Knowhow-Now Article

How to Choose a Trailerable Sailing Vessel

By Span Glers


Sailing is a fulfilling and enjoyable sport or activity enjoyed by many people. Some individuals enjoy cruise sailing while others opt race sailing. There are different types of sailboats depending on their purpose. One kind of sailboat is the trailerable boats. This kind can be taken home and stored in the garage to save on marina fees compared to non trailerable boats. These are also known as trailer-sailer.

The trailerable sailboat is a sailing vessel that has different advantages. Before learning how to choose the best sailboat for you, here are some of the advantages of the trailerable sailboat.

Advantages of Trailerable Sailboats

1. Easy Transportation. When one wants to move to a new cruising location, this can easily be done by car. New locations for sailing will never be a problem.

2. Easy Storage. Instead of paying for marina fees, the trailerable sailboats can be stores in the drive way or garage.

3. Easy Sailing. Since the trailerable sailboat is a sailing vessel made from light materials, these are easy and fun to sail since these are very quick and responsive.

4. Easy Maneuvering. The mast or rigging of this kind of boat is can easily be lowered or raised. No more worries when passing under bridges while cruising or raising. Movement to better sail sites is much more stress-free.

5. Easy Sailing. Usually trailerable sailboats have retractable centerboards and keels. The rudders also kick up making them ideal for shallow water sailing. Trailerable sailboats can also be beached for picnics at the beach and camping.

These are just some good reasons why a trailerable sailboat will be very beneficial. If have considered this type of sailboat, here are some tips and guidelines on how to choose the right trailerable sailboat for you.

1. Find out the weight capacity of the boat. This is very important to know how much weight you can carry. A reasonable weight capacity must accommodate the gears and goods needed during sailing as well as the people or crew who will be riding the sailboat. This is also important to know what kind of vehicle you must purchase to tow the sailboat. Different vehicles also have different weight capacities.

2. Check out the accommodation. This is important if you are considering cruising. Make sure to note how many people can stay below and above deck at one time. In addition, ensure tankage (storage capacity) of water for long distance cruising. The head or toilet must also be considered.

3. Strength and function. Make sure to include these in the priority list when choosing the right sailing vessel for you. The type of sailing you are planning must be in line with the type of sailboat you are interested in. It is recommended to choose a boat made from light materials so that it is easy to tow and it must have a rig for easy raising and lowering. Check the mast, bow roller and winch.

4. When in the market for keel and ballast types of sail boats, check for the depth setting. For keel, this usually has a huge screw that will be manually set. The ballast must be efficiently placed. This is also a priority in the checklist for sailboats. One of the disadvantages of the ballast is that it is not removable like a swing keel. When the bottom is hit, manual rising is required.

5. In addition, check for swing keel features. This is better when the bottom is hit, as it can retract when the keel is not locked in position. It can just ride over the obstruction. Moreover, look for water ballast with a swinging fin; this is efficient when moving from water to vehicle. The tank can be emptied making it lighter when on the vehicle.

These are just some tips on choosing the right trailerable sailboat for you.

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