure you won't regret it... Link to post Share on other sites
philstar 61 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 yeah awesome, can't go too far wrong with a farr 6000 and sounds like the bits that matter all work. make sure your engine is serviced and always works and have fun. Link to post Share on other sites
Tim C 23 Posted August 27, 2013 Share Posted August 27, 2013 As a teenager I was on the family Farr 6000 when we sailed from Paramata across Cook Straight to the Sounds, then onto Tasman Bay, then back to Pelorus, then sailed back across the ditch, in a convoy, at night. This was 30 years ago when Trailer Yachts were popular. Great boats. Just keep an eye on the rudder locking device on the rudder stock. May have changed since original, but important to use it properly. Link to post Share on other sites
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