Day sailer

For the sailboat model by O'day, see Day Sailer.

A daysailer, day sailer, or dayboat is a small compact sailboat with or without sleeping accommodations but which is larger than a dinghy.^[1][2] Dayboats can be monohull or multihull, and are typically trailer-able. Many dayboats have a small cabin or "cuddy" for storage and to provide shelter, or for sleeping in, but which is not always large enough to stand erect in.

Com-Pac Sunday Cat daysailer

Dayboats' greater stability also distinguishes them from dinghies and are generally sailed more like a small yacht than a dinghy. For example, although crew weight may well be shifted to increase performance, this is not crucial to stability, as it is in a dinghy. The distinction between keelboats and day sailers is not always clear. Generally a keelboat is a large boat (over 27 feet (8.2m) and usually not trailer-able) used for longer trips, whereas daysailers, as the name implies, are used for trips less than 48 hours, often only a single day.