Practical Boat Owner – May 2018

22 Practical Boat Owner • http://www.pbo.co.uk

Choose the ideal

trailable day sailer

Duncan Kent extols the many virtues of a selection of new and

used day boats ranging from 16-20ft (4.9-6.0m) in length

BOATS

S

ome folk have a burning desire

to live the outdoor life –

whether it be camping under

canvas or messing about on

the water in a small boat. I

started sailing in a tiny plywood dinghy my

Dad knocked up from beer-mat plans back

in the 1960s. It started as a day boat that

we launched from the beach in Shoreham,

Sussex and sailed up the tidal river Arun,

but I soon learned to love the sound and

feel of being afl oat and persuaded my

father to allow me to rig a tent to go over

her. With this set-up I spent my fi rst few

nights afl oat at anchor, aged 12, and I

have been in love with sailing ever since.

A major benefi t of

the trailable day

sailer, of course,

is that you can tow

it to explore new

cruising grounds

• and then tow it
  home again