3 sailboats

Better Sailing

Best Sailboats with 3 Cabins

Are you looking for chartering or buying a new or used 3-cabin sailboat? Do you want to sail around the world with your family, friends, or partner? Nowadays, there are a lot of spacious and reliable 3-cabin sailboats that can serve your needs and preferences. Always remember to conduct thorough research before buying a sailboat in order for you to live or sail on it with adequate comfort and space. Choosing a well-designed, robust, spacious, and seaworthy sailboat is the key to successful passagemaking. So, are you looking to accomplish your dream and sail overseas with a 3-cabin sailboat? Then, continue reading this article. I’m going to list the best 3-cabin sailboats to live on and travel overseas as well as their characteristics. Follow me!

For more than four decades the Amel brand has managed to build robust and reliable long-range cruising yachts. The Amel 55 ensures a comfortable motion while sailing and her long waterline length offers great speed potential. Moreover, she provides excellent protection on deck because of her wheel shelter at the end of the cockpit as well as ample space in the cockpit area. As for the rigging, the cutter headed ketch rig is fully furling, and has electric reefing on the mainsail, genoa, and a set of electric sheet winches. Another great characteristic is that she has double bow rollers which allow two anchors to be carried on the bow. The saloon has a huge table with wrap-around seating, plenty of handholds, and enough space for stowage.

Furthermore, she has a three-cabin layout; forward is situated the main cabin with enough headroom, and aft you can choose either a huge stateroom or a pair of cabins with double or side-by-side beds. Lastly, forward, aft and main bulkheads are watertight with rubber seals on the door and have a strongback so as to close firmly. All these amenities, space, easy-handling, and excellent performance while sailing, should be considered by anyone planning long-term cruising.

Elan Impression 40.1

This sailboat is widely popular in the charter market. She offers great volume aft that allows for extra storage under the helmsman seats and has extra space forward in the cockpit. The rig features a powerful overlapping headsail which is the main driving force behind the sailboat when the engine is off. Moreover, she has a simple overall set-up which makes her easy to handle. The interior layout features a linear affair running down the starboard side including a large fridge. To port, there’s a very large convertible saloon sofa as well as a chart table.

Furthermore, there’s a double berth forward and a bunk room just to port with the heads/shower to starboard. So, you benefit from a larger double berth with heads to port and a separate shower room to starboard. Lastly, you can choose between four different cabin layouts; for the 3-cabin layout, there are two roomy cabins aft and an en-suite forward cabin with enough storage under the bed.

Oceanis 40.1

The 39ft Oceanis 40.1 offers plenty of deck volume, interior space and ensures high performance while sailing. She is available in different layouts, draughts, and rigs, so as to satisfy each sailor’s needs and preferences. A spacious family cruiser, with a wide cockpit, and enough speed without minimizing her capabilities in terms of performance and handling. She has the standard in-mast furling mainsail and as well as an optional genoa and a standard self-tacking jib. Below, there’s a big saloon, a C-shaped galley, a double cabin forward, and one double cabin or two cabins aft with bunk beds. So, you have all amenities to satisfy a family’s needs. A comfy cockpit, a spacious saloon, 3 roomy cabins, and a large practical galley for use in port. You can buy a new Oceanis 40.1 for $257,400 and even schedule a test drive through the company’s website.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i

This high-performance cruiser with her exceptional hi-tech construction ensures powerful offshore sailing. With her fractional rig, high-aspect blade rudders, 3rd generation hull construction, and perfectly capable of sailing upwind, she’s a classic example of a modern performance cruiser. You can select the 3-cabin option, aft cabin with a double bed and the other two with bunks or doubles. The central saloon has clever design touches with a removable dining table leaf to seat and extra settee space. Also, a big L-shaped galley at the foot of the companionway, to starboard, and the head and shower stall just opposite, to port. As you can see the boat’s overall appeal offers great amenities along with excellent sailing performance.

This is a 39ft 3-cabin sailboat adequate for 6 or 8 persons. She has a wide and straight hull as well as a spacious cockpit that provides enough space to move around, relax, and dine outdoors. On the stern, there’s a platform that is located lower to the hull of the ship. The platform is separated from the cockpit with a bench below and is very easy to lower and raise, as well as store items and additional equipment. Furthermore, you can choose between three different types of interior or 2 different cabin layouts. She has a modern and functional interior equipped with comfy furniture. Due to her abundant space below deck, the sailboat can offer a three-bath double cabin layout or 3 small but comfortable cabins with enough headroom.

This sailboat is carefully designed so as to ensure comfort and a spacious interior to live in. The layout of Hunter 38 has an L-shaped galley to starboard at the foot of the companionway, a nav station to port, and a dining area amidships. Moreover, the salon has a 6’6” headroom and the galley has a fridge, a sink, a stove/oven, and cabinets for storage. The V-berth and both aft cabins can accommodate 2 people each. Also, all 3 cabins have hanging lockers and enough storage space. Also, the 2-compartment single head is connected with doors to both the main cabin and the aft stateroom. Her base price starts from $144,990 and is ideal for coastal cruising and family outings.

Bavaria Cruiser 34

The Bavaria 34 has similar hull construction with her previous models 32 and 33. However, this one is more spacious and with a few new bits of restyled bodywork as well as more interior options. She’s generally responsive and enjoyable on the helm while sailing. Despite this, deck stowage around the cockpit is limited to just two depth lockers in the aft cockpit seating. But below deck, there’s a quite large saloon, big and functional galley with all basic amenities, and 3 roomy cabins. The option of three double cabins can accommodate a family of 6 and the port cabin offers a big head compartment. Lastly, she’s easy to sail and handle and ensures a great combination of quality and value. In other words, she’s like a home away from home!

Best Sailboats with 3 Cabins – Final Thoughts

These are some great 3-cabin sailboats adequate for either offshore sailing or just for coastal cruises and family outings. Remember that everything depends on some important factors that determine which 3-cabin sailboat is the right for you. These factors are your sailing routes, your budget, your needs, interior comforts, sailing performance, and your crew members. So, you need to consider everything before buying a new or used 3-cabin sailboat. For example, if you’re just sailing around a bay and anchoring a lot with your family, you don’t need a high-performance sailboat. On the other hand, if you’re sailing offshore for a long time and you have 5 more persons in your crew then you’d require a spacious, reliable, and fast sailboat. In any case, there’s a wide variety of different options out there to choose from and you’ll definitely find what you’re looking for. Bon voyage!

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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10 Best Small Sailboats (Under 20 Feet)

Compact, easy to trailer, simple to rig, easy to maintain and manage, and affordable, the best small boats all have one thing in common: they offer loads of fun while out there on the water.

So whether you're on a budget or just looking for something that can offer ultimate daytime rides without compromising on safety, aesthetic sensibilities, alternate propulsion, and speed, the best small sailboats under 20 feet should be the only way to go.

Let's be brutally honest here; not everyone needs a 30-foot sailboat to go sailing. They come with lots of features such as electronics, entertainment, refrigeration, bunks, a galley, and even a head. But do you really need all these features to go sailing? We don't think so.

All you need to go sailing is a hull, a mast, rudder, and, of course, a sail. And whether you refer to them as daysailers, trailerable sailboats , a weekender sailboat, or pocket cruisers, there's no better way to enjoy the thrills of coastal sailing than on small sailboats.

There are a wide range of small boats measuring less than 20 feet available in the market. These are hot products in the market given that they offer immense thrills out on the sea without the commitment required to cruise on a 30-footer. A small sailboat will not only give you the feel of every breeze but will also give you the chance to instantly sense every change in trim.

In this article, we'll highlight 10 best small sailboats under 20 feet . Most models in this list are time-tested, easy to rig, simple to sail, extremely fun, and perfect either for solo sailing or for sailing with friends and family. So if you've been looking for a list of some of the best small sailboats , you've come to the right place.

So without further ado, let's roll on.

Table of contents

{{boat-info="/boats/hunter-15"}}

The Marlow-Hunter 15 is not only easy to own since it's one of the most affordable small sailboats but also lots of fun to sail. This is a safe and versatile sailboat for everyone. Whether you're sailing with your family or as a greenhorn, you'll love the Hunter 15 thanks to its raised boom, high freeboard, and sturdy FRP construction.

With high sides, a comfortable wide beam, a contoured self-bailing cockpit, and fiberglass construction, the Hunter 15 is certainly designed with the novice sailor in mind. This is why you can do a lot with this boat without falling out, breaking it, or capsizing. Its contoured self-baiting cockpit will enable you to find a fast exit while its wide beam will keep it steady and stable no matter what jibes or weight shifts happen along the way.

This is a small sailboat that can hold up to four people. It's designed to give you a confident feeling and peace of mind even when sailing with kids. It's easy to trailer, easy to rig, and easy to launch. With a price tag of about $10k, the Hunter 15 is a fun, affordable, and versatile boat that is perfect for both seasoned sailors and novices. It's a low-maintenance sailboat that can be great for teaching kids a thing or two about sailing.

Catalina 16.5

{{boat-info="/boats/catalina-16-5"}}

Catalina Yachts are synonymous with bigger boats but they have some great and smaller boats too such as Catalina 16.5. This is one of the best small sailboats that are ideal for family outings given that it has a big and roomy cockpit, as well as a large storage locker. Designed with a hand-laminated fiberglass sloop, the Catalina 16.5 is versatile and is available in two designs: the centerboard model and the keel model.

The centerboard model is designed with a powerful sailplane that remains balanced as a result of the fiberglass centerboard, the stable hull form, and the rudder. It also comes with a tiller extension, adjustable hiking straps, and adjustable overhaul. It's important to note that these are standard equipment in the two models.

As far as the keel model is concerned, this is designed with a high aspect keel as the cast lead and is attached with stainless steel keel bolts, which makes this model perfect for mooring or docking whenever it's not in use. In essence, the centerboard model is perfect if you'll store it in a trailer while the keel model can remain at the dock.

All in all, the Catalina 16.5 is one of the best small sailboats that you can get your hands on for as low as $10,000. This is certainly a great example of exactly what a daysailer should be.

{{boat-info="/boats/hobie-16"}}

There's no list of small, trailerable, and fun sailboats that can be complete without the inclusion of the classic Hobie 16. This is a durable design that has been around and diligently graced various waters across the globe since its debut way back in 1969 in Southern California. In addition to being durable, the Hobie 16 is trailerable, great for speed, weighs only 320 pounds, great for four people, and more importantly, offers absolute fun.

With a remarkable figure of over 100,000 launched since its debut, it's easy to see that the Hobie 16 is highly popular. Part of this popularity comes from its asymmetric fiberglass-and-foam sandwiched hulls that include kick-up rudders. This is a great feature that allows it to sail up to the beach.

For about $12,000, the Hobie 16 will provide you with endless fun throughout the summer. It's equipped with a spinnaker, trailer, and douse kit. This is a high-speed sailboat that has a large trampoline to offer lots of space not just for your feet but also to hand off the double trapezes.

Montgomery 17

{{boat-info="/boats/montgomery-17"}}

Popularly known as the M-17, The Montgomery 17 was designed by Lyle C. Hess in conjunction with Jerry Montgomery in Ontario, California for Montgomery Boats. Designed either with keel or centerboard models, the M-17 is more stable than most boats of her size. This boat is small enough to be trailered but also capable of doing moderate offshore passages.

This small sailboat is designed with a masthead and toe rail that can fit most foresails. It also has enough space for two thanks to its cuddly cabin, which offers a sitting headroom, a portable toilet, a pair of bunks, a DC power, and optional shore, and a proper amount of storage. That's not all; you can easily raise the deck-stepped mast using a four-part tackle.

In terms of performance, the M-17 is one of the giant-killers out there. This is a small sailboat that will excel in the extremes and make its way past larger boats such as the Catalina 22. It glides along beautifully and is a dog in light air, though it won't sail against a 25-knot wind, which can be frustrating. Other than that, the Montgomery 17 is a great small sailboat that can be yours for about $14,000.

Norseboat 17.5

{{boat-info="/boats/norseboat-17-5"}}

As a versatile daysailer, Norseboat 17.5 follows a simple concept of seaworthiness and high-performance. This small sailboat perfectly combines both contemporary construction and traditional aesthetics. Imagine a sailboat that calls itself the "Swiss Army Knife of Boats!" Well, this is a boat that can sail and row equally well.

Whether you're stepping down from a larger cruiser or stepping up from a sea kayak, the unique Norseboat 17.5 is balanced, attractive, and salty. It has curvaceous wishbone gaff, it is saucy, and has a stubby bow-sprit that makes it attractive to the eyes. In addition to her beauty, the Norseboat 17.5 offers an energy-pinching challenge, is self-sufficient, and offers more than what you're used to.

This is a small, lightweight, low-maintenance sailboat that offers a ticket to both sailing and rowing adventures all at the same time. At about 400 pounds, it's very portable and highly convenient. Its mainsails may look small but you'll be surprised at how the boat is responsive to it. With a $12,500 price tag, this is a good small sailboat that offers you the versatility to either row or sail.

{{boat-info="/boats/sage-marine-sage-17"}}

If you've been looking for a pocket cruiser that inspires confidence, especially in shoal water, look no further than the Sage 17. Designed by Jerry Montgomery in 2009, the Sage 17 is stable and should heel to 10 degrees while stiffening up. And because you want to feel secure while sailing, stability is an integral feature of the Sage 17.

This is a sailboat that will remain solid and stable no matter which part of the boat you stand on. Its cabin roof and the balsa-cored carbon-fiber deck are so strong that the mast doesn't require any form of compression post. The self-draining cockpit is long enough and capable of sleeping at 6 feet 6 inches.

The Sage 17 may be expensive at $25k but is a true sea warrior that's worth look at. This is a boat that will not only serve you right but will also turn heads at the marina.    

{{boat-info="/boats/laserperformance-laser-sb3"}}

Having been chosen as the overall boat of the year for 2008 by the Sailing World Magazine, the Laser SB3 is one of the coolest boats you'll ever encounter. When sailing upwind, this boat will lock into the groove while its absolute simplicity is legendary. In terms of downwind sailing, having this boat will be a dream come true while it remains incredibly stable even at extraordinary speed.

Since its debut in 2004, the Laser SB3 has surged in terms of popularity thanks to the fact that it's designed to put all the controls at your fingertips. In addition to a lightweight mast, its T- bulb keel can be hauled and launched painlessly. For about $18,000, the Laser SB3 ushers you into the world of sports sailing and what it feels to own and use a sports boat.

{{boat-info="/boats/fareast-18"}}

As a manufacturer, Fareast is a Chinese boat manufacturer that has been around for less than two decades. But even with that, the Fareast 18 remains a very capable cruiser-racer that will take your sailing to the next level. In addition to its good looks, this boat comes with a retractable keel with ballast bulb, a powerful rig, and an enclosed cabin.

Its narrow design with a closed stern may be rare in sailboats of this size, but that's not a problem for the Fareast 18. This design not only emphasizes speed but also makes it a lot easier to maintain this boat. Perfect for about 6 people, this boat punches above its weight. It's, however, designed to be rigged and launched by one person.

This is a relatively affordable boat. It's agile, safe, well-thought-out, well built, and very sporty.

{{boat-info="/boats/chuck-paine-paine-14"}}

If you're in the market looking for a small sailboat that offers contemporary performance with classic beauty, the Paine 14 should be your ideal option. Named after its famous designer, Chuck Paine, this boat is intentionally designed after the classic Herreshoff 12.5 both in terms of dimensions and features.

This is a lightweight design that brings forth modern fin keel and spade rudder, which makes it agile, stable, and faster. The Paine 14 is built using cold-molded wood or west epoxy. It has varnished gunnels and transoms to give it an old-time charm. To make it somehow modern, this boat is designed with a carbon mast and a modern way to attach sails so that it's ready to sail in minutes.

You can rest easy knowing that the Paine 14 will not only serve you well but will turn heads while out there.

{{boat-info="/boats/wd-schock-lido-14"}}

Many sailors will attest that their first sailing outing was in a Lido 14. This is a classic sailboat that has been around for over four decades and still proves to be a perfect match to modern small boats, especially for those still learning the ropes of sailing.

With seating for six people, the Lido 14 can be perfect for solo sailing , single-handed sailing, or if you're planning for shorthanded sailing. While new Lido 14 boats are no longer available, go for a functional used Lido 14 and you'll never regret this decision. It will serve you well and your kids will probably fall in love with sailing if Lido 14 becomes their main vessel during weekends or long summer holidays.

Bottom Line

There you have it; these are some of the best small sailboats you can go for. While there are endless small sailboats in the market, the above-described sailboat will serve you right and make you enjoy the wind.

Choose the perfect sailboat, invest in it, and go out there and have some good fun!

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Daniel Wade

I've personally had thousands of questions about sailing and sailboats over the years. As I learn and experience sailing, and the community, I share the answers that work and make sense to me, here on Life of Sailing.

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Small sailboat

Your sailboat fits in your car.

The Tiwal 3 small inflatable sailboat stows in the trunk of your car. It will take you on an ocean of nautical adventures. The weekend promises to be sunny and you’re dreaming of a trip on the water? Are you vacationing by the sea and looking forward to tacking in that windy bay? Your dinghy is in the trunk of your car, so it’s okay, we’ll get you out on the water!

Easily transportable, your boat fits in 2 bags, with an all-up weight of 110 lbs.

Max. load onboard: 2 adults, or 1 adult + 2 kids

20 minutes…

To assemble your Tiwal 3.

440 lbs onboard

Max. load onboard: 2 adults, or 1 adult + 2 kids.

To assemble your Tiwal 3!

Helm a real small sailboat

The Tiwal 3 is easy to handle and is designed for enjoyment by children and adults sailors alike. Versatile, it is in its element in salt or fresh water and can be sailed in all windspeeds, by a solo sailor or double handed.

Comfortable and secure for beginners to practice on, it is a lively and fast monohull for more seasoned sailors seeking sensations and adventure.

A compact daysailer easily transported

In the trunk of a car or camper van, on the plane, the deck of a yacht or towed behind a bike. Stored in its 2 bags, you can take the ten and a half foot dinghy anywhere, without a trailer, for an evening trip after work or during your holidays!

When not in use, it is discreet, can be tidied away in a closet or (small) corner of the garage.

• Structure Mast Sail & blocks Braided lines Daggerboard Rudder Manual pump Electric pump

Intuitive and fast to assemble

Tiwal 3 in action.

Double handed sailing

Speed, Sail and Surf

Tiwal 3 Surfing in Hawaii

Watch the video

Tiwal 3 surfing in Hawaii

A boat that’s 100% fun

The Tiwal 3 brings new ergonomics to sailing dinghies with its inflatable hull (but rigid when under way), its clear deck, simplified controls and finally a boomless sail. The result? Maximum fun for playing with the wind and water. It even has optional foam protectors on the wings for even more comfort when hiking out. It makes both single and double-handed sailing easy and enjoyable.

Innovative concept and premium manufacturing

Cutting edge materials, a rig reduced to the absolute minimum and a good touch of daring!

The Tiwal 3 small sailboat is a revolution in the world of dinghy sailing and is the result of serious engineering and realization.

The frequently rewarded combination of an inflatable hull with an aluminum structure enables the Tiwal 3 to have exceptional rigidity.

With over 2,000 boats sold, the Tiwal 3 dinghy is a tried and tested boat, made in France according to industry standards.

Learn more about how it is made!

Technical specs

Mast : carbon C50 16′ 1” – 5 parts

Framework : anodized aluminum

Hull length: 10' 6"

Sail: North Sails Dacron (Dacron, and Monofilm depending on the model)

Blocks : Harken

Boat weight (empty) : 110 lbs

Max load on wings: 1 adult / 242 lbs

Draft : 2' 5"

2 carrying bags : 4′9″ × 16″ × 14″ / 62 lbs each

Tiwal 3 sails

Sail in all weathers

The 75 ft² sail is a powerful mainsail, suitable for one or two adults out in a light to moderate breeze.

The 56 ft² sail is very versatile. It works well for adults sailing in a good breeze, and for the kids in lighter wind conditions.

Lastly, the reefable 75/56 ft² sail is an all-weather mainsail, whose area can be adapted to suit the wind strength. If the weather changes, you just need to make a quick stop on the beach to make your optimal sail area.

Units sailing

Press review

Bear Grylls 2014 – Boat International

“We were impressed by the ingenuity of the concept and the quality of the materials used, not to mention the adjustable sail, which adapts to the wind.” Read more…

Ritta Orrell 2018 - Forbes

Craig Ligibel 2018 - SpinSheet

Sarah Ell 2017 - Boating New Zealand

Press reviews

Customer reviews

We pay particular attention to the construction standards of our boats. Each manufacturing stage is carefully checked here in our workshops and at our suppliers. We take great pride in the quality of our boats. That’s why all our parts are guaranteed for 3 years in private use.  More details

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• Sailboat Reviews

The Sailing Skiff that Fits in a Locker

Tiwal 3 adds a new twist to blow-up boat fun..

Sailing a cruising boat is many things-rewarding, sometimes adventurous, and often relaxing-but seldom viscerally fun, not in the way that a beach cat or performance dinghy saturates the senses and puts you in touch with the wind and waves. It doesn’t communicate every ripple and puff, it doesn’t thrill, and it doesn’t allow you to push the edge. It’s the difference between driving a Winnebago and riding a bicycle. For many of us, our love of sailing began with something fast and volatile, and by-and-by, we miss it dearly. And yet as much as wed like to strap a Laser or Hobie to the foredeck, thats not happening.

The Tiwal 3 is an unconventional answer. The skiff-like hull is constructed using high pressure drop-stitch construction (PVC), like inflatable stand-up paddle boards and the Walker Bay Airis Play kayak ( Kayaks for Cruising Sailboats , PS October 2017). This creates a very light and stiff hull to which a frame integrating mast support, moderate hiking racks, running rigging, dagger board, and rudder are attached using numerous double Velcro wraps. The result is surprisingly rigid, giving no hint that it is an inflatable, other than being easier on the knees when tacking. Assembly, from a pair of bags to the water, takes about 20 minutes.

At just 100 pounds, it is easily launched from the foredeck like a typical tender. The carbon fiber mast (five sections) is paired with a square top, fully battened mainsail, which is easily adjusted from full and powerful to flat and twisted, according to downhaul tension and the wind. Two sail sizes are available, 54 and 75 square feet, and the larger sail can be reefed to 54 square feet using a novel Fastex buckle arrangement (you must return to the beach to reef).

Sailing is reminiscent of a Sunfish, but with a full-batten sail and better hardware. Its not as zippy as a Laser, but its not as tippy either, and you can’t really carry a Laser on deck. Our test sail was in light winds, weaving through a harbor crowded with anchored yachts and traffic.

The high-aspect daggerboard (2 3) and rudder allowed it to point high even in our unpracticed hands, as long as we didn’t over sheet or pinch. Tacking was fast and reliable, and we never banged a knee on the deck.

The sail hangs low over the deck, but the carbon boom is sheathed in the sail and too light to pose a serious of hazard. The tiller and sheeting arrangements are smooth and precise; the driver will feel confident throwing the boat around when in a breeze. We watched video of the boat planning, and it felt well balanced to do so.

Although we have not done long- term testing, we talked to a few owners and closely examined the boat, on shore and in the water. It is simple, well made, and should hold up like any similar inflatable tender, which is to say pretty well, so long as you avoid dragging it over rocks.

Conclusions

We see this novel design in much the same way we see high-pressure inflatable kayaks; we like fiberglass a little bit better on the water, but these are real boats and the performance is quite impressive for something that fits in a pair of bags.

Too many times we’ve e felt frustrated at anchor, watching dinghies dance across the harbor while Im stuck with a boring tender and a big boat that isn’t made for afternoon play. If a zipping around the harbor in a responsive dinghy, like the Tiwal, doesn’t make you smile, you might want to rethink your choice of recreational fun.

The Tiwal has a very light and stiff hull to which a frame integrating mast support, moderate hiking racks, running rigging, dagger board, and rudder are attached using numerous double Velcro wraps. The result is surprisingly rigid inflatable.

• Double-wrap hook-and-loop straps secure the hiking racks/frame.
• The mast support is integrated into the frame and hiking wracks. This simplifies assembly and adds stiffness to the rig.
• The boat was stable enough to step onto right from the dock.

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17 Sailboat Types Explained: How To Recognize Them

Ever wondered what type of sailboat you're looking at? Identifying sailboats isn't hard, you just have to know what to look for. In this article, I'll help you.

Every time I'm around a large number of sailboats, I look around in awe (especially with the bigger ones). I recognize some, but with most of them, I'll have to ask the owner. When they answer, I try to hide my ignorance. The words don't make any sense!

So here's a complete list with pictures of the most common sailboat types today. For each of them, I'll explain exactly where the name comes from, and how you can recognize it easily.

So here's my list of popular sailboat types, explained:

Bermuda sloop, sailing hydrofoil, dutch barge, chinese junk, square-rigged tall ship, in conclusion, how to recognize any sailboat.

Before we get started, I wanted to quickly explain what you should look for when you try to identify a sailboat.

The type of sailboat is always determined by one of these four things:

• The type of hull
• The type of keel
• The number of masts
• And the type of sails and rig

The hull is the boat's body. There are basically three hull types: monohull, catamaran, and trimaran. Simply said: do I see one hull, two hulls (catamaran) or three hulls (trimaran)? Most sailboats are monohulls.

Next, there is the keel type. The keel is the underwater part of the hull. Mostly, you won't be able to see that, because it's underwater. So we'll leave that for now.

The sail plan

The last factor is the number of masts and the sail plan. The sail plan, simply put, is the number of sails, the type of sails, and how the sails are mounted to the masts (also called rigging ).

Sailboat are mostly named after the sail plan, but occasionally, a sail type is thrown in there as well.

So now we know what to pay attention to, let's go and check out some sailboats!

Dinghies are the smallest and most simple sailboats around.

They are your typical training sailboats. Small boats with an open hull, with just one mast and one sail. Perfect for learning the ways of the wind.

On average, they are between 6 and 20 ft long. Mostly sailed single-handed (solo). There's no special rigging, just the mainsail. The mainsail is commonly a Bermuda (triangular) mainsail. Dinghies have a simple rudder stick and no special equipment or rigging.

Dinghies are great for learning how to sail. The smaller the boat, the better you feel the impact of your trim and actions.

How to recognize a sailing dinghy:

• short (8ft)
• one Bermuda sail
• open hull design
• rudder stick

Common places to spot them: lakes, near docks

If you'd ask a kid to draw a sailboat, she'll most probably draw this one. The Bermuda Sloop is the most popular and most common sailboat type today. You'll definitely recognize this one.

How to recognize a Bermuda Sloop:

• triangular mainsail (called a Bermuda sail)
• a foresail (also called the jib)
• fore-and-aft rigged
• medium-sized (12 - 50 ft)

Fore-and-aft rigged just means "from front to back". This type of rigging helps to sail upwind.

Any sailboat with one mast and two sails could still be a sloop. Even if the sails are another shape or rigged in another way. For example, here's a gaff-rigged sloop (more on the gaff rig later):

If you want to learn all about sail rigs, check out my full Guide to Understanding Sail Rig Types here. It has good infographics and explains it in more detail

The Bermuda sloop has a lot of advantages over other sailboat types (which is why it's so popular):

• the Bermuda rig is very maneuverable and pretty fast in almost all conditions
• it's really versatile
• you can sail it by yourself without any problems
• it's a simple setup

Common places to spot a sloop: everywhere. Smaller sloops are more common for inland waters, rivers, and lakes. Medium-sized and large sloops are very popular cruising boats.

Cutters have one mast but three or more sails. Most cutters are Bermuda rigged, which means they look a lot like sloops.

How to recognize a cutter:

• looks like a sloop
• two or more headsails instead of one
• commonly one mast
• sometimes an extra mast with mainsail

Cutters have more sail area, which makes them faster, but also harder to sail single-handed. There's also more strain on the mast and rigging.

Common places to spot a cutter: everywhere. Cutters are very popular for cruising.

They mostly have a Bermuda rig, which means triangular sails. But there are also gaff cutters and naval cutters, and some have two masts.

Here's an example of a two-masted naval cutter with an extra gaff mainsail and top gaff:

The Hydrofoil is a pretty new sailboat design. It's a racing sailboat with thin wing foils under the hull. These lift up the hull, out of the water, reducing the displacement to nearly zero. The foils create downforce and keep it from lifting off entirely.

This makes the hydrofoil extremely fast and also impressive.

The hydrofoil refers to the keel type. There are both monohull and multihull hydrofoils.

How to recognize a hydrofoil:

• it flies above the waterline and has small fins

Common places to spot a hydrofoil: at racing events

Famous catamaran: La Vagabonde from Sailing La Vagabonde

A catamaran is a type of cruising and racing multihull sailboat with two hulls. The hulls are always the same size.

Most catamarans have a standard Bermuda rig. The catamaran refers to the hull, so it can have any number of masts, sails, sail types and rig type.

How to recognize a catamaran:

• any boat with two hulls is called a catamaran

Common places to spot catamarans: coastal waters, The Caribbean, shallow reefs

The advantages of a catamaran: Catamarans heel less than monohulls and are more buoyant. Because of the double hull, they don't need as deep a keel to be stable. They have a smaller displacement, making them faster. They also have a very shallow draft. That's why catamarans are so popular in the Caribbean, where there's lots of shallow water.

Catamarans are nearly impossible to capsize:

"Compared with a monohull, a cruising catamaran sailboat has a high initial resistance to heeling and capsize—a fifty-footer requires four times the force to initiate a capsize than an equivalent monohull." Source: Wikipedia

How to recognize a trimaran:

• any boat with three hulls is called a trimaran

Trimarans have three hulls, so it's a multi-hull design. It's mostly a regular monohull with two smaller hulls or floaters on the sides. Some trimarans can be trailered by winching in the auxiliary hulls, like this:

This makes them very suitable for long-term cruising, but also for regular docking. This is great for crowded areas and small berths, like in the Mediterranean. It sure is more cost-effective than the catamaran (but you also don't have the extra storage and living space!).

Common places to spot Trimarans: mostly popular for long-term cruising, you'll find the trimaran in coastal areas.

Gaffer refers to gaff-rigged, which is the way the sails are rigged. A gaff rig is a rectangular sail with a top pole, or 'spar', which attaches it to the mast. This pole is called the 'gaff'. To hoist the mainsail, you hoist this top spar with a separate halyard. Most gaffers carry additional gaff topsails as well.

Gaff rigs are a bit less versatile than sloops. Because of the gaff, they can have a larger sail area. So they will perform better with downwind points of sail. Upwind, however, they handle less well.

How to recognize a gaffer:

• sail is rectangular
• mainsail has a top pole (or spar)

Since a gaffer refers to the rig type, and not the mast configuration or keel type, all sailboats with this kind of rigging can be called 'gaffers'.

Common places to spot a gaffer: Gaffers are popular inland sailboats. It's a more traditional rig, being used recreationally.

Schooners used to be extremely popular before sloops took over. Schooners are easy to sail but slower than sloops. They handle better than sloops in all comfortable (cruising) points of sail, except for upwind.

How to recognize a schooner:

• mostly two masts
• smaller mast in front
• taller mast in the back
• fore-and-aft rigged sails
• gaff-rigged mainsails (spar on top of the sail)

Common places to spot a schooner: coastal marinas, bays

How to recognize a ketch:

• medium-sized (30 ft and up)
• smaller mast in back
• taller mast in front
• both masts have a mainsail

The ketch refers to the sail plan (mast configuration and type of rig). Ketches actually handle really well. The back mast (mizzenmast) powers the hull, giving the skipper more control. Because of the extra mainsail, the ketch has shorter masts. This means less stress on masts and rigging, and less heel.

Common places to spot a ketch: larger marinas, coastal regions

How to recognize a yawl:

• main mast in front
• much smaller mast in the back
• back mast doesn't carry a mainsail

The aft mast is called a mizzenmast. Most ketches are gaff-rigged, so they have a spar at the top of the sail. They sometimes carry gaff topsails. They are harder to sail than sloops.

The yawl refers to the sail plan (mast configuration and type of rig).

Common places to spot a yawl: they are not as popular as sloops, and most yawls are vintage sailboat models. You'll find most being used as daysailers on lakes and in bays.

Dutch Barges are very traditional cargo ships for inland waters. My hometown is literally littered with a very well-known type of barge, the Skutsje. This is a Frisian design with leeboards.

Skutsjes don't have a keel but use leeboards for stability instead, which are the 'swords' or boards on the side of the hull.

How to recognize a Dutch Barge:

• most barges have one or two masts
• large, wooden masts
• leeboards (wooden wings on the side of the hull)
• mostly gaff-rigged sails (pole on top of the sail, attached to mast)
• a ducktail transom

The clipper is one of the latest sailboat designs before steam-powered vessels took over. The cutter has a large cargo area for transporting cargo. But they also needed to be fast to compete with steam vessels. It's a large, yet surprisingly fast sailboat model, and is known for its good handling.

This made them good for trade, especially transporting valuable goods like tea or spices.

How to recognize a Clipper:

• mostly three masts
• square-rigged sails
• narrow but long, steel hull

Common places to spot a clipper: inland waters, used as houseboats, but coastal waters as well. There are a lot of clippers on the Frisian Lakes and Waddenzee in The Netherlands (where I live).

This particular junk is Satu, from the Chesapeake Bay Area.

The Chinese Junk is an ancient type of sailboat. Junks were used to sail to Indonesia and India from the start of the Middle Ages onward (500 AD). The word junk supposedly comes from the Chinese word 'jung', meaning 'floating house'.

How to recognize a Chinese junk:

• medium-sized (30 - 50 ft)
• large, flat sails with full-length battens
• stern (back of the hull) opens up in a high deck
• mostly two masts (sometimes one)
• with two mainsails, sails are traditionally maroon
• lug-rigged sails

The junk has a large sail area. The full-length battens make sure the sails stay flat. It's one of the flattest sails around, which makes it good for downwind courses. This also comes at a cost: the junk doesn't sail as well upwind.

The cat rig is a sail plan with most commonly just one mast and one sail, the mainsail.

Most sailing dinghies are cats, but there are also larger boats with this type of sail plan. The picture above is a great example.

How to recognize a cat rig:

• smaller boats
• mostly one mast
• one sail per mast
• no standing rigging

Cat-rigged refers to the rigging, not the mast configuration or sail type. So you can have cats with a Bermuda sail (called a Bermuda Cat) or gaff-rigged sail (called a Gaff Cat), and so on. There are also Cat Ketches and Cat Schooners, for example. These have two masts.

The important thing to know is: cats have one sail per mast and no standing rigging .

Most typical place to spot Cats: lakes and inland waters

Famous brig: HMS Beagle (Charles Darwin's ship)

A brig was a very popular type of small warship of the U.S. navy during the 19th century. They were used in the American Revolution and other wars with the United Kingdom. They carry 10-18 guns and are relatively fast and maneuverable. They required less crew than a square-rigged ship.

How to recognize a brig:

• square-rigged foremast
• mainmast square-rigged or square-rigged and gaff-rigged

How to recognize a tall ship:

• three or four masts
• square sails with a pole across the top
• multiple square sails on each mast
• a lot of lines and rigging

Square-rigged ships, or tall ships, are what we think of when we think of pirate ships. Now, most pirate ships weren't actually tall ships, but they come from around the same period. They used to be built from wood, but more modern tall ships are nearly always steel.

Tall ships have three or four masts and square sails which are square-rigged. That means they are attached to the masts with yards.

We have the tall ship races every four years, where dozens of tall ships meet and race just offshore.

Most common place to spot Tall Ships: Museums, special events, open ocean

This is a bonus type since it is not very common anymore. As far as I know, there's only one left.

The Trabaccolo is a small cargo ship used in the Adriatic Sea. It has lug sails. A lug rig is a rectangular sail, but on a long pole or yard that runs fore-and-aft. It was a popular Venetian sailboat used for trade.

The name comes from the Italian word trabacca , which means tent, referring to the sails.

How to recognize a Trabaccolo:

• wide and short hull
• sails look like a tent

Most common place to spot Trabaccolo's: the Marine Museum of Cesenatico has a fully restored Trabaccolo.

So, there you have it. Now you know what to look for, and how to recognize the most common sailboat types easily. Next time you encounter a magnificent sailboat, you'll know what it's called - or where to find out quickly.

I loved this article. I had no idea there were so many kinds of sailboats.

i have a large sailing boat about 28ft. that im having a difficult time identifying. it was my fathers & unfortunately hes passed away now. any helpful information would be appreciated.

Jorge Eusali Castro Archbold

I find a saleboat boat but i can find the módem…os registré out off bru’x, and the saleboat name is TADCOZ, can you tell me who to go about this matter in getting info.thank con voz your time…

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You may also like, guide to understanding sail rig types (with pictures).

There are a lot of different sail rig types and it can be difficult to remember what's what. So I've come up with a system. Let me explain it in this article.

The Ultimate Guide to Sail Types and Rigs (with Pictures)

How Much Sailboats Cost On Average (380+ Prices Compared)

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18 Year: Asking: $1,750
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22 Year: 1978 Asking: $5,000
19 Year: 2002 Asking: $6,900