Cabin centerboarders, also called trailer sailers, are small sailing yachts — generally under 30 feet — with a retractable centreboard rather than a fixed keel, and an enclosed cabin providing basic sleeping accommodation. The combination of shallow draft when the board is raised and road-legal beam makes them the only sailboat type that can be routinely transported on a standard road trailer.
Draft with the board raised is typically under 30 centimetres, allowing access to shallow coastal anchorages, river berths, and inland lakes unavailable to fixed-keel yachts. With the board lowered, lateral resistance is adequate for offshore coastal sailing in moderate conditions, though the type is not suited to extended bluewater passages. Cabin accommodation is compact: a two-berth forward cabin, a small galley, and sometimes a portable heads compartment. Some larger examples in the 25–30 foot range offer a dedicated heads compartment and standing headroom.
Construction is almost universally fibreglass. Auxiliary propulsion is typically an outboard motor mounted on a transom bracket; some models have a purpose-built outboard well. Quick-release mast systems are available on many designs to allow passage under low bridges. Racing variants exist within several established class rules, but the majority of trailer sailers are cruising-oriented. Ownership costs are low: trailer storage eliminates marina fees, and small sail areas and engine size reduce running expenses compared with larger keelboats.
