Best Bluewater Pocket Sailboats

‍Our Top Picks

Andrews 28

If you want a complete package of a sailboat, you should look no further than the Andrews 28. It is the one-stop solution for a comfortable, fast, roomy, easy to sail, and easy to trail pocket sailboat.

This sailboat is designed by renowned designer Alan Andrews, famous for designing speedy sailboats without compromising comfort and reliability.

Despite being only 28 feet long, the below-deck space is open and airy and has six berths. A galley, head, and navigation area with super spacious built will make you feel like on a full-sized sailboat.

The hull and deck construction is a robust yet luxurious one with fiberglass, closed-cell PVC core, and high-density foam. These materials ensure there is no chance of water absorption, and your ride remains reliable. The keel is made from stainless steel and fiberglass shell to keep it from rusting for a long period.

Moreover, the keel is retractable, so it is quite easy to haul the sailboat for trailering. Thanks to the carbon pole, Andrews 28 gives a breezy and light air performance that makes the boat's handling easy.

Maneuvering Andrews 28 is enjoyable and requires less work when faced with eight knots of winds.

The best thing about Andrews 28 is that it is one of the newer generations of sailboats, so the accommodations are more comfortable than most older ones.

A 5' 10" headroom in the cabin, leather-padded seats, stove, a counter and sink in the galley, and more features ensure a comfortable sailing experience.

You can get the Andrews 28 from Sylvana Yachts.

Specifications

Hull Type: Lifting keel
LOA: 28 ft.
LWL: 25.75 ft.
Beam: 9.82 ft.
Displacement: 3,750 lbs.
Ballast: 1,290 lbs.
Sail Area: 412.31 sq. ft.
Fuel: 18 gallons
Fresh Water 20 gallons
Engine: Yanmar
First built: 2007
Last built: 2010
Developer: Sylvana Yachts (CAN)
Designer: Alan Andrews

Ranger 26

Regarded well for safety and comfortable sailing experience, Ranger 26 is the perfect design satisfying the expectations from the short-lived yet highly prosperous designer, Gary Mull. Ranger 26 is a sporty boat that won the 1970 IOR North American Half-Ton Cup.

Overall, Ranger 26 has a fine profile with all the aspects you can expect from a pocket sailboat and then some.

Ranger 26's comfort level is unmatched. Although designed in 1969, it depicts the modern design of sailboats. A hand-laid hull and a balsa-cored deck add a touch of luxury to the boat. However, good looks and speed are not the only attributes this sailboat offers.

A seven-foot long deck offers ample space for a couple of companions. A sufficient cabin height and freeboard give a good under-deck experience.

Storage space is another benefit of the 26-footer sailboat. The lack of quarter births provides extra storage space under the cabin seats. However, the well-balanced construction between the above and under the deck has left little standing headroom of about five feet.

Going forward, the side decks narrow to only 12-inch wide, so it's important to keep wary of your footing. If you go for this fast and comfortable boat, ensure to check the iron keel and its bolts, which are prone to rust.

You can buy the Ranger 26 from Ranger26.com.

Specifications

Hull Type: Fin w/spade rudder
LOA: 26.25 ft.
LWL: 21.75 ft.
Beam: 8.67 ft.
Displacement: 5.860 lbs.
Ballast: 2,050 lbs.
Sail Area: 321.75 sq. ft.
First built: 1969
Last built: 1975
Developer: Ranger Yachts
Designer: Gary Mull

Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20

Pacific Seacraft Flicka is the most convenient and trailerable sailboat on our list, with an overall length of 20 feet. If you like a minimalist lifestyle and want the same in your bluewater pocket sailboat, this one's for you.

A functional galley with a sink and a counter and a small sink, toilet, and shower provides you with the basic amenities you and a couple of your friends and family need for a few days offshore.

There's more to the accommodation you can expect from this 20-footer sailboat. This boat has four berths, including a v-berth so sleeping comfortably or stretching your legs occasionally is not an issue. A pop-up dining table and a chart table within the cabin make eating and other activities doable.

Nevertheless, most people underestimate the Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20's ability to handle offshore rigidity, and they are often surprised at what this boat has to offer. A full-ballast keel, hull shape, manageable rig, and a self-draining cockpit ensure a fine offshore performance by the littlest contender.

Moreover, we find its outstanding standing headspace as one of the boat's best features. Unlike other pocket sailboats, the Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 has a six ft. headspace. You don't have to duck every time to save your head banging against the roof.

The Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20's size and its minimalistic yet fulfilling features are why this boat's demand remains high. With only 400 of them ever made, you will have to dig deeper and longer to find one worth buying. Due to this, the price of this boat is also slightly higher.

You can buy the Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 from Yacht world for $29,900.

Specifications

Hull Type: Long keel
LOA: 24 ft.
LWL: 18.75 ft.
Beam: 8 ft.
Displacement: 6,000 lbs.
Ballast: 1,750 lbs.
Sail Area: 261.89 sq. ft.
Fuel: 12 gallons
Fresh Water: 20 gallons
Engine: Yanmar
First built: 1974
Last built: 1994
Developer: Pacific Seacraft
Designer: Bruce Bingham

Pacific Seacraft Dana 24

Despite the minimalistic functionality, you might want a sailboat a notch larger than the Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20. If so, check out the Pacific Seacraft Dana 24. You can expect a similar design and capabilities from the same developers, with an additional four feet of space.

While such a small amount of extra space might feel very little, even an extra foot is a lot for a sailboat.

The extra four feet space allows more room on the cockpit, including an additional settee on the deck. It also adds to the galley space, making it more comfortable and easy to utilize. While the 24-footer adds space to the boat to make it roomy, it still boasts the qualities of one of the smaller sailboats we have on this list.

It is ideal for a pair, especially couples who do not look for much except spending quality days offshore with the basic amenities on hand.

Technically, the Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 leaves behind its close nemesis Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20. Despite being the larger one, Dana 24 is faster, catches up its hull speed quickly, and gives a fine performance in light winds.

A high bow flare and freeboard ensure the deck remains dry unless high tides take charge. Like all best bluewater pocket sailboats, this one also has a sufficient standing headroom of six feet one inch.

However, no one knows how many boats remain in existence because many of the Dana 24 were sold as kits and bare hulls. Due to this, you might also find slight differences in the build from boat to boat.

You can get the Pacific Seacraft Dana 24 from Yacht World for $49,000.

Specifications

Hull Type: Lifting keel
LOA: 27.25 ft.
LWL: 21.42 ft.
Beam: 8.85 ft.
Displacement: 8,000 lbs.
Ballast: 3,200 lbs.
Sail Area: 361.22 sq. ft.
Fuel: 18 gallons
Fresh Water 40 gallons
Engine: Yanmar
First built: 1948
Last built: 2007
Developer: Pacific Seacraft
Designer: W.I.B Crealock

O'Day 28

The O'Day 28 is a popular sailboat, and you can find one easily as there are over 500 vessels of this super comfortable sailboat. Although produced for a short time between 1978 and 1986, O'Day 28 made its mark quite well as one of the best bluewater pocket sailboats.

Fortunately, O'Day is one of the larger sailboats on this list. So you are in luck if you want to buy a sailboat with ample room and amenities for less money.

Performance-wise, the O'Day 28 is as smooth as they come. It gives a smooth offshore sailing experience among the pocket sailboats thanks to its huge displacement of 7,300 lbs.

However, the larger displacement means you will need to slow down slightly to maneuver the ship comfortably. It could also use a heavier ballast since the factory-installed capacity is limited to 2,550. Although it is enough for a boat this size, there is little room for improvement.

On the bright side, smaller ballast means more room for the cabin and water and fuel capacities. Compared to boats of similar sizes, O'Day can hold 25 gallons of water and 18 gallons of fuel, aiding longer offshore voyages.

You can also install more tanks for extra water capacity in the storage spaces.

O'Day 28's cabin is as roomy as they come. Once you are in the cabin of this sailboat, it won't appear to you that you are inside of a pocket sailboat. This is mainly due to the wide beam of O'Day 28.

Besides that, the cabin is loaded with the basic needs to spend a few refreshing days off the shore. It has multiple berths, a large center table, padded settees, and an icebox — O'Day 28 has all.

Moving upwards, you will find a handful of similarities in the features of this boat and one of a larger boat. A few of them are a raked stern, helm, and a hidden rudder that keeps up the stands. However, O'Day 28 is a lot more than comfort and features.

A large modern-type fin keel keeps the boat stable around the anchor, and the firm beam keeps the boat cruising like the wind against 15 knots.

It will give you decent performance for up to 18-20 knots. Overall, the O'Day 28 is one of the finest pieces of craftsmanship you can find for a bluewater pocket sailboat.

You can get the O'Day 28 from Yacht world for $12,500.

Specifications

Hull Type: Fin w/spade rudder
LOA: 28.25 ft.
LWL: 22.92 ft.
Beam: 10.25 ft.
Displacement: 7,300 lbs.
Ballast: 2,550 lbs.
Sail Area: 370 sq. ft.
Fuel: 18 gallons
Fresh Water: 25 gallons
Engine: Universal
First built: 1978
Last built: 1986
Developer: Bangor Punta Marine (USA)
Designer: C. Raymond Hunt Associates

Easy handling, low cost of maintenance, minimalistic designs, basic amenities, all while going offshore — these are the main selling points of the pocket sailboats. All the boats mentioned above will serve you well if you are looking for the best bluewater pocket sailboats. Choose wisely!