A daysailer, day sailer, or dayboat is a small sailboat with or without sleeping accommodations but which is larger than a dinghy. Dayboats can be monohull or multihull, and are typically trailer-able. Many dayboats have a small cabin or "cuddy" for storage and to provide shelter, or for sleeping in, but which is not always large enough to stand erect in. Dayboats' greater stability also distinguishes them from dinghies and are generally sailed more like a small yacht than a dinghy. For example, although crew weight may well be shifted to increase performance, this is not crucial to stability, as it is in a dinghy. The distinction between keelboats and day sailers is not always clear. Generally a keelboat is a large boat (over 27 feet (8.2m) and usually not trailer-able) used for longer trips, whereas daysailers, as the name implies, are used for trips less than 48 hours, often only a single day.
Cruising by boat is an activity that involves living for extended time on a vessel while traveling from place to place for pleasure. Cruising generally refers to trips of a few days or more, and can extend to round-the-world voyages.
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed by a larger vessel for use as a tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they differ from sailing dinghies, which are designed first and foremost for sailing. A dinghy's main use is for transfers from larger boats, especially when the larger boat cannot dock at a suitably-sized port or marina.
A catboat is a sailboat with a single sail on a single mast set well forward in the bow of a very beamy and (usually) shallow draft hull. Typically they are gaff rigged, though Bermuda rig is also used. Most are fitted with a centreboard, although some have a keel. The hull can be 12 to 40 feet long with a beam half as wide as the hull length at the waterline. The type is mainly found on that part of the Eastern seaboard of the USA from New Jersey to Massachussets.
Dinghy racing is a competitive sport using dinghies, which are small boats which may be rowboats, have an outboard motor, or be sailing dinghies. Dinghy racing has affected aspects of the modern sailing dinghy, including hull design, sail materials and sailplan, and techniques such as planing and trapezing.
A centreboard or centerboard (US) is a retractable keel which pivots out of a slot in the hull of a sailboat, known as a centreboard trunk (UK) or centerboard case (US). The retractability allows the centreboard to be raised to operate in shallow waters, to move the centre of lateral resistance, to reduce drag when the full area of the centreboard is not needed, or when removing the boat from the water, as when trailering. A centreboard which consists of solely a pivoting metal plate is called a centerplate. A daggerboard is similar but slides vertically rather than pivoting.
The Wayfarer is a wooden or fibreglass hulled fractional Bermuda rigged sailing dinghy of great versatility; used for short 'day boat' trips, longer cruises and for racing. Over 11,000 have been produced as of 2016.
Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether powerboats, sailboats, or man-powered vessels, focused on the travel itself, as well as sports activities, such as fishing or waterskiing. It is a popular activity, and there are millions of boaters worldwide.
The Astus 16.1 is a 16 ft (5.1m) trimaran dinghy aimed at family day sailing. Its design has been optimised for simplicity of use: the traditional centreboard on the main hull has been replaced by foils built in each float.
The Astus 20.1, built by Astusboats, is a 20 ft (6.1m) trimaran dinghy aimed at family day sailing, though its cabin offers basic cruising capability. Its multihull design offers speed and stability.
The Pearson Ensign, or Ensign 22, is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Carl Alberg as a one-design racer and day sailer and first built in 1962. It is the largest full-keel one-design keelboat class in the United States.
A trailer sailer is a type of sailboat that has been designed to be easily transported using a boat trailer towed by an automobile. They are generally larger than a sailing dinghy. Trailer sailers include day sailers and small cabin cruisers, suitable for living on.
The term sportsboat first appeared in the late 1980s and early 1990s to describe trailer sailers that were optimised for high performance at the expense of accommodation and ballast. The very definition of the term "sportsboat" is evolving.
The Mariner 19 is an American trailerable sailboat, that was designed by Philip Rhodes and first built in 1962.
The Typhoon 18 is a family of American trailerable sailboats that was designed by Carl Alberg as day sailers and cruisers, first built in 1967.
The Impulse 21, also called the Impulse Eagle, is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by William E. Cook as a one-design racer and day sailer, It was first built in 1986.
The Com-Pac Sun Cat, also called the Com-Pac Sun Cat 17, is an American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Clark Mills as a pocket cruiser and first built in 2000.
The Matilda 20 is a trailerable sailboat that was designed by Robert Tucker as a daysailer and a cruiser and first built in 1971.
The Sailmaster 22 is a Dutch and American trailerable sailboat that was designed by Sparkman & Stephens as a cruiser and daysailer and first built in 1963. It was Sparkman & Stephens design #1743.
The Sea Pearl 21 is an American trailerable sailboat or sailing dinghy, that was designed by Ron Johnson as a daysailer and first built in 1982.
The Skipper 20 is an American trailerable, "character" sailboat that was designed as a daysailer and pocket cruiser and first built in 1978. The designer is not known.
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