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What's a good first sailboat?

The Sunfish and boats like it--very simple, easy to rig and to move around--make great learning boats for one or two people, but not for a family. The Laser is a tougher first boat, but there's likely to be a racing fleet nearby, and you can get an old one that's still plenty strong for very little money.

My own belief is that a somewhat tired old boat is a good first one. It will teach you something about maintenance, and it will let you take some risks as you're learning--scratching an already-scratched hull is far more tolerable than scratching a brand-new one.

In general, a boat that can be trailered and handled by one person is probably best; you'll sail lots more if you don't have to get a friend to help out.

Sailing clubs can be a great way to learn. (jh)



John F. Hughes
11/6/1997