Tiwal 3 review – Grant from Indianapolis, IN

I am Grant and I live in Brownsburg, Indiana, which is a suburb of Indianapolis, so Central Indiana in the US.

Which Tiwal model do you have?

Tiwal 3 small sailboat and I had it for two seasons.

Where do you sail?

There’s a reservoir about 5 miles down our road that is 1300 acres so, about a mile long and a half a mile wide. So, I sail there mainly. There’s a limit on how big of motor you can have -10 horsepower motor- so it’s mainly sailboats and small slow fishing boats.

What was your experience before Tiwal?

I sailed for 40-some years. I used to race sailboats on Lake Erie in Michigan for a while. Then I raced sailboats for a little bit up in Chicago and Lake Michigan for a while. And then we had a Vanguard 470 for several years, but it was just big and bulky with the trailer and storing and harder to get out so I hadn’t been sailing for quite a while.

I sailed on S2s which are made I think in Michigan on Lake Erie. And then in Chicago I sailed J24s, J25s and then as I say, I had a Vanguard 470 is what I owned for a couple years. Then I’ve been quite a while without sailing.

Single-handed or double-handed?

Almost… majority solo – occasionally maybe one of my kids will go out but mainly I do it solo and I have quite a good time with that.

How do you use your Tiwal?

I usually go over down and I sail for an hour or two and just sail back and forth and enjoy myself try and work my way up the reservoir back and just enjoy, just relax.

How is it going so far?

Very good! I like it very much I’ve been sailing for years, when I was looking for something that I could sail by myself or with one person I wanted but also easy to store and easy to set up on my own.

What characteristics surprised you?

It’s pretty spry! I like how spry it is. I tend to go out when the wind’s a little heavier and it moves pretty well, I like it.

When I was shopping for boats, I knew I wanted something I could either car-top or store and I kind of picked a Tiwal because I got a bad shoulder I don’t have to lift up and put it on top of the car so I can just put it in the back of the car. But it goes together fairly quickly and I really enjoy sailing it.

What is your best memory with your Tiwal?

My daughter and I were out sailing one time and we had a squall come through, so we got blown around and knocked over a couple times but she and I were both laughing the whole time and just having a great time.

It wasn’t dark it was just big wind come through with all sunny and we had a great time we were just enjoying being on the boat and getting knocked around.

Where would you dream to sail with your Tiwal?

Oh, I’d love to sail it on some open saltwater somewhere near you know an ocean and stuff, but that’s down there nice and then we also have a reservoir that we power boat on. I’m plan on taking it this summer so I can have a bigger lake to sail on.