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In a previous life I taught sailing, navigation, delivered boats for people and was a charter skipper. The right boat is an interesting topic.
Jeff is right that you need time on OPB. VERY important, as you have to know what characteristics you want in a boat, and experience is the ONLY way to learn this. Even when you do buy, you may want to start off with a boat just for day sailing and that will give you some experience, then trade up to something else as you learn more--maybe something for cruising that you might keep somewhere other than the Hudson.
First decide how you will use the boat. If you'll only go out for a couple hours at a time you need a different boat than you would if you are going to go off for the weekend. I've never sailed the Hudson so I don't know whether you should go with a keel, a centerboard or a swing-keel. Each has its advantages/disadvantages. Are you planning on trailering? Then a centerboard or swing keel is best. If you will be down by Tappan Zee I suspect the conditions can get prett interesting, so you want a capable boat.
You don't have a ton of experience, so you want a boat that is going to be forgiving and easy to sail, yet stable under a range of circumstances. Talk to some people in the area. Go to a marina, find a yacht club and start asking. Volunteer to crew with people so you can get some time on the boats.
The O'Day 23 Jeff mentions is not a bad boat. A friend of mine has one, They are pleasant to sail, just not very exciting. I would consider for a Pearson 26. Older design, well made. They have a keel, which is great for stability, although it means you keep the boat in the water all season. They take a small outboard for auxillary power, and sail well in a range of conditions. There are several Catalina models that would work well for you, too. You might find an Ericson 25. For a great day sailer, look at a Sonar. 23': keel, big cockpit, fast and stable. Or for short money, an old Rhobes 19. Great boat to learn how to really sail.
And BTW, fast is good. Not many experienced sailors complain about their boat being too fast, but no one likes a slow boat.
$7k is a decent budget and there are a lot of options. But get some time on the water and learn enough so you can make a good decision. Life is too short to buy a boring boat.
Good luck.
posted by 69.163.38...
, Tue, 20 Sep 2005 11:29:30, Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:29:30
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