Need some thoughts on securing sheets, shrouds and lines for trailering

[Jerry Zitterkopf]

RE: a Macgregor 26 M, I noticed in the owners manual that they recommend coiling and securing lines for travel to prevent them from going overboard and then being run over by the trailer or following traffic thereby preventing the almost certain ensuing DISASTER. That all sounds terrific to me but removing the shrouds from the chain plates, for example, is very time consuming. I have to this point left shrouds attached at chain plates and snugged them fore and aft attaching them to the mast with loop and knob bungee cords (multiples for safety). Excess sheets and lines are wrapped around the mast which is bearing the roller furled foresail which helps hold it in place.
I'm new to the forum but I'm certain this topic has been discussed at nauseum. Does any one have any words of wisdom here for me. Maybe a reference to another good post or a good You Tube Video to watch. It seems one needs to strike a balance between safety and taking two hours to rig and two hours to derig. I tried to post a pic but things spin but nothing ever shows up. Thanks

 

[Jerry Zitterkopf]

Here we go. I actually have two smaller cradles one just over the slider and another over the top tier front window to cradle the foresail a little better. They were added later. At any rate I think you can follow the shrouds pretty well.

 

[justsomeguy]

I tried to post a pic but things spin but nothing ever shows up.

How big is that photo? Megabytes?

 

[AWalker]

I bought a dozen or so Velcro wrap things from WM. Their store brand, .99 cents each. They are great for wrapping around coiled shrouds, halyards, etc. I also made eyes in a hand full of 1/4" line about 2' long which I used to tie items around the mast.

 

[Justin_NSA]

YMMV, but rather than disconnect the furler from the mast to slide it back, I secured a wooden pole to the mast to support the furler foil and drum where it lay.

 

[Jerry Zitterkopf]

One meg plus a little.

 

[Jerry Zitterkopf]

YMMV, but rather than disconnect the furler from the mast to slide it back, I secured a wooden pole to the mast to support the furler foil and drum where it lay.

I tried that with little success. The cradle slipped over the mast was some work to make but it really does a nice job of holding the bottom of sail and furler drum without warping the foil. Mine (foil) is just about shot due to abuses from a former owner. I used a heat gun and straightened it out pretty well but I suspect I'll be replacing it before too long.

 

[Kermit]

@Crazy Dave Condon showed me how to make loops on the shrouds and tie the loops to the mast. Worked well and looked very neat. Another trick he showed me is to run the furler foil down the side of the boat and secure it to the stanchions with ball-loop bungees. His comment was, "They're flexible so use that to your advantage." No more securing it to the mast and hoping it doesn't fall off.

 

[Meriachee]

We're a big fan club of tie wraps. A bag of 1000, 12" ties may seem like a few bucks, but they're solid, ultimately adjustable and the only downside is that they are not reusable. We used to have the Mac ready to raise the mast or wrap it up for travel in 20 minutes or less. We do the same on the Catalina, and many times have hit the road well before others who were out of the water before us.
You can't really see the ties on the Catalina, but the process is the same.

 

[Kermit]

I still can't believe the Catalina 270 is a trailer sailor. You da man, Meriachee. You da man!

 

[Justin_NSA]

We're a big fan club of tie wraps. A bag of 1000, 12" ties may seem like a few bucks, but they're solid, ultimately adjustable and the only downside is that they are not reusable. We used to have the Mac ready to raise the mast or wrap it up for travel in 20 minutes or less. We do the same on the Catalina, and many times have hit the road well before others who were out of the water before us.
You can't really see the ties on the Catalina, but the process is the same.
View attachment 126981

Beauty! Must be fun stepping the mast every time. I dread having to do it again but I'm deferring some needed projects.

 

[Meriachee]

I still can't believe the Catalina 270 is a trailer sailor. You da man, Meriachee. You da man!

....and after a few thousand hours of Ronnie's talent, and grinding, cutting, lighting and painting, we've got a trailer that is downtown capable!

 

[Meriachee]

Must be fun stepping the mast every time

Actually, all the little tricks that we learned from the Mac were ported over. Scares the livin beejeebers out of the gawkers when it happens, but it's a simple matter that doesn't take near as long as it does to get the stays tuned.

Guy stood there watching this launch, jaw on the ground, while two of us did it. His DS16, he claimed, took 4 guys over an hour. I wondered (without sounding caddy) how you could get 4 guys on the deck of a DS16.

Here's mast on crutch, with both A frames laying on mast. One holds the mast side to side, one is the rigging. 6:1 led back to the winch. The forward lower stays are attached, as is the backstay, loose, just in case. The forward lowers are enough to stop it from going past upright.

 

[Kermit]

I bet you get free beers in bars when you drive through town. At least until you're thrown out.

 

[Fred]

I've been using this plastic wrap, clingy stuff to tie all the ropes to the mast. You can get a roll of this stuff at HD for under $10 that will last forever.

 

[dscribner]

I made a mast cover that supports the roller furler, clips the the masthead and has all the straps required to secure all the lines and cables, shrouds and stays. It also has straps to secure the mast to the pushpit, pullpit and center crutch. We trailer our Lancer 25 every weekend and this makes it much easier. My ginpole also has everything it requires firmly attached.

 

[justsomeguy]

I simply zip-tie the shrouds to a cleat on the cabin top, letting them hang slightly over the beam.
The main and spin halyards, along with the topping lift, are coiled and tied, laying in the cockpit awaiting the next mast raising. They won't blow out into traffic.
The jib sheets off the furler are pulled tightly through their leads and wrapped around their respective winches, the excess getting daisy-chained onto itself.
Backstay is loosely coiled in the cockpit.
Don't overthink it.

 

[BudGates]

I start at the top of the mast with a pocket full of ball-bungee loops and work my way to the center attaching everything to the mast. When I get to the middle I grab a loop of each shroud and bungee it to the mast as well. Excess lines are then tossed then down the companion way. Closing the cabin up secures all lines for transport.

Like JustSomeGuy said.. "Don't overthink it."

 

[markwbird]

Bungee.

 

[Benny17441]

My word of advice is quite simple, make good knots and secure any excess line that might fall over.