casualfox9 said:Why does it matter if you have six bearings? What, do you have a whole army of toddlers running around the house? 🙂 Six bearings is just overkill—honestly, it’s way too many for any sailboat under 30 feet, or even anything larger than that. It’s just unnecessary.
Everything you mentioned is pretty much in the same ballpark—maybe the Raptors offer a slightly more modern look, though they’re definitely a bit heavy for my liking. As for that Vika 25, looking at the specs and the photos... honestly, I'm not feeling it. It feels more like a toy than an actual sailboat. Everything else you brought up to the table is a much better call.
The fundamental issue with boats like these—and I really mean this—is that people try to cram an absurd amount of berths and living space into a relatively small hull. It’s a classic mistake. You end up with a vessel that’s heavy, sluggish, and honestly just plain boring to actually sail. You lose all the soul of the boat when you turn it into a floating apartment complex.
Second off—and this is just common sense if you've ever actually tried it—they’re way too heavy to haul around behind a standard sedan or some basic commuter car. You really need something with actual muscle under the hood... something beefy and substantial that can handle the weight without breaking a sweat.
It’s pretty straightforward—you’ve got a short waterline paired with massive weight, which basically acts as a built-in speed limiter. You're looking at top speeds of maybe 5 or 6 knots under perfect conditions, tops. Sure, maybe one of them will skim a bit faster down a swell if the stars align, but let's not go expecting any miracles here. In light wind? Forget about it. Big waves? They’re practically useless.
If we’re talking about that specific category, you’re probably looking at the Hunter Sonata as the absolute GOAT—at least when it comes to actual sailing performance—but unfortunately, they haven't been in production for ages now. They’re still massive over in Britain, though, mostly because they've basically become a staple one-design class there. You can actually snag a used one for a steal if you know where to look. They absolutely crush it in match racing, but—and this is the big "but"—they just don't have that tendency to plane when you're running downwind.
The International H-boat is actually pretty interesting—I mean, sure, you aren’t exactly living in a mansion once you step inside, and the cabin space is definitely on the tighter side—but man, does it move. It handles like a dream regardless of whether you're just cruising on a light breeze or battling heavy winds and choppy waves out on the sea. It just works.
Look, if all you want is a little boat to hop between islands for short trips—and you couldn't care less about actual sailing speed—then yeah, everything you mentioned is totally fine. At that point, it really just boils down to two things: how much it’s going to cost you and whether or not your wife actually likes the look of it. 🙂
If I were looking to pick up a sailboat like that—I mean, if I were actually pulling the trigger—I’d be hunting for something with a max weight of around 1,200 kg. You need that wide, flat transom, too... something that actually lets you plane downwind instead of just fighting the waves all day. And obviously, you can't skimp on the rig—give me a massive mast and plenty of sail area, or don't bother. 🙂
If you’ve got a bit of extra cash burning a hole in your pocket—and more importantly, if you actually care about real sailing rather than just drifting aimlessly around a harbor—you might want to start looking at something ultra-light and seriously fast. Take the T8sc, for instance. It’s a different beast entirely, but honestly, it still manages to be relatively comfortable enough to host three or four people without feeling like you're camping on a raft.
The T8sc test results are dropping soon—both out on the water and over on the blog. Stay tuned.http://sailing.bloger.com...so, I’m going to lay out a few things that actually matter to me when it comes to these kinds of sailboats—you know, the stuff people usually overlook while they're busy obsessing over the shiny bits.
We can talk if you're down.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly. Honestly, I’m on the exact same page—I need something that lets me just wander from cove to cove and take a dip whenever the mood strikes. And look, we definitely need those six berths. My family is a 2+2 setup, and let's be real, being stuck alone on a boat is just plain boring. It really ought to have enough room to squeeze in a few more friends too, whether they're adults or just kids running around.
So, I’ve got this Santa Fe—solid enough to pull about 5,500 lbs—and right now I’m eye-balling this used 5,500 lb trailer sitting there for around $2,500. My main hurdle? I really need to go out and get my BE license first. Once that's sorted, I'll be cleared to tow anything up to about 4,200 lbs, provided the width stays under that 82-inch limit. Honestly, if I don't play this smart, I'll end up stuck dealing with those absolute nightmare permits that run you an extra $650 or so. That's why I'm already ruling out the Twister, the Raptor, and the Tango—just too much headache for what it is.
Look, I don't really care if a boat is heavy or slow—that’s just how things are sometimes—but what would actually kill me is if she's tossing and turning too much in the chop. I'm not entirely sure how those smaller sailboats handle the swell, but I'm really hoping they perform better than the big cruisers. Honestly, just thinking about spending a few hours tossing and hauling lines on one of those massive yachts... that alone would absolutely break me.
It’s not even the same story when you're talking about sailboats. Even though they're small, they carry a heavy keel—so there's that. What do you reckon?
To be honest, I find the Vika a bit underwhelming too. My eyes are really set on the TES 678, but man, that price tag is steep, and sometimes the build quality feels a little flimsy compared to others. I might pull the trigger on a used TES for around $15k, but I haven't made up my mind yet. What's your take? From what I can tell, that specific one looks solid—it was built by this charter company that actually has TES manufacture boats for both their own fleet and for retail.