Sandpiper 565 Sailing NOAH'S GEM: by Sandude
Affordable, Manageable, Trailerable - all good reasons to sail a Piper
O' course, there are other reasons; but these'll do for starters.
"Money makes the world go 'round". Heard it a thousand times. And in my sailing world, costs associated with buying and operating a sailboat matter - they matter a lot.
I got NOAH'S GEM, a fully found 1986 Sandpiper 565, for a little more than 5kCAD; a price which included the much coveted trailer. By any measure; good value.
But price wasn't the only consideration in buying a Sandpiper. Truth is, I'd probably end up never using a boat that's difficult to operate... no matter how cheap it may have been to buy. After all, who gets up in the morning and says, "I think I'll do things the difficult way today! Yeah, there's a plan!"
Enter manageability.
If you're like me, one of the things you want, at least when it comes to the sailing experience, is the freedom and the simple excitement of exploring different sailing venues. To get that, ya gotta have a trailerable; and no if-ands-or-buts - I mean a REAL trailerable: one that's truly easy, not complex, yet dependable.
At home being towed or launched by, the family car (photo to right), this 18 footer proves an ideal weekender or daysailer. The keel retreats into the hull, making beaching this puppy a cinch. Rigging her?... piece o' cake... takes about ten minutes, start to finish.
NOAH'S GEM personifies the ultimate light, spacious boat; easily launched and sailed single-handed...
...manageability personified.
NOAH'S GEM
SIZE MATTERS....
If all this talk of a boat, which is low cost, small in stature, light in weight & trailerable has gotcha congering up images akin to being locked up with in-laws at a small cottage (the kind with only outhouse plumbing) during a sweltering humid day in July with no escape! "CHILL" This boat's got game - and some real room down below and on deck.
NOAH'S GEM feels BIG, well, bigger than her 18 feet anyway. Seriously, you can actually walk around her cabin top on side-decks. Down below, stretching out and really lounging isn't a prob... but even so, don't believe the sale brochure's claim that it can accommodate 4 adults. That's a stretch from any vantage point.
Designed in Europe during the early 1970's for coastal sailing, and later manufactured in Canada for the North American market, the Sandpiper 565 is a high quality, seaworthy classic sailboat. In fact, all fittings exceed the usual specs for a sailboat of this size.
NOAH'S GEM may be short on length (a scant 5.65 metres), but she's long on value. Sorta like those old VW ads; where small means 'value'.
Generous cockpit coamings and a broad beam, mean a dry and comfortable ride. A nifty 300lb. keel retracts into the hull, allowing the boat to float in a mere 10 inches of water. Resting beachside couldn't be easier.
These boats are safe, too. Positive flotation, efficient sail-to-weight ratios, and a thick fibreglass hull, all deliver a sense of confidence while sailing.
On the Web, an extensive support network of enthusiasts is active on the CL forum. Participants are energetic, supportive and keen when it comes to providing technical advice, or just talking about Piper sailing.
Now, can't beat that, can ya?
