Hope someone can help me here! I noticed several Maxi 20ft sailboats for sale, but cannot find any info on the big old www?

Who manufactured them?
Are they still in business?
How do these boats perform, say compared to the Red Witch?
What is the appetite for 20 - 25 knot winds?
How stable are they and are they self rightning?
Is there a difference between performance of fixed and swing keels?

They certainly look like neat little boats!

Pretty sure maxi20 was a John Swarbrick design from the early 80s so structurally should be good. Lots of better performed and proven options around though....Redwitches, space sailor 18s and 20s being a few.
Aliens, now they are fun, not many about.

I think the Maxi range were fully imported from Scandinavia. In Australia we had the 20 and the 26. They were known for the quality of their fit outs. I'm sure we had a forum member from Victoria that owned one.

Hi Donk

No, I am in the other side of Aus in Perth WA.

How much have you got it going for, just as a matter of interest?

I am also looking at a MB21, and possibly a MB24. What do you guys recon will be the typical difference in asking price between these two?

Cheers
Andre

You should be able to get an MB21 for less than 7-8k in Perth, and the 24 for 10ish.
Where will you sail from? Some clubs have others that sail same boats in division 3 or 4 and it makes it more interesting. For example east Fremantle yacht club have small fleets of M27s and Farr727s, Sopyc have fleets of Spacesailor 22s, 27s, S80s.

Geez, Thanks Guys

Thank you for all the feedback. Every bit of feedback gives me better perspective of the sailing environment.

I am down in Rockingham WA and I would prefer a Trailer Sailer, but will not turn my head the other way for something useful that is reasonably priced that will outweigh the advantages of a TS. I have not been in the sailing community for very long, but I have also realised that currently it might be a bit of a buyers market.

The fact that I do not know too much about what kind of boats are out there or what their pro's and cons are, does not make it easy to know what models I should consider to invest in. All I know is that I recently started to enjoy racing, that I sometimes will have to do it single handed and it be comfortable enough to cater for my family to enjoy the day. (Wife and 2 small kids)

No pens where I am, hence my preference for a TS so I can shy away from being moored during stormy winter months, and even keep it at home if the trailer is registered.

Currently the Maxi 20 and Red Witch are TS's available that I will be able to afford with my very tight budget.

Keelboats available which will have to be moored will be the MB21, MB24. I do not know the Endeavour 24, which if good might potentially also be an option?

Regards

KotzeAB said..


No pens where I am, hence my preference for a TS so I can shy away from being moored during stormy winter months, and even keep it at home if the trailer is registered.

Currently the Maxi 20 and Red Witch are TS's available that I will be able to afford with my very tight budget.

Keelboats available which will have to be moored will be the MB21, MB24. I do not know the Endeavour 24, which if good might potentially also be an option?

Regards

Much is going to depend on what facilities you have. The Maxi and Red Witch will require a good boat ramp and a trailer with extendable bar and the possibility of some one getting very wet each time you decide to sail. The Sorcerer or any of the other WA designed boats not quite the same drama. All will require the mast lifting drama and with a wife and two small kids this may wear thin very fast. If your lucky you may have a ramp along side a wharf or floating pontoon which will certainly help. Fixed keel MB21 only draws a bit over 2 feet so can get in close to the beach. May have to consider a small fixed keeler like the MB21 on a mooring and take it home on a trailer for the winter. Then you have to have a tender and a mooring to worry about! Its a tough call but I can tell you from experience it is all going to depend on the wife and kids. Getting the wife to stand in the water holding the trailer sailer while you get the car and trailer will be a test. Especially if its just after an invigorating sail in fresh conditions!
But if you have to have a mooring why bother with a tiny fibreglass keeler. Try the family inside a small boat and see how they feel. Something like the Black Soo Cisco linked to may be a better solution. Something that you are prepared to lose if need be. Tough call.
This is a Sorcerer in my home town.
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Yes, I already have a Red Jacket which I launch from the TCYC hard stand.

I certainly agree that a true TS will be best and there are 2 x 25ft and a 27ft for sale ranging from $20k - $25k, but this unfortunately is beyond my financial means. I did put up my hand for a MB21 with brand new sails. The decision to sell this is not definite yet and I will only know towards the end of this month whether it is.

Currently a variety of Witches and 2 Maxi20's are available which I will be able to afford. There is one Maxi 20 with a drop keel in Mandurah for $7000 which I consider to be ideal, but the $7000 might be a but much. I also do not know much about the Maxi's and cannot find anything on the net. I also was advised that I will not be able to move it along later on, but again this the opinion of one individual and do not know if this is really the case?

I have heard about the S20's to be good little boats, this is if it is the Spacesailer 20, but I did not notice any for sale recently.

KotelAB,

We have a 20 ft Spacesailer Swing Keel that I sail on Moreton Bay with a young family and a wife new to sailing. Its easy to single hand (it has the small rig set up for getting under swan river bridges). We have been out in 25knts which is common here in summer and the boat handles really well. We have overnighted several times with our 4 year old and had a great time, as long as you accept that its basically camping on the water.

If I was in the West I would seriously consider a Spacesailer 22 which seems to have a good class association and shares the seaworthy characteristics. See feopauls comments above.

We started on a Mirror with 3 of us and the experience of boat ramps convinced me that, sail boats + boat ramps + young families = trouble. Ramonas comments above on the put in and take out issues are spot on.

Enjoy the search.

It seems I have now pretty much made up my mind on what to go for.

If the deal of the MB21 fails, I have decided to stick to the principle of a TS and shy away from mooring dependency. The Red Witch has still got very good representation in WA with at least 40 going on the river. I have also found several parked in backyards.

I will then basically option for the Red Witch as this should satisfy my needs.

Thank you so much for all the advice and input gentleman, and ladies where applicable.

Now, do you know of a decent Red Witch somewhere that is in good nick and has good racing sails, an outboard and a registered trailer for less than $3300 in WA, as this is what I currently can make an offer on?

Cheers Everyone

Yes WA125er

I have studied the Witch well and visited Nedlands today even to have a look at WARLOK, but it does not fit the bill. I also met with the chairman (A very nice and helpful individual, that just lives for the Witch) of the association just before Christmas and am that abreast with what is available from SOPYC and the association.

The best deal currently comes from one of my fellow club members that has moved on from the Witch, but I am not to make a decision immediately as I first have to sell off my Red Jacket. I am quite sad to let her go! :-(

Thank you for that!!

Red Jackets are 17 feet, Red Witch 20, Red Baron cat 20 and the Sorcerer all from the same stable. Red Witch is a lot bigger than the Red Jacket.

Anyone remember the Red Jacket that sailed down after the Sydney Hobart racers in about 1969. Had an extra shoe of lead bolted to the keel! Lots of publicity at the time but not sure if he got to Hobart!

A RL24 MKIII caught my eye but I have read a poster claiming that the RL24 tend to turn turtle? I might be interested in one, but I certainly would not like to take my Wife and 1 & 3 year old sons on a RL if there is distinct possibility of capsize?

Do they?
How do they handle Wind?
How do they handle Swell?

Thank you once again Romana

Don't quote me but I believe that the rules of racing (trailer sailer) demand that the yacht must have the keel secured down and must be self righting. I have had my Farr main very close to the water and I was racing (pushing to the limit) and she came back as soon as I let a bit of sheet out.
My boat sister sheep went in a wild surf (30 knt) wind and cart wheeled but still came out. The Farr is very well built and if you were to cut it in 2 parts both half would still float. Maybe that a feature you should check before buying a yacht.

Come on, cannot be!!! I was offered a Wildrush Wildfire this morning!!

Why do you not tell me more about them please?