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Yawl Boat Buying Guide
What Is a Yawl Sailboat?
A yawl is a double-masted sailboat that is typically rigged with one or more jibsails, a mainsail, and mizzen, offering a large amount of sail area. If you love sailing and catching the wind in your hair, then a yawl is the right sailing vessel for you. Whether you want to cruise the ocean or set sail on many of the lakes here in the United States, a yawl sailboat is an excellent choice.
The visual effects of a yawl sailing vessel alone is enough to soften even the toughest critics for the romantic imagery they invoke. If you want to see some examples, check out the many Sparkman & Stephens yawl boats for sale on YATCO. Read more to learn about yawl boats for sale and why this is a great choice, whether you want to sail single handed, or with the help of a crew.
How To Sail a Yawl?
Now that we know a yawl is a double masted sailboat, you’ll also need to consider what additional sailing experience is needed if you want to take a yawl sailing vessel out on the water. With two masts and one head sail, there can be a lot of things on the go in a larger sail area, versus traditional one-masted sailboats. The smaller mizzen mast is placed behind the rudder post and is mostly good for balancing the boat. Due to its location, it’s blocked by the mainsail to windward and can be difficult to set, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to sail! While it may be trickier to sail single handed, it isn’t impossible so don’t let that derail your yawl dreams.
While sailors enjoy the hard work of sailing a yawl, it isn’t for everyone since it does require a more active role than other styles and you can’t just rely on autopilot. As a guide, here are some tips to sailing a yawl:
- The best place to start is by booking an online course or by taking lessons nearby.
- Familiarize yourself with all parts of the sailboat – even better, gain some experience on someone else’s yawl before starting. Get used to the sail areas both fore and aft, and how each sail works to propel you.
- Learn the rigging system – practice rigging yourself and working the lines before you head out.
- Learn and review basic sailing techniques and terms – what sails to use when and how to maneuver the sails. Try to do this in calmer conditions – even if you don’t get a lot of wind in your sails, you’ll gain confidence switching between sails or heading up and down wind.
- Know the rules of the water – review YATCO’s Right of Way Guide.
- Practice leaving the dock, anchoring, and returning to port. A great place to do this is on a small waterway – whether you’re in Europe or the United States – you may not want to take your Sparkman & Stephens right out in the open ocean until you have a good handle on how she moves.
- Have fun!
If you are interested to find out more about yawl and sailboats in general, check out our sailboat buying guide 2023.
What Is a Yawl Used For?
Yawls were most famously used as fishing boats in the early 19th century, with many appreciating the space both fore and aft of the masts; however, they are still used to this day for some fishing and racing. Yawls are beautifully designed, and many enjoy restoring classics to their former glory as a hobby.
Some reputable brands you’ll see on the water include Concordia, Hinckley, Nautor’s Swan, and Sparkman & Stephens built here in the United States.
What Is the Difference Between a Ketch and a Yawl?
Both a ketch and a yawl have two masts and one head sail; with the mizzen placed near the aft of the boat. However, a ketch has the mizzen placed forward of the rudder post, while the yawl has the mizzen placed abaft (or behind) the rudder post. Another key difference is the size of the mizzen mast – on a ketch they are taller and similar in height to your main mast, while on the yawl they are much shorter.
How Much Is a Yawl?
The price of yawl boats for sale will depend on a few factors – the size, age of the yawl, condition of the boat and whether your sails are in good shape – will all affect the final costs. As an example, yawls can start as little as $20,000, with larger models in excellent shape costing in the millions of dollars price range.
Whether you want to sail single handed or enjoy a larger yawl with your own captain and crew, many enjoy the classic beauty of this timeless sailboat style. With plenty of space fore and aft, and a large amount of sail area, yawls not only offer something beautiful to look at, but they also offer something fun to sail as well.
