build a sail boat from near scratch?

[Milemaker13]

I went on a sail boat trip last summer on lake Michigan. We're going again this summer. We have a nice older powerboat, which is great, but man , sailing is just SO AWESOME!!!
Of course when I got home last summer I immediately went to Craig's list to find a small sail boat. Well, the admiral killed that pretty quick, lol.
But I'm the kind of guy that is always building something, always inventing something, needed or not, from scrap laying around.
So, why not build a sail boat?
At the moment I still have my 14'aluminum v hull fishing boat. I was thinking of attempting to build it up for sailing. Crazy?
Does anyone have any advice to share?
Should I just keep cruising Craig's list and dreaming?

I think I would need to add a mast, Lee boards and a rudder to start with..

 

[Milemaker13]

Well ok. The small sail boats I've seen are generally fiberglass. I saw one that looked like a row boat but had a mast and rigging. Of course, that boat had a dagger board, where as I plan to fabricate Lee boards so I don't have to cut a hole in the center... yet!

 

[tpenfield]

Buy an old Sunfish for $600 or so . . . That will be less than trying to get the rigging to convert the fishing boat to sail.

I used to have sailboats, now have a power boat . . . Still dreaming about getting a 26' sailboat . . . S2 7.9 model. Pending Admiral's approval of course.

Quite a few of those boats on Lake Michigan

 

[Scott Danforth]

There are a bunch of hobie cats in door county for about $400. Most need to be dug out from cedar trees along someone's cottage and pressure washed to remove moss

 

[southkogs]

My Sister-in-Law just found a little optimist sailboat in Mid-Michigan for less than $500. I'd keep lookin' as opposed to trying to make a sailer outta' that tinny. Heeling over that little boat isn't going to do well under sail ... it's designed to plane.

I've got the sailing bug too ... haven't figured out how to get a good fix yet either.

 

[Milemaker13]

You guys are great. Thanks. I know you're right. I can fiddle with a pile of junk until it's a more expensive pile of junk all summer long... still wouldn't be a very good sail boat.
So, I see the names like Sun fish, mini fish, hobi cat, etc. Last summer I looked at one.. don't know the name, old looking thin fiberglass.. looked like a row boat with rigging.
Is my best bet to either :
A) Seek out "X" model boat. It's the best one!
B) Locate almost any small sail boat in serviceable condition with in my (tiny) budget and have fun!

 

[Scott Danforth]

most people learn to sail on sunfish or snarks.

 

[Milemaker13]

What about a sailing dinghy? I see an 8' Sinbad dinghy on CL, asking $450.
Would that be ok to start learning in?
What about something called a fractional sloop like the oday day sailor? Saw a couple of those in various condition, they look cool.
Funny, but I found bigger sail boats too.... man, what trouble I could get into

 

[SolingSailor]

Hi Milmaker13,

I really like seeing your enthusiasm and passion, it reminds me of myself when I first discovered sailing. Of course we diehard sailors always like to snag a convert from the powerboating world.

The problem with your v-hull fishing boat is that it will have little resistance to heel. A small, unballasted sailboat needs the proper hull shape to maintain initial stability. That shape is fuller in the bilges, just the opposite of a v-hull shape. In any kind of breeze, your weight on the weather rail adds more stability.
The sunfish type of boat is a lot of fun, but it is not the same as your fishing boat. It will not carry any cargo, including a friend, much less a six-pack.

If you find an O'day Daysailor in good condition, at your price, snap it up. It's a great sailor, even coastal ocean capable, and a perfect size for a beginner.
IMHO, you should not be intimidated by the size; with your enthusiasm, you will quickly learn, and grow into the boat.

Let us know how you're doing, and see you out there!

 

[southkogs]

The 8' Sinbad would be an easier boat to learn to sail (compared to the O'day), BUT ... it's you and a bud without much else and that'll feel cozy. The O'day will likely be a sloop rig, which'll be more of a learning curve ... but will be a better "longer term" boat. We used to cram a family of 4 on a 14' and it was okay if the sailing was easy. Get into any wind, and there wasn't enough room to really work the boat.

 

[Milemaker13]

I think the best thing I may be able to do is trade my little fishing boat for a little sailing boat. I put a couple CL ads to that effect. We'll see what happens.

Do you think my wife will notice if the smaller boat in the driveway suddenly changed? Lol.

 

[southkogs]

That's why there's no "blow-boat" in my stable. The Admiral is pretty sharp and notices the big rags pretty quick

 

[moi]

The O'Day or something similar is your best bet for learning. Don't be fooled by thinking smaller is better. It isn't. Get some good books on sailing and jump right in.

FWIW, My first boat was a One Design Moth Class boat that I built from scratch about 50 years ago from plans in a Magazine. I think the mag was Popular Mechanics. My last boat was an 18 foot Buccaneer Class that the Wife and I raced locally at the club level. Also did a fair amount of bare boat chartering in boats up to 30+ feet.

 

[steelespike]

Check out the' Duck Punt" sails in about 3" of water.can use the optimist rig.Not easy to sail but people love the challenge.
An individual can car top.If I recall correctly can be built in a week if your not too fussy.
They work well where they sail on the flood plain at high tide.