I would like to find a Bilge keel, if possible, with a Junk Rig that is 

for rent next summer to sail in scottland. Does anyone know

where to look ?  Which website has lots of ads with private 

people renting out their sailboats ?  thank you. 

Raymond living in France.

Hello Raymond,

I noticed you commented on my advert. Well looks like my Trivial Pursuit will be coming back the UK end of the month now. It ties me to coming back next year if I leave it in Kefalonia and business/work commitments makes that a little difficult at the moment.

Although not rental rates, I wasn't sure what your position or intention was, but thought I'd just mention.

Kind regards

Andrew

Thank you for the feedback. My ititial idea was to buy an old sailboat

26-30 feet to sail from my country sweden through scottland, england

and down to France. I live in the south of France close to Toulouse.

However, since I live in France, I would have to spend quite some time to

prepare the boat to sail from sweden to Scottland and also, and foremost,

I am thinking that a bilge keel is to me almost necessary since I have never

sailed in areas with heavy tides. I only sailed in sweden and the mediterrean sea.

And in Sweden there are not bilge keel sailboats for sale since there are no tides.

So my idea is now to buy a bilge keel in the UK and to spend a couple of summers

sailing in Scottland, then to go through the brittish channels and sail across the channel

to France and Brittany.

All this is for me a preparation for in about five years to buy and prepare

for more extensive sailing to the carribean and pacific during the winters.

A way to spend the cold winters in warm climates. Some fellows on this

website recommended some books to read about six months ago

which I have read and lots more.

But now I want to sail, not dreaming. I have bought all of MINGMING

books and they are great. And most storm books to get me really scared:):):)

Another idea was to start to rent but not to rent from official commercial

brookers since this is very expensive. In Sweden lots of people rent out their

sailboats and it is pretty cheap. About 500£ for a week on a 26 foot sailboat.

If this option is not available in the UK, I would have to buy a sailboat

to sail in Scottland and find a cheap place to keep it onland during the winter.

As far as Junk rigged sailboats are concerned, I have read books from

people saling these boats and to me after these readings,

this is the « ONLY » option when sailing alone or with people who do not sail

and who you cannot send out on deck in a full blown storm to change sails !

I cannot see myself going off to Tahiti in something else than a junk rigged sailboat.

But of course to begin sailing in Scottland and the french Brittany,

a junk rigged bilge keel is not so necessary. Pretty hard to find one for 5000£ !

My futur larger 35-40 feet sailboat to sail to the pacific in about five years

will be as far as I am standing today, a flat bottom steel junk rigged with a centerboard,

never mind the risk of something going wrong with the centerboard.

For going downwind, the flat bottom sailboat is to me without question way more

confortable than keel boats and since going with tradewinds is about going downwind

90 % of the time……..

The day I want to cross the southern or northern seas, if that happens, I will change to a

short or even long keel yacht. I have a friend who just finished a 7 years long

voyage around the world going with the tradewinds on a 40 feet flat bottom

centerboard steel yacht he bought for 20 000 £. He convinced me.

I know some people here told me that buying a centerboard yacht is not wise

but I would be willing to take the rist to be able to go close to the shore and into

creeks and to sail downwind without having a boat swinging all the time.

Thank you David.

21 feet is way to small for us, we will be four sailing.

I found this : Anyone know anything about this sailboat ?

Dear David. Yes, you are probably right about that, buying instead of renting.  I found this :

Mirage 28 Yacht
28ft Bilge Keels
New engine in 2012
The intérior has been made by the buyer, not the factory.

It is in good shape says the owner that has taken care of her

the last 15 years.  He is asking 7500£, but 6500£ if I buy

it before he takes her out of the water. The winterstorage

with lifting out and in the water, and a high pressure wash

is 6500£.  28 feet should be good for 4 people to sleep and cruise

for a month next june.

30 !  That is great. Thank you very much David