CAREEL 18

About the CAREEL 18

Native to Australia, the CAREEL 18 was originally built by John Duncanson in the late 1960's and was known as the Duncanson 18. David Rose, a dealer for Duncanson took over the manufacturing rights and subsequently renamed the class CAREEL 18. There are now three generations of CAREEL 18; the original, the Mark II and in 1985 the Mark III. The Mark III had its roof raised 10cm among other changes.

Designed by John Duncanson and David Rose and built by David Rose Yachts (AUS), the Careel 18 is a compact Australian classic with a production run of 400 hulls starting in 1968. Its lightweight displacement of 1720.0 lb and fractional sloop rig define its performance-oriented character.

Best for:

This boat suits coastal cruisers and day-sailers seeking a nimble, trailerable package with a max draft of 3.94 ft that allows access to shallow anchorages.

Bluewater capability:

With a low comfort ratio of 10.6 and a capsize ratio of 2.48, the Careel 18 is primarily a coastal boat with limited offshore suitability due to its light displacement and narrow beam.

Comparables:

Comparable to other 18-foot trailerables from the late 1960s and 1970s, such as the O'Day 18 or Pearson 18, due to similar LOA of 18.37 ft and role as a weekend cruiser.