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• Sailboat Reviews

Practical Sailor Reviews Seven Performance-Sailing Dinghies

Agile, fun boats like the classic sunfish and new hobie bravo keep the smile in summer sailing..

Photos by Ralph Naranjo

Messing around in small boats is a global theme-one thats embraced by pond-bound pram sailors, river riders, lake voyagers, and all of us who call salt water home. The purpose of this sailing dinghy profile is to highlight seven very interesting little sailboats. Some are new designs, and others have stood the test of time, but all are currently being manufactured, and each drives home just how much fun sailing close to the water can be.

This isn’t a shootout among anorexic speedsters or a report on the best tender that doubles as a sailing dinghy. Its a look at perennials like the Optimist, Sunfish, and Laser-legendary competitors that have helped spawn some of the best sailors in the world. But its also a look at three of the newest entries in the dinghy-sailing circle: Bics Open, Hobies Bravo, and Laser Performances Bug. These agile, new sailing dinghies are chock full of fun and boat-handling features to inspire kids of all ages to go sailing.

Well also take a look at Chesapeake Light Crafts kit approach to getting started-one that offers meaningful lessons and tangible rewards well before the boat ever hits the water.

Scale down an Open 60, add sail technology long favored by windsurfers, and put it into play in a tough thermo-formed hull, and you have the makings for a new kind of watercraft. The result is a very interesting blend of performance and reliability that targets adolescent interest. When all is said and done, Bics boat is more akin to a sit-down windsurfer than a traditional Blue Jay. And like all good boats, its vying for attention not just based on performance, construction quality, and style, but just as importantly, on the price tag stuck to the hull.

The Open Bics light weight and wide, flat stern section means that even small chop can be surfed; and bursts of planing on a reach add a zing factor to dinghy sailing. The Open Bic is already an International Sailing Federation (ISAF)-sanctioned class, and fleets are developing around the US. Another bonus: Its an easily portable boat that can be carried like a windsurfer, adding excitement to a Sunday picnic at the beach.

The thermo-formed polyethylene hull is a modified hard-chine design with lots of beam aft. Sailed flat, the boat is agile enough to surf wavelets, and with a shape thats ergonomically friendly to hiking, the ensuing heel on the upwind leg puts just the right amount of chine into the water. In light air, careful control of heel can significantly reduce wetted surface.

The design team that developed the Open Bic saw it as a transition bridge from Optimist sailing to a more performance-oriented dinghy. An interesting innovation is that the Open Bic can be sailed with an Optimists rig and blades. This buy the hull only approach can be a significant incentive for parents with children outgrowing their Opti as fast as their boat shoes. However it wont be long before the kids want the fully turbo-charged feel delivered with the Open Bics well-shaped 4.5-square-meters rig, sail, and nicely foiled blades.

Bottom line: The Open Bic is fast, agile, and buckets of fun for kids uninspired by sailing in the slow lane.

Just when you think that Hobie Cat Co. has covered whats possible in beach-cat innovation, their design/engineering crew comes up with a new twist that reinvents the wheel. The Hobie Bravo is a good case in point.

In a recent visit to Backyard Boats ( www.backyardboats.com ) in Annapolis, Md., we got a good look at the Bravo. Nearly as narrow as a monohull but still quite stable, this quick-to-launch beach cat packs plenty of get-up-and-go. Its a simple to sail, entry-level boat that fast tracks learning the steer, sheet, and hike trilogy. The boat features a single, midline rudder and roto-molded hulls. The shape of the hulls provides enough lateral plane to allow a crew to make headway to windward.

The narrow (4 feet), 12-foot Bravo uses crew weight and hiking straps to add to the righting moment once the breeze is up. Whats done with webbing on larger cats has been converted to a shallow, rigid deck well on the Bravo. It does raise the weight of the boat to 195 pounds, but it offers comfortable seating plus room for cushions and a cooler. Kids or grown ups can have a Tom Sawyer-Huck Finn type of adventure aboard this fun little sailing machine. Or the family on a beach picnic can set it up and take turns speed reaching along a sandy shoreline.

The furling mast supports a roachy sail with slightly slanted vertical battens, helping to shape the boomless mainsail. The result is convenient sail handling, decent performance, and superior safety. Theres no boom to clobber the crew, and the roller-furled sail and mast are easily stepped in the tripod-like receiver. This interesting set of struts raises the top bearing point of the mast step and spreads rig loads out to the hulls. The furling mainsail offers the ability to reef, a big plus in a building breeze or when teaching children to sail.

Like all of the boats in the Hobie lineup, theres a wide range of specialty parts and fittings that make the boats fast to rig and easy to handle. The kick-up rudder is hung on gudgeons mounted in the center of stern, and just as rig loads have been effectively spread via the tripod step, the energy radiating from the large rudder is spread athwartships via a contoured deck element.

Bottom line: The boat is quick to rig, easy to launch, and responsive to beginners-more experienced sailors will have just as much fun power reaching when the breeze is up.

A pocket-sized club trainer, the Bug is an evolution of the kids trainer/club racer that leverages lessons learned in Optis, Dyers, and Sabots. It pulls together the logic of a stable hull shape and simple-to-sail rig, and puts it all in a cost-effective package.

Lending to its success is designer Jo Richardss ergonomic, roto-molded hull, a fabrication that is as close to zero maintenance as a boat can get. The straight out-of-the-mold polyethylene skin gets a few decals, and theres no wood to refinish or gelcoat to wax. These tough, abrasion-resistant hulls have a bumper boat tolerance thats a big plus when it comes to kids learning to sail. Best of all, owners can start with a learn-to-sail rig and upgrade to a more performance-oriented mast and sail package (41 or 56 square feet) that kicks performance into the fast lane.

Oars and an outboard motor bracket can be added to turn the little sailboat into a dual-purpose dinghy. Even the bow painters means of attachment makes sense-no projecting hardware ready to knick the topsides of unintended contacts. Instead, theres a recessed hole in the stem allowing a line to be lead through and a knot used to keep the painter in place.

Bottom line: Aimed at club programs and families look for boats that can be transported on the car top, the Bug is easy to rig and definitely kid friendly. The fact that its manufacturer, Laser Performance, is an international interest and a major player in the performance dinghy industry means that this boat and its parts will be around for a while.

Photo courtesy of Hobie Cat Co.

Eastport Pram

Chesapeake Light Craft expedites boatbuilding for do-it-yourselfers looking to take their garage-built boats for a sail. The company pre-cuts parts, packs kits with all the materials, epoxy, and paint youll need, and leads homebuilders through a thoroughly detailed stitch-and-glue approach to assembly. Kits are available in various stages of completeness, ranging from plans only to the full package, including sail, hardware, running rigging, and paint.

The Eastport Pram is just shy of 8 feet, and the marine plywood and epoxy construction delivers a boat that weighs in, sans sailing rig, at just 62 pounds. Lighter than the comparatively sized Bug, this stiff, durable dinghy, rows like a real boat and sails comfortably with one or two aboard. In keeping with other good tender attributes, the Pram behaves under tow and is equally amicable when propelled by a small outboard or tacked up an estuary under sail.

Kit boatbuilding continues to have a niche following. Theres also an added-value feature worth noting: On one hand, the builder receives a box of pieces and the result of his or her endeavor leads to an aesthetic and utilitarian dinghy. In addition, the DIY skills the builder develops will be useful in other epoxy bonding, brightwork, or mono-urethane application projects. Such talents will benefit many other boat maintenance endeavors.

Whats hard to quantify is the sense of accomplishment derived from sailing a boat that you have built yourself. When the project is tackled in tandem with a child, spouse, or friend, the memories and the boat will last.

Bottom line: With neither sidedecks or a sealed hull, this is not a boat thats easy to recover from a capsize. So once the kids favor on-the-edge sailing in a building breeze, a non swamping, easier-righting boat is probably a better option. The Pram can then be put to use by their appreciative parents or grandparents.

Never in their wildest dreams did Bruce Kirby and Ian Bruce imagine that the Weekender (the Lasers original name) was destined to become an Olympic class sailboat and one of the most popular springboards for top-tier sailors in the world today. Originally envisioned as a car-topper for weekend campers, the cat-rigged, low freeboard sailing dinghy morphed from its original roots into a boat favored by college competitors and revered by generations of agile sailors of all ages. Even frostbiting winter sailors have locked onto the Laser.

Designed in 1969, the Lasers first few years were anything but smooth sailing. Popularity grew quickly, but along with the limelight came plenty of consternation. Dubbed a surfboard not a sailboat by a growing cross-section of the yachting elite-many parents warned junior sailors to steer as clear of Lasers as they did sex, drugs and rock-n-roll. The campaign failed, and junior sailors in yacht club programs around the country fell into the grip of the new one-design dinghy-discovering the sailboats proclivity to plane.

Dyer Dhows languished in boat sheds across the country as a new theme in sailing took hold. Dubbed fast is fun by sailor/engineer Bill Lee, the young Merlin of Santa Cruz, Calif., took the theme to big-boat sailing, merging California culture with the Laser logic of light displacement and planing hull shapes.

Best of all, the Laser embraced the ideal of a tightly controlled one-design class that put people on the water in identical boats and left winning and losing races up to sailing skill and tactics rather than a boats performance edge. For decades, the boat has been the single-handed sailors choice among junior sailing programs, and with the addition of the Radial, 4.7 and M rigs, smaller competitors have also found the boat to be a great sailing platform. Today, theres some lawyer saber-rattling over the sale of the design rights, but the boat remains more popular than ever.

The sleeved sail, two-part spar, daggerboard, and kick-up rudder make the boat a quick-to-rig and fast-to-get underway dinghy. Light-air efficiency is good for a one-design sailboat, but this means that as the breeze builds, the non-reefable sail can become a handful in a hurry. In fact, the boats Dr. Jekyll-and-Mr. Hyde demeanor is what builds talent among Laser practitioners. The big boys block the mainsail and blast off for the layline, while lighter sailors heavy-weather tactics include more nuanced de-powering and feathering. In light air, the tables turn, and the winner is often the sailor who planes quickest on the reaches. The old guards surfboard slam may have held some credence after all.

Bottom line: The Laser is a timeless classic thats easily transported and is built for performance. Its well suited to adrenaline-seeking teens as well as the more fit adult crowd.

Designed in 1947 by Floridian Clark Mills, the utilitarian Optimist could be made out of two sheets of plywood-and from its inception, the Optimist was meant to link kids with the water. Slipping into obscurity in the U.S., the little pram found fertile ground to grow in northern Europe. With just a few tweaks, the Scandinavians took Millss lines and parlayed them into whats become the favored junior sailing trainer for kids from Detroit to Timbuktu. Statistics show that there are about 30 builders worldwide putting out approximately 4,000 boats each year. With about 130,000 boats class registered and an estimated 300,000 total hulls built (amateur and pro), theres plenty of reasons to get excited about an Opti.

The example weve chosen is the USA-built McLaughlin boat, both a demonstration of high-quality FRP construction and modern manufacturing techniques. Its also a boat that can be purchased in a range of performance-inducing iterations-upgrades designated as club, intermediate, advanced, and professional versions. Like all performance sailboats, stiffness and strength-to-weight ratio is important. But class rules include a minimum weight, so the most competitive hulls meet the mandatory lower limit but use good engineering and building technique to reinforce the daggerboard slot and mast step and produce overall stiffness.

The low mast height and high aspect ratio sprit sail is very versatile, affording young (and small, 65 to 130 pounds) sailors a wide window of decent performance. The flat bottom, slab-sided hull is responsive to crew weight-driven trim changes, and the better the sailor, the more agile they become. Light-air performance is all about minimizing wetted surface and maximizing sail area projection. When the breeze starts to kick up, the sailor becomes the ballast, and the art of hiking, sheet handling, and tiller wiggling come into play.

Under careful adult supervision, two 6- to 8-year-olds can double-hand the friendly little dinghy, or one more-confident child can solo sail it. In fact, introducing kids to sailing with similar proportioned small prams has been a right of passage around for decades. A set of oarlock gudgeons can turn the pram into a functional dinghy thats also adaptable to the smaller Torqeedo outboard (www.torqeedo.com).

McLaughlin also markets a Roto-molded polyethylene version of the Opti and sells DIY kits for those who want to create their own wood version.

Bottom line: The Opti is like a first bicycle without the need for training wheels. The fact that at the last Olympics, over 80 percent of the winning sailors had gotten their start in an Optimist speaks well to the value of messing around in this particular dinghy.

Designed in 1951 by ice boaters Alexander Bryan and Cortland Heyniger, the hard chine Sunfish was the prototype board boat. In 1959, it made the transition into fiberglass, and over the following half-century, more than a quarter-million hulls would hit the water. Simplicity and decent sailing attributes combined with an attractive price to make the Sunfish the most popular one-design dinghy ever raced.

Far more than a platform for racers, these boats are an excellent training tool for sailors of all ages. Also built by Laser Performance, they reflect the fun of summer and put sailors in close contact with the water on which they sail. Its no surprise that the larger fleets coincide with warm water and many see going for a swim to be part and parcel of the low-freeboard experience.

The lateen rig is in keeping with the overall design concept and simplifies rigging. A short stub of a mast is stepped and a single halyard hoists the sail along with tilting V-shaped upper and lower booms.

The total sail area is nearly the same as the Laser, but the halyard hoist versatility of the lateen rig make it a handy beach boat and a little less daunting when the wind begins to build. The clean sail shape on one tack and deformation caused by the mast on the other tack are a slight drawback. The Laser rig is more efficient, but when caught out in a squall, its nice to be able to ease the halyard and dump the sail. Its also handy to be able to leave the boat tethered to a mooring, and the doused sail and short mast make it possible.

Multiple generations of sailors are often found sailing Sunfish, and the boat represents one of the best bargains to be found in the used boat market. When considering a pre owned boat, the potential buyer needs to take a close look at the daggerboard-to-hull junction and mast step, points where previous damage can create hard-to-fix leaks.

Bottom line: The Sunfish is a great beach boat that can turn a hot afternoon into a fun-filled water experience.

There were no losers in this group, and picking winners and runners-up proved a difficult task. The outcome had to be based on assumptions about how these boats would be used. For example, parents with a competitive 9-year-old who swims like a fish, always sprints for the head of the lunch line, and likes to steal bases in Little League probably have an Opti racer in the making. Less competitive junior sailors-future cruisers in the making-will do better learning aboard a Bug. Many newly formed sailing clubs target the boat as their trainer of choice.

The Bravo holds plenty of appeal for those with a lakeside cottage or a favored campground destination. Whether its a solo sail just before sunset or a fun race on Sunday, the quick to set up and put away features are a plus, and for those who feel that two hulls are better-the Bravo will hold plenty of appeal.

Serious competitors can campaign a Laser for life, and whether youre headed for a local district regatta or getting ready for the Olympic trials, the hull, rig, and sail remains identical-sort of like the Monaco Grand Prix being raced in a street legal Mustang.

Bic Opens new little speedster tickled our fancy, and as a trainer/performance boat crossover, it drew a strong nod of approval. Watching the junior sailors smiles as they sailed their Open Bics endorsed our opinion.

And if there is any boat that defines the essence of summer, the Sunfish takes the prize.

• The Art of Building with Thermal-setting Plastics

• Youth Safety Gear Top Picks
• Chesapeake Light Craft
• Hobie Cat Co.
• Las er Performance
• McLaughlin Boat Works

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Cartop Sailboat

Transporting a sailboat is a major sailor problem that landlubbers never even think about. But it’s a problem any sailor has to deal with. Trailers are fine for medium-sized boats while car-topping is an equally good option for smaller ones. Car-topping depends on bot the size of your boat and that of your car.

The number of sailboats you can cartop is limited. The Laser and Sunfish are the most popular cartoppable sailboats. They’re small enough to fit on the roof of most standard cars and light enough to be hoisted up there by one or two people.

Best Car-topping sailboat

The best cartopping sailboat is a tie between the Laser and the Sunfish. Both dinghies are extremely popular and come standardized with interchangeable rigs. They’re fairly small with a length of thirteen feet nine inches and a beam of four feet. The Sunfish weighs 120 lbs while the Laser is only 10 pounds heavier.

Their relatively small size and low weight mean they can be carried on the roof of many ordinary cars without any extensive modifications besides the addition of a roof rack. Cartopping is usually merely a matter of hoisting the boat onto the roof and securing it with straps.

Cartopping has some advantages over other boat hauling methods like trailers, for example. You don’t need to worry about your boat getting dented when it’s hit by other cars or when it hits other obstacles if you veer too hard for instance. There is also the advantage of not having to worry about the towing capacity of your car. A vast majority of vehicles have a roof load capacity of at least 165 lbs. Carrying a 130-pound sailboat shouldn’t pose any problems.

In addition to the Laser and Sunfish, other small sailboats and kayaks of comparable size (14 feet or thereabouts) and weight are just as easy to cartop. At this point, the Laser is more of a design standard than a brand anyway.

How do you cartop a sailboat?

You start by removing the mast, rigging, and all the other accessories, leaving only the hull. These should be stored separately, preferably in a single bag. You then hoist the hull onto the roof of your car, facedown. 

Without tools, this can be a two-person job. But you can still do it alone if the boat isn’t too heavy. But the most energy-efficient way is to just slide the boat onto the roof instead of hoisting it above your head.

There are other simple caveats, mostly common sense. You need to pack your car somewhere that allows you to safely load and unload your boat. A crowded parking lot or a cliffside, for example, wouldn’t be ideal.

Can you cartop a boat by yourself?

Yes. this can be accomplished by simply lifting the boat and placing it on the roof, sliding it, or by the use of simple inexpensive tools.

Cartopping methods

Single-handed lifting.

This is the easiest and requires no additional equipment. As long as you have a roof rack with a crossbar, you’re good to go. You lift the boat, bow first, and lean it against the roof of your car so it forms a ramp. You have to anchor the stern so it doesn’t slide. You then move over to the stern and just slide the boat onto the roof before securing it with straps. 

The ladder method

This method is best suited to heavier boats. It requires the attachment of a removable ladder onto your roof rack. You use the ladder as an inclined plane and slide the boat up it.

The pipe technique

You can use the pipe method if the bars of your roof rack are round and hollow. It involves attaching two pipes to the roof rack and using them as an inclined plane on which you can slide your boat. More advanced methods use ropes and a winch. This allows you to slide the boat up the pipes by just turning a crank as demonstrated below:

Securing your boat

Strapping your boat onto the roof rack and centering it on the bars for an even distribution of weight is common sense enough but there are other additional methods of protecting it.

Orient it facing forward – The front of the boat should face the front of the car just like it does in the water. This takes advantage of aerodynamics to reduce drag.

Load it upside down – This prevents dents on the hull.

Pad the touchpoints – Placing foam padding where the boat comes into contact with the rack prevents your boat from getting a small dent every time you hit a bump on the road. This is especially important if you aren’t loading your boat upside down. You can skip the whole headache by just getting a rack with padded bars.

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5 car toppers ideal for your next extended road trip

Want a boat but don't want it bumping the caravan or camper off the back of the car here are a few options..

Thanks to the coronavirus, overseas holidays are shot for a few years. That means you’re probably hard at it planning that next big road trip. Only this time it’s not just the caravan you want to tag along; it’s also time to slot a car topper boat into the equation.

Car toppers are a great option for anyone wanting to do an extended trip with the caravan in tow. Rooftop systems these days are fast and easy, meaning that unused roof space on the tow vehicle is ripe for carrying a dinghy. 

So, what’s the biggest and best you can go when hunting around to source a car-top traveller so that the adventure doesn’t have to end where the bitumen does and the water laps the shore?

We’ve capped our choices at less than 90kg – just below the weight rating of most roof rack systems – to account for the mass of the rack system you’ll need to carry it.

Compact camper trailers are also more frequently being built to carry a small boat, so you may not even need to put a boat on top of your car..

Makocraft X-Lite

This is an unusual inclusion, as the Makocraft X-Lite is the only fibreglass car topper here .

The Makocraft X-Lite is built specifically as a car-topper using a resin-infusion process that draws the resin through the glass fibres. That allows Makocraft to build boats with a stronger yet thinner layer of fibreglass than if they were built using traditional boatbuilding methods. 

Makocraft claims the benefit of its X-Lite is that owners do not need to make any compromise to stability, ride, space or storage like they would need to with other car toppers.

Other benefits include stainless steel fittings, a small forward casting deck with underfloor storage, a non-skid Flowcoat finish to the floor, and a complex hull shape with a reversed chine that pressed aluminium just can’t replicate.

It even has a separate draining anchor locker in the forepeak. There’s also foam flotation built in under the across-thwarts bench seats and under the floor.

Makocraft also builds alloy dinghies; the closest we have to the X-Lite is a shorter but slightly heavier Makocraft HD 371.

PLUS: Lots of waterline for weight; best passenger capacity; forward casting deck; separate anchor well; more flotation; best horsepower rating MINUS: Short warranty

Specifications Model: Makocraft X-Lite Weight: 80kg Length: 4.1m Beam: 1.8m Engine: 20hp (max) Passengers: 4 Warranty: 1 year  (std)

Savage 375 Raptor Extreme

The Savage 375 Raptor Extreme is built to handle everything you can throw at it , including off-road adventuring.

Built from 1.6mm clinker-style pressed plate, it’s a vee-nosed boat featuring a reversed chine that runs right to the bow stem to help deflect spray.

Standard features include an anchor gusset up front, although it drains into the bilge, rowlock mounts, two alloy handles on the transom and bow, and flotation under the cross-thwarts bench seats.

However, you’re going to have to pay extra for a carpeted floor that adds weight, and an alloy cleat to connect the anchor to the boat isn’t fitted as standard. Side rails are available, but only as short bow and aft rails, and not continuous – which would make car topping easier.

PLUS: Simple, frill-free boat; bow and transom handles standard; long warranty MINUS: No continuous rail option; lacks dry storage; optional floor adds cost and weight; lower passenger limit; low horsepower rating

Specifications Model: Savage 355 Raptor Extreme Weight: 84kg Length: 3.6m Beam: 1.6m Alloy: 1.6mm (bottom, top, transom) Engine: 10hp (max) Passengers: 2 Warranty: 5 years (std)

Quintrex F370 Outback Explorer 

The Quintrex F370 Outback Explorer is a little longer with a bit less beam than other options here, so is better for rooftop applications where width is an issue.

The boat sits on Quintrex’s “Eclipse” hull with a greater deadrise than rivals, making it better suited to covering ground than some rivals , and better in the rough stuff.

It’s a real no-frills package, featuring cross-thwart seats, two bow and transom handles, row lock mounts, and a glovebox for storing small items.

But once again it only has a gusset in the forepeak for storing an anchor, you need to put your hand into your pocket for a bow cleat on which to tie off the rode, and the optional flooring adds more weight.

There’s no continuous rail option for the topdecks to help the boat slide onto a rack, just short bow and aft rails.

However, if needed, you can ask Quintrex to up the 1.6mm alloy used to build the boat’s bottom up to 2.0mm, adding durability.

The hull’s warranty only comes in at three years.

PLUS: Better at speed and in the rough stuff; narrower beam; good horsepower and passenger rating; can option heavy-duty bottoms MINUS: No self-draining anchor locker; optional floor adds cost and weight; limited warranty

Specifications Model: Quintrex F370 Outback Explorer Weight: 81kg Length: 3.8m Beam: 1.5m Alloy: 1.6mm (bottom, top, transom); 2mm (bottom, opt) Engine: 20hp (max) Passengers: 3 Warranty: 3 years (std)

Anglapro CT354 Core

Anglapro builds two car topper models as part of its Core range of basic boats, one measuring 3.1 metres and the other 3.5.

The larger Anglapro CT354 Core is a vee-nosed punt, meaning it carries its beam quite a way forward. This greatly increases the boat’s stability at rest compared with a more traditionally styled hull – great for fishing – but means the boat will be thrown around more in rougher weather.

It has an anchor tray up forward rather than a locker, and dry storage isn’t really a thing. 

Standard equipment includes bow and transom handles, rowlock mounts, foam-filled cross-thwart seats to help with flotation, and reinforced transom corners.

Anglapro is the only one of this group to give the option of a 500gph bilge pump as a back-up to a hand bailer. However, that means you’re going to have to pack a battery to power it.

No bow cleat is offered, and you’ll need to dip into your pocket to add a carpeted floor that also adds weight.

But it does have a very narrow beam compared with other boats here, so if size is a problem, this could be the solution.

PLUS: Built specifically as a car topper; lightweight option; better at-rest stability; optional bilge pump MINUS: Low horsepower rating; shorter waterline limits passengers; not much warranty; shelf for anchor; lacks bow cleat option

Specifications Model: Anglapro Core CT304 Weight: 74kg Length: 3.5m Beam: 1.4m Alloy: 1.6mm (bottom, top, transom) Engine : 10hp (max) Passengers: 2 Warranty: 1 year (std)

Stacer 369 Seasprite

The Stacer Seasprite range is unashamedly a range of cheap, no-frills tinnies .

The Stacer 369 Seasprite lives up to that ethos, but lacks for little among this company – the only real difference is that it has a single handle on the bow compared with two for other alloy rivals.

In some ways this is an advantage; it gives you somewhere to tie off the anchor rode, so doubles as a cleat. However, as it sits proud of the forepeak, it could also snag on a car topper frame. However, you do get a folding cleat, which no other boat here offers.

Otherwise, there’s a simple anchor shelf forward, rowlock mounts, a glovebox for small items, and cross-thwart bench seats.

The maximum engine rating is a little on the low side, but the benefit is that the Stacer 369 Seasprite is rated for three passengers. 

Side rails are available as an option.

PLUS: Lighter weight for waterline length; good passenger rating; folding cleat a nice touch; okay warranty MINUS: Down on horsepower rating; forward carry handle protrudes up; no dry storage; anchor well rains internally

Specifications Model: Stacer 369 Seasprite Weight: 80kg Length: 3.7m Beam: 1.6m Alloy: 1.6mm (bottom, top, transom) Engine: 15hp (max) Passengers: 3 Warranty: 2 years (std)

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Best sailing tender: get a buzz from your boat or boot

• Toby Hodges
• July 13, 2022

Want some easy, fun sailing this summer? launched from your yacht or car, the latest sailing tender ideas give that instant sailing buzz. Toby Hodges and Sam Fortescue report

While we all crave as much helming pleasure as possible from our cruising yachts, the reality is that after making realistic space, volume and budget compromises, they may not always be that exhilarating on the helm. But once you reach a destination or anchorage, what’s to stop you, your friends or kids getting your hands-on tiller-sailing fix if you can stow the right sailing tender aboard?

You could argue that the development of lightweight, modular or inflatable dinghies in recent years has solved a headache for some yacht owners – now they can go for extra volume, or switch to a multihull perhaps, safe in the knowledge they can get the spray-in-the-face dinghy experience from a tender or toy once anchored.

Stowage space, whether on deck, on davits or in a locker, governs what options are available. In the past the choice has fallen into three categories: a rowing dinghy you can sail, a nesting dinghy, or a sailing inflatable (such as the Tinker Tramp). And while these categories haven’t necessarily changed, the design and technology lately has made the products immeasurably more appealing!

The ability to stow a quick-to-rig toy in the boot or on the roof of the car, has also unlocked the potential to explore a multitude of different sailing waters easily. These designs have brought to sailing what inflatable paddleboards have brought to watersports.

Best sailing tender

For cruising sailors, this could be an ideal solution: a stable, lightweight tender that will sail well too

OC Sailing Tender

This has been at the top of my wishlist for tenders for some time, but now the family-run New Zealand company has come out with a rig for this lightweight composite boat that has just doubled the appeal.

OC Tenders was developed by experienced cruising sailors who were after a dry, stable, maintenance-free tender which is light enough to pull up a beach. A wide hull shape with plumb bow and flat run provides stability and volume and early planing ability, while foam sandwich construction makes it solid (puncture free) and light enough to carry. These also happen to be key elements for many modern performance sailing dinghy designs.

OC Tenders is unveiling a new Sailing Tender version this year, a kit which transforms two of its existing tenders into sailing dinghies. The main difference is a centreboard case which attaches to the thwart with a mast step below, neither of which can be removed, but only add 6kg weight. The rest of the sailing components are stored in bags which fit inside the tender, including a 6m mast in two sections, boom (both in 30% carbon), centreboard, rudder, hiking straps and 7.5m2 sail.

OC has a video of the tender surfing along and another of how easy it is to right it if you capsize. The boats weighs 68kg for the 3.3m or 74kg for the 3.5m, while the sailing components add just 15kg. Both are also available in carbon versions (a NZ$4,000 upgrade). The slight catch may be the cost, and that it’s a small company with low production run and high demand.

Price: OC330 from NZ$23,500 (circa £12,000).

Buy it now from octenders

Reverso Air is quick to get on the plane. Photo: Armand Dayde

Reverso Air

It may be a nesting dinghy, but there’s nothing clinker-built about the Reverso Air. From the outset, the team behind this pocket beast of a boat were focused on performance, and that is what you get in spades. It has been clocked at 16 knots and readily takes to the plane, surfing down anything from harbour chop to long swell.

Reverso is built in Brittany using advanced composite construction. The 3.40m hull is infused in honeycomb sandwich, for stiffness and light weight, and carbon reinforcing is added where the loads are greatest, such as the mast step. The mast itself is a tube of high-modulus carbon fibre weighing just under 3kg, and the sail is 7m2 of high-tech membrane from Incidence.

Part of the stellar performance comes from the hull shape, designed by Charles Bertrand. A broad beam, flat bottom and deep chines provide stability for sailing with kids and a great platform for planing when a gust blows. “It is the lightness of the boat which makes it fast and efficient, allowing it to accelerate quickly,” says founder Antoine Simon. “Also, the quality of the materials, which give a dynamic response and transmit the forces, especially with the rigid hull.”

The boat is designed to take two grown-ups or an adult and two kids, so you can refine your technique in company if you like. Simon says this makes the boat ideal for teaching kids or going out for a solo burn.

Assembly is pretty simple and can take less than two minutes. The hull is composed of four parts, the heaviest of which weighs 16.8kg. The sections clip together along the coaming using stainless-steel levers. Then you add tension along the bottom of the boat using two Dyneema lines with a 1:14 cascade that puts on 600kg of compression.

When disassembled, the parts nest inside each other, fitting readily into the boot of a family car or an SUV. Measuring 1.45m x 0.92m x 0.72m, the folded boat is also designed for easy fixing to a trailer or towing-ball platform behind a car.

Accessories that improve the storage and use of the boat include a bag, (€490); smaller padded bags for the four mast sections, centreboard, tiller and rudder; a mounting mat to protect the boat on rough surfaces (€170); and a folding beach trolley (€490). And there’s a GPS speedometer (€499), specially designed for mounting at the base of the mast.

Price: Reverso Air €8,913 plus €1,090 shipping.

Buy it now from Sailreverso

You don’t have to be a pro to get the AST Foiler skimming the waves. Photo: Sören Hese

Foiling is no longer limited to pros and daredevils. AST’s beautifully designed foiling dinghy makes it possible for almost anyone to experience the exhilaration of flying on water. With a top speed of 25 knots-plus and a really simple control system, it is easy to get airborne.

The key is the mechanical foiling system, which requires no trimming. A foil on each side of the 3.85m hull resembles nothing more than a giant spider’s leg, or a wonky ‘7’. The foils are loose-mounted in such a way that they can cant slightly according to the tack you’re on. When the boat goes about, the leeward foil rises and the new windward foil drops. It requires no electronics or hydraulics – just a bit of elementary physics.

You control the boat using a T-shaped rudder whose foil supports the boat aft and helps keep you balanced while foiling. With foils deployed, the effective beam jumps from 1.58m to 2.10m and the draught from 15cm to 1.10m, giving the boat excellent stability.

AST says the hull will fly from 8 knots of true wind, thanks in part to the lightweight layup, with an overall weight of 55kg. The foils, rudder and mast are all in carbon fibre, while the hull is in a lightweight foam-epoxy sandwich.

With a cool reverse bow, open transom and hiking wings, this boat looks the business. It can support up to 95kg of crew weight, so could in theory take two children. But this is really a solo sailer, designed for thrills and spills. AST offers two different sails, 7.5m2 or 9.5m2.

The foils can be folded flush to the hull for transport., there’s a custom-made aluminium trolley for launching and towing; padded covers for the foils and rudder (€269); and a Velocitek SpeedPuck to measure your speed (€399).

This is not a cheap option… but it is a fun one.

AST also does a non-foiling L12 Lowrider – a 3.82m planing performance dinghy, which weighs just 30kg.

Prices: AST Folier €15,631 inc VAT, L12 Lowrider €8,824 ex VAT.

Buy it now from Ast-yachts

IZIBoat is easy to transport and can be assembled in 15 minutes

IZIBoat germinated from a desire to make sailing easy, fun and accessible to all, by creating a catamaran that is ultra fast to assemble (less than 15 minutes). No tools are needed thanks to a neat plug, lock and tension system. While speeds of 14+ knots are reportedly achievable, it is more aimed at accessible sailing, regardless of age or ability. So it can seat four and is intuitive for new sailors thanks to joystick steering – just tilt the stick the way you want to turn.

The brainchild of François Tissier, who dreamed of a dinghy with ease and stability while living in the South Pacific, it took many years of R&D and 11 prototypes. The beach cat measures 500x62cm, so can easily be stored in a garage and its five components weigh 152kg, so it can be transported on the roof of a car or even towed by a bike or e-bike.

Price: from €8,990.

Buy it now from Iziboat

LiteboatXP 16 can be rowed or sailed – fast

LiteboatXP 16

This is a fun sailing boat that you can row properly for recreation too. The first Liteboat XP was a 20ft model which we tested four years ago and were so impressed with the sailing ability, we jointly gave it a European Yacht of the Year award. It’s also excellent for rowing enthusiasts. For those still sceptical, consider that it’s drawn by in-demand IMOCA designer Sam Manuard.

The new 5m/16ft model is more compact and lighter still (100kg). There’s no cuddy, but it still sports a sliding rowing seat, carbon oars and outriggers and a catboat-style rig with two part carbon mast and a 7.5m2 boom-less sail. But it’s when reaching with the 6m2 gennaker that you’ll really get the buzz. It converts from sailing to rowing mode in under a minute. It’s an efficient explorer that’s blast to sail, will keep you fit and avoids the need for a smelly, noisy outboard.

Price: from €14,500.

Buy it now from Liteboat

Best inflatable sailing tender

The black and yellow Tiwal rocket is designed in Brittany. Photo: Christiane le Port

The original Tiwal 3 is already marking its 10th anniversary, the design having been at the forefront of using drop stitch technology to create a really stiff inflatable. Now the boat has been turbo-charged, tweaked and improved. The result is the Tiwal 3R, with a top speed of 14 knots and a helming position just millimetres off the water.

It comes deflated in two bags weighing around 30kg each (plus a smaller sail bag), and comprises a concave inflatable hull and anodised aluminium ‘exoskeleton’, which transmits the forces from the mast, rudder and daggerboard. It also provides two raised hiking ‘wings’ which allow you to balance the 6m2 or 7m2 sail, tailor-made by North Sails in Xi V2 racing laminate.

The 3R’s performance boost stems from a number of small steps. For instance, the hiking bars have been extended aft so that you can shift weight back when the wind picks up. The aluminium frame is stronger and stiffer for better power transfer, and the hull is a more efficient shape, courtesy of the rail on the stern. The mast and boom are now 90% carbon for lighter weight.

Assembly takes 25 minutes – a little longer than the original Tiwals, because of the additional elements of the frame and control lines, according to founder Emmanuel Bertrand. Experience says there is a bit of fiddly slotting of aluminium tubes together, which can be trickier if sand gets into the joint. The boat is rated for crew up to 200kg, which allows for two adults or one grown-up and two children. Really, though, you want to be sailing this alone at top speed. And with a choice of two sails, you can go out in pretty much any conditions.

Price: from £8,140.

Buy it now from Tiwal

Dutch brand DinghyGo has built a reputation for the reliability of its growing range of sailing inflatables.

They are not performance oriented, but are easy to assemble, have bags of buoyancy and can be stored in two mid-sized bags. The range starts at 2.30m LOA, but the flagship Orca 375 is the latest release, with a 4.8m2 mainsail and a 1.1m2 jib.

The four-piece mast requires three soft stays to keep it aloft, while the foot is anchored through a thwart. With 650kg of payload capacity, you can bring three adults and a heap of camping gear with you.

Price: £4,000.

Buy it now from Dinghygo

Minicat Guppy

The Czech sailor behind the MiniCat brand teamed up with round-the-world sailor Laura Dekker to launch the Guppy.

At 3.00m LOA, it is the smallest boat in the Minicat range, with a capacity for two, but weighs a staggeringly small 26kg itself.

Perched on two big 33cm floats, just a small aluminium frame does the job of supporting the mast and the trampoline. The mast and its 3.9m2 sail is stayed to a short bowsprit, and the whole takes just 15 minutes to put together. Stub keel fins help reduce leeway.

Its light weight makes it eminently portable and easy to stow.

Price: €2,665 ex-VAT.

Buy it now from Minicatamaran

Inflatable Wingfoil

Granted, it can look a bit daft watching middle-aged folk pumping and flapping away while trying to get a giant inflatable wing to lift their mass onto a skinny foil. But once you’ve experienced that feeling of pure flight, silently skimming over the surface, there’s no going back.

Whether for surfing, windsurfing, or even kiting, any solid boards take up valuable locker space. All of which arguably makes an inflatable foil board and an inflatable wing the ultimate in compact sailing fun.

The foils typically disconnect from their masts and pack in protective bags. The inflatable boards can also be used to wingsurf or paddle on in displacement mode. Or try towing one behind a tender – with a foil you only need very small speeds (around 6 knots) and, with practice, you can be surfing a wee wake.

The smaller volume boards better suit surf and wingfoil use and the larger boards are for wing and SUP enthusiasts.

F-One’s Rocket Air is designed around its rigid boards, and range from 75lt (4ft 11in) to 185lt (7ft 11in) and prices from £625-£825.

Buy it now from f-one.world

Naish, meanwhile, has models of its new Hover board from 80-170lt, which have composite carbon plates on the bottom for the foil join for a stiff ride.

Buy it now from Naishfoils

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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

Discover our other models

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2023 Boat of the Year Best Dinghy: Tiwal 3R

• By Dave Reed
• December 16, 2022

Sailing World Magazine’s  annual Boat of the Year tests are conducted in Annapolis, Maryland, following the US Sailboat Show. With independent judges exhaustively inspecting the boats on land and putting them through their paces on the water, this year’s fleet of new performance-sailing boats spanned from small dinghies to high-tech bluewater catamarans. Here’s the best of the best from our  2023 Boat of the Year nominees »

The High-Pressure Ripper

• Tiwal 3R 2023 Best Dinghy
• Stated purpose: Recreational sailing, one-design and rally racing
• Crew: One to two
• Praise for: Performance, comfort, portability
• Est. price as sailed: $8,900

The surest way to grow sailing is to make it easy to get on the water with minimal hassle on a boat that is exhilarating to sail—and that’s exactly what the inflatable and ­powered-up Tiwal 3R does. Thousands of Tiwal fanatics around the world can’t be wrong; they love their zippy little crafts, and the Tiwal community has grown ever larger since its young French innovators launched the first model a decade ago. The Tiwal 3R is the continuing evolution of a great idea—with even better execution. Tiwal boats keep getting better, and this one is its best yet.

The “R” is for Race, and that’s because after two years of playing and adventure racing on the early-edition Tiwal 3s, keener owners started asking for more. But the engineering required to make Tiwal’s high-pressure inflatable hull and aluminum frame take on greater rig and structural loads that had them stumped for nearly two years, says Emmanuel Bertrand. They kept breaking it until they got it right.

At 10 feet and 121 pounds fully rigged, the magic of the Tiwal 3R is its portability, which would explain why the company says it sells so many in urban areas around the world. The sail, hull, blades, five-part composite spar and boom, and aluminum frame pack into two 5-foot duffel bags. To put it all together at whatever water’s edge takes about 30 minutes; it’s mere minutes if the boat is coming off the car top already pumped and assembled.

The PVC hull construction is identical to all other Tiwals, but the design for the 3R is a big improvement, with a more pronounced V-shape, a bit more rocker, and a reinforcement plate on the bottom near the transom, which gives it stiffness and a cleaner exit. “It’s difficult to get a hard corner on inflatables,” Stewart says, “so that’s a great solution to give it a nice sharp edge and a cleaner break so the water isn’t bubbling up over the back.”

When I got my weight in the right spot, the boat just took off. It’s quicker than quick. —Chuck Allen

The gust-responsive rig and big sail, built with North Sails racing cloth, is what takes the boat a big step from the recreational sailor’s Tiwal 3 to the racing sailor’s 3R, Powlison says. “This is the same size sail as a Laser, 77 square feet, which is a lot of power. When you get the vang set right, it does make a big difference. It is an effective control that they got right.”

Powlison’s only desire was to be able to get the sail controls to run farther back on the rack, accepting, however, that this would unnecessarily complicate the setup.

Allen, who’s been a Tiwal fan since the original, is impressed once again. “You definitely get a lot more performance out of this thing,” he says after sailing the boat in 10 to 15 knots and flat water. “I got hit with a puff and was like, dang! This thing’s got some wheels. It’s much faster and stiffer. I’m 170 pounds and was able to stay out on the rack the entire time, even when it got light.”

Stewart’s assessment of the 3R is that it’s built for a slightly more advanced sailor. “This thing is higher tech, with a lot more control lines, so it’s a bit more boat to handle. That being said, I’m a big guy (the manufacturer’s stated maximum load on the wing is 242 pounds), and I was never sitting in water, so it will accommodate a wide range of people.”

Getting the purchase systems for the 4-to-1 cunningham and the two-part vang (all of which are doubled-ended) into the mast collar hardware was an engineering exercise, says creator Marion Excoffon. But the end result is a system of color-coded lines and color-matched Harken blocks that work effectively and smoothly to depower the sail. Once the control systems are assembled, they don’t need to be rerun. When rigging, simply slide the mast into the collar, hook up the mainsheet, attach the rudder, and cast off for a fast and sporty adventure.

“Every time I got a little puff, the boat zipped right along,” Allen says. “The foils are stiff and shaped well, so the boat goes upwind really nicely. The bow was stiff and wasn’t flopping in the chop. But the best part was reaching around in the big puffs, sitting at the back corner of the rack, with the boat just skimming. When I got my weight in the right spot, the boat just took off. It’s quicker than quick.”

• More: 2023 Boat of the Year , Boat of the Year , Dinghy , Print Winter 2023 , Sailboats
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MiniCat: Our Favorite Inflatable Sailboat Years Later

Apr 24, 2020

It’s been 8+ years since MiniCat came to the USA, and Red Beard Sailing couldn’t be prouder to be the East Coast Distributor for the world’s favorite portable sailboat. As you know, we specialize in inflatable sailboats, and we only carry the best in the business. The MiniCat does not disappoint.

Offering 4 sizes that are capable of crewing 1 to 4 people, MiniCats are also built to go anywhere. All models fit into 1 to 3 bags and can be assembled in 10 to 40 minutes, depending on the model. You can even remove the mast and add an outboard to transform these boats into a tender. To top it off, they also come with a 24-month warranty.

So what’s happened in the last 5 years?

• In 2018, MiniCat launched the MiniCat Guppy .
• In 2019, MiniCat gave a facelift to all of its models.
• In 2020, MiniCat launched an all-new 460 Elite model, with an ultra-light carbon fiber mast, rudder, and bowsprit.
• And Since 2015, Red Beard Sailing has sold over 100 MiniCats!

Before we dive into the MiniCat fleet, if you’re looking for a quick overview of what MiniCat has to offer, check out our brand new MiniCat Overview page. You can compare the entire fleet, view a variety of videos, and learn more about the MiniCat brand.

The 2020 MiniCat Inflatable Sailboat Lineup

MiniCat Guppy

Based off of the popular MiniCat 310, the Guppy is designed to be efficient and straightforward. A perfect boat for beginners, the Guppy assembles in just 10 minutes. Fitting in just one bag, you can transport the Guppy by car and even check it as luggage for a flight.

Starting at just $3,500, the Guppy provides value that is hard to beat at that price. A perfect toy for bringing along in your camper or a larger boat or yacht.

MiniCat 310

MiniCat’s first boat, now over 15 years old, is the MiniCat 310. Large enough for 2 people and assembling is just 25 minutes.

Say goodbye to your slip and trailer.

As is standard for all MiniCats, the 310 fits in a bag. Weighing only 77lbs, the 310 will fit in many cars and most SUVs with ease. A compact boat that is built for performance, it’s no wonder that the MiniCat 310 is such a popular boat.

The MiniCat 310 is offered in 2 different trim levels. Super, and Sport.

• Super is the base model boat and is great for beginners or kids. This boat is rated for 2 people.
• Sport is similar to the Super and introduces a roller furler for the jib. This is the one we recommend.

“Since the first time I saw a MiniCat being sailed (circa 2009), I was so impressed at how so much fun could be had from a sailing boat that you could carry in a bag.”

- Laura Dekker, Youngest Sailor to solo-circumnavigate the world

Shop MiniCat 310

MiniCat 420

The MiniCat 420 is Red Beard Sailing’s best selling boat! Are we surprised? Not at all.

The MiniCat 420 can crew up to 4 people and has a carrying capacity of 992lbs, making it large enough for the entire family without sacrificing on performance. The 420 is offered in 4 different trim levels: Instinct, Emotion, Evoque, and the Laura Dekker Edition.

• Instinct is the base model and is the only 420 model that does not have a boomed mainsail. A plus for parents in that no heads will get knocked by the boom. This boat has a lighter-weight mast for easier stepping than the Emotion and above.
• Emotion comes with a boomed mainsail and dedicated forestay, providing greater sail shape control.
• Evoque is a “carbon” copy of the Emotion, the difference being it uses carbon fiber instead of aluminum or fiberglass on the bowsprit, boom, and rudder
• Laura Dekker Edition is similar to the Evoque, but features a red, white, and blue sail design and a carbon fiber Poly-X racing mainsail!

Shop MiniCat 420

MiniCat 460

The largest boat in the MiniCat Fleet is the MiniCat 460. Measuring 15 feet in length, the 420 is impressively lightweight, coming in at 128lbs. Fitting into three bags, the MiniCat 460 maintains the MiniCat tradition being ultra-portable and built for performance.

If you’re looking for speed, we highly recommend the gennaker and snuffer add-on to this boat. Featuring a 129 ft² (12 m²) sail area, the performance increase is noticeable.

The 460 is offered in 2 different trim levels: the Esprit and the brand-new 460 Elite.

• Esprit offers an additional 20ft² of sail area compared to the MiniCat 420 and can carry an impressive 1,212lbs.
• Elite is the only MiniCat with a carbon fiber mast! The lightweight mast adds stability, speed, and more control. The mast is light enough to lift with one hand!

Shop MiniCat 460

MiniCat Assembly:

• 1 Storage & Transport Bag w/ Wheels
• Total Weight: 58 pounds
• 10 minute assembly time

• 1 Bag w/ Wheels (optional 2 smaller bags for single bag weight reduction)
• Bag Size: 1x 54" x 15" x 15" (77lbs) [Optional 2x 54" x 12" x 12" (38 lbs each)]
• Total Weight: 77 lbs
• 25 minute assembly time

• 2 Bags w/ Wheels
• Bag Size: 2x 68" x 12" x 12" (approximately 50 lbs each)
• Total Weight: 97 lbs
• 30 minute assembly time

• 3 Bags (2 with wheels)
• Bag Sizes: 2x 68" x 12" x 12" (50 lbs each) | 1x 39" x 12" x 12" (20 lbs)
• Total Weight: Esprit: 128 lbs | Elite 118 lbs
• 45 minute assembly time

Accessories

One of the best aspects of owning a MiniCat is the number of accessories that are available. You can really craft the sailing experience you’re looking for.

MiniCat doesn’t hold back with how you can customize your boat. Red Beard Sailing carries MiniCat:

• Outboard Mounts
• Front Trampolines
• Inflatable Seats
• Trolly Wheels

Shop Accessories

• MiniCat Overview
• Shop MiniCat Boats
• MiniCat Buyer's Guide
• Test Sails and Demos
• Compare Boats

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10 Best Small Sailboats (Under 20 Feet)

Last Updated by

Daniel Wade

December 28, 2023

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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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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Used Car Top / Lightweight dinghy or cat for 2-3 adults

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I've searched for threads on this question but am still looking for advice. I'm looking for the best solution for a boat that can hold at least two people (and a dog, ~400 lbs total), can be put on top of a sedan (so either a lightweight hull or inflatable), and can be found on the used market for <$1200. I'm in the Washington DC area so owning a trailer isn't really a great option. I'm trying to have something I can bring on trips or sail locally (either in lakes or in the Potomac/ Chesapeake). Also for that reason something with more seating space would be ideal (both to avoid Potomac spray and for gear + dog). Also the better light wind performance the better as I want to be able to sail every weekend even with the boat full and have some fun when I'm on my own. For the purposes of discussion lets assume a trailer isn't an option (my townhouse cannot store one and I'm saving up for a cruiser in the future. Trailer storage in my area is expensive). I missed out on a Sea Eagle Sailcat that probably would have been perfect with some retrofitting. Now I think my best choice is a used Aqua Finn Daysailer for $400 even though the nearest used one is over 2 hours away. Although cartopping a ~130 lb hull on a sedan roof rack won't be fun... I'd even consider retrofitting a 14 ft catamaran to break down if there was a reasonable one in my area. So what is something I should have an easy time finding used and should fit my requirements? What would you buy? Thanks in advance!  

A 14' cat is 245 pounds and is really only suitable for 1-2, about 200#. Cats are NOT good weight carriers. A kayak is 1-person and is about 50 pounds. The Laser is 1-person an is 135 pounds. Can you see why car-top sailboats don't really work? I think you're dreaming. Get something with a trailer and keep it at Washington Sailing Marina or Bell Haven. A Flying Scott would make you happy.  

pdqaltair said: A 14' cat is 245 pounds and is really only suitable for 1-2, about 200#. Cats are NOT good weight carriers. A kayak is 1-person and is about 50 pounds. The Laser is 1-person an is 135 pounds. Can you see why car-top sailboats don't really work? I think you're dreaming. Get something with a trailer and keep it at Washington Sailing Marina or Bell Haven. A Flying Scott would make you happy. Click to expand...

I think some of the clubs in DC have a "shared boat" program. You wouldn't need to own a boat at all. You show up, check out a boat, go sailing and put it away when you're done. Problem solved.  

I have looked into those programs and will probably end up using them in the future. However they have quite a few issues in my situation: 1) Many do not allow dogs 2) They can only be used in the immediate area so no use for traveling or trying new areas (and the Potomac often gets pretty disgusting) 3) If you plan to use it regularly you'll likely be out $400-$600 by the end of the season. An all day rental alone is over $100. That seasonal cost is more than the cost of a dinghy I could buy and keep at home and could resell for a decent amount. Thanks for the suggestions.  

Sunfish... a classic and well respected appx 130 lb hull boat is crowded with 2, but can do it. That's about as big as you want on a car top. Sure you could come up with a boat made from twin inflatable kayaks and a sail similar to what is used on a Sunfish and have a light 3 person boat that you cartop the sail and "trampoline" then inflate the "logs" of the catamaran at the lake. It would get annoying really fast. You'll be better off going with a small trailer boat. A wider 14 ft similar to the Vagabond 14 to maybe a 18 ft. Total of boat and trailer maybe 600 to 750 lbs should be towable by almost any car (except maybe the {not so} SMART car. which would be in danger of flipping if you cartop a Sunfish.)  

Probably out of your price range but a Hobie Adventure Island Tandem trimaran might fit your needs. Can load the hulls separately so the big weight is in the center hull and that is heavy but not out of the question for roof loading. With trampolines there is plenty of room for passengers though additional weight will hurt performance. They are kind of wet sailors so not for frost biting. Have seen the one person model for under 2 boat units but dual models seem to be closer to 5 units. Other choice would be an 8'-12' sailing dinghy but weight is an issue as they get longer. My 8' fiberglass Montgomery is doable by this 71 year old but it's not easy. Might have been easy if I could shed a few decades.  

If you are willing to pull a small utility trailer with the boat on it, your options get much better.  

Car to boating is a lost art I'm old enough to remember When it was pretty common The newer cars are much smaller so you would have to get creative to carry a boat There are boats out there Big enough for two adults and a dog But you probably should look in the Shore area towns and cities like New York Jersey etcJersey New Hampshire Connecticut etc. Check out some of the plywood kit boats they're very light can be quite large And can be a lot of fun to build  

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Cartop Sailboat

Discussion in ' Sailboats ' started by nbehlman , Sep 15, 2019 .

nbehlman Junior Member

I'm looking to design and build a small sailboat for my daughter and I to sail. I would like something that I can throw on top of the car. I had an optimist as a kid, and I'd like to do something that is similar in size and as easy to sail. I find the optimist kind of ugly though, so I'd like to do something more like a catboat. I like the looks of the Cotuit Skiff. I also like to hull lines of this sharpie skiff, though I would prefer to put a gaff rig on it. My main question is: what are the primary considerations in designing such a small sailboat? Things I'm wondering about... Should center of area on the sail be forward or aft of the center of buoyancy? How much sail area should I shoot for? How do I balance the load on the mast with the weight of the people? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!  

messabout Senior Member

Either of these boats will be a bit much to put on the car top. Both of them will be pretty heavy if built to plans. Do yourself a huge favor and buy some plans for a boat that you think you'd like. Build it as the designer intended. You have asked some questions that suggests that you are not yet sufficiently informed to be able to successfully design your own boat. .....The center of effort of the sail has little or nothing to do with the center of buoyancy. It does have some importance in terms of the boats center of lateral resistance. The position of the crew in a small boat will largely determine where the center of buoyancy is located at any instant. A gaff rig is entirely satisfactory but it is not the most efficient sort of sail and not the easiest one to use. Tell us about where and under what conditions you might be sailing, the combined weight of you and your passenger, What kind of speed are you anticipating, Do you want to be able to row the boat some of the time, do you anticipate using a small motor some of the time????? The experienced members here will be pleased to advise and encourage you. Most of them will also urge you, as I have, to buy a simple set of plans and build according to the plans. It is almost a sure thing that you will save money by doing so and you will have a boat of proven ability.  

Messabout, I disagree with your statement that I am "not yet sufficiently informed to be able to successfully design my own boat." My last post (which you commented on) documented the construction of a 14ft jet boat that I designed. I lofted the shape, computed center of buoyancy, center of mass, and did the speed and stability predictions. The boat floats on the waterline I predicted, and achieves 38 mph, the exact top speed I predicted. I wrote all of the code for the predictions myself. I even won "best in show - owner build power boat" at the Mystic Seaport Wooden Boat Show. I think I can handle an 8ft sailing dinghy. I asked about the location of center of buoyancy in relation to center of sail area because I know this is crucial in rocket and aircraft design. Rockets and aircraft are dynamically unstable if the center of lift is forward of the center of mass. I take it this is not a consideration for sailboats. Perhaps the center of area of centerboard and rudder are important relative to the center sail area? I've not found a plan out there that I want to build. I'm going to design my own. I'm just looking to understand the basic design considerations.  

rwatson Senior Member

"the location of center of buoyancy in relation to the center of sail area " I think the real question is the location of the centre of Sail Effort to Centre of Effort of the Hull. Sail Balance https://www.diy-wood-boat.com/sail-balance.html Do it the old-timers way. Cut a 3 foot scale of the underwater hull silhouette out of plywood including the board and rudder extended. Balance it on a straight edge. That will be the Hull Centre of Effort. The Sail Centre of Effort needs to be a bit in front.  

Dolfiman Senior Member

May be this one can inspired you for your design : Kitoo simple, light modern cat-boat proposed for amateur building, can fit for an adult + a kid , light (46 kg) and flat enough for a car top option : caractéristiques du kitoo simple http://kitoo-simple.com/le-kitoo-images-carateristiques/caracteristiques-du-kitoo-simple  

rwatson said: ↑ I think the real question is the location of the centre of Sail Effort to Centre of Effort of the Hull. Sail Balance https://www.diy-wood-boat.com/sail-balance.html Click to expand...

That kitoo looks pretty quick!  

Nbehlman please accept my apologies for questioning your capacity for designing a sail boat. Many people with almost no experience with the fundamentals of boat design post questions here. I made the mistake of presuming that you might be in that category. Your question about center of effort and center of buoyancy led me to that faulty assumption. I am old enough to know that the practice of drawing hasty conclusions is often fraught with embarassment. My bad. Rwatson's link to WoodBoat.com is useful. I have a quarrel with some of the statements made at that site. The quarrel is about the "lead". You are capable of analyzing the forces and resistances of the dynamic actions. Vector analysis ....sort of. When doing so keep in mind that the sail is never in a perfect fore and aft alignment. The CE will move forward as a function of the cosine of the sail angle with respect to the centerline of the boat. If the sail's CE is forward of the boats center of lateral resistance then the boat will try to fall off to leeward. Lee helm is generally a bad idea. An unsafe one in some weather circumstances. Fortunately, the CLR of a very small boat can be moved around by shifting crew weight forward or aft. The boat will need to be designed such that moving the CB and thus the CLR, the boat needs to have had some forethought about the bow and transom immersions at different degrees of trim.  

Messabout, no worries. Thanks for the input. You make a good point that the CE should be adjusted for the sail angle. It seems to me that saying the center of area is the same as the center of pressure is only an approximation. As the sail fills and curves outward, I wonder how that impacts the center of pressure. I will be sure to account for crew weight in my trim and CLR calculations. This is exactly the info I needed.  

If you intend to build a short boat, like an eight footer, hopefully a bit longer, then you have a lot of decisions to make. A pointy little skiff is cute and boatlike. It will however, be quite sensitive to fore and aft trim. A scow or pram will be less so. Alas.... not as elegant a little boat as the pointy skiff. That the appearance of your boat as an object of derision at the yacht club or public venue ought not to much influence your choice of a tiny sailing boat. The PDR for example, is an awful ugly thing but it works amazingly well , is relatively safe, commodious, and easy to build. Your mini Riva is testament to your ability and also suggestive of your tendency to favor elegance. A little sailboat is a whole other ball game. I am thinking of a really small example of an E scow, C scow, M20, or something of that general layout. You have pulled that off with aplomb with the little "gentleman's runabout". I suspect that you can do that with a little sailboat too. I will be interested in the your final design and encourage you no matter what the final decision. Messing about in boats with one's daughter is a credit to a special dad.  

tlouth7 Senior Member

For the avoidance of doubt, the Optimist is a catboat. I do not know the age of your daughter obviously, but a boat that is large enough to be sailed by an adult and child, and yet light enough for one person to lift onto a car, is a difficult thing to achieve. You will have to skimp on the scantlings everywhere you can, which will lead to it not being terribly robust. There are some very nice sprit dinghies that you could emulate: check out skerry and gunning dory. The sprit rig gets you a large sail on short and lightweight spars, especially if you go boomless or sprit-boom. For a lightweight hull you will probably want to use stitch-and-glue or skin-on-frame, there are plenty of resources online to read about these techniques. Prams are often recommended and get you lots of volume and stability in a small footprint, but obviously can be ugly if done wrong.  

OzFred Senior Member

nbehlman said: ↑ I'm looking to design and build a small sailboat for my daughter and I to sail. I would like something that I can throw on top of the car. I had an optimist as a kid, and I'd like to do something that is similar in size and as easy to sail. I find the optimist kind of ugly though, so I'd like to do something more like a catboat. I like the looks of the Cotuit Skiff. Click to expand...

philSweet Senior Member

I don't really want to burst your bubble, but if you don't want a Snark, you don't want a cartopper. The two in your original post would have 500 - 700 pound bare hulls if you hope to carry those rigs, plus you'd need removable ballast. Look at the rigs of any of the 20 or so Snark derivatives over the years. That is the sort of sail plan that a cartopper can cope with (about 45 sq feet, not 145 sq feet) points to consider - Cartopping will add a lot to the weight of the hull over what it requires to be structurally sound as a boat. The loads have nothing in common, so you have to provide structure and hardpoints for both. You not only have to get the thing on and off the car, you have to launch and recover it from the water. So how much weight do you really consider practical even if you can disassemble some of the heavier bits? There's a reason everybody trailers boats like the Sunfish and Laser - they are too much effort to launch and recover as cartoppers. Also, mileage, if you are travelling any distance at all, is much better with a trailer. Unless you have an old DeSoto or 60s Town and Country wagon, your car is probably limited to 75 pounds of weight on the roof. There are a few that are higher, like Range Rover and Hummer. Minivans with factory racks tend to run around 150 pound rating. Obviously, this is a limit you need to work within. And even something as basic as an RS Zest has a bare hull weight of 161 pounds. https://www.rssailing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/RS-Zest-Learning-02.jpg The sharpie skiff you show appears to displace about 1500 pounds. They are specifically designed to be the best load-carrying form for the dollar. They utterly fail if not carrying a load.  

sharpii2 Senior Member

I am presently building a boat which will weigh about 85 lbs for just the hull. The rig will weigh around 13 lbs, and the rudder and lee board assemblies will probably add another 10 lbs. I designed it to be built with three sheets of 1/4 inch plywood. It will be 3 by 10 ft and 15 inches hull depth. I believe longer and leaner is the way to go, so you don't have to lift the whole thing at once. One end can be lifted and put on top of the vehicle. Then the other end can be lifted and then the whole thing can be slid into place. I will probably have to design a roof cradle for this thing to distribute the load on the thin-sheet metal roof. I'd rather use a trailer, but there is no place to put it.  

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MARKALFREDSTEELE Junior Member

nbehlman said: ↑ I'm looking to design and build a small sailboat for my daughter and I to sail. I would like something that I can throw on top of the car. I had an optimist as a kid, and I'd like to do something that is similar in size and as easy to sail. I find the optimist kind of ugly though, so I'd like to do something more like a catboat. I like the looks of the Cotuit Skiff. View attachment 150127 I also like to hull lines of this sharpie skiff, though I would prefer to put a gaff rig on it. View attachment 150128 My main question is: what are the primary considerations in designing such a small sailboat? Things I'm wondering about... Should center of area on the sail be forward or aft of the center of buoyancy? How much sail area should I shoot for? How do I balance the load on the mast with the weight of the people? Any help is appreciated. Thanks! Click to expand...

Cartopable Sailer that sleeps 2?

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Meet the 4.5m Lapstrake, aka the Skeeter Beater with an in-built ballast tank, its rated to a 60hp but it’ll cruise along at 26knots with a 30hp, this boat is a game changer.

A new era for roof top boats. Meet the 3.7m Ulitmate Rooftop Boat. Weights starting at 68kg, light, strong and stable with an integrated casting deck, dry storage and a heap of options to choose from, the future of car toppers is here.

From 3 to 4.5m we've got the perfect tender for you. Go standard or have a full custom boat made just for you. Weights starting from just 43kg*, integrated casting deck and rod holders, Ezytopper's are the big little tender boats.

Light, Practical, Stable, Tough

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We have a 9.8 Four stroke HP outboard motor which allowed us to power away from any obst cle which includes crocodiles. The boat’s stability excelled in the fast flowing Daly River especially going against the tide we were able to still plane on top of the water. The loading of the boat is so easy to do thanks to the good work and assistance of John and Jeffrey.

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A Close-Up View of the Baltimore Bridge Collapse

From roughly 100 yards away, the site of one of the worst bridge collapses in the country’s history is haunting.

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By Eduardo Medina

Photographs by Pete Kiehart

Eduardo Medina and Pete Kiehart spent about an hour riding in a Coast Guard boat to observe the wreckage.

Maroon containers larger than a car sat twisted and crushed. Massive beams of steel warped into crooked arches. Pillars of jagged concrete poked out from the water — a tomb of wreckage that dimly reflected on the gray-toned river.

From roughly 100 yards away, deep into the Patapsco River in Baltimore, the site of one of the worst bridge collapses in the country’s history is a haunting scene.

The U.S. Coast Guard allowed The New York Times to ride aboard a response boat on Saturday afternoon to witness up close the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which was struck by the cargo ship Dali on Tuesday, killing six men, all construction workers who were working on filling potholes on the bridge.

As the 45-foot-long Coast Guard vessel neared the scene of the disaster, a service member who had made several trips to the site braced passengers for the view to come.

“It’s still shocking every time.”

The Coast Guard boat initially neared the cargo ship on the rear side, the stern, which was spared from much of the impact of the collapse. Two people could be seen walking along the starboard, though it was unclear if they were investigators or crew members, all of whom are from India and have remained on the ship to keep it operable.

An anchor that the crew members had used in desperation to keep the ship from hitting the bridge was visible, submerged in calm water. A thin and yellow boom floated around the ship to contain spills. It looked similar to crime-scene tape. The gray and red shipping containers were stacked up to nine rows high, partly shielding for a moment the wreckage that lay behind it.

As the Coast Guard boat inched closer toward the cargo ship, the humongous scale of the collapse came into view. Some state officials onboard, who were not authorized to speak to the news media, shook their heads and muttered under their breath.

“Oh, my gosh.”

Warped masses of the bridge sliced the steel deck of the ship, causing pieces of the blue hull to peel outward. On a wide piece of the deck cratered by the bridge’s blow, knots of blackened metal morphed into a jumbled, metallic maze.

A large piece of concrete stuck out of the ship. Two people wearing all orange moved through the wreckage on the deck, balancing themselves with their hands and feet, as if it were a mountain. The birds swirling beside the cargo, searching for fish below, made the magnitude of the bridge and the ship even more pronounced.

A boat that appeared to belong to the Army Corps of Engineers moved in between the triangular spaces of the bridge’s submerged beams. Other boats with cranes attached cruised nearby. Toward the northern and southern sides of the river, the offramp portions of the bridge stood high, the void between them now transformed into a deadly memorial.

Few distinct sounds emanated from the site. Strong winds moved currents of water against chunks of debris. Faint noises from boat engines whirled in the air.

Mostly, though, there was sheer silence. Passengers aboard the Coast Guard vessel appeared to spend almost as much time glancing down at the water as they did looking up.

The bodies of Alejandro Hernandez Fuentes, 35, of Baltimore, and Dorlian Ronial Castillo Cabrera, 26, of Dundalk, Md., were recovered this week.

But down below, perhaps beneath the tangled remnants of a bridge that connected two working-class neighborhoods in Baltimore, were the remains of four men not yet recovered by divers: Miguel Luna, in his 40s, of El Salvador; Maynor Yasir Suazo Sandoval, in his 30s, of Honduras; Jose López, in his 30s, of Guatemala; and a fourth man who has not been identified by the authorities.

As the Coast Guard ship turned around late Saturday afternoon, its engine roaring louder, heavy clouds hovered overhead. Soon, the scene of the collapse, stretching across the pale waters of the horizon, seemed to fade. The images seared into memory did not.

Eduardo Medina is a Times reporter covering the South. An Alabama native, he is now based in Durham, N.C. More about Eduardo Medina

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The Best Car Vacuums for 2024, Tested and Reviewed

For those of us who like our vehicles clean, a good car vacuum is essential.

This article was updated with new products and information in January 2024.

We all know how annoying vacuuming your vehicle can be. There always seems to be dirt that won't come up or a few stray Cheez-Its under a seat, just out of reach. Worse yet is trying to accomplish this with a clumsy oversize shop vac or even your home upright vacuum. Good luck!

We set out to find the best car vacuum cleaner available to solve your car-cleaning needs. We lined up a test for the ages, pitting 14 vacuums of varying shapes and sizes against each other on as even a playing field as possible. The tests included noise readings, suction power, ease of disposal, battery life, and of course, how well they suck up different kinds of debris on a floor. Here's what we found.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Black+decker dustbuster.

Black+Decker Pivot 20-Volt

Powerful and Portable

Metrovac vac n blo vnb4afbr compact wall mount.

Most Versatile

longest battery life

Milwaukee m18 cordless vacuum.

Honorable Mention

Dewalt 20-volt max cordless vacuum.

Best for small, quick cleanups

Eufy by anker homevac h30 venture.

Shark Ultralight Pet Pro, Corded

Best for Professionals

Bissell garage pro.

Honorable mention

Shark wandvac, things to consider.

Purchasing a vacuum specially designed for a car is a worthy investment, no matter how often you clean your ride's interior. They're usually lighter and more compact than a standard vacuum and come with attachments that allow you to get in the toughest nooks and crannies. Better yet, once all the Cheerios and beach sand are sucked up, dirt disposal is typically much easier than with larger vacuums. But there are a few things you should know before you buy one.

Does It Have to Be a "Car Vacuum"?

We set out to answer this question by pitting a few auto-oriented vacuum cleaners against some typical household models, and also included a few garage/shop-centric vacuums. Bottom line: Whichever one works best for you is the best car vacuum you can buy.

For example, we gave our "Best Overall" award to a typical Black+Decker Dustbuster mainly because of its versatility around the home. Meanwhile, the #1-selling, top-rated "car vacuum cleaner" on Amazon only plugs into a 12V cigarette lighter port, won't work unless the engine is running, and in our test could barely suck up anything beyond some grains of sand. Get the car vac that best suits your needs; it may already be in your home.

Ahh, the age-old question. When it comes to car vacuums, size doesn't matter—in terms of performance, that is. We tested tiny handheld models that had impressive suction power, not just for their size but relative to the competition. We also evaluated a few larger, bulkier models and found that most of them weren't as effective at cleaning a car as smaller, more nimble models.

As for versatility and usefulness—yes, size matters, but not in the way you might think. Larger vacuums usually boast more suction power than handheld models but may be difficult to move around the car or to get into the nooks and crevices of your car or truck's cabin. Strive to find a car vacuum that's lightweight and maneuverable enough to get behind and between your seats—and anywhere else you might need to suck up dirt.

Attachments

Look for a vacuum cleaners that has a few attachments; most importantly a crevice tool but also a brush for things like a/c ducts. If using a household vacuum, look for one that lets you remove the end tip completely, so you get maximum suction where you need it straight from the hose. Some household vacuums have large or oddly shaped nozzles that make it difficult to get into small spaces. Versatility is key.

Corded or Cordless?

Corded vacuums provide the longest-lasting power, but can limit mobility in and around the vehicle. Moreover, some corded car vacuums use the vehicle's 12V power port, and will only operate with the engine running.

Cordless vacuums are the best for cars. If you buy one from a brand-name tool company like Ryobi, Milwaukee, or DeWalt, be sure you have the right battery pack and charger.

How We Tested Car Vacuums

We wanted to test these different car vacuums as thoroughly as we could, so we organized a gauntlet for them. We used six different metrics to determine the best:

• Suction power
• Ease of dirt disposal
• Battery life
• Floor-mat challenge

We discovered quickly that it wasn't necessarily the suction power that was important in a car vacuum. Rather, the size of the mouth opening was the real key to coming away with a clean floor mat. Cars, particularly family cruisers, can accumulate a wide variety of dirt and debris, and every single small-mouthed crevice tool simply got clogged up by big chunks—usually (parents, take note!) by the Cheerios.

We lined up five different kinds of contaminants: fine sand, Cheerios (of course), crushed-up Cheez-Its, potting soil, and pet hair. Then, in an effort to keep the test uniform and fair, we equipped each vacuum with a crevice attachment—whether built in or included separately. Because it's the most popular attachment to use when vacuuming your vehicle, we felt that it made sense to test them with that exclusively. Also, some of the smaller vacuums come out of the box with small mouth openings, so to test those against ones with larger mouths wouldn't have been fair.

It should be noted, then, when looking at the photo results of the floor-mat tests, that many vacuums came with attachments that would have easily handled the larger chunks. While small crevice-tool openings produced higher suction readings, they really struggled against larger debris.

So if you seriously want to cut down on time and effort when it comes to vacuuming out your ride, it's time to pony up some cash for a car vacuum. Some messes demand a more powerful machine, while for others a compact unit will suffice. Either way, it's better than lugging the vacuum cleaner out of your hall closet.

The Best Car Vacuums, Tested

Surprised? So were we. But there's no doubt—this is the best car vacuum we tested. While it lacked gold-star status in the suction and battery-life test, the trusty Black+Decker Dustbuster reigned supreme in our real-life floor-mat test. Black+Decker's renowned portable vacuum features a large mouth that had zero issues cleaning up all five of our test contaminants—just the sort of mess that's often found on a car floorboard. The opening was wide enough to avoid clogs and the collection chamber handled it all with ease. Dumping it is a breeze, too—without leaving anything stuck around the filter. We also liked the design of the stand-up charging base.

That said, it's not perfect. The battery life is low compared to the other contenders, so you'll have to hustle if you want to vacuum your entire interior. The Dustbuster is also on the loud side, with a high-pitched whistle that might make your dog squirm.

Despite those drawbacks, we chose the Dustbuster as our Best Overall Car Vacuum for its successful blend of price, performance, and household versatility.

Despite its relatively short battery life and high-pitched whine, the trusty Dustbuster really aced our floor-mat test. It's great for around the house. And the price is right.

Black+Decker performed well in our tests, as shown by its occupation of the top two spots. Again, the wide-mouthed crevice opening did very well against our five contaminants, but the most attractive feature is the pivot function, hence the name.

The long crevice opening, paired with up to 200 degrees of pivot angle, allows the Black+Decker Pivot to get into typically unaccessible places. Battery life is so-so, coming in at just around 11 minutes, and the noise level is pretty average.

Our one knock on the Pivot comes when dumping the dust. Due to its design, the small intake channel gets clogged with large particles quite easily as they try to get around the filter. Be prepared to empty it a few times if you're tackling big chunks.

Aside from that, the Pivot does an excellent job cleaning cars quickly, and the pivoting function offers unique angles.

The Pivot worked well—until it inevitably became clogged. We like the clever design and extendable crevice tool, though.

You'll feel like Rambo throwing this bad boy over your shoulder, but—by golly—it does the job. Resembling some sort of jet engine activated by a chunky, old-school toggle switch, the MetroVac Vac N Blo Compact Wall Mount is a true beast.

While it's meant to be mounted onto your garage's wall, this vacuum comes with a handy shoulder strap that we prefer. (Make sure you don't bonk it into the vehicle as you work.) The vacuum comes with a plethora of attachments, but we used the crevice tool for our floor-mat test—where it underachieved against the big pieces.

When it comes to power, the Vac N Blo scored highly while somehow keeping the noise levels lower than most of the handheld vacuums. However, the 10-pound weight does get heavy, and emptying the filter is a chore—we had to manually remove it and shake the pieces out, which proved to be an endeavor on its own.

If you're not playing around and need to clean your car with power, look no further.

The Vac N Blo is ideal for vacuuming van/RV interiors and truck beds. It's bigger and heavier than most, but the blow-drying function is a feature you don't get from most handheld vacs.

The Dyson V8 gets brownie points for also being usable in the home; only needing one vacuum to clean everything is a plus in our book. While there are plenty of bright spots—it's quiet, emptying the waste is a breeze, swapping attachments is simple—it underwhelms as a standalone car vacuum.

The battery life is the big negative on the V8. It's equipped with two different power levels, and max power lasted just under eight minutes in our test. Shocked, we charged the battery again for 24 hours, and once again, it lasted the same amount of time. This is a problem, as the weaker, longer-lasting power isn't sufficient enough to get most sand and dirt out of carpeted floor mats when used with the crevice tool—let alone vacuum more than a room or two in the home.

Speaking of crevice tools, the V8's is criminally small and really struggled against large pieces. For a home/car vacuum, it works—but we wouldn't recommend dropping this kind of cash to use it strictly for your vehicle.

Despite its unique design and around-home functionality, when it comes to cleaning up floorboards the Dyson V8 doesn't quite live up to the hype surrounding the brand.

Milwaukee really makes everything these days, so we had to try the Milwaukee M18 Cordless Vacuum . Right off the bat, you're looking at the winner of our battery-life test—the M18 RedLithium XC5.0 beating all of the contenders with a healthy 23-minute, 24-second time.

The collection chamber is nice and large, and emptying it is simple. The vacuum doesn't produce that much noise either—but all of the excess air blows out from the top, so expect a warm breeze as you use it.

The crevice attachment is sadly skinny, and it struggled against Cheerios and Cheez-Its, as seen in the photo below. Weighing in at nearly six pounds, it does get the forearms burning after extended use.The other knock is you'll need Milwaukee's proprietary M18 battery and charger, sold separately. But if you already have other Milwaukee M18 tools, the battery works with this vacuum like a charm. For a long cleaning session, this is the way to go.

If you're already a Milwaukee acolyte, you're good to go. If not, you'll need to purchase an M18 battery and charger separately. The same holds true with all rechargeable tool systems—components sold a la carte usually don't include a battery or charger.

The DeWalt 20-Volt Max Cordless Vacuum competed nicely with the Milwaukee vac, but the yellow machine was edged out in certain areas. Notably, battery life from the 20V Max XR Lithium Ion was not as impressive as the Milwaukee M18's, but it was still good enough for a comfortable second in our testing.

The DeWalt's crevice tool also struggled against large chunks, and emptying the vac was a tad trickier. However, the DeWalt is lighter, and more of the weight is over the middle of the machine—which helped with wrist fatigue.

Our verdict? Get whichever machine you already have batteries for—the DeWalt and the Milwaukee are similar enough in price and performance. Even companies like Bosch, Makita , and Ryobi offer handheld vacuums along with the power tools in their respective proprietary rechargeable-battery lines, and most offer optional power packs that increase run time even further. These rechargeable-battery systems really work—but they only make sense if you go all-in on one brand.

If you already own a system of cordless rechargeable Li-ion hand/power tools, then that's the brand you should go with when buying a car vacuum. They generally outperform household handheld vacs but require a proprietary battery and charger, sold separately.

If there were a prize for the best packaging, the Eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 would take the cake. Getting this thing open was like unboxing a royal relic. Luckily, the sleek machine within backed up all the fuss, ranking as our best wand-style vacuum.

Immediately, the narrow opening gave the vacuum issues with big chunks, causing clogs. However, it handled the small stuff with ease. Surprisingly powerful in its high-power mode, the H30 also produces higher-than-average noise levels.

Battery life on max power lasted 10 minutes, 6 seconds; in Eco mode, it lasted just over 22 minutes. Emptying the dirt from the vacuum is a tad tricky the first time, but once you figure out how the machine comes apart, cleaning the filter is a piece of cake.

Due to its simple usability, light weight, and powerful suction, the Eufy by Anker HomeVac H30 is our choice for quickly taking care of small messes in your car.

The HomeVac H30 features a sleek design and a cool, pseudo-carbon-fiber finish. Even the box it comes in is clever.

The Shark Ultralight Pet Pro competed with the Dyson V8 for the title of dual-use champion. (They both also feature a fun, gun-like design that resembles a blaster from a sci-fi movie.) The Dyson emerged victorious for one reason—it can do everything the Shark can, without a power cord. The one bright spot? The Shark's crevice tool is far superior to the Dyson's, as shown in the picture below—the Shark left nearly nothing behind.

While it's fun to point and make pew-pew noises, the Ultralight proved to be heavy on the wrist, as all of the weight is in front of the hand. At 25 feet, the cord is plenty long, but yanking it all over the car as you work gets old quickly. While it performed well in our testing, the corded Shark seems stuck in the past when it comes to portably vacuuming your car.

If it weren't for its power cord, the Ultralight would have competed for Best Overall on our list. It is fun to play with, however, which might inspire the kids to help out when it comes time to clean the minivan.

Most of us aren't professional car cleaners or shop owners. But if you are, it might be time to upgrade to the Bissell Garage Pro . This wall-mounted wet/dry vacuum/blower isn't portable in the slightest but makes up for it with supreme power and a 32-foot-long hose.

Once the Garage Pro is mounted, the professional-grade features become available. The hose is more than long enough to wrap around a vehicle and comes with tons of attachments. The dirt tank is simple to empty, and a nice protective cover over the power button is designed to keep it clean.

It's the loudest vacuum of the bunch, but that's expected because of the fantastic suction power. It sucked up just about everything with the crevice tool, leaving behind only a few stray chunks.

The Garage Pro won't be for everyone, but it's a great investment for professional detailers, shop owners, or someone who cleans cars frequently.

If you've been thinking about a wall-mounted wet/dry vacuum/blower for your garage or shop, the Garage Pro is a solid investment.

The Shark WandVac is another lightweight wand vacuum with a sexy, sleek design that excelled with small messes but struggled against anything beyond that. The battery life is quite poor, but the noise is tolerable. The vacuum's mouth opening just isn't designed to handle Cheerios or any other modestly sized objects that may end up on your floorboard. It's great for home or office, but not so much for the car.

One note we had is that small bits of dirt and other debris sprinkled out the bottom when we powered off the vacuum. This seemed to be due to some sort of issue with the seal around the dirt-chamber-release door on the bottom. It is possible that we received a faulty unit. Again, it's usable for small touch-up messes on your dashboard or seats but not much else in a vehicle.

The WandVac couldn't pick up Cheez-Its, Cheerios, or even potting soil. It did well with the sand and pet hair, though.

Collin Morgan is a Commerce Editor at Hearst Autos, where the former Rust Belt mechanic and gadget enthusiast presents the best gear for your automotive endeavors.

Jon Langston is an avid motorcyclist and gear collector whose work has appeared in Men’s Journal, Cycle World, The Drive, Rider, Iron & Air, Motorcyclist, and more.

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USA TODAY 10Best

10 best marathons in the United States for 2024

Best Marathon (2024) April 3, 2024

The United States hosts around 1,000 marathons every year, the largest of which see tens of thousands of endurance runners crossing the finish line and conquering the grueling 26.2-mile distance.

To find the top races, USA TODAY 10Best editors and a panel of experts made their nominations, then readers voted for their favorites. Here are the 10 best marathons across the nation for 2024.

No. 10: Hatfield McCoy Marathon - Williamson, West Virginia

The longest-running marathon in the states of Kentucky and West Virginia is the popular Hatfield McCoy Marathon, which traverses both states on its journey. Named after the infamous Hatfield-McCoy feud, the challenging course takes runners through the rugged and beautiful Appalachian Mountains and includes both road and trail sections. 

No. 9: Honolulu Marathon - Honolulu, Hawaii

After New York, Chicago, and Boston, this is the fourth largest marathon in the United States. It's tropically scenic and warm, and there's no time limit, so everyone is allowed to finish, making it a great first-time marathon race. The course runs through downtown Honolulu and its famed Christmas lights, through Waikiki and up around Diamond Head, to a stunning oceanside finish in Kapiolani Park. The post-race treats are also legendary, with everyone getting fresh Hawaiian malasadas (scrumptious local versions of donuts dusted with sugar).

No. 8: Bank of America Chicago Marathon - Chicago, Illinois

One of the six World Marathon Majors, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon is typically held on the second Sunday in October. The flat, fast course takes runners past iconic Chicago landmarks on its journey through 29 neighborhoods, starting and finishing in Grant Park. This popular race attracts more than a million spectators each year.

No. 7: Shiprock Marathon - Shiprock, New Mexico

Held the first weekend of May, the Shiprock Marathon takes runners through the rugged desert landscapes of the Navajo Nation. Along the way, participants enjoy a variety of live music to motivate runners, adding to this unique and memorable running experience. 

No. 6: CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon - Indianapolis, Indiana

CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental Marathon is a good qualifying event, as the USATF-certified course is flat and fast. You'll run through the heart of Indianapolis' historic neighborhoods and enjoy Hoosier hospitality before finishing near the Indiana State House. With a November date, you'll get crisp fall weather, and the final stretch is all downhill, so this is a great marathon for first-time long-distance aspirants. 

No. 5: Coast Guard Marathon - Elizabeth City, North Carolina

If you've ever wanted a running tour of a military base, this one's for you. The Coast Guard Marathon runs through the U.S. Coast Guard Base Elizabeth City, along the Pasquotank riverfront, and even takes participants on the runway and around one of the last standing WWII airship hangars. Registration is open to both military personnel and civilians. 

No. 4: Big Sur International Marathon - Big Sur, California

Famed for its stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, rugged coastline, and picturesque scenery, the Big Sur International Marathon is a favorite among runners and nature lovers alike. In addition to breathtaking vistas, this challenging course features significant elevation changes on its route from Big Sur, north along Highway 1, to the finish line in Carmel. The USATF-certified course has been called “one of the jewels of American running.”

No. 3: Marine Corps Marathon - Arlington, Virginia

Known as "The People's Marathon," the Marine Corps Marathon honors the dedication and sacrifice of the United States Armed Forces. The race is known for its rich history and is one of the largest marathons in the world. With a course that winds through the streets of Arlington, Virginia, and Washington, D.C., the route passes many of the area's famous landmarks and monuments, including the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol.

No. 2: New York City Marathon - New York City, New York

Known for its enthusiastic crowd support, the famous New York City Marathon embodies the spirit and energy of the city where it takes place. A celebration of diversity and inclusivity, runners from all over the world come together to participate in this iconic event. The course takes runners through all five boroughs of the city, starting in Staten Island and finishing in Central Park. Along the way, runners pass by many of the city's famous landmarks, including the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, the Empire State Building, and Times Square.

No. 1: Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon - Cincinnati, Ohio

The Flying Pig Marathon is loved by runners, and for good reason. It's fun, with pig motifs used everywhere, from the "pig pen" corrals where different speed groups are segregated, to crossing the "finish swine" and attending the post-race party with pizza and beer. The course is also super attractive, albeit hilly, running through the most diverse and scenic neighborhoods of Cincinnati and surrounding townships, and alongside the Ohio River. Finishers get medals and mylar blankets to go with all the post-pig party refreshments. 

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Nominees are submitted by a panel of experts. 10Best editors narrow the field to select the final set of nominees for the Readers’ Choice Awards. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For any questions or comments, please read the FAQ or email USA TODAY 10Best .

The Experts

Amy bushatz.

Amy Bushatz is the host and producer of the  Humans...   Read More

Amy Bushatz is the host and producer of the  Humans Outside podcast. A news reporter and editor based in Palmer, Alaska, Amy spends her time ultra running and recreating in the Alaskan wilderness, volunteering in her small town and experiencing everything Alaska has to offer. Her work on outdoors, travel and fitness has appeared in the Washington Post, Runner's World and Market Watch.  Find her at Humans Outside on Instagram. 

Brittany Vermeer

Brittany (Bevis) Vermeer  is a writer,...   Read More

Brittany (Bevis) Vermeer  is a writer, photographer, and media specialist with 15+ years of experience in the world of sports journalism. She and her husband are triathletes who live in Florida, and she chronicles their multisport adventures on her blog, Triple Threat Life.  

Dave Thompson

Dave is an international travel writer and founder...   Read More

Dave is an international travel writer and founder of Dave’s Travel Corner, a premier travel resource since 1996. He is well-traveled (180 countries & territories); while on the road he enjoys the outdoors, backpacking, mountain climbing, meeting people, and experiencing other cultures.   In 2006, he conceived the  Napa Wine Project , a challenging endeavor to visit, taste with and extensively write about every winery in Napa Valley, California. He has now completed 1,100+ visits and written reviews of Napa wineries & producers.

Hilary Topper

Hilary JM Topper, MPA, is a renowned author and...   Read More

Hilary JM Topper, MPA, is a renowned author and entrepreneur. She has penned two successful books on social media marketing, “Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Social Media,” published in 2008, and "Branding in a Digital World,” first published in 2019 and updated in 2023. She also wrote a compelling memoir/self-help book, "From Couch Potato to Endurance Athlete," published by Meyer & Meyer Sports in 2022. In addition to her literary achievements, Hilary serves as the CEO of HJMT Public Relations Inc., and the president of HJMT Media Company LLC. Under her leadership, these companies produce two engaging blogs – NY Lifestyle Blog (HilaryTopper.com) and  ATriathletesDiary.com . Beyond her blogging endeavors, Hilary hosts two podcasts, "Hilary Topper on Air" and "Hilary Topper on Air: The Endurance Sports Edition." Her expertise in digital communications extends to education, where she imparts her knowledge as an adjunct professor at Hofstra University. As an influencer on social media, Hilary works with brands to promote their products on platforms like Instagram. Currently, she is working on her fourth book. 

Kayla Jeter

Kayla Jeter  is a Chicago-based athlete and...   Read More

Kayla Jeter  is a Chicago-based athlete and lululemon ambassador, community consultant, and wellness coach helping professional clients and community members design sustainable healthier lifestyles as a trained behavior change coach and certified functional strength coach. Her expertise has been featured on SHAPE, well + good, ESSENCE, and SELF. For almost a decade, Kayla has leveraged digital content as a coaching tool, community connector, and empowerment of shared human experiences on Instagram , TikTok (@fitandfullbykayla), and Pinterest reaching over 110,000 followers worldwide. Kayla is on a mission to disrupt + diversify homogenous spaces in sports and the wellness industry and in doing so, expand possibilities for BIPOC runners to see themselves not only surviving but thriving in these spaces. Through her annual virtual 100MilesofSummer challenge, she empowers over 260,000 humans of all ages and fitness levels around the world to commit to better health through movement by logging 100 miles walking, jogging, running or rolling starting May 1st to August 31st for the last six years. Kayla is a Cleveland, Ohio native who was exposed to different communities and cultures while playing volleyball at the University of Tennessee, professionally in Finland, and coaching at the University of Cincinnati. After the loss of her father to a sudden heart attack in 2016 and the slow decline of her mother to cancer in 2019, Kayla made it her mission to help others understand the necessity of everyday self-care and stress management. Kayla is a 3x World Marathon Major finisher (all in 2023) and will be running her first ultramarathon in March 2024 with lululemon; FURTHER. the lululemon FURTHER feat is a 6-day race focused on supporting + elevating women in ultramarathon running.

Kelly Roberts

Head coach and creator of the Badass Lady...   Read More

Head coach and creator of the Badass Lady Gang, Kelly Roberts’ pre-BALG fitness routine consisted mostly of struggling through the elliptical and trying to shrink her body. It wasn’t until hitting post-college life, poised with a theatre degree, student loans, and the onset of panic, that she found running. Running forced Kelly to ditch perfectionism and stomp out fear of failure. Viral selfies from the NYC half marathon struck a chord with women who could relate to the struggle, and soon the global women’s running community Badass Lady Gang was born. BALG is about enjoying life with a side of running. Kelly’s philosophy measures success by confidence gained, not pounds lost. If you aren’t having fun, it’s time to pivot. Kelly is an RRCA certified coach and has completed Dr. Stacy Sims ‘Women Are Not Small Men’ certification course helping coaches better serve their female athletes. Over the years Kelly has coached thousands of women from brand new runners to those chasing Boston marathon qualifying times, appeared on the cover of Women’s Running Magazine, and created a worldwide body image empowerment movement called the Sports Bra Squad. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Laura Norris

Laura Norris is the owner and coach...   Read More

Laura Norris is the owner and coach behind Laura Norris Running. She has a Master of Science in Applied Exercise Science, is a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a certified sports nutritionist through the International Society of Sport Nutrition, and a certified running coach through RRCA and VDOT. She practices evidence-based coaching blended with a holistic treatment of the athlete as an individual. In her 7+ years of coaching, she's coached over 400 runners, from first-time racers to podium finishers. Her personal bests include a 1:34 half marathon and 3:29 marathon. She lives in Colorado with her husband, daughter, and two dogs. 

Lily Fang is a marathoner and blogger at  Imperfect...   Read More

Lily Fang is a marathoner and blogger at  Imperfect Idealist, where she writes race reviews, GPS watch comparisons, and conscious lifestyle content. She's done 7 marathons and 9 half marathons across the US and Europe, as well as a 50k and a few triathlons. You can follow her running and travel adventures on  Strava  and  Instagram .

Marnie Kunz

Marnie Kunz is a Brooklyn-based fitness trainer,...   Read More

Marnie Kunz is a Brooklyn-based fitness trainer, running coach, and blogger and the founder of  Runstreet.com . She loves to participate in fun and unique running events around NYC. You can follow her running adventures on the  Runstreet blog  and  @Runstreet on Instagram . 

Zach Nehr is a freelance writer, professional...   Read More

Zach Nehr is a freelance writer, professional cyclist, and the owner of ZNehr Coaching . He writes about everything related to bikes and endurance sports, from product reviews and advertorials to feature articles and pro data analytics. You can find Zach’s articles in Cyclingnews, Outside, Velo, TrainingPeaks, and more. You can follow Zach on Instagram  and  LinkedIn .

10Best Editors

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original,...   Read More

USA TODAY 10Best provides users with original, unbiased and experiential travel coverage of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world.

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Back to readers' choice.

Boat Shoes Are Back—Here Are 15 Ways to Wear Them Now

The unlikely yacht club staple is taking the runways by storm.

Every item on this page was chosen by an ELLE editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

The High Fashion Trendsetter

Miu miu faded unlined suede loafers.

The School Uniform Staple

Sperry authentic original boat shoe.

Light As Air

Scarosso oprah beige nubuck.

Fuzzy Footwear

G.h. bass hampton shearling boat shoe.

Prep School Ready

Sebago portland fisher boat shoe.

High Fashion, High Reward

Bally plume moccasin.

Distressed Is The Best

Mango leather boat shoes.

The Tried-and-True Original

Lug Sole Realness

Zara shoes with laces.

The Suede Steppers

Prada suede driving shoes.

If you want to get in on the trend, here are 11 options to try, from the runway pair themselves to the classic Sperrys that inspired them. Shop them all below.

This ugly-chic pair from Miu Miu defined the trend for spring/summer 2024 and comes pre-worn, so you don’t have to break them in.

Sizes: EU 34-42

Materials: Leather, rubber

Colors: Tan, White

The classic. Nothing gets more preppy-chic than Sperry’s original.

Sizes: US 5-11

Colors: Tan

This light tan pair from Scarosso has a white sole destined to stand out against a great pair of denim.

Sizes: EU 35-42

Colors: Beige

If you want to stay cozy, go for this shearling-lined option that is functional as a slipper-shoe hybrid.

Materials: Shearling, rubber

Colors: Black, Tan

This rich cognac color harkens back to classic prep school uniforms, in the best way possible.

Colors: Brown Cognac

Bally’s high-fashion pair comes with a slight heel—and in our favorite color of the bunch.

Sizes: US 4.5-11.5

Materials: Leather

Colors: Dark Brown

Mango’s offering takes the best of the driving moccasin and boat shoes to create a more affordable take on the trend.

Sizes: US 6-9.5

The OG is an OG for a reason—which is why we have this option on here twice. Sperry has been making boat shoes for decades now, inspiring this trend to trickle back up to the runway.

Sizes: US 5-12

Colors: 11 options

Zara’s take has a lug sole that will stand higher above the rest.

Materials: Polyurethane

Colors: Brown

Prada, the older sister of Miu Miu, gives its prim take with a blue suede pair.

Sizes: EU 34.5-41.5

Colors: Navy, Pumice Stone

Jacquemus Les Sculptures Les Bateau Pavane Boat Shoes

Why constrict your search by gender? These Jacquemus platform boat shoes come in a large enough size range for the girls with larger feet to get away with.

Sizes: IT Mens 39-46

Colors: Yellow, Dark Green

Eastland Yarmouth Slip-On Loafer

This pair from Eastland has a slight lift in the heel, giving you that extra height all day long.

Sizes: US 6-11

Colors: Tan, Bomber Brown

Sperry Rosefish Boat Shoe

Sperry’s Rosefish silhouette has a patterned fabric contrasting patch to ensure you stand out on the street this spring.

Materials: Leather, wool, rubber

Colors: Linen, Tan, Bone, Grey, Sparkle Linen

Timberland Classic Leather Boat Shoe

Timberland gives its spin on boat shoes with this plain white pair, contrasted by a tan heel and shoelace.

Sizes: US 5.5-11

Colors: White, Blue, Brown

Max Mara Leather Moccasins

These lug-sole options from Max Mara are sure to provide comfort for long city walks and be the ultimate spring accessory.

Colors: Ivory, Tobacco

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We found cheap tickets to see maroon 5 with maren morris this summer.

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A Las Vegas residency and a handful of festival headlining gigs wasn’t enough for Maroon 5 this year.

From June 21 through July 3 — sandwiched in between residency and festival dates — Adam Levine and co. are striking out on a mini seven-concert tour with special guest Maren Morris .

Along the way, the “Moves Like Jagger” group are slated to stop into Holmdel, NJ’s PNC Bank Arts Center on Saturday, June 29 and Wantagh, NY’s Jones Beach Theater on Wednesday, July 3.

As of Friday, April 12, tickets are available for all recently announced East Coast shows.

Some are quite affordable, too.

At the time of publication, we found seats going for as low as $51 before fees on Vivid Seats.

Other East Coast concerts start anywhere from $52 to $98 before fees.

Want to catch Maroon 5 in Las Vegas, the East Coast or at a festival this year?

We’ve got everything you need to know and more about Maroon 5 live shows in 2024 below.

All prices listed above are subject to fluctuation.

Maroon 5 ticket prices 2024

A complete calendar of all Maroon 5 residency, tour and festival dates along with venues and lowest ticket prices can be found here:

(Note: The New York Post confirmed all above prices at the publication time. All prices are in US dollars, subject to fluctuation and include additional fees at checkout .)

Vivid Seats is a verified secondary market ticketing platform, and prices may be higher or lower than face value, depending on demand. 

They offer a 100% buyer guarantee that states your transaction will be safe and secure and your tickets will be delivered prior to the event.

Maroon 5 festival appearances 2024

As noted earlier, Maroon 5 is lending their talents to a number of high-profile multi-day musical extravaganzas.

Here’s everything you need to know about each festival on their 2024 itinerary:

Maroon 5 Las Vegas residency

On and off from May through October, Maroon 5 will bring their ‘M5LV The Residency’ to Las Vegas’ Dolby Live at Park MGM.

“I’m really looking forward to doing it again and honestly could never have told you that before we started,” Levine, 44, told  People . “I went into it with an open mind and a good attitude, but I was actually shocked at how much I enjoyed it.”

Maren Morris solo tour 2024

In addition to the brief jaunt with Maroon 5, Maren Morris is striking out on a tour of her own as well this year.

The popular country star has gigs lined up all over North America from May through July.

Want to see if she’s headed to a venue near you?

You can find Maren Morris’ summer 2024 tour schedule here .

Maroon 5 set list

Although we can’t guarantee what the band will play this year, our team found what Maroon 5 performed at their final 2023 show at Park MGM’s Dolby Live.

Here are the 21 cuts they took to the stage that night, courtesy of  Set List FM .

01.) “Animals” 02.) “One More Night” 03.) “This Love” 04.) “Stereo Hearts” (Gym Class Heroes cover) 05.) “Harder to Breathe” 06.) “Lucky Strike” 07.) “Sunday Morning” 08.) “Payphone” 09.) “What Lovers Do” 10.) “Makes Me Wonder” 11.) “I Wanna Be Your Lover” (Prince cover) 12.) “Heavy” (PJ Morton song) 13.) “Maps” 14.) “Memories” 15.) “Don’t Wanna Know” 16.) “Love Somebody” 17.) “Moves Like Jagger” 18.) “Stayin’ Alive” (Bee Gees cover)

19.) “She Will Be Loved” 20.) “Girls Like You” 21.) “Sugar”

Maroon 5 new music

In 2023, Maroon 5 dropped just one single.

“Middle Ground,” an earnest ballad, can be heard  here .

As for their next album, Levine said it’s on the way.

“We’re always working on music, but there’s some stuff we’re working on now that we’re absolutely in love with,” he shared with People. “At this point, we don’t want to release anything until we’re happy.”

How to get to Las Vegas to see Maroon 5

In the event you’re now planning a Vegas trip around catching Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, James Valentine, Matt Flynn, PJ Morton and Sam Farrar live at the Dolby Theater next year, we recommend securing your flights and hotel plans via  Expedia .

If you want to snoop around the web and check out other room and board alternatives,  Hotels.com  might be the way to see what else the market has to offer.

Huge stars on tour in 2024

Maroon 5 not headed to a venue near you in the near future?

We recommend checking out these five acts similar to Maroon 5 that are on the road this year.

•  Justin Timberlake

•  AJR

• Jason Mraz

•  Ben Folds

•  Niall Horan

Who else is on tour? Check out our list of the 50 biggest concert tours in 2024 to find out.

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Matt Levy, New York Post live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements for your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed Bruce Springsteen and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change.

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