Why I sail small boats

A small boat might seem like a step down, compared to the bigger boats that fill most harbors today. But small boats have some unexpected advantages that might just make them the best choice.

Do you want to build a small wooden boat? I will help you succeed.

0:00 Why sail small boats?
0:35 Shallow draft
1:22 Geographical flexibility
2:12 Cost, maintenance, storage
2:47 Limitations of small boats
3:29 Camp cruising in small boats
4:21 Pure sailing

[gordonstewart]

Another advantage is that small boats generally get sailed more. Getting a big cruising yacht ready to sail is often a major production, requiring considerable planning, whereas as small boat you can toss in your truck or hook up your trailer on a nice afternoon and go for a sail. As they say, the smaller the boat the bigger the adventure.

[chriscaarnold]

I 100% agree. I have worked as professional crew on big sail and now motor yachts for years. I currently work 8 weeks rotation (8 weeks on 8 off). I worked on a 54m 13 crew 10 guest yacht. The owners are board, finicky have nothing to do. They stay for weeks and moan about everything. Dripping in Gucci and Prada the hate life.

I now have 6 months free per year. I will be getting my first small wooden boat as soon as the right one comes along.

I could not agree more

Chris

[thefoonmaster]

Just got a 12 foot boat and built a mast for it, we are ripping now so much fun

[danielpothier]

Small boats and I have many are like potato chips... you can't have just one😂

[adamtedder]

All good points. A big boat is limited and used less. I had two big boats. Now I have a 17ft and I use it every second I get.

[chaigorod]

Thank you for confirming my thoughts. On a small boat you are just 20 cm from the water and you have to watch it carefully and respect it. In my case I leave in an inland city and having a 2.65 meter self-made sail boat on the roof of my car I can sail in any pond nearby and have a look at the world from another angle.

[JakeHolman]

My man! That's right. This is what my channel is all about.

[jimk]

Also, if a small boat capsizes in heavy wind or a storm, you can usually self rescue. That means I go out much more on questionably weather days than my friends with 18 foot boats that they cannot self rescue.

[FlatlandMando]

You have articulated some fine reasons for small boating as well as shown images of beautiful cruising grounds making it clear that " I need to go soon!"

[HANDIY]

Well said. Thanks for this inspiring video. Looking forward to enjoy the same pleasures as you. I have about 2 weeks of work left on my boat, this video gave me a boost to get it done.

[felixcat]

Upon seeing the thumbnail image and title, I knew that your passion and enthusiasm for light, wooden compact craft and dinghy cruising would make for a very interesting, informative and enjoyable video.

Beautiful environments, lovely boats, and an appreciation for simple sailing and paddling at one's own unhurried pace, captured by excellent videography made your video a joy to watch.

I'm very happy to subscribe and to follow your adventures.

Thank you for making and sharing this lovely video, which will inspire others to consider the many benefits of light, compact craft that are a pleasure to use and simple to store, transport and launch.

Edited for typo!

[robertparkinson]

I salute you, you can't beat creek crawling wonderful .

[marcusmollsailing]

Thanks for this wonderful video. I just went sailing between 10pm and midnight last night with my self-built 12-foot-dinghy in our fjord and can only agree to everything you say.

[AchlaMarine]

Thank you, really a video that speaks for me. I have been sailing cabin sailboats for years, and this year I switched into an open boat, (Norseboat 17.5) and it is exactly what you describe. The small dinghy makes me a better sailor.

[daanbos]

My favourite sailboats are a Lelievlet and Lelieschouw

[wilfriedstroever]

The smaller the boat, the larger the ocean, and the longer the shoreline.
thank you for your thoughts.

[piperlong]

I respect small boats for all the aforementioned reasons. I bought a Freedom 21 by Tillotson Pearson. It's as simple as a dinghy to sail (It's a Nantucket style cat boat) yet it still has a nice little cabin with a head, a 2 burner alcohol stove, a sink, an ice chest, and it can sleep 4 people. She is also trailerable. So I kinda get the best of both worlds, although I cannot sail her in very shallow water or beach her like a dinghy.

[clementfryer]

Thank you! A very well narrated and produced explanation of the classical benefits of a small versatile craft. Who could disagree?

[felixcat]

I originally wanted a Portland Pudgy, Canopy and Sail Rig, but UK prices were extremely high (plus the trailer).

I started to look at small wooden boats and as my knowledge, understanding and appreciation of them developed, I researched the self building of small boats using plywood, fibreglass and epoxy resin.

Videos, forums, websites and books helped immensely, with Roger Barnes, his Dinghy Cruising and Camping Book and Dinghy Cruising Association sparking my imagination.

I then discovered micro cruisers, which I'm particularly taken with, Matt Layden's designs being truly outstanding, however, I prefer quite small boats of 10 feet or less.

From that, I came across the intriguing, capable and unique Gorfnik, a further development of the Puddle Duck Racer, but with a cabin similar to Matt Layden's Paradox.

The Gorfnik designer actually referrers to it as a Simpler Paradox!

I really like the Gorfnik cabin and it's ability to sail from inside and to cook, relax, rest and sleep there too!

I began buying tools and got two different plans to modify for building a Gorfnik type cabin to fit a very different type hull, both of which are folding and nesting!

I agree with your views on wooden boats and look forward to towing my boat by bicycle, and once on the water the folded bike stows in the bow module, removing the need to return to the put in...

[martinrasmussen]

Small boats rocks 👌🏻 thanks for sharing 🙏🏻