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IanB1952 View Drop Down
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Joined: 05 Mar 17
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Posts: 1 		Post Options Post Options   Quote IanB1952 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Folkboat
    Posted: 05 Mar 17 at 4:59pm
Hi, I am beginner, just going through Day Skipper stuff. I live on Isle of Wight by Yarmouth, and thus will be Solent/south coast sailing, but idea that I could trail it aboard is quite a nice thought. I want a boat which is just a simple 65 year olds starter, nothing complicated or too precious, no racing for now, and less than 10m, but with some berth which wife and I can spend over night.

Guys at yacht club are all keen on Folkboat's. Any other choices in similar (low!) price bracket?

Ian
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Rupert View Drop Down
Really should get out more
Really should get out more


Joined: 11 Aug 04
Location: Whitefriars sc
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Posts: 8956 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Rupert Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 17 at 5:07pm
Contessa 26 is the Jeremy Rogers take on the Folkboat, worth a look if you like this style of boat. However, if planning on trailing, finding a boat with a lifting keel might be worthwhile. Many on here much more wise than me on this subject.
Firefly 2324, Puffin 229, Minisail 3446 Mirror 70686
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Sam.Spoons View Drop Down
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Really should get out more


Joined: 07 Mar 12
Location: Manchester UK
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Posts: 3398 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Sam.Spoons Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 17 at 6:03pm
What would you propose to tow it behind? As Rupert says a lifting keel makes life a lot easier if you plan to tow the boat much. Launching and recovery is much easier, the CG of the combination is way lower when on the trailer which makes towing much less stressful. Also, I guess, like me, you passed your driving test before 1997 however if it was later you (for our younger readers) are pretty restricted as to how big a boat you can tow unless you've taken and passed the category B+E (after 2013 cat BE) test.
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Riv View Drop Down
Far too distracted from work
Far too distracted from work


Joined: 23 Nov 13
Location: South Devon
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Posts: 353 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Riv Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Mar 17 at 9:27pm
Folkboats and the like are heavy and deep, they need serious gear to move them around, maintain them and use them. The moment you have weight you have to put in the money and effort to shove it all around, bigger engines, sails, gear.

I'd hate to trail a Folkboat, you'd need a powerful tow car and launching can be a pain without a crane so it's expensive.

Deep means you are restricted and though getting off the mud is a skill you'll need.  I've never yet managed to get off a lee shore and falling tide without outside help and getting pulled off by a motor boat can be really difficult and dangerous if the power boat driver isn't listening.

I'd go for a catamaran, maybe one of the Woods designs like the Strider, light towable and there are plenty of other designs out there. You can get out and push easily and go to all those places the deep boats can't get, the  really desirable places.

Finally, I was sailing at Plymouth in a J70, sitting on the rail, bored and seasick as we plodded upwind (fast boat so they say.....) from behind came this sort of hissing humming noise and a small cat (about 25ft with cabins in each hull) came up from behind, literally detoured around us like we were standing still and disappeared, the crew grinning and waving as they past.
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Brass View Drop Down
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Really should get out more


Joined: 24 Mar 08
Location: Australia
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Posts: 1146 		Post Options Post Options   Quote Brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 17 at 12:19am
Originally posted by IanB1952

Hi, I am beginner, just going through Day Skipper stuff. I live on Isle of Wight by Yarmouth, and thus will be Solent/south coast sailing, but idea that I could trail it aboard is quite a nice thought. I want a boat which is just a simple 65 year olds starter, nothing complicated or too precious, no racing for now, and less than 10m, but with some berth which wife and I can spend over night.

Guys at yacht club are all keen on Folkboat's. Any other choices in similar (low!) price bracket?

You don't 'trail' a Folkboat to Europe.  You sail it there, or anywhere else in the world you want to go.

Folkboats are an immensely hardy and popular old fashioned keelboat.  But you do tend to sail them anywhere quite slowly.

On the other hand there is a wide range of much more modern, better performing boats, ranging in size from Hartley TS16 (or the somewhat more luxurious TS18), through 25 footers, up to trailable monsters like the Noelex 30 (are these in the UK), and a pretty similar range of fixed keelboat choices.

'Maybe trailing in Europe' is a poor reason for choosing a trailable boat.  Usual considerations would be:
  • What sort of boat do you want to sail:  performance, size/capacity, and maybe traditional sentiment, and local support;  and
  • logisitcs:  is it most convenient for you to keep the boat on a mooring or on a trailer?  can you handle a heavy tow, how much can you afford, overheads (such as mooring costs vs savings by keeping on a trailer)
That said, trailable yachts have a lot going for them.  I have friends who trail their TY's all over Australia, using them like rather small caravans, and have had wonderful sailing in places I just dream about going to.
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ChichesterHiss View Drop Down
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Joined: 17 Feb 17
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Posts: 12 		Post Options Post Options   Quote ChichesterHiss Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Mar 17 at 10:37pm
Decide if you want a boat that you can sleep aboard and cruise locally or if you want a boat that is easy to trailer and take with you on holiday.

You are lucky enough to live by Yarmouth with lots of great places to sail to from a local base so you might want to start with an inexpensive, easy to sail small cruising boat. Dont complicate it by adding the Trailer requirement.

If you want a day sailer that is easy to tow around Europe, get something light (which probably means you dont overnight in it) dont complicate it by getting something heavy enough to sleep aboard but a bugger to tow. 
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