What is a good small, inexpensive, stable sailboat for a beginner with little experience?

Question

I've had minimal lessons on very small boats, but I dont have time for more lessons and just want to learn by doing. However, I would rather not capsize and have to right the boat. Any recommendations? We're on a short budget and probably would need to be day sailors with a trailer rather than paying for a slip somewhere.

Would love several suggestions of stable boats that are hard to capsize that we could learn on. Also, do we need to register a boat like that?

Thanks to all the more experienced sailors who can help me out!

Answer 1

LASERS are great boats, but they capsize easily and are athletic.

Sunfish are a good beginner boat. They are hard to capsize, you can feel the wind and learn to handle it. They are available used and later you can move to a larger boat.

Answer 2

Have sailed Lasers (and their less expensive Pico), Sunfish (http://www.sunfishsailboats.com/) and Toppers (http://www.toppersailboats.com/).

Capsizing is really a matter of the conditions where you sail (gusty, shifty winds) and how hard you want to push the boats. All of them are easy to right through.

An alternative would be this nice inflatable catamaran (http://www.seaeagle.com/SailCat.aspx).  Haven't tried it but from how it looks it would be pretty hard to capsize and if it ever does - it'd be super easy to right :) Not a fast and s**y water craft, but you can bring it anywhere.

Answer 3

Get A LASER! They are fast, competitive, easy to handle, responsive,stable, but if you do capsize they are easy to right by yourself, (refreshing on a hot day) easy to trailer, and store. Not too expensive, available in the used market. Yes, you need to register all watercraft. This is for single hand sailing, not on open ocean. If you need a cabin, or crew try a o'day, or daysailer.

Answer 4

Sunfish, butterflies, or techs are great choices. They work perfectly for beginners, don't capsize easily, and are easy to right when tipped. They're even easy to right when turtled. These are all one or two person boats that are easy to maintain.