Marina's seem to hate sailboats

Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
Launching and retrieving a boat is a spectator sport. I think we have an idea here for a new reality TV show. We put up a web cam at several popular launch sites... pay an intern to comb through the footage and string together an hour of idiot shots...
 

WayneH

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Jan 22, 2008
1,039
Tartan 37 287 Pensacola, FL
Launching and retrieving a boat is a spectator sport. I think we have an idea here for a new reality TV show. We put up a web cam at several popular launch sites... pay an intern to comb through the footage and string together an hour of idiot shots...
Well, that should only involve Saturday afternoon retrievals. Don't forget the low light cameras as the insanity increases after dark. :snooty:
 
Feb 26, 2004
22,759
Catalina 34 224 Maple Bay, BC, Canada
Marina's DON'T seem to hate sailboats

Lots of nice "how to" and "how NOT to" stories here.

But the OP answered himself, I think, when he said the ramps were part of a marina and wouldn't let you launch unless you used their slips.

Not unreasonable to me.

When we had our C22 we trailered it up to Clear Lake. The marina wouldn't let you stay on the boat inside the marina, so we learned to anchor out. The marina had the ramp, no charge if you were a tenant, $$$ if you were not. Different than the OP, same concept.
 
Feb 26, 2011
1,428
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
I spent at least an hour looking for this video when we were having this discussion a week ago; I stumbled upon by accident today.

I didn't shoot this, but was present during the cluster-f**k. This is the ramp that I use daily and the morons depicted herein have recieved harsh words from me on more than one occasion as they ply their trade on it, hauling delapidated POS derelicts to be taken away and presumably destroyed and dumped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ4od-pp34I
 
Sep 30, 2013
3,538
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
I wish someone would come do some of that around HERE (hauling away the derelicts, that is, not dumping them on a busy ramp)!

Was that boat one of said derelicts? It doesn't look too bad, but cameras seem to love sailboats.
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
At least that really nice trailer didn't get damaged.:D

Some people are just special I guess...:laugh:
 
Jan 12, 2011
930
Hunter 410 full time cruiser
I spent at least an hour looking for this video when we were having this discussion a week ago; I stumbled upon by accident today.

I didn't shoot this, but was present during the cluster-f**k. This is the ramp that I use daily and the morons depicted herein have recieved harsh words from me on more than one occasion as they ply their trade on it, hauling delapidated POS derelicts to be taken away and presumably destroyed and dumped.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZ4od-pp34I
oops, just want was the function of the guy with the rope?
 
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
That was seriously special. The pavement stipple effect in the hull is probably very interesting.
 
Jun 18, 2013
39
Beneteau 41.1 Glen Cove, NY
I am new to sailing but not to boating. I purchased a 22’ Mac with plans on “trailer sailing”. I live in Northern NJ and figured Greenwood Lake would be good for learning. This was until I found out NO marina’s will let me launch a sailboat. Some say it is because of insurance issues and other say it is because it takes too long to setup the boat. I convinced one marina to let me do it once so far but they made me drop the mast while in the water.
Is this normal? Do people just launch under power and rig the boat on water? That seems unsafe to me.
Other options close to me are the Hudson River in NY or Lake Walenpaupack in PA if anyone has experience trailer sailing on them.
Thanks!
Vernonite, I'd say most trailer sailing gets done from public boat ramps. If you want to launch in the lower Hudson, there's a ramp at the foot of the GW Bridge on the Jersey side (Palisades Park) and another one at Liberty State Park near the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Just be aware that the Hudson tide can run 3 or 4 knots each way, so be sure to track the tides so they don't prevent you from returning to the ramp, and bring plenty of fuel for your outboard.
 
Aug 19, 2013
129
Sirius 22 Minneapolis
Virtually every place we trailer our boat to in the Great Lakes area has a city, town, county, or public owned marina. We never have problems at these places as often the ramps are double wide. We always rig up or down out of the way and sometimes we do it in the water....it does not really matter to us. Once we are ready it takes the same or slightly more time than a powerboat getting it on/off the trailer. My few experiences with private marinas have not been good but I think it has more to do with profit than boat type. One place we had little issue for the first year or two but as the river became more and more congested the marinas started jacking up launching and parking fees to control the crowd. This was many years ago and we stopped going there as the water just became a zoo. We could have found a public ramp but we did not even want to be on the water there. This year on our Lake Huron trip we tried a private marina just because it was on one side of the swing bridge in Little Current so we wouldn't have to worry about timing the bridge openings. What a mistake...they would not let us launch the boat ourselves as they had to do it and then we payed them for the privilege. The place was snarky with a bad vibe. We left and went over to the public marina at Spider Island on the other side of the bridge which we used in the past. A very pleasent marina with great facilities and a laid back young staff that would help with anything if asked and who's attitude was "hey it's cool dude, whatever".:) Highly recommend this place for anyone coming the the North Channel or Georgian Bay. The other great public marina in the North Channel is in Spanish. This one is fairly new and also doubles as a community center for the area. Nice wide deep ramp and plenty of space. Spanish is perfectly placed if you are going to stay in the North Channel. We have used both of them. Little Current is better for supplies, parts, and repair.
 
Jan 5, 2010
44
92 macgregor 26s Manitoulin Island
Virtually every place we trailer our boat to in the Great Lakes area has a city, town, county, or public owned marina. We never have problems at these places as often the ramps are double wide. We always rig up or down out of the way and sometimes we do it in the water....it does not really matter to us. Once we are ready it takes the same or slightly more time than a powerboat getting it on/off the trailer. My few experiences with private marinas have not been good but I think it has more to do with profit than boat type. One place we had little issue for the first year or two but as the river became more and more congested the marinas started jacking up launching and parking fees to control the crowd. This was many years ago and we stopped going there as the water just became a zoo. We could have found a public ramp but we did not even want to be on the water there. This year on our Lake Huron trip we tried a private marina just because it was on one side of the swing bridge in Little Current so we wouldn't have to worry about timing the bridge openings. What a mistake...they would not let us launch the boat ourselves as they had to do it and then we payed them for the privilege. The place was snarky with a bad vibe. We left and went over to the public marina at Spider Island on the other side of the bridge which we used in the past. A very pleasent marina with great facilities and a laid back young staff that would help with anything if asked and who's attitude was "hey it's cool dude, whatever".:) Highly recommend this place for anyone coming the the North Channel or Georgian Bay. The other great public marina in the North Channel is in Spanish. This one is fairly new and also doubles as a community center for the area. Nice wide deep ramp and plenty of space. Spanish is perfectly placed if you are going to stay in the North Channel. We have used both of them. Little Current is better for supplies, parts, and repair.


Sorry to hear you had a bad marina experience here on manitoulin island.....disappointing to hear as I live here!
 

Fred

.
Sep 27, 2008
493
Catalina 28 mkii 745 Ottawa, Ontario, CA
We have sailed out of Little Current for the last 3 years. Highly recommended! We used Harbour Vue marina since my sailing buddy needs to be craned in. I ramp launch my own boat. We have had excellent service and experience with harbour Vue although with high water levels the ramp was a bit rough this year.

I retrieved my boat at the Spyder Bay marina ramp this year. They have an excellent ramp.

We have visited Spanish and it has excellent launch facilities however the provisioning is not great. (A long walk to the store)

I like to take my time to prepare for launch or clean up after retrieval so I make sure to park well away from the ramp for these activities. When properly prepared the actual launch takes no longer than a power boat. The retrieval might take a bit more time with positioning the boat on the trailer and emptying the ballast tank.
 

jwing

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Jun 5, 2014
503
ODay Mariner Guntersville
I am awed by those of you who are so committed to sailing that you are willing to spend time rigging and de-rigging every time you go out. Heck, I often wonder if the 35-minute drive to my slip-tied boat is worthwhile.

Are sailboat-only marinas rare? Most of the year, I store my boat on its trailer at one (and rent a slip during the warm season). The ramp is no problem and if anybody is nearby, they will offer to help. Zero stress; 100% friendly. My recommendation is to find a sailboat-only marina and pay the annual storage/launch fee.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Are sailboat-only marinas rare? Most of the year, I store my boat on its trailer at one (and rent a slip during the warm season). The ramp is no problem and if anybody is nearby, they will offer to help. Zero stress; 100% friendly. My recommendation is to find a sailboat-only marina and pay the annual storage/launch fee.
I think overall they are rare. Remember, 95% of all boats are non-sail.

On Lake Minnetonka 2 of the 4 big marinas are sail-only yacht cubs, WYC and Shorewood Yacht Club. I should say sailboat MOSTLY, I think each has (out of 150+ slips) maybe 5 powerboats that are rented open slips year-to-year. At WYC we charge them local lake rates. They are very decent people, and nice to be around.

But there is something about the vibe of being surrounded by sailboats and sailors.
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,024
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Jackdaw;

Look under how to redesign rudders by Armyaviation. He references the American 21 which I know the site for that boat information with photos but when I looked back after the first posting, that photo of the transom and cockpit cabin wall do not appear to be one in the same plus the indentation of the transom is throwing me off. Any ideas? Many thanks

Dave Condon
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Crazy Dave, I think this post #59 of yours is supposed to go on a different thread.