Folks,
I am learning if subtle differences between 19 and her step-sisters 16 + 23, in terms of pure sailing qualities.
I am not proposing one is better, but I only have the 19 viewpoint, so if I did have to choose....
To start, I have heard that the 19 may be less tender, a result of flatter bottom.
Thanks for your input
I've have a 19 and did have a 16. Both are very fine boats. I sailed the 19 with its original rig before converting it. Owning and sailing a junk rig in the past and knowing its unique benefits, and definitely not dissatisfaction with the original rig, motivated me. Yes the 16 is more tender and I sailed rail closer to the water more often. The full bow on the 16 gives some nice buoyancy up front in a small boat and may help with the solid feel when moving around onboard . It also may slow tacking in a chop. It seems to me that the 19 with a finer bow points a little higher. I do like the stability of the 19 which the mate finds reassuring. On those infrequent times and conditions when the boat pounds I would appreciate slacker bilges of the 16 and 23 but the overall trade off is worth for me. The 19 has been just the right size boat for my needs.