I'm loving the Paceship PY23 which has a 20" draft with the steel stub keel and centerboard. I've had it for 20 years and though haven't been looking, haven't really seen anything else so stable in strong conditions - and maybe I'm missing something so asking y'all.
Are the other other low-draft trailer-ables that one would feel confident in strong conditions 100 miles off shore?
Being able to deal with strong conditions is very important, additionally -
self-launchable
sleeps 4
spinnaker capable
I'm looking at getting a replacement PY23 with a strong deck because my balsa-core deck has several soft spots and getting another hull may be easier than re-coring.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
(before cleaning after sitting under a FL tree for 2 years).
Screenshot 2025-11-25 132146.png
IMG_20201231_170813283.jpg
When we were in the Bahamas last February, I met a sailor who came over in a Seaward 25. I talked with him for awhile and he said he had made the trip over a dozen times. His 25 had a tiller and 15hp outboard. I also know a fellow who made the trip in a Compac 23, but the weather would need to be perfect.
Quote from: Wolverine on Nov 25, 2025, 09:18 PMSeaward 25
Thanks for opening my eyes to that. like a 2.1 ft draft!
from - https://sailboatdata.com/?keyword=seaward&sort-select&sailboats_per_page=25&loa_min&loa_max&lwl_min&lwl_max&hull_type&sailboat_units=all&displacement_min&displacement_max&beam_min&beam_max&draft_max&bal_disp_min&bal_disp_max&sa_disp_min&sa_disp_max&disp_len_disp_min&disp_len_disp_max&comfort_ratio_min&comfort_ratio_max&capsize_ratio_min&capsize_ratio_max&taxonomy_rig&first_built_after&first_built_before&designer_name&builder_name&sailboats_first_letter&page_number=0
(some don't have min/max drafts and some of these numbers vary depending on sources)
Seaward 22 Max Draft: 3.42 ft / 1.04 m Min Draft: 1.92 ft / 0.59 m
23 Max Draft: 2.08 ft / 0.63 m
24 Max Draft: 3.50 ft / 1.07 m Min Draft: 2.00 ft / 0.61 m
25 2.08 ft / 0.63 m
26RK Max Draft: 6.00 ft / 1.83 m Min Draft: 1.25 ft / 0.38 m
The following don't fit my criteria
32RK Max Draft: 6.42 ft / 1.96 m
Min Draft: 1.67 ft / 0.51 m
46RK Max Draft: 7.00 ft / 2.13 m
Min Draft: 2.42 ft / 0.74 m
Eagle Max Draft: 3.50 ft / 1.07 m
Fox Max Draft: 1.58 ft / 0.48 m
I've sailed for 4 weeks in the Bahamas with 2 of us aboard an ODay 25. Trailered to Key West and sailed to Dry Tortugas. Also 2 trips - one with 3 kids for a total of 5 - to the North Channel of Lake Huron for 2 weeks each time. It's a matter of weather windows, and prudence and skills. Most boats are far more capable in "sporty" conditions than the people on board are.
I would consider my Mariner (19ft) for any of the ODay 25 cruises but might need more pauses for weather. Also the cabin is a little less comfortable for many nights - only fit for 1 or 2. I cook and wash up in the cockpit in both boats. I have cruised the Mariner around Long Island Sound and Albemarle Sound in NC.
Nothing trailerable is really suited for extended time in the open ocean - the desired limits on the boat for trailering - shoal draft, light weight - lead to undesirable compromises for spending days at sea. I'm more interested in trailering to see new places than I am in spending consecutive days out of sight of land. I love being able to run my Mariner up on the beach (10" draft board and rudder up) without a keel stub getting in the way. This also makes trailer launching/retrieval at the ramp just like a power boat of similar size. Yet she has enough internal ballast that I don't need rail meat when things get sporty. Prudent and easy reefing of the main keeps me out of trouble when wind exceeds 20kts.
A boat that impresses me that slots between the Mariner and the ODay 25 is the Rhodes 22 by General Boat. Really well laid out for cruising, yet a capable and by no means slow boat. Been refined over decades of production. 18"? draft board up, and considered reasonably easy to trailer. Quite sturdy.
just my thoughts
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner 19 Sweet P
The Rhodes 22 looks slick! From this locator map some have made their way to the Med.... Sailed or shipped? Probably a bunch of other options available if Europe to ship a 22 footer so likely sailed.
http://www.rhodes22.org/location-map.html