I came across this cool article on old small boats available for less than the cost of a good dinner out.
One of these would make a great project while waiting and saving to go cruising:
- Learn some useful skills while fixing the boat.
- Then hone sailing skills.
The O’Day Day Sailer for US$78 jumped out at me. When I was a teenager this was the boat I lusted after. Sails well and even has a tiny cabin.
If you want to sleep aboard (definitely camping), look for a Rhodes 19 originally built by the same company, albeit for more money, but you might find an old one for less.
At one point I taught sailing to adults in one of these, and even spent a few nights aboard sleeping on an air mattress.
Owning, fixing, and above all sailing one of these old boats is way more fun, and will impart way more useful cruising skills, than watching YouTube about lithium batteries and the Unattainable 45.
Hi John,
I completely agree on these sorts of boats, heck I sailed a Rhodes Mariner which is the same hull as the 19 the length of the Maine coast when I was a kid. Around here the default daysailers now seem to be 30-40′ cruisers which actually are not the best daysailers and cost a fortune in maintenance comparatively. A few factors I see at play are people not wanting to spend as much a year to store and moor their boat as they paid for it, the explosion of large powerboats with large wakes and unrealistic views of how the boat will be used.
Eric
Hi Eric,
I had forgotten about the Mariner. An even better recommendation than mine, thanks.