Help choosing a trailer sailer - big is better right?

[mattm 98]

The Noelex 25's hold their value because:

They are roomy for their size, practically laid out, have heaps of storage, some have 'pop tops' which allow lots of head room inside while cruising

Not too heavy for thier size

Sail properly, - no bad habits, nice hull shape, good fun to race, can beat much bigger boats.

Simple to rig and sail

Offer class raving and good national champs

Well known and proven

All but 1 I know of have a factory finished interior, rather than a home handyman botch job on some trailer yachts.... Or one off weird layouts on others.

More family friendly (not quite as fast /powered up) as a Ross boat.

Any others?

There are a few now that have been ok boats that have sold inside your budget, they may not have had fancy race sails etc, but I doubt that to be a concern to you at the moment?

[philstar 61]

Noelex 25's are good boats but generally go for 25k plus.

Any Trojan you look at will be 30 years plus old and they don't sail particularly well.

 

Well sorted looked after Ross 780's are worth 20 - 30k. They are very well built and are an absolute joy to sail. 

Substance has had a bulb added which has actually made her stiffer but possibly hurt her performance down wind and on a reach which means she is slower than class boats. 

I wuld suggest taking the bulb off and returning her to class. 

 

She is a bargain though and has had lots of money spent on her. I'd seriously waive 15 or 16k under his nose. She took a long time to sell last time she was on the market.

[Battleship 100]

The added bulb would actually make it better for the OP's intended use by the sound of things.

[Kiwifish 30]

Some excellent advice on here, I really appreciate your opinions. Thanks for the heads up on the Trojans, I would prefer to sail & preferably on a fun boat!

 

That Ross sounds like it would take a bit to sell in the future and it's been modified so that wouldn't help I imagine. Maybe I should save my pennies and find a reasonable Noelex 25.

 

Keep it coming fellas I am learning lots.

 

I contacted the local sailing club, Bring on summer!

[ex TL systems 63]

The ross 780 doesn,t look like it has the factory interior, check that it is not an early build , I didn,t see in the ad the construction used, its not  early timber prototype  is it. I had a look at a factory ross 780 and it was a really nice boat with plenty of room, a lot more than the 26 ft Hotpot that I had at the time.

[gisywaterboy 3]

If you want a fun trailer boat that has any resale value at all then your only options are an elliott 7.4 or Ross 780. Elliotts come up for sail about one every two years and asking 30k plus, About two R780s come up for sale a year and are usually asking 25 - 30k.

The R780 on TM is a factory Hopwood hull and decks, Balsa core and comes with a heap of cruising gear, including autohelm.

[Kiwifish 30]

My idea of a fun sail boat would be an AC45, but I don't think it fits my 15k budget and I know the wife and kids would run off when I hand them helmets to go sailing......

 

Resale is an important factor, that 780 might sail faster than it sells, it has been modified and is over 30 years old,it's not a "normal 780".

 

It is a cool looking boat tho, I would go for a look with cash in hand if it was within my budget, anything over and I would feel I'm just going to loose too much on the resale.

 

A Noelex may not be as fun to sail, but Im pretty sure I would feel happier in something that holds its value. (I have owned boats for awhile, I know they loose money-some more than others)

[mattm 98]

Hmmm. A tricky situation then, most of the trailer yachts in NZ are 30 years old. Including the Noelex 25's, the NZ built ones were 80's boats, there are maybe 2 Australian 90's built ones in NZ, but you would expect them to be at the more expensive end of the scale. The decent trailer boats - Noelex, Elliott, Ross and Farr, in the 25 foot range have all held their value ok, maybe due to being factory built class boats, but a tidy one will still be 25k +. 15k does kind of put you in the middle of the better condition less common not so great boats and the older, rougher, less kit, popular boats. If you buy a rough popular model boat, you may decide the motor isn't reliable to get the family out of trouble, +$2k, the squabs are a bit stuffed and not good for sleeping on, +$2k, the sails are a bit done, +3k, the halyards, sheets, jammers and clutches are had it, +$2k... You will need to be particular, lucky and quick to buy a good popular boat that doesn't look 30 years old and won't require $$ soon, close to your budget.

[Kiwifish 30]

Very well put mattm, thank you for explaining that.

 

I'm certainly now leaning toward saving another 10 for a reasonable Noelex 25.

 

I read somewhere,maybe here? "Sooner or later everyone ends up in a Noelex"

[philstar 61]

yup the Ross Substance  is a balsa core hopwood hull and decks. 

 

With the bulb she makes a really nice cruiser.

She doesn't have a factory interior but what she has is just as good. the current owner has done alot of tidying to her.

She would be very easy to return to class, just remove the bulb and reinstate the internal ballast.

These boats have good resale value when in class trim and with a racing history.

Several have sold in the 20 -30k mark in the last few years and the class is having a resurgence in wellington and chch. 

Check out the Ross 780 facebook page 

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/860332514005073/

[gisywaterboy 3]

In another 5 years people will be giving noelex 25s away. The new generation of sailor doesnt want a slow boat and there are alot of these around owned by people who are nearing the end of thier sailing lives.

[GregW 28]

In another 5 years people will be giving noelex 25s away. The new generation of sailor doesnt want a slow boat and there are alot of these around owned by people who are nearing the end of thier sailing lives.

Please explain what the 'new generation of sailor' is, and why they wouldn't want a proven boat built by (at the time) one of NZ's leading production yacht builders?

[mattm 98]

Also explain what they are going to sail? There hasn't been a new trailer yacht on the market that has sold decent numbers in years. Maybe even decades. The issue will be an ageing fleet and lack of supply. Boats may become give always, but because they are unusable due to age and neglect, not due to lack of demand.

The younger market may want fast cruisable boats, but there isn't a perfect option, nothing with a useable cabin will beat a sport boat without one, and no real sport boat can really be cruised by a family....

I have a sport boat now, but am totally open to the ideal of a Noelex 25 or Ross or Elliott when I want to be able to go cruising as well.

[hb1849 12]

Further to points above -- plenty of fun to be had sailing 'slow' trailer yachts at their top speed. We're happy with our 22' Bonito and we're hardly ancient -- 20's/30's. I wouldn't pay much of a premium (i.e. 30k vs 10k!) for something faster for what we use it for.

[ex TL systems 63]

The collection of production trailer sailers from the 70,s are still going strong, many of the old Kestrels etc are practically as good as new and awesome value.There is even many of the old plywood Hartleys etc around that are still in good nick with no sign of being thrown away any time soon. 

I am often telling people who think it would be awesome to have a sailboat to go away on holidays that you can go and get one for even 3k or less,and have great camping style holidays that don,t involve any daily fees for campsites etc, and you can  get to places that most people can,t.  People spend more on a second hand mountain bike these days than you can  find a trailer sailer for. 2 of my workmates went halves in a venturer 20 , it was less than $500 each and they have had plenty of use of it since.All it needed was a couple of new wheels for the trailer, nothing very expensive.  Small boats mean small problems, both in sailing and maintenance, just look at Webb Chiles around the world in a 24 ft boat.

[madyottie 82]

Gotta agree there!

 

We have a Pelin cherry 16 trailer yacht and the gbe. The annual cost of the cherry is a few hundred including fuel for the car, the gbe eats that just in routine maintenance. The fun quotient is similar in both, but for different reasons.

 

Our family has outgrown the cherry (too many kids) but none of us want to sell it because some of the best racing around takes place in 16 footers. Plus we can take it on holiday for exploring inland waters.

[armchairadmiral 411]

Surprised no one has suggested a Gazelle. Mk 2 were core glass and quite light. They are a great cruiser / racer with heaps of room.25 ' long well built and seem to sell around the $$$ you are looking at. R780 good boat too.. Trojan is OK.....

[Kiwifish 30]

Really good points being made, "slow boats" are still fun, and just because they are all old now doesn't mean they are rubbish. I'll have to be realistic with my budget and look around a bit with an open mind.

 

I do like the Gazelles I had assumed out of my price range.

 

Any opinions on this one??

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/boats-marine/yachts/trailersailer/auction-1071453613.htm

[eruptn 95]

The WitchCraft is a fine boat. That one was built by a joiner in Rotorua. Spent most of its life on Lake Rotoiti. Would be well worth a look.

 

The Gazelle is another fine boat. Another overlooked design is the Catalina 7. 

[ex TL systems 63]

the wooden boat looks good , similiar to a nolex 25. At the right price it will sell , don,t be afraid to make an offer of what you are prepared to pay, it may be the only interest the seller has. It may  not be easy to sell for 14k even though it is perhaps worth that much.Most people want glass boats and they are around the same price.