Trailer-Sailers

[GregW 28]

i had a tasman 20 once, never sailed it but the guy i sold it to loved it , looked like a good little cruiser ideal to potter around the gulf

 

We had a fin keel T20 when I was a kid. Good solid boat and carried us safely around the gulf and through some shite weather etc. The only thing I didn't like about it was the rig. IOR style tiny main with overlapping headsails. It would not sail to windward under main alone which is a minus IMO, not to mention all the headsail changes, which were a pain when it was rough - little boats get thrown around a lot more. Look for something with a fractional rig, put a furler on the jib and single line reefing on the main and you'll have an easy to sail boat. Try and get something with decent sails - it doesn't pay to throw too much money at a 5k boat.

 

For 5k in glass I'd go for a davidson M20. If you don't mind maintaining a wood boat the Young series of water-ballasted TS look good practical boats to me. I like the idea of leaving the ballast at the beach. Noelex 22s are good boats but 5k might be stretching it to get one worth owning.