Buying a used boat: Small cruisers under six metres - more dinghy than yacht
Kristina Müller
· 20.12.2022
Leisure 17 - Tiny with legs
By 1990, a total of 4,500 of these boats had been built at the Cobramold shipyard in England - with a revised deck layout from 1980 onwards. The newer version is called Leisure SL and offers angular superstructure windows and a little more space below deck. The sailing characteristics of the Leisure are considered to be good-natured; at 4 Beaufort, four to five knots are certainly possible. A clean weight trim is recommended - not only under sail. For a boat that is only around five metres long, the Leisure is surprisingly seaworthy and robust: the small boat has even been used for ocean cruises.
In the cockpit you sit comfortably protected, especially with the pushpit. There is comfortable space for two people. There are two longitudinal berths below deck, and a table can be fitted between them. A cooker can be stowed under the companionway, for example. The highlight is the bilge keels: They make the Leisure 17 the ideal choice for shallow waters and tidal waters. Depending on the equipment, prices range from around 2,000 to 3,000 euros*.
Technical data
- Hull length: 5.18 m
- Width: 2.13 m
- Draught: (bilge keels) 0.65 m
- Weight: 670 kg
- Sail area: 13.7 m²
YACHT rating
Optimum space utilisation
Self-draining cockpit
Good-natured sailing characteristics
Good usable storage space
Does not run much height
Narrow bunks
Flying Cruiser Family - cosy and safe
The Flying Cruiser Family from the BWC shipyard in Illmensee has been on the market since the 1970s and is still available as a new boat. The shipyard was taken over in 2019 and the programme is being continued. The family-friendly small cruiser was last revised in 2010 and was given a larger cockpit with a higher coaming. In the Sport version, the boat is equipped with slightly more sail area. The annex offers options in the form of a centreboard version or as a keelboat, in which case it has a fixed draught of 80 centimetres. The hull and deck are built by hand. The cavities between the inner and outer shells are filled with foam for buoyancy. The name gives it away: the boat is a cruiser and not a racer, it trumps with cosiness instead of sailing performance. Prices vary greatly depending on the year of construction and equipment; older boats are sometimes available for just a few thousand euros*.
Technical data
YACHT rating
Pretty, classic look
Lots of windows, lots of light
Surprisingly comfortable living below deck
Plenty of storage space
Suitable for one-handed use
Moderate sailing performance
Varianta 18 - fun boat with cult character
When Dehler presented the Varianta 18 in 2010, it immediately made it onto the cover of the then YACHT issue with the exclusive boat test as the "comeback of a legend". The micro boat was the revival of Dehler's Little Red Riding Hood model and was intended to be the successor to the successful Varianta 65. However, the Varianta 18 was unable to replace its popular predecessor - in fact, it created its own fan base. The small racer was built 299 times between 2010 and 2014 before production was discontinued. The boat is designed for a small crew and sails sporty, fast and accelerates to over seven knots under gennaker. The T-keel with ballast bomb, which is 1.15 metres deep in the standard version, ensures sufficient stability. There was also a version with a flat keel of 0.80 metres. Below deck, the Varianta lacks hull windows in the coachroof. It is somewhat narrower and darker than in the small cabins of other five-and-a-half metre boats. But the VA18 is a lot of fun to sail. Prices on the second-hand market currently start at around 12,000 euros.
Technical data
- Hull length: 5.50 m
- Width: 2.40 m
- Draught: 1.15 m
- Weight: 750 kg
- Sail area: 24.0 m²
- YACHT test: 1/2010
YACHT rating
Suitable for one-handed use
Slippery
Large cockpit
Good sailing characteristics, sails stiffly
High draught makes trailering difficult
Little light in the cabin
* Status 2020
Tip: Protection from wind and weather - A canopy over the cockpit extends the living space enormously
Sprayhoods and cake stands offer protection from wind, rain and sun, especially in local waters. On small boats, they can also quickly more than double the living space on board. The crew are not immediately showered in the rain as soon as they open the companionway hatch. And cruising on a small cruiser is often only possible with children thanks to a clever solution for covering the cockpit. There are no limits to the imagination, especially as there is hardly any room for a proper sprayhood plus cake stand including poles on small boats. Even a simple tarpaulin helps, but rain can then penetrate from the side. Many dinghy cruisers and small boat sailors have therefore found that cockpit covers that are rolled out over the boom using sewn-in crossbars and close off at the sides have proved their worth. This variant is stable and creates space. Cockpit canopies can also be fixed with the main halyard. Another solution is to build a canopy using tent poles that stiffen the tarpaulin as a round arch. Different variants of cake stands for small cruisers were developed in YACHT 22/2009 presented.
The big YACHT used boat special:
- New, used or chartered - here's what to consider
- Which type of boat is the right one? Decision-making aids
- Overview: Used boats under 6 metres
- Overview: Used boats under 7 metres
- Overview: Used boats under 8 metres
- Overview: Used boats around 9 metres
- Overview: Used boats over 9 metres
- Dream yachts: These are the favourite ships of YACHT readers
- Buying a used boat: Your guide through the online jungle
- Own inspection or surveyor? What you need to look out for
- How to avoid traps in the purchase agreement
- The boat is bought - what's next? The first steps
- What insurance do I need for my boat?
