american 26 sailboat

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Anyone sailed a 14' American?

• Thread starter themadscientist
• Start date May 21, 2010
• Forums for All Owners
• Trailer Sailors

themadscientist

This craft. http://www.americansail.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6&Itemid=7 I have a line on one, the price and terms of sale are still being discussed. Everything I can find on it suggests it would be a great starter boat for me. I have no experience and am trying to get into a sailing course. I have a very small budget and am looking for a boat that: 1. Is within my budget to purchase and prepare to seaworthiness; it is. 2. Has a positive flotation hull; this does. 3. Has a main and foresail rig so I can learn the handling of two sails; it does. 4. Does not require marina storage; it doesn't. 5. Can confidently and safely carry two; it seems to. I would appreciate any first-hand experiences from those that have owned or had the opportunity to sail this boat, or one similar to it. My one concern is its stability in coastal waters. I would be using it in calm seas around a pacific island.  

Tom Hoffman

You might want to do a site search for Sumner's posts. He sails a 26' water balast boat and he and his wife were brand new to sailing. They took their boat to a lake and proceeded to learn on their own. The 14' boat you are looking at is definitely a beginner boat. I sure wouldn't want to take it into the ocean. I think you will find very quickly that it is not much more than a toy and now you will be faced with selling it and moving up looking for something with more capability. This fall there will be a huge number of boats forsale. I bought a 26' American (different mfg.) in Feb, with trailer included, for $1500. I have had to spend about an additional $1000 to get it ready to sail this next month. The original asking price on Craig's list was $2500. It was iced up in Feb in Iowa and the seller was motivated. Keep looking is my advice. Tom...  

I didn't mean to rain on your idea. I guess I am of the school of American thought: "If a little is good, a lot has just got to be better!" Pay me no attention. I am just frustrated right now trying to get my boat bottom painted and every time I have it scheduled, my helper decides to not show up that day. I would do it my self, except that I don't fit into tight places anymore. Have a good night.  

It really depends on what the conditions are like where you'll sail. If you're in a protected harbor and the water isn't freezing cold year round then this might be ok. I live in Oregon where the ocean is cold and the wind/waves are usually strong/big even in the summer; I wouldn't take it on the ocean. My last boat was a Capri 16.5, not much bigger than what you're looking at, and I really wouldn't consider taking it out on the ocean either. I would use it in a harbor though. If you do go this route there are a few things you should do: 1) Always wear a life jacket - ALWAYS 2) Capsize the boat under controlled conditions (near the beach) and make sure you can right it. I didn't with the 16.5 and came *very* close to wishing I had. 3) If it has a tendency to turtle (go completely upside down) then consider getting a mast float. 4) Make sure you can climb back in the boat from the water. If it's at all difficult near the beach imagine what it will be like in the middle of the harbor with nobody around. Add a fold up step or a fold up ladder to the stern. 5) If you don't have reef points in your main, consider having them added 6) If you think you need to reef then you already should have! I do think there is some advantage to learning to sail in small boats first. The sail controls are often simpler and the action/reaction when you change something is pretty quick and obvious. My progression was as follows: Family trips on Dad's 25' full keel sloop as a kid. Learned basics - rules of the road, raise/lower sails, basic sail trim using the sheets. 30 years later . . . Laser - refresh basic skills, learned about vang, cunningham, outhaul, and daggerboard. Not very effective or comfortable sailing with 2 people. Draft about 3 inches with the board up, 2 feet with it down, expect to capsize often. Takes 10 minutes to set up. Wetsuit a requirement in cold conditions. Capri 16.5 - Added a furling jib to the equation, swing centerboard, stayed mast, reef points and jiffy reefing for the main. Draft is 6 inches with the board up, about 3-1/2 feet with it down. Good for 3 adults or 2 adults and a couple of kids. Huge cuddy forward where you can store lunch, dry clothes, etc. Takes 30-45 minutes to set up. Not as wet as the laser but not a dry ride either and will capsize/turtle. Capri 22 - Adds racing foil and multiple jibs/Genoas, adjustable jib/genoa cars, windward sheeting traveller, and adjustable backstay to the mix; also a spinnaker I haven't figured out yet. 4 foot fixed keel and 30 foot mast. Easily sails with 4-6 adults/kids. Has porta potty and sleeps 2 comfortably. Get to worry about things like batteries, outboards, nav lights, water depth and bridge clearance. Takes 2-3 hours to set up. We rarely get wet and that's usually just a bit of spray. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do.  

Tom Hoffman said: I didn't mean to rain on your idea. I guess I am of the school of American thought: "If a little is good, a lot has just got to be better!" Pay me no attention. I am just frustrated right now trying to get my boat bottom painted and every time I have it scheduled, my helper decides to not show up that day. I would do it my self, except that I don't fit into tight places anymore. Have a good night. Click to expand

I think you are getting a great boat for your area. I would not hesitate to take that into the ocean. I have taken a lot less several miles off shore. When I lived in the Azores the locals took row boats more than 7 miles offshore to fish. The way it is built looks like it is designed to keep the spray to a minimum from coming over the bow and sides. It looks a lot more seaworthy than many of the 22 foot sailboats I see out in the Gulf of Mexico that were really designed for lake sailing. You just have to watch the weather closely and never push it. I bet you can do some great near shore fishing on that boat.  

A few more notes. I watched the video again on the site. There are two additions I would make to the boat right away. If that traveler guide on the stern of the boat is rope or synthetic, I would replace it with SS cable right away. The last thing you want in a knock down situation is to have your boom and mainsail disabled because a gust of wind took out the traveler guide rope. Second I would get a good strength trolling motor and install to one side of the transom. It really kills a great day on the ocean to have the wind die and you have to paddle or swim the boat back to shore, I have done it too many times. The other thing you will find with a trolling motor is that you use the boat more often. There are days when you just do not feel like raising the mast but a nice motor out for a half hour is nice.  

RECESS said: If that traveler guide on the stern of the boat is rope or synthetic, I would replace it with SS cable right away. The last thing you want in a knock down situation is to have your boom and mainsail disabled because a gust of wind took out the traveler guide rope. Click to expand

RECESS said: Second I would get a good strength trolling motor and install to one side of the transom. It really kills a great day on the ocean to have the wind die and you have to paddle or swim the boat back to shore, I have done it too many times. The other thing you will find with a trolling motor is that you use the boat more often. There are days when you just do not feel like raising the mast but a nice motor out for a half hour is nice. Click to expand

I had a traveler rope (that had some age and wear) snap once on Lake Monroe Florida. Really shallow lake that forms white caps fast. Scared the wife. I was able to tie off in a center position and keep on going.  

I took a good look at it today. It is in a lot of four that were used as rental boats. Three are pretty scuffed-up, I picked the nicest of the lot to bid on. The hull is solid with no cracks that I could detect, it could use a good polish and wax of course. The hardware is all stainless. It all could do with a polish, not rusty just cruddy. The blocks are Harken and spin freely, no winches. The rudder blade is fine but the two metal sheets it is sandwiched in and the tiller are junk. All the lines should be replaced. The sails are jammed in the forward storage, it's a toss-up on those, but what I see looks serviceable. It is a rope traveler and I will swap it for cable as suggested or something equivalently significant. The drop-down centerboard needs to be taken apart and serviced. Overall, I see a solid hull that needs no repairs, just cleaning. hardware to remove, clean and shine up. a rudder to be rebuilt. a centerboard system to clean and service. a couple of yards of line to replace. a traveler system to upgrade. No deal-breakers for me there. I won't know until the end of June if I won the auction so back the daily grind and we will see what transpires.  

Get the the March/April issue of Good Old Boat. It has an outstanding how to on building a rudder the right way on pages 35 through 41. It is not just a good article, it is an outstanding how to on building rudders. The project they did was for a large boat, but all the techniques apply to any size rudder. You can order the back issue online, it will be worth the $10 for oversees ording if you are going to build a rudder. http://www.goodoldboat.com/reader_services/back_issues.php#2010  

esterhazyinoz

Good luck on your auction bid. I'm sure you will love the benefits of a small boat that is easy to launch/sail/maintain. I just purchased a new Hunter 15, a similar boat to the American, Catalina 14.6, Precision 15 and probably many more that I am not aware of. I launched my boat for the first time this weekend on the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia. Fortunately the winds were only 5-10 knots, a civilised wind speed for my first time in this small boat. As to whether or not I would take a 15 footer on the ocean really depends on what conditions are usual in your part of the world. I used to sail a 21 foot daysailer of local design and with the strong winds during the summer here I was always glad to have a good deal of lead under the boat. From my first outing I saw that maintaining balance by correct positioning of the crew was going to be very important. Also make sure you have a mainsheet block system that allows you to quickly release the sheet to spill the wind and de-power. FYI, a set of new sails will probably cost you about $600-$700 (that is what a replacement set from North Sails cost for my Hunter). BTW, What is the typical wind strength and swell in your area?  

Hi I teach a basic sailing course at Budd Lake, NJ thru a group called SEAS. Our current fleet is made up of Aqua Finns and an American 14.6, with a few other boats for variety. We have had 2 14.6’s over the years. One of the reasons that we went with the 14’s is that American sail has beefed up the hulls of their boats where they normally get hit by students. (bow, sides) Also- for the same size boat they were a lot less expensive. And there was a spinnaker sail available. The boat is definably designed for protected waters, but that said I have had it out in white caps and small craft conditions, and on the Hudson River.( well that day was a race, and the wind was less than the current in the opposite direction, so I was heading north and making progress south J ). The sizing of the spars and lines is sufficient for the size of the boat, but it may not be for your conditions. I have dismasted it, but I had brought a safety boat along side and then caught the port shroud as I pulled away. The boat will turtle, but that has not been a problem as the lake is much shallower that the height of the mast. Our sister chapter in Westchester, NY does put floats at the top of the masts. When we had to repair the centerboard our maintenance crew installed an access port on the port side of the trunk. When using the spinnaker remember that the pad eye on the mast that receives the spinnaker pole may not be at the correct elevation. It depends on the cut of the sail. It could use a j\iffy reef system, but ours did not come with it. I have used the rock detection function of the centerboard (not on purpose) but the center board release worked well when needed. Please note there are no attachment points for safety lines. This is a beamy boat and the jib fairleads are fixed. I do not normally get a tight beat with this boat. I can get the Finns to point higher. But then again our 14.6 sails are really blown out. The mast is easy to raise and lower, but it is easier to find the split rings and cotter pins that get dropped if you raise/lower your mast over flat ground, and not when it is in the water (been there…). When we took it out of the water in the fall we pulled it up over a roller and on to the grass. We needed 4 strong people. There is a drain plug center stern. If that cavity needs constant draining then there are hairline cracks (or larger). Check the spec hull weight against the actual weight. You will need a manual bilge pump and a scoop. The cockpit will hold rain water, etc. Spin sail, pump and scoops will fit in the front storage area. I will usually place 2 canoe paddles in the boat. If the wind dies 1 paddler on each side will get us back to the beach. I can single hand this boat, assuming I do not need another body for movable ballast. What I will do is knot the 2 jib sheets so that I can always reach them. With 2 people it is good. With 3 people in the boat the 14 is faster than the Aqua Finns and I will have the helms person switch to the windward side as req’d. . With 4 people in the boat the Finns are faster, and it depends on the wind as to who moves. I have had 6 people on board in heavier winds and the boat is fun. Lighter winds with 6 people the boat does not move. Dave down at American Sail does stand behind his products. I have met him several times at the various boats shows that he does on the East coast(Atlantic City and Annapolis ) and parts are still available. Check to see if there are other 14’s in your area. Local support is really important. Hillary  

Especially examine the standing rigging. The boat has been in use by relatively ignorant types [assume this in a rental fleet.] and has probably been worked hard. If it breezes up suddenly assume that you will want the extra strength of slightly heavier standing rigging. Once you are in unprotected water the ability to stay together is very important. I am Hillary's companion and agree that these are able boats. You have to keep up with the maintainence even in a fiberglass boat. Inspect the bilges regularly making sure you drain the hull. This will also keep you posted on the condition of the hull and its tightness. In addition to wearing a life jacket, make it a point to wear the jacket for an hour or two before you purchase it. If it feels comfortable, you are more likely to wear it. Eric  

If you are interested in roller furling, make sure that you upgrade the headstay at least one size. You will be adding new loads to the stay and it can get embarassing if it goes away out on the water. Eric If you have the standard jib on the boat you don't need roller furling. Just add a line to be used as a downhaul from the jib head, run down to the bow and then back to the cockpit. But if you want to go with the roller check with Dave re your conditions to see if he recomends upping the hardware and which hardware to upgrade (forestay down to fasteners) If you are considering it for reefing purposes then yes, and make sure the main can be reefed as well. Also because the shrouds are aft of the mast (better for stresses) the jib lines are usually run outside. which does not give a tight beat. Hillary  

I have a 13' CHrysler Pirateer. I sail it on Lake Michigan close to shore also. I have a ton of fun in that little boat. It is a great way to learn to sail. However, before I every went onto the water I went to ASA sailing school. I have dumped it and was able to climb back in. Adrenaline was running high the first time. Couldn't get back in the second time but I was so close to shore I walked the boat in. Buy it and have fun with it. Use it for a teder for your next boat. Oh yeah, whatever you pay for it you will spend exactly that much on it right away....mark my words. Here's a photo of mine. Boat cost $125.00. After trailer, paint job, spare mast and sails I have $1000.00 invested. http://members.csinet.net/dhapp/pirateer/Chrysler_Pirateer_Page_1.html  

That's a very similar-looking craft. So far, it appears interest in the boat is low. They have a lot of four and I am cautiously optimistic about my chances. The authorities have indicated I am ok with no operator's permit so I can get out on the water directly. Also, I am confirmed for my basic keelboat class in August! :dance:  

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10 Best Sailboat Brands (And Why)

‍ There's no denying that sailors are certainly a passionate bunch. We’re so passionate about our boats that we always try going for the best sailboats. To make it a lot easier for you, here are the best sailboat brands.

Owning a sailboat is an indulgence that many of us only dream about but very few ever have the privilege of sailing the seas in what they can actually call their own.

While there's nothing wrong with renting a sailboat, the honor of owning one is certain what many sailors dream of.

With a perfectly crafted sailboat as company, gliding through the water, waves, and wind brings some sort of unmatched comfort and peace.

Add this to the fact that sailing takes you far away from the daily hustles and bustles that we've become accustomed to in our daily lives and you'll see why the life of sailing is very appealing to the masses.

But without a proper sailboat, all this fun and the good life of sailing are thrown out of the window.

Contrary to the widespread opinion, owning a sailboat isn't beyond anyone's reach. It's something that we can all achieve. But before getting into that, it's important to know some of the best sailboat brands.

The best sailboat brands will make your life as a sailor a lot easier and more fun. The best sailboat brands have, for decades if not centuries, mastered the art of woodworking. They've dedicated their skills and immense amount of their time to designing and manufacturing nothing but the best quality of sailboats in the industry.

So if you've been looking for the best sailboat brands from all over the world, you've come to the right place. We'll discuss the best of the best, something that will give you a perfect getaway from your normal life.

Table of contents

‍ Must-Have Features for Your Sailboat

Before highlighting the best sailboat brands, it would be appropriate to jog your mind a little with some of the features that must be available in your sailboat.

Choosing a sailboat can sometimes be a matter of compromises. In other words, it's sometimes sensible to accept that a sailboat cannot have all the features that you desire.

As such, it's all about going with a sailboat that has the features that matter to you most.

For this reason, let's look at the most basic features that can make the difference in both safety and comfort while improving your sailing experience.

A Safe and Comfortable Sailing Cockpit

You'll most definitely be spending a huge amount of time in the cockpit. Whether you're keeping watch, trimming sails , helming, or just enjoying the scenery, there's no better place to do all these than from the cockpit. That being said, a good cockpit should have the following.

• Have a good depth for safety reasons and adequate drainage
• Should give you a quick and easy access to jammers, cleats, and other important parts of the winch system
• Should have a seat or seats that are about 35 cm high, 50 to 55 cm wide to provide ideal support
• The seats should be adjustable to offer maximum comfort and allow you to change your position

GPS Chartplotter

Use a GPS Chartplotter once and your sailing will never be the same without it. It not only allows you to map a course but is also a great way of ensuring that your sailboat exactly follows that course. It also gives you constant updates on ocean conditions, weather conditions , and potential hazards such as deadly currents and sandbars.

A GPS Chartplotter is also an important safety device that can help you in some very critical situations while out there on the water.

For instance, it has a man-overboard button that is essentially meant to allow you to receive coordinates of the exact location should someone fall off your boat.

Electric Winch System

This is an amazing addition to any sailboat. It allows you to sheet a jib even in high and strong winds with a simple press of a button. It also gives you the chance of trimming a mainsail easily while still carry out other essential tasks in the sailboat.

An electric winch system can be of great importance, especially if you're short on crew. This is because it can free up some crew members to carry other important tasks. In other words, it can make duties that would otherwise require more crew members a lot easier.

More importantly, an electric winch system can maintain safety even in the roughest of conditions, thereby preventing you and your crew from getting injured. In essence, an electric winch system will make your sailing a lot safer, less stressful, and more enjoyable.

Reverse Osmosis Watermaker

This is a very valuable accessory, especially if you're going on long sea voyages. You can spend days on end without drinking clean and safe water.

As the name suggests, you can use this accessory to turn seawater into purified drinking water. It uses the reverse osmosis method that's essential not only in removing bacteria and parasites from the water but also in turning the water into purified and safe drinking water.

Even though this device is pricey, it's a great way to mitigate the over-reliance on huge water tanks. All you have to do is to ensure that it's properly maintained and you'll have an endless streak of safe drinking water no matter where you are.

Wide and Clutter-free Deck

While the deck is often an overlooked feature of a sailboat, it can be the difference between a great sailing experience and a stressful one. In essence, the deck of a sailboat should be wide enough and clutter-free.

This is significant as it can enable you to quickly access different parts of your sailboat with hindrance or getting tangled. As you can see, this is particularly important in improving safety and reducing stress.

With that in mind, make sure that the deck is organized in such a way that you can have easy access to sails, masts, and winches.

You should, therefore, avoid sailboats with decks that are designed in such a way that you have to climb on top of the cabin just to access these features. Needless to say, this can be quite unstable and very dangerous especially when conditions are rough.

The Best Sailboat Brands and Why

1. hallberg-rassy.

Hallberg-Rassy is a Swedish yacht maker that's very well-known in the blue water cruising circles for making some of the highest quality and sturdiest sailboats. For many sailors, this is the number one sailboat brand as it offers absolute comfort, utmost safety, and good and easy handling.

This brand is not only synonymous with sturdy construction but you won't worry getting soaking wet while out there on the water. This is because it has a well-protected deck and cockpit, finished with nice woodwork, and has a powerful engine with a big tankage just to ensure that you can go on long voyages.

When designing its sailboats, this brand has made it a norm to add some features that stand out from the rest. For instance, the bowsprit is an integral feature that makes sailing a Hallberg-Rassy quite easy and much enjoyable. This is because it grants easy access to and from the deck. Its electric anchor winches facilitate smooth maneuvering. Even more, its large steering wheels makes it much easier to control the boat even in the roughest of conditions. In essence, this brand has features that provide good control and an extra sense of safety.

Although this brand has evolved over the years, you'll easily recognize it even from a distance. And why is this? A Hallberg-Rassy never goes out of style. This is a unique sailboat brand that has always stayed true to its principles and concept. No matter which part of the world you go, Hallberg-Rassy will remain the undisputed king of blue water cruising.

2. Nautor's Swan

For over 50 years, Nautor's Swan has endlessly raised the sailing levels by designing and manufacturing new sailboat models that not only push the boundaries but also meet that many requirements and demands of sailors across the world. Thanks to its wide range of seaworthy, timeless, elegant, and highly-performing sailboats, the Nautor's Swan remains one of the best if not the best sailboat makers in the world.

Based in Jakobstad, Finland, this brand has severally set the industry standard with its speedy and sleek models such as the Swan 48, Swan 65, Swan 98, Swan 78, and Swan 120. These models have one thing in common: they never compromise on safety. As a brand that puts safety first, it ensures that its models are made of foam-cored glass fiber and reinforced both with carbon-fiber and epoxy. In essence, Nautor's Swan is widely revered for its unmatched seafaring and safety records.

Additionally, Nautor's Swan models are incredibly responsive. You can easily tell this just by the feel of the wheel. This brand has models that will gracefully slice through the biggest of waves with ease. That's not all; the interior of these models that are very comfortable even when the going gets tough. This is, without a doubt, a brand that strives to create self-contained worlds with each model.

3. Beneteau

This is perhaps the most selling sailboat brand in the world. For over a century now, this brand has based its models in a combination of simplicity and performance. This is a brand that will serve you just right across all latitudes and in all circumstances. Whether you prefer the Oceanis Yacht 62 or the Figaro Beneteau 3, this brand will never let you down on all fronts.

This brand revolves around a simple concept of creating a link around the world. From the deck space to its design and light, this brand does everything possible not just to uniformly transform life at sea but also to open doors to new horizons in a very luxurious yet practical way. Its models are designed with clear deck plans, stable hulls, simplified maneuvering and interior materials and equipment that can be easily personalized.

Whether you're looking for a racing sailboat or something that's designed to explore and enjoy the world in the company of friends and family, Beneteau is a true combination of sensations and simplicity. This is a brand that brings to the seas fun, simplicity, smartness, toughness, safety, intuitiveness, as well as dazzling reinvention.

4. Amel Yachts

Based on the ethos of designing and manufacturing comfortable, robust, and easy-to-handle boats, this French brand has, for over five decades, offered sailors and other sailing enthusiasts the perfect opportunity to explore the seas with the utmost quality, comfort, and more importantly, safety.

Using 100% French know-how, this brand has brought to the sailing world some of the best boats such as the Santorini, the Mango, the Super Maramu, and the Maramu. We would be doing this brand total injustice if we said that they're distinctive. Truth be told, there's nothing comparable to an Amel model. Well Amel was and still is, the ultimate standard by which other sailboat models are measured.

From items such as electric winches and furling, to generators, Watermaker , and washing machine down to the simplest of items such as towels. Spare filters, bathrobes, deck brush, and a boat safe, the Amel is in reality with what the real life of a sailor is and should be.

Although some may say that Amel still has room for improvement in terms of specifications and personalization, it cannot be denied that the Amel is a serious brand that designs and manufactures complete boats. With this brand, you'll be guaranteed of a higher degree of reliability, safety, and an edge of fun while out there on the water.

5. Hinckley Yachts

Based in Maine, United States, Hinckley Yachts is a brand that has been building robust, luxury, and safe sailboats for more than 90 years now. In its sailboat class, you'll find several sailboats that have classic shapes, inner strength, dramatic lines, and features that are absolutely essential in dealing with the challenges of the North Atlantic.

This brand has been successful in integrating impeccable craftsmanship with new technologies to ensure that their models always stand out while articulating advanced sailing practices, timeless aesthetic, robust construction, and the utmost safety. Whether you choose the Bermuda 50, the Sou'wester 53 or any model for that matter, you'll never be short of advanced performance based on the best design and technology.

In terms of features, this brand provides sailboat models with modern performance hulls. These hulls are constructed with inner layers of carbon, outer layers of Kevlar, and are aligned with computer-designed load paths. Every feature is designed without compromising comfort.

To this end, this brand offers you a perfect combination of both fun and sail. This brand offers more than just sailing. Instead, it offers a unique sailing experience that's combined with the pure joys of sailing in the blue waters with an ease of ownership and maneuverability.

6. Oyster Yachts

If you've been looking for luxury more than anything else, Oyster Yachts provides you with numerous solutions. This British brand is widely known for manufacturing a wide range of luxury cruising sailing yachts. Its sailboats are among the finest in the world and are immensely capable of taking you to some of the far-flung places in the world without having to worry about high winds and hellish waves.

Whether you choose the iconic Oyster 565 or the immense Oyster 595 you never fall short of experiencing the new world like never before. These are models that will enable you to own your adventure, choose your destination, set your courses, pick your anchorage, and stay safe at all times. If you want to hold the wheel and pull the sail while feeling the tang of salt spray on your face, Oyster Yachts is the way to go.

This is, unquestionably, a brand that's meant for you if you want to explore the seas in comfort, luxury and utmost safety. From craftsmanship, sailboat design, to hull, deck, and keel configurations, everything is designed to allow you to circumnavigate the world in comfort, elegance, and style.

7. Tartan Yachts

Based in Fairport Harbor, Ohio, there's arguably no better to begin your sailing adventures than with a sailboat designed and manufactured by Tartan Yachts. With several award-winning designs and construction, this brand is widely known for providing easy handling, great performance, and an ultimately stable platform.

This brand always strives to deliver a unique and the best possible experience to every sailor. As a brand, Tartan fully understands that every sailor has his/her unique sailing needs. As such every component of their models is designed with engineering levels that guarantee optimum performance, excellent on-deck visibility, and luxurious interior.

From the Tartan 5300, the Tartan 4300, the Tartan 345 to the New 365 and the Fantail, this brand makes it a priority to ensure that its models are among the strongest, lightest, and more importantly, the safest in the sailing industry. In essence, this brand can be ideal if you appreciate performance. It has rewarding sailing features both in narrow water lines and wider passages. Add this to its easy handling and you'll have a top-notch performer in virtually every condition.

8. Catalina Yachts

As one of the most popular boat manufacturers in the world, this American brand is widely revered for building the sturdiest boats that can hold up perfectly well in real-world conditions. These are generally family-oriented boats that are intelligently designed to ensure that your entire family can have fun out there on the water.

Some of the models include the cruiser series such as the Catalina 315, the Catalina 385, the Catalina 425 while the sport series include the Catalina 12.5 Expo, the Catalina 16.5, and the Catalina 14.2 Expo. As the current winner of the "Boat of the Year" Cruising World, you'll rarely go wrong with a Catalina model.

It offers a wide range of sailboat sizes that suits your lifestyle. This brand makes it a priority to ensure that all their models are not only safe but offer the best ownership and sailing experience. If anything, this brand is widely known to have one of the most excellent resale values in the sailing industry.

9. Island Packet Yachts

From the IP 525, the IP 439 to the IP 379, the Island Packet Yachts is a brand that encourages its customers not to keep the world waiting. This brand is meant for sailors who want to explore the world in utmost comfort and safety.

The first thing you'll notice in an IP sailboat is its large aft deck. This is not only perfect for sunbathing but can also serve you well if you want an impromptu dinner with friends and family while out there on the water. The living space is also large enough to carry most of your belongings, which is an added advantage especially if you've been planning to spend longer periods in the seas.

With modern evolution and refinement, as well as proven features, this brand is known to offer sailors maximum comfort, luxury, and safety. You'll have better access to the cockpit, have enough space, and are excellently designed to provide superior seafaring and the best features to enable you to spend extended periods when cruising.

10. Sparkman & Stephens

For more than 90 years, Sparkman & Stephens has been at the forefront of the belief that sailboat excellence goes beyond hull lines and deck plans. Instead, this brand believes in excellent naval architecture, innovation, sophistication, and beauty. This is a brand that has laid the foundation of sailboat as a sport not just in America but all over the world.

These models have graced the world for decades and bring immense pleasure to their owners in terms of innovation, performance, and excellence. Though rooted in tradition, the brand has pushed sophistication, technology, and sailing experience to a whole new level. You'll be a proud owner of the Sparkman & Stephens model.

There you have it; these are the best sailboat brands in the world. Although there are several other sailboat brands to choose from, the-above described brands stand shoulder above others in terms of quality, safety, performances and luxury.

Hopefully, you're at a much better place when it comes to choosing a sailboat that suits your lifestyle, needs, and budget .

Happy sailing!

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American 26 Brochure

Original manufacturer / promotional brochure.

Date: 1976 Pages: 4 in Color Size: 8.5 x 11 opens to 11 x 17 Condition: C7 Condition Details: Worn edges, fold marks Brochure Details:  Includes specification sheet / price list

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American Sail Information

American Sail got its start in 1976 with the purchase of the Aqua Cat catamaran that has now been in production over 42 years and was recently inducted into the National Sailboat Hall of Fame. Our specialty for over twenty-five years has been making fun family sailboats from 8 to 18 feet. Over the years we have grown to offer many more sailboats in our line including a larger version of the Aqua Cat, the Dink line of tenders, and four daysailers that are the Aqua Finn, Pennant, American 14.6 and American 18 Daysailer. 

The photo to the right is that of an American 18 Daysailer which an ideal small sailboat for those who are looking towards a roomy and comfortable daysailer which also has the added benefit of being designed for speed and performance. Incorporated features include a self-bailing cockpit along with a molded in drink cooler storage areas and three storage compartments, along with a kick-up rudder and centerboard and adjustable jib tracks. Furthermore the package includes Harken hardware and all stainless steel rigging.

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Welcome to American Sail

Builder of small sailboats, catamarans, and daysailers.

Small sailboats are our specialty! We've made fun family sailboats for over 40 years.

American Sail got its start over 40 years ago in 1976 with the purchase of the Aqua Cat catamaran.  Over the years we have grown to offer many more sailboats in our line including a larger version of the Aqua Cat and four daysailers that are the Aqua Finn Daysailer, Pennant Daysailer, American 14.6,  and American 18 Daysailer.

If you're looking for the best small sailboats you've come to the right place.  All of our family daysailers are designed for fun and not hard-core racing. Any of our boats can be rigged by one person in under 20 minutes.

We are factory direct. If you have any questions regarding pricing or parts orders please do not hesitate to give us a call at 800-844-2399 or use our CONTACT FORM .