WEEKEND TRAILER SAILERS
➜I
f you’re happy just day sailing in fair
weather then you won’t really need
more than a sprayhood to duck in out
of the odd shower or to make a brew.
But many more enthusiasts,
especially those with young families or
grandchildren, like to get involved in more
than just the sailing. To some, especially
youngsters, the ‘camping’ element is
crucial to the whole experience. Yes,
many of the dayboats we covered in last
month’s PBO could support a full cockpit
tent for the occasional night on board in
the summer, but it soon gets tedious if
you try to spend more than one night
under canvas without at least some of thebasics of home living such as a cooker,
running water, electricity, a proper toilet
and enough room to stow a few changes
of clothes.
Take a step up from the 16-18-footers
into a weekender-size boat, say 19-21ft,
and you get a lot, lot more to make life not
just bearable on board, but in some cases
positively comfortable.NEW BOATS
Beneteau First 20
Finot-Conq’s Beneteau First has been
around in various guises (210, 211, 21.7
and currently the First 20) for a while. Amodern mini-cruiser/racer, the F20 sports
a^7 ⁄ 8 ths fractional sloop rig with option for a
furling asymmetric. Having no backstay
allows the mainsail to be flat-topped,
thereby increasing the sail area. It has also
enabled the mast to be shortened,
lowering the centre of effort on the sails
and resulting in her being noticeably stiffer.
Beneath the waterline sporty, shallow
sections extend out to a wide, flat stern.
Twin rudders keep a bite on the water
when heeled and windward ability is
hugely assisted by her 6ft (1.83m) deep,
lifting fin keel.
She has a well-arranged and roomy
cockpit and, though she’ll accommodate