Hey! I wanna get into sailing. I'm 52, in good shape, but I am not going to be an athlete after this point. Still, I have no interest in keelboats - I don't want to pay for a dock, or buy a V6 for trailering. I would like to start on a dinghy sailboat that I can solo - and don't find myself in water every 5 minutes. All I know about sailing is the books / articles I've read and videos I've watched online. Laser, Sunfish, this and that are all nice, but I'd rather have less action and more dry experience. I know I am looking for a unicorn. I am here to hear some ideas. By the way, I am in RI but willing to travel nearby states just for sailing. Also, I'd like to avoid sailing clubs if I could. Thanks in advance.
What dinghy sailboat should I buy?
- Thread starter Fsh
- Start date
Steam Flyer
Sophisticated Yet Humble
Dillon Waltner
Member
So you don't want a keelboat, but you want a dry experience with less action. Not interested in sailing clubs. Not interested in docking. No sailing experience outside of books. In all honesty I think you should start by taking lessons at a local sailing school (shouldn't be hard in RI) and find out if you really want to sail at all, because literally the only thing I can think of that doesn't conflict with any of your criteria is a rowboat.
tillerman
Super Anarchist
My feelings too. If you are in RI, you should know that Sail Newport (not a sailing club) runs "learn to sail" lessons for adults in small keelboats which makes sense even if you are aiming to sail a dinghy eventually. https://sailnewport.org/adult-sailing-programs/
If you decide you like small keelboats after all, you could then rent boats from Sail Newport without having to "pay for a dock, or buy a V6 for trailering."
Or you might decide you want to sail a dinghy after all, but you will have a better idea of what you are looking for... stability, comfort, speed, excitement etc. etc.
Foredeck Shuffle
More of a Stoic Cynic, Anarchy Sounds Exhausting
Get a Flying Scot, it sounds like a good fit.
- Thread starter
- #7
Or a DaySailer 17'
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VWAP
Super Anarchist
tillerman
Super Anarchist
Could be a good fit. It's really a two man boat but it can be sailed singlehanded.
WCB
Super Anarchist
- Thread starter
- #11
I am also considering MC Scow.
WCB
Super Anarchist
WCB
Super Anarchist
MattFranzek
Member
Go to Sail Newport and take lessons. They will pay off huge in the long run.
Also, dinghies are notoriously wet. You don’t need a V6 to pull most boats <3000lbs. Take lessons before you put everyone else out on the water at risk trying to save you because of your stupidity.
Also, dinghies are notoriously wet. You don’t need a V6 to pull most boats <3000lbs. Take lessons before you put everyone else out on the water at risk trying to save you because of your stupidity.
The Q
Super Anarchist
International 2.4mR,
Millimeter keelboat,
Deception keelboat,
Illusion keelboat.
Keel boats? Yes but tiny ones, there are bigger dinghies than they are, great fun , sitting down, no sitting out with a aching back.
The international 2.4mR about 14ft long.
Illusion keel boat all 12ft long of it.
While the majority of 2.4mRs are to the Norlin mk3 design, it is a development class so they can be different.
Millimeter keelboat,
Deception keelboat,
Illusion keelboat.
Keel boats? Yes but tiny ones, there are bigger dinghies than they are, great fun , sitting down, no sitting out with a aching back.
The international 2.4mR about 14ft long.
Illusion keel boat all 12ft long of it.
While the majority of 2.4mRs are to the Norlin mk3 design, it is a development class so they can be different.
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dogwatch
Super Anarchist
Not really beginner's boats though.
