Best Small Cruisers (22-24ft)

[CAPAqua]

Hello. This is a very straight forward query from a chap who is throwing the wetsuit aside, selling the dinghy and taking his family out cruising for the first time...

What is the most robust sea-going 22-24ft cruiser available?

Here are my key requirements:

• fin keel
• road trailer
• 4 berths
• Good for short passages
• Budget - c£8k on a road trailer

I suspect this is one of the oldest and most common forum questions but good comment and guidance will be very welcome. Indeed, if anyone has what I'm looking for, send me details.

Thanks. Craig

[aquaplane]

Craig,

You have a couple of contradictions there and a bit of guidance will help tailor the replies.

Fin keels and trailers don't mix too well. It's a pain to get the boat on the trailer. Not a problem if you use a boat lift/crane. Not much of a problem if you are just launching and recovering once a year and taking the boat home for the winter. What do you want to do?

A swing or lift keel is good for recovering in shallow water (where you can just about still see the trailer). Bilge keels are a reasonable compromise for cruising and not as bad as some racing folk would have you believe.

22 to 24 feet is more trailable, as in take home for the winter, than trail sailing but it's worth doing if you are launching for a decent length cruise. You are getting into big 4X4 tow vehicle weights too, what tractor will you be using?

Where will you be using it?

In no particular order and varying from large dingys to small ships and some over budget:

Hunter Sonata, Copland Terrier, Jeanneau Tonic, Seal 22, Parker 235, Anderson 22 (god forbid), First 22, 235,24,25, Jaguar 22, 23,24,25, Westerly Nomad, Paegent ............

[claymore]

Hunter Sonata
Hunter Europa
Westerly Pageant
I think they called the fin keel model the Kendal.

There's loads of others but just looking at your budget.

[CAPAqua]

Thanks to you both very prompt initial responses.

I want something that's a good solid sea boat that doesn't feel like a dinghy. It will be off shore soon enough but for two years at least it's likely to remain in a large fresh water loch - I won't bore you with the reasons for that.

It will be launched and recovered only for winter storage so happy to work the challenges of the fin keel but I appreciate your notes in that regard. A robust vehicle for those rare occasions isn't an issue ( I won't be pulling it ).

I have always wanted a Hurley 22? Any thought?

Thanks Craig

[ash]

I have always wanted a Hurley 22? Any thought?

Thanks Craig

The man that you need to talk to is Silkie of this parish.

You could try sending him a PM to ensure that he's awake.

Cheers

Ash

PS - Any particular large fresh water loch?

[CAPAqua]

Thanks...I'll do that.

Ness, Lomond or Tay

[Silkie]

Here I am.

A fine wee ship although I may be a tad biased. At the top end of trailerable so will need a big 4x4. Nominally four berth but small inside by today's standards.

[ash]

Ness, Lomond or Tay

I spent quite few years on Lomond - Ardlui.

Initially in a twin keel Leisure 17, and then a long keeled Albin Vega.

Only moved to Kip in January this year.

Ash

[SteveN]

How about a Lizzie 23?

http://www.eoa.org.uk/class23.htm

Classic, solid boats - lots of the long keel versions about.
Obviously the 4 berths in 23 feet is always going to be a squeeze though.

[cpedw]

Seamaster 23 is a notionally 5 berth boat (pilot berth, double dinette and very cosy pair of berths int he forepeak). Comes in swinging, bilge and fixed keel versions. Not very quick but remarkably solid in my experience over 4 years on the East coast of Scotland where drying out alongside is a way of life. Quite a heavy boat though I have seen one on a road trailer. Last I saw was well within the budget.

Derek

[Clyde_Wanderer]

My money would be on a Fox Hound 24 bilge keeler although might be hard to find one.
One of my sailing mates has one, it is in immaculate condition and always right up there with the rest of us.
See pic of her.
C_W

[CAPAqua]

Here I am.

A fine wee ship although I may be a tad biased. At the top end of trailerable so will need a big 4x4. Nominally four berth but small inside by today's standards.

Hi Silkie...

I stumbled over one of your blogs regarding a minor grounding just south of Rubha na Gaolthe and made note that you were in a Hurley.. another reason why I have always fancied one - albeit their 'wee ship' looks really appeal too. Cracking blog by the way!

The upper trailerable limit is fully acknowledged but I would only be hauling in and then out once a year.. the attraction of having a good trailer is the 'full intention' to do the occasional season in the sea and get my wife sea legs - frankly fresh water dries the eyes! Eventually she will submit to the waves!

Let me know if you hear of any Hurley 22s with a trailer. Thanks so much.

Craig

[CAPAqua]

My money would be on a Fox Hound 24 bilge keeler although might be hard to find one.
One of my sailing mates has one, it is in immaculate condition and always right up there with the rest of us.
See pic of her.
C_W

C_W - That is rather lovely but noted, few of them around. Gosh this is fun but seriously tricky. Thanks. Craig

[CAPAqua]

Seamaster 23 is a notionally 5 berth boat (pilot berth, double dinette and very cosy pair of berths int he forepeak). Comes in swinging, bilge and fixed keel versions. Not very quick but remarkably solid in my experience over 4 years on the East coast of Scotland where drying out alongside is a way of life. Quite a heavy boat though I have seen one on a road trailer. Last I saw was well within the budget.

Derek

Hi Derek.

I agree, good accommodation. Interestingly I was watching one on ebay which I can't link to on here but it ends in 1 day 21 hours. She's a bilge keel obviously and needing some money spent on here - reference 160675663714 and she'd on a trailer but without visiting, very difficult to determine true condition. I'm just not that confident yet. Classy looking boat though and worth considering although, despite comments above, having raced dingys all my days I'm struggling to consider anything other than a fin keel.

Thanks. Craig

[CAPAqua]

How about a Lizzie 23?

http://www.eoa.org.uk/class23.htm

Classic, solid boats - lots of the long keel versions about.
Obviously the 4 berths in 23 feet is always going to be a squeeze though.

Hi SteveN, I agree - nice lines. I've seen a few but not many so thanks for the links. Worth another browse. I'm realistic about space. Indeed there are six of us. 2 adults, 9yo, 6yo and twins at 2.75yo; this is one of the reasons we'll be on a loch for a while and I suspect I'll want to up size when they're bigger and my wife has grown sea legs (interesting thought!). Meanwhile, a 23 ft boat is quite big enough for a loch and within club regs - the berths will more likely be a retreat for me and the boys when it's too noisy back at the ranch. Thanks, Craig