precision sailboat review

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I need some feedback on the Precision 18

• Thread starter RussC
• Start date Jun 11, 2017
• Forums for All Owners
• Trailer Sailors

Russ,my first boat was an 18,but I don't t have enough experience ( or usable memory) to answer your question. If you go to the trailor sailers site linked from this forum ( trailor sailers bulletin board?) You will find a very active and helpful Precision forum there,those guys can help.  

The P-18 is a somewhat tender boat. Keep in mind that the ballast is in a stub keel, with a centerboard that slots up into the keel. We had a friend with a Com-Pac 23, a much heavier boat. When he'd step on the P-18 at the dock, he would always be taken for a ride, because he was used to stepping on the CP23 and it wouldn't move. I think the P-18 is slightly more tender than my O'day 192, and I have a bit more ballast, and the boat is a bit bigger than the P-18. I like to occasionally "wash the toe rails," but if I'm doing that more than once or twice every 5 minutes or so, that's my hint that it's too puffy, and I should tuck in my reef. Overall, the P-18 is a great little boat, but it really is not much more than a ballasted dinghy. Was out in a friend's J/70 in a bit of puffy wind. With it's 600 pound lifting keel, it heels, but then it takes off! That thing is so fast!  

Do you let your wife helm the Victoria 18? I've heard many stories of people who are afraid of heeling, that once you give them the tiller and teach them to head up with too much pressure, they realize they are in control, and often start to push the heeling, knowing they can round up. Might get her less skittish, and trust the boat better....  

Brian S said: The P-18 is a somewhat tender boat. Keep in mind that the ballast is in a stub keel, with a centerboard that slots up into the keel. We had a friend with a Com-Pac 23, a much heavier boat. When he'd step on the P-18 at the dock, he would always be taken for a ride, because he was used to stepping on the CP23 and it wouldn't move. I think the P-18 is slightly more tender than my O'day 192, and I have a bit more ballast, and the boat is a bit bigger than the P-18. I like to occasionally "wash the toe rails," but if I'm doing that more than once or twice every 5 minutes or so, that's my hint that it's too puffy, and I should tuck in my reef. Overall, the P-18 is a great little boat, but it really is not much more than a ballasted dinghy. Was out in a friend's J/70 in a bit of puffy wind. With it's 600 pound lifting keel, it heels, but then it takes off! That thing is so fast! Click to expand

Crazy Dave Condon

RussC Hope your wife is feeling better. Suggest that you learn more with the use of sails not heeling ove 12 to 14 degrees even in a Victoria 18 I once owned. Crazy Dave  

Crazy Dave Condon said: RussC Suggest that you learn more with the use of sails not heeling ove 12 to 14 degrees even in a Victoria 18 I once owned. Crazy Dave Click to expand

Russ, sorry your wife has those kinds of difficulties. I remember how much I used to love bouncing along in our Boston Whaler 13 with 20hp motor, but my Grandmother couldn't stand it! I think the bumps and rolls and pitches of small boats are just what we have to deal with. When we get into bigger boats, the extra mass damp out the sharper movements. One thing I have heard about Precisions in general is that they have a flat-ish bottom, which tends to pound beating to windward in chop. It would be best for you to hitch a ride in one if you can, to see if it's acceptable.  

RussC Like I said I owned a Precision 18 and was merely suggesting less heel. Had to do that with my wife when we owned it. It was a trade in I took for a new Precision 23. I use to be a Precsion dealer stocking the entire line. Next time I will pass by your messages and that is all.  

Hey, Crazy Dave! Do you agree with the assessment that the Precisions tend towards flat bottoms and can pound in chop? Or am I mis-remembering that?  

sailorforever

Dave, research a montgomery 17 one listed here, Montgomery 17, 2006, HEMET, California, sailboat for sale from Sailing Texas, yacht for sale  

Crazy Dave Condon said: RussC Like I said I owned a Precision 18 and was merely suggesting less heel. Had to do that with my wife when we owned it. It was a trade in I took for a new Precision 23. I use to be a Precsion dealer stocking the entire line. Next time I will pass by your messages and that is all. Click to expand

Being a major sailboat dealer I owned quite a few boats and at Smith Mt. Lake, I took a trade of a Vic toria which we sailed and then later in North Carolina as a dealer, I took a Precision 18 in trade and we sailed that too. Currently I own a canoe and two kayaks at age 66. A friend of mine, Mavilio ( now deceased) taught me a lot how to sail and his theory thru sail control and less heel has proved his theory to be true with small boats on heeling and he raced competively in the Med. I am also very much aware of smaller boats being tender. Also, my degree is in history but I do know boats and was very much involved with designs and innovations only if you knew. I had customers who felt uneasy with excessive heel and that included both sexes. As for those with disabilities, I sold boats that were for lack of words fixed so they could comfortably sail a sailboat and many sought me out. As for cancer, we have lost good friends who fought the fight and others who survived. My wife who is a microbiologist has worked at several hospitals, managed the microbiology labs in North America for one of the top leading pharmaceutical companies in the world and most notably Duke Cancer Research. I have also worked with veterans handling their affairs who too underwent chemo. As for your wife, I pray she is comfortable and chemo will work for her. I know this is a difficult time for you and if there is anything I can do, I wish I could help you. There are many things that you folks do not know about my family or me but you would surprised. However, that is personal and that included folks from all walks of life. Those experiences will go to the grave with me. However, one I am proud is my father is credited by the Army for the advocation, use and maintenance of helicopters to the U. S. Army Aviation and as a child, Gen. Marshal bounced me on his knee as a child. God was good to me in my dealership serving many and merely giving back to the community to include you. I merely made a suggestion and if you disagree with that suggestion, so be it but we can agree to disagree in a gentleman like manner. Dave Condon  

Hey, what about a Com-Pac SunCat? I had a friend with one once, never got a chance to sail it with him. It was a nice little daysailer, pretty beamy, so it might have a lot of form stability. Not sure if it's ballasted or not, does have a centerboard. My friend felt that it was somewhat under-canvassed, which again implies a bit more stability. It has a big, open cockpit, and a cabin big enough that he and his wife would sleep on board from time to time. I knew a guy on a forum once who made a poly tarp jib for his, which helped with the under-canvassed aspects. With a boom gallows, gaff rig, and hinged tabernacle, people rave about how easy it is to rig for dry sailing.  

Represented them too. Good boats  

If you are still interested in a Precision 18 you might want to post your question over on the sister forum for Precision. It has an active membership. Link to it below. http://forum.trailersailor.com/forum.php?id=11#1214132  

Thanks Tom, but I've decided against the P-18 due to what I consider insufficient fixed ballast. looks like a great little boat otherwise, and was hard for me to pass by, but...........  

I am resurrecting this conversation for those interested in a future Precision 18 purchase. I have a P18 that I’ve been out with 14x now in winds from 3-24Kts for 2-3 hours a sail and this boat compared to my previous Com-Pac 16 and Potter 19 is my favorite so far! The only major mod I did right off the bat before sailing was add 50# of lead shot (6 Snapple bottles worth under the cabin flooring) now after sailing a bit it might not be necessary but I’ll leave it. I have a New Rolly-Tasker 110% CDI RF Jib and a NEW Rolly-Tasker double reefed main. If you are sailing with old bagged out sails any boat will be harder to control! Even in a whisper of air she’ll scoot along. At @12kts I put first reef in at @18Kts second reef and roll jib up 50% she’ll make windward no problem unlike the previous mentioned also fine boats which have loads of stability at the expense of performance. Yes, when sitting at the dock and initially stepping on she will move a bit but sailing (with my added lead shot ballast weight and properly trimmed sails) at 10-12* heel she firms up solid and is on rails stable. I’ve only been in 2-3’ waves but have not noticed any problems pounding up to close reach. I’ve sailed with 4 adults in Cockpit beam reaching on main alone @15Kts and was impressed with room/stability. IMO a fantastic boat to learn HOW to sail with forgiveness to the beginner. * Do yourself a favor and Seal up Starboard side cockpit locker/cockpit drains. Easily done to fix the P18 Achilles heel  

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Precision 23 Reviewed

  By Thom Burns

A s you approach the Precision 23 at the dock, you notice that the white hull is neatly trimmed in teak and accentuated by light gray non-skid. This boat has nice lines which welcome you aboard. In new cruising boats, I immediately look for cockpit size and comfort, visibility, and a light, open airy feel in the cabin. The Precision 23 will not disappoint, nor will the friendly folks at Dream Sails located at Bertha Boatworks on the Whitefish Chain just north of Brainerd, Minnesota.

Dream Sails is owned by Craig and Ruth Witrock, two nurses from St. Cloud, Minnesota. Dream Sails rents some boats as well as sell new Precisions and some used sailboats. Craig started in the sailboat business

back in the early 1970's on Lake Pepin where he did boat demos for the Chrysler sailboat dealership in Winona, Minnesota owned by Bill Gernes.

Craig and Ruth Witrock were proud to show off the new Precision 23 as well as their personal boat, a five year old model.

The Precision 23 is a large, cruising trailer-sailer. At 2,450 lbs it is not light, but it has a low trailering profile and can be handled by most sport utility vehicles and many mini-vans. The 23 was designed by Jim Taylor who has designed the entire Precision line. The builder, Precision Boatworks of Palmetto, Florida requested from Taylor and has built a relatively large trailerable sailboat in the older school tradition of shallow lead-ballasted keel with a centerboard for performance.

Taylor claims to have designed a “maxi-trailerable” boat. With the 23’ 5” length and 8’ 6” beam, he may be right at least in term of practicality. The boat, trailer and 500 lbs of gear will put the trailer weight at about 4,000 lbs.

The boat has a fine entry, substantial flare in the topsides forward and wide quarters that taper to a relatively small transom. This combination gives a smooth ride when heeled underway.

The high lift NACA foil sections of the centerboard and rudder are one of the more efficient foils in a boat this size. The alternatives which offer a low profile are a heavy bulb on a retractable keel which saddles the design with a large centerboard trunk, water-ballast with centerboard or a variety of winged keels. I’ve never seen a winged keel perform well on a boat in this size range.

Construction

The hull is hand laminated with ISO/NPG gelcoat finish and a vinylaster resin skin coat. The hull to deck joint is bonded and through bolted. The deck is a sandwich around closed cell PVC foam with plywood inserts under the mast and any other place where through-bolts are used. It has molded in non-skid. There is also some poured-in-place foam stiffeners added in the seat back coamings.

Performance and Handling

The Precision 23 carries a PHRF rating between 225 and 231. This is about the same as the bigger swing-keel Catalina 25. It is lower than the O’Day 25 and 26. The sail area is close to a high performance J-22. When I sailed the boat the winds were light, three to seven knots, with some windless holes. We rigged the boat with Craig's cruising gennaker for added power. The boat sailed quite well on all points of sail.

Craig said he reefs at about 15 knots when cruising.

Later, I met a sailor who trailers his Precision 23 to Florida and sails to the Bahamas regularly. He told me that he went through 10 - 15 foot seas with 25 knot winds and gusts to 40. He said the boat held up well although he was beat up a little. The passage obviously got his attention since he sat in his inflated liferaft in the cockpit until he finished the trip. Precision doesn’t recommend offshore passages with this boat.

The hardware is Harken. The deck is clean with the chainplates placed well inboard, a vital ingredient for upwind performance. The single lifelines open at the 7’ 3” cockpit. The cockpit is roomy with seats built into the stern pulpit. These seats are standard, but they are such a great addition if I had an older model Precision 23 I’d retrofit them. The weakest link from a performance point of view is the lack of a travelor. You might add one initially rather than retrofitting later. The large cockpit has comfortable seats. There is an anchor locker forward, a separate ventilated gas can locker aft as well as a deep and a shallow lazarette for cockpit storage. Seated cockpit visibility is excellent.

The Precision 23’s is well designed below. The interior is open and airy. It has high quality Lewmar opening ports and hatches. There is no compression post breaking up the interior under the mast. The compression post is replaced by a reinforced beam. The forward bulkheads do not compartmentalize the interior. There is a standard porta potti forward port and a galley starboard aft.

The galley has a stainless steel sink with manual water pump, an ice chest with teak step and a two burner alcohol stove.

The cushions and backrest cushions on the shelves seemed to hold up pretty well. I visited Craig and Ruth’s Precision 23 which is five years old. They stay on the boat alot and the cushions look good.

The simple franctional rig features one set of spreaders and chainplates placed well inboard. This allows for better upwind performance and smaller sails to handle forward. The tall aspect main provides most of the power. The main sail has one set of reef points with jiffy reefing. The backstay is split with a short bridle. This rig provides for easy, simple handling while delivering the power for good performance.

The Precision 23 is a mainstream trailerable with plenty of room for camping out for the weekend. The lead ballasted keel and centerboard for performance is a proven design. It is well built and designed with many modern improvements such as the stern perch seats, ergonomic cockpit cowlings and Lewmar opening ports. If you can pull 4,000 lbs around, it’ll give you many trailering options. If you leave it in your marina, it’ll provide a fine small sailing yacht with adequate weekend accomodations. I would add a bigger genoa or a gennaker and a travelor.

The bottom line ... good value in a new boat.

Thom Burns publishes Northern Breezes.

For more info: Bertha Boatworks, 800-450-4500, 218-543-4100 Hoopers Yachts, 612-436-8795, 800-377-8795 Precision Boat Works, 813-722-6601 Sailboat House, 608-849-9200 Sail Iowa, 800-7281301, 515-842-2301.

All contents are copyright (c) 1997 by Northern Breezes, Inc. All information contained within is deemed reliable but carries no guarantees. Reproduction of any part or whole of this publication in any form by mechanical or electronic means, including information retrieval is prohibited except by consent of the publisher.

Precision: Small, Fast, and Fun

Small, fast, and fun.

Cruisers | Daysailors | Crossover | Frequently Asked Questions

We have designed our share of large yachts, but our enthusiasm for small boats remains undiminished. Small-boat sailors derive every bit as much satisfaction from their modest craft as jet-setters do from their big ones, and we approach our smaller designs as no less significant, only less big. We take great pride in applying the same standards to all our work.

We are also proud of our long term association with Precision Boatworks, www.precisionboatworks.com which began in 1984 with the Precision 18 and continued until they ceased new boat production 35 years later. Precision shared our commitment to, and pride in, doing small boats well. Their tooling was exquisite, and it produced attractive, stylish, high quality molded parts throughout their model line, from the Precision 15 to the Precision 23. They built to an equally high standard, with materials that are chosen and used carefully, and with quality rigging and hardware that is appropriate for the intended use. Their boats were carefully built to their designed weights, and they are rugged, reliable, and long lasting. Stylish looks, lively performance, and fun sailing are all top priorities for both designer and builder on all Precision sailboats.

The essential ‘Precision DNA’ that is central to the performance, style, modest draft and easy trailering of each Precision model is common to them all, but there are differences that give them their individual appeal.

The Precision cruisers all feature a keel/centerboard underbody that combines modest draft when with the board is up, with excellent windward performance when the board is down. The ballast is secured deep in the fixed keel cavity to maximize stability. The board itself is only heavy enough to drop on its own, so that it can be raised and lowered with one hand, and so that stability is not reduced significantly when it is up.

Precision 18

The Precision 18 was designed to be the smallest boat that could be practically cruised, and still be easily trailered by a relatively small car. She has a remarkably loyal following, and is still in active production after nearly 30 years.

Precision 21

Not too big, not too small, and for some, just right. Designed to fit right between the Precision 18 and Precision 23, the Precision 21 was intended to appeal to sailors requiring neither the minimum cost of a mini-, nor the extra space of a maxi-trailerable. I recently encountered a Marblehead family of four going out for an evening sail, and they could hardly have been happier or more complementary about their boat. They said that their Precision 21 suits them perfectly.

Precision 23

Targeted to be the biggest cruiser that could be practically trailored behind a family car, the Precision 23 is an enduring benchmark for her size and type. She has successfully completed some surprisingly long passages, and has earned an impressive number of rewarding wins in club level racing.

Precision 27-28

The P-27 became the P-28 with the addition of a swim step in an extended transom.  These were only boats in the Precision line that featured an inboard diesel auxiliary and optional wheel steering.  This step up in specification proved to be a challenge for their dealer network at the time, so not a lot were produced, but the boats are comfortable and sailed well, and are quite popular with their owners.

The Precisions daysailors have especially large cockpits, and no cuddy cabins. They are both built in two versions, one as a crew ballasted pure centerboarder for ready trailering, and another that is a bit heavier with a fixed lead keel for added stability.

Precision 15 and Precision 15K

The Precision 15 was intended as an entry level family boat, with pricing and practicality to suit. Precision 15’s are easy to rig, easy to handle, and rewarding to sail. They achieve a nice balance between rewarding performance and reliable seakeeping, which they combine with ample stability. In addition to facilitating family fun, Precision 15’s are in wide use as trainers in community sailing programs.

Precision 185 and Precision 185K

The Precision 185 expands on the broad appeal of her smaller sister by adding an extra dose of acceleration and speed to her performance profile. She was recognized by Sailing World magazine as a Boat of the Year for her “combination of good sailing characteristics, substantial construction, and reasonable cost.” Her swim platform at the transom contributes to the fun by getting swimmers back aboard more easily and allowing youngsters to trail their toes in water. This ‘back porch’ can also contribute to safety by facilitating boarding from a dinghy, and recovering from an accidental ‘man overboard’ incident more easily and quickly. For some sailors, the Precision 185K keel version may be better suited for deeper, less sheltered waters.

Transit 380

The T_380 design ( www.transit380.com ) is intended to suit young sailors who are making the transition from the single-handed Optimist pram to high performance double-handed dinghies. Most kids ‘size out’ of the Opti at about 115 pounds, and between the ages of 11 to 14. After years of sailing alone in prams, many are also looking forward to sailing together with friends. Many do not yet have the sailing skills and experience required to handle a Club 420, however, and expecting them to do so is a bit like handing a new driver the keys to a Porsche. For decades, the Blue Jay and Widgeon (among others) have filled this gap, but time and technology have long since passed these boats by. The Transit_380 brings modern materials and carefully ‘kid centered’ design detailing to a contemporary version of this transitional mid boat.

Precision 165

Precision 165 combines the low trailer weight and reasonable cost of a daysailor with the ‘get out of the weather’ cuddy cabin and on-board toilet facilities of a small cruiser. She is offered with a fixed lead keel only, and performs very nicely with just a 21 inch deep draft. The term ‘crossover’ may be overused these days, but it does describe the appeal of the Precision 165 especially well.

The C-26 ( www.colgate26.com ) was built under contract by Precision Boatworks , and marketed by Steve Colgate. The boat was originally designed as a trainer for Steve’s well known Offshore Sailing School, and is very much a collaboration between Steve and Doris (basic concept and specifications), Jim Taylor (design detailing), and Precision (tooling and construction). The C-26 was so well received that she was soon marketed directly to the public, and she was recognized by Sailing World magazine as a Boat of the Year . SW judge Bill Lee wrote, “Not only did I find the Colgate 26 to be a good trainer but also I found myself applauding her for being an excellent sailboat in her own right. (She) appears (ruggedly built) relative to most modern sport boats and I found … excellent glasswork and construction quality with good attention to detail…She represents tremendous value on today’s market.” The C-26 was chosen by the US Coast Guard, US Navy, and Maine Maritime Academies for both instruction and intercollegiate competition, and she is in active production (now by Waterline Systems) with nearly 400 boats built to date.

FAQ’s ABOUT SIMILAR TAYLOR DESIGNS

Before our association with Precision Boatworks, we designed several other small cruisers that were produced by various builders, none of which currently provide support or parts to current owners. We are often asked about them, and offer the following background:

Spectrum 22

Chronologically the first of these small trailerable designs, she was commissioned by Spectrum Yacht Corp, which had a modestly successful production run. (See Spindrift 22, below)

Starwind 19

Wellcraft commissioned the Starwind 19 in the early ’80’s, and did a nice job building a lot of them (400?) before they realized that they could make much more money per square foot of factory space building powerboats. They built good quality boats to our Starwind 19 and Starwind 27 designs, before they went back to all power. The Starwind 223 was not our design.

Spindrift/Starwind

Rebel Industries bought the molds for the Starwind 19 and Spectrum 22, and built a handful of boats, not always wisely or well. They marketed the Starwind 19 variously as the Starwind 19, Starwind 190, and Spindrift 19, but left the boat essentially unchanged from the orginal Wellcraft version. They retooled the Spectrum 22 without our permission or input, as the Spindrift 22.

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Precision 185, Well-Done Daysailing Performer

• By Alan Andrews
• Updated: November 6, 2002

The Precision 185 was voted Best Value for its combination of good sailing characteristics, substantial construction, and reasonable cost. First and foremost this boat performs well; yet it shouldn’t intimidate even entry-level sailors. The Precision 185 also appears well built, and at $7,495 is a tremendous value for an 18-foot daysailer.

We test sailed the Precision in the Severn River off the Naval Academy following the U.S. Sailboat Show in light air, averaging about 6 knots with puffs to around 10 and lulls down around 4. With two aboard, the boat went well both upwind and down. Tacking angles were better than average for an introductory-level daysailer, much closer-winded than many shoal-draft cruiser/racers, but as expected, seemed just a shade wider than the highest performance dinghies. We could roll tack the Precision, but still the boat was stable enough that we never felt on edge as many narrower waterline dinghies feel. In the puffy conditions this Jim Taylor design accelerated quickly and responded well to moving crewweight from leeward side to weather and back again. In each position–to leeward, crouched over the board trunk, on the weather seats, or hiking–there was a comfortable place to sit and the path across presented fewer obstacles than many dinghies. As racers, the judges had the instinct to sit on the wide rail and hike out in the gusts. This would have been difficult in breezier conditions without hiking straps but that could easily be rectified.

Downwind it was easy to go wing and wing, heeled to weather with the helmsman holding the jib out. This boat is so stable that the crew was also to weather instead of the usual centerline position on the board trunk, even with the centerboard mostly raised. For daysailing or one-design racing, downwind speed was fine but a spinnaker or gennaker would have certainly improved performance. As judge Meade Gougeon noted, “I envision this hull having great surfing potential that could get unlocked with the right spinnaker package.”

We simulated a dinghy race starting line, stopping with sails luffing and then sheeting in just above the leeward pin. The Precision 185 held position well and then accelerated smoothly off the line when we sheeted in. In addition to performance sailing, the Precision 185 is targeted towards daysailing whether singlehanding or with four or more aboard. Its ballasted board and the fact you can roller furl the jib and sail on main alone expand the range for comfortable singlehanding. Testing the other end of the spectrum, the whole judging panel came aboard, including BOTY Director Peter d’Anjou, for a total of four skeptical speed merchants. All of us were pleasantly surprised that the Precision still moved well, had plenty of seating and, ever mindful of speed, didn’t excessively drag its transom.

Precision and Jim Taylor have been in the trailerable boat market for almost 20 years and their experience shows in the 185. It’s clear this boat was designed to sail in shallow waters with the kick-up rudder and centerboard. The board relies on steel ballast to hold it down, but will automatically pivot up in an accidental grounding. The kick-up rudder has a line that holds it down, led to a pressure release Clamcleat on the underside of the tiller. This arrangement is also well-suited to ramp launching or finding a nice beach for lunch between races.

Also notable on this Precision are a spray rail protecting the cockpit, a 36-quart cooler located between the mast and centerboard trunk, and a swim step separated from the cockpit by enough of a coaming that moderate chop won’t come aboard. There’s also a storage locker under the foredeck.

Hardware is simple and primarily by Harken, with 2-to-1 purchase jib sheets to swiveling jam cleats on athwartships, adjustable jib tracks, jib furling, 4-to-1 mainsheet with ratchet block and jam cleat, 4-to-1 boom vang and 3-to-1 tackle to raise the ballasted centerboard. All control lines were easy to reach and easily adjusted, and our only suggestion was to move the furling-line jam cleat farther forward so it would be difficult to sit on when hiking out. The mast bend and mainsail were well matched so that the sail flattened when sheeted on in the puffs and powered up when the sheet was eased in the lulls. Jib luff tension is set when raising the deck-stepped mast and is controlled by the aft-swept shrouds and Ronstan shroud adjusters with the forestay removed and then pulling the rig forward and pinning the forestay furling drum in place. On-the-water adjustment systems are great, but the increased cost would tend away from the Best Value exhibited in the Precision.

While some builders are producing dinghies with roto-molded or thermoformed plastic, Precision Boatworks builds their line, including the 185, in what has become the tradition of hand-laminated fiberglass. Outside skins are vinylester for blister resistance and improved moisture barrier. E-glass reinforcements in polyester resin make up the balance of the laminate with Klegecell closed-cell PVC foam coring in deck panels and where hull stiffening is required. The resulting hull and deck laminates were appropriately stiff with no noticeable oil canning when slamming into powerboat wakes and a firm feel to the deck and cockpit. The 185 is built from two moldings, hull and deck, that are joined with an overlap joint, but with the added detail of a plastic rub rail that will surely diminish the dock-ding damage that has caused leaks in so many similarly joined boats. Inspection ports provide access to rudder gudgeons and the forward storage area under the mast. Here the deck-stepped mast is supported by a substantial under-deck fiberglass box-beam that allows the locker cutout to be located immediately below.

This combination of substantial construction, moderate price, and good sailing performance earn the Precision 185 the Best Value title for the year. Additions of spinnaker and hiking straps won’t break the budget, but will add further to the value for performance-minded sailors.

www.precisionboatworks.com

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» » Link to the P-15 Parts List page » » Link to the P-15 Photo Gallery » » Link to the P-15 Manual page » » Link to the P-15 Technical Specs.

Standard Equipment

• Hand laminated fiberglass construction
• Vinylester resin hull skin coat
• Foam flotation
• 9 ft. 4 in self bailing cockpit
• Large forepeak locker w/watertight door
• Lead ballasted keel (15K)
• Ballasted fiberglass NACA foil centerboard (15 CB)
• Covered centerboard trunk
• 4 mooring cleats
• Kick-up rudder
• Tiller extender
• Harken ball bearing blocks
• Jib track with cars and harken cam cleats
• Harken boom vang
• Anodized mast and boom
• Hinged mast step
• Stainless steel standing rigging
• Dacron running rigging
• Stainless steel bow eye
• Main sail and jib

Notice: All pricing subject to change without notice, FOB Palmetto, Florida. Prices do not include transportation to the dealer, state & local taxes, dealer preparation (commissioning) bottom paint, ground tackle or safety gear. Please consult with your authorized Precision dealer to select and budget for these additional items.

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Precision Sails or North Direct.....

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Hi all ive read rather old threads on this subject but saw little on either sailmaker recently. If you have direct experience with either loft pro or con would appreciate info...no other lofts please just Precision or North Direct. TIA Chris  

If North Direct options work for you then they are fine. Not the best sail for your boat, but pretty good at a very reasonable price. The question is how close to what your ideal sail are their offerings? And how much does every little bit of performance matter to you? Generally the sails are middle of the road quality, everything's is right but they tend to lack the polish you get from a custom sail... Like telltale windows positioned where you want them, curl marks on the spinnaker, ect. I have and would buy North Direct for cruising sails, not for a racing boat.  

I bought a sail from Precision this winter and I would not again. While we were in the hard sell phase they said it would ship in three week, maybe four. It took ten weeks and at that they shipped it to my home address and not the 'ship to' address on the order (the other side of the country). As far as the attention you are getting now, all that will stop abruptly once they have your order, at least it did will me. No confirmation of information received, no response on traces I sent and because I'm still at the boat and the sail it still at home I don't know what the quality is like. If I sound like I'm still streamed, I am.  

I have no experience with precision. But with North Direct you can also deal with any of their lofts world wide for support.  

Just wanted to bump this thread up. I was thinking about going with Precision for a new mainsail and was wondering if anyone had any experience with them...good or bad.  

Just a quick follow-up. I went with North Direct and had good service including special attention because of a modified boom. Pictures were exchanged issues discussed and then order confirmed. Despite my delay of the order deep into season North had my sails to me quickly and they fit great.... Would I use them again ? Definitely good value for the money....and I also know why I might go local for specific things.  

It seems many have had bad experience with precision sails I just got my new main from them a few months ago ... i live near their loft and they did follow up with me to see if i was happy with the sail i was and appreciated their attention to wanting to follow up they also did service on my genoa for me and again good work  

Well its good to hear your experience. It would help if a few more folk shared their experiences so the next folks have something g to go on.  

I have bought sails from precision and I have met their owner in petson.i can say with confidence that they are the best at customer service and support. If you are confident in your ability to measure precision is a great way to go. Much better than my Rolly Taskar sail (which wasn't bad). No experience with North. Medsailor  

I ordered a main sail from them last year and am quite happy with how things turned out. The sail is well made and was delivered within the time frame we had discussed.  

I just ordered my Precision sails on Thursday. Said they would be don in 5 weeks from the time they got the info. Hope for the best. Will follow up.  

I too have ordered sails from Precision Sails and had a good experience. My sails were for a Nimble Arctic, which is not a common boat. The measurement process is comprehensive, as it should be, since these are essentially custom sails. The customer support and design support was excellent. My sails shipped on time and no complaints on the quality. Follow-up requests were made to ask if I am happy with the sails, but as I had them delivered in January and put them up this month on a the boat following it's restoration this Spring/Summer I did not respond yet. I will provide positive feedback to Precision based on my experience. If you're willing to do the measurements and discuss the details rather than relying on someone to do it for you or make sails from "standard" measurements on file, I would expect good results from Precision Sails and a good value.  

HUMM, two first time posters post in a row pitching for a company that has had at least some customer service issues in the past??? Color me suspicious. Of course both said they ordered, not received. At least it is not Peak sails.  

maitapaul, Hmmmmmm.... someone who doesn't know me making statements about my credibility...... Yes, first time poster, but sailing for 50 years. Not internet sailing, but the kind which involves wind and water. Also, as stated, I received my sails and have them on the boat this month. I like them, and the service I received from Precision Sails. I'll stand by my opinion and experience with Precision Sails, regardless of opinions from those who obviously have no direct experience with them. Complaints about anything can be found on the internet. This site is no an exception.  

unclecurt said: maitapaul, Hmmmmmm.... someone who doesn't know me making statements about my credibility...... Yes, first time poster, but sailing for 50 years. Not internet sailing, but the kind which involves wind and water. Also, as stated, I received my sails and have them on the boat this month. I like them, and the service I received from Precision Sails. I'll stand by my opinion and experience with Precision Sails, regardless of opinions from those who obviously have no direct experience with them. Complaints about anything can be found on the internet. This site is no an exception. Click to expand...

do you have pics of your sail? I just went through this speaking with the main sales guy at precision, wnated a new cruising dacron for my merit 25...price was ok, not awesome...I will withhold my comments untill I see pics however...and sail shape on boats, if possible for those who have used them tell us the measurements YOU made and how did you pay, I found their payment program laughable...what is the purpose of paying all 4 installments with nothing to see untill you do the last payment? then wait 4 weeks for delivery!!!!! just asking... christian  

very nice info...I agree on all your points...having said that I had an issue with the sales guy...he had no clue about the gear and sail dimensions and info HE needed...he called me 4 times...he was a NICE guy...I just balked when he couldnt describe what he wanted from me for the sail dimensions...Im not criticizing as he is not the designer and or computer doing the cuts however I was shocked that he couldnt sell me the sail correctly Ill ignore the payment plan issue...that just might be to cover their backs I had a really awesome quote and chat from rolly tasker which I do have experience with...they did a full batten main on my islander 36 for the previous owner and it is really well made...their prices are par on par with these budget lofts(preciosion, peak, lee, etc) for those interested my quotes were as follows: quantumm(very knowledgeable guy and racer) dacron cruising 135 genoa $1790 rolly tasker $1350 precision was almost the same(quote for merit 25 sail was around $700) lee didnt get a quote back...had to call pinneaple sails(sails back home in california) have risen in price too much for my liking I still have precision in the running...its just that I dont have the need for a genoa anymore...I bought and old racing sail from a fellow merit 25 sailor anyways thanks so much for the detailed response christian  

Hi christian You're quite welcome. My experience was the opposite. Maybe they hired someone who's on a learning curve, but regardless of that the contact SHOULD know what their talking about. When I spoke with them, good support. It'll be interesting to hear how it goes for you.  

paul how are the miatas? sorry hijack over thanks to all for the thread  

currently driving a VW.  

This post has been deleted

Looks like a very clear case of copyright violation. Very unethical (and of course illegal). I would be extremely careful dealing with this company. Strike that: I would NOT deal with this company.  

yikes guys...thats outright stealing...I will not do business with precision...I will go with my gut instinct...in fact I have them on my spam list as they keep sending me stupid emails now about rebates and whatnot this does not mean Im buying from hyde or others it means I will not do business with theives(intellectuall or other) cheers  

Judy, Thank you for your honesty, and exposing precision's nonfactual marketing/advertisements. At least for me integrity goes a long way when a dealing with companies, great work and thanks for sharing what you find. Thomas  

Accidental post - cant delete  

judy I liked your pricing on both the merit 25 genoa and islander 36 genoa...your prices are COMPETITIVE when comparing to my other favourite place sailwarehouse and national sails(rolly tasker) someday Ill buy a new sail, someday...jajaja no need right this moment though Im sorry if this thread got a bit off track having said that I feel the truth is always more important in the end and it helps new buyers take INFORMED decisions for the future...as is my case. christian  

take payments? need my islander 36 genoa for my upcoming trip jajaja feel free to pm me... I AM interested thanks christian  

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PRECISION 16 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of PRECISION 16. Built by Precision Boat Works and designed by Stephen Seaton, the boat was first built in 1982. It has a hull type of Centerboard Dinghy and LOA is 4.95. Its sail area/displacement ratio 46.52. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on undefined.

PRECISION 16 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about PRECISION 16 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, contributions, who designed the precision 16.

PRECISION 16 was designed by Stephen Seaton.

Who builds PRECISION 16?

PRECISION 16 is built by Precision Boat Works.

When was PRECISION 16 first built?

PRECISION 16 was first built in 1982.

How long is PRECISION 16?

PRECISION 16 is 4.27 m in length.

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