Beginner Questions

Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
And if the marina has a tractor to use like my you do not need a tow vehicle to launch it.
 
Jul 29, 2021
8
Catalina 22 n/a
Another option to consider is keep the boat at a marina with the mast up on a trailer assuming there one. Then you only have hitch it up and launch it. No rigging and de-rigging. Lower cost than berthing it in the water. That is what the majority of trailerable sailboat owners do at my marina.
I'm actually reconsidering this as an option. As it turns out, there is a marina a little closer to me than an hour (more like 35 minutes), so this might not be so onerous of an option. I like the idea of being able to bring my boat home, but I do like the idea of keeping it assembled for the season. I'll have to do some more thinking and digging...
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
OK, so I sail with similar criteria as the OP. (Ok use to sail till my boat was crushed by a tree). I live an hour from Lake Michigan.) Trailer sailing can be made to be OK and it won't kill you. The trick is to design your mast raising and setup to be simple. You may need to add hardware to make this work, but it is worth the effort. I added cleats to hold the gin pole. The gin pole had cables permanently attached to it. The mast crutch for transport stayed in the same location for mast raising. It had a V-roller, so all I had to do was unclip the mast and roll it back into position for raising. All the stays stayed in place and were just bungied off for transport. All of my tools and hardware were stored in order to minimize steps. My mast was up in 10 minutes from the time I pulled into the launch area. I could be in the water in 20 minutes if I worked at it. Normally 1/2 hour. I watched a guy who got to the dock before I did. I was in the water before he got his mast up. If you want to enjoy sailing, don't be that guy. Figure out a process. I did a lot of yard sailing, setting up the boat, where I had access to the local hardware store, buying whatever it would take to make the launch process quick. Part of the trick is to not rig anything for transport. Put cleats the where you need them. Buy the tie down straps you need. Everything should be dedicated.

I'd say an RL 24 is the perfect boat, but don't buy one, as I have been trying to find a replacement for almost a year now. They are rare and I don't want you to get to it before I do. The RL is lightweight racer/cruiser. Perfect for solo sailing or up to 4-5 people. It sails up wind like nobodies business.
 
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Jul 29, 2021
8
Catalina 22 n/a
OK, so I sail with similar criteria as the OP. (Ok use to sail till my boat was crushed by a tree). I live an hour from Lake Michigan.) Trailer sailing can be made to be OK and it won't kill you. The trick is to design your mast raising and setup to be simple. You may need to add hardware to make this work, but it is worth the effort. I added cleats to hold the gin pole. The gin pole had cables permanently attached to it. The mast crutch for transport stayed in the same location for mast raising. It had a V-roller, so all I had to do was unclip the mast and roll it back into position for raising. All the stays stayed in place and were just bungied off for transport. All of my tools and hardware were stored in order to minimize steps. My mast was up in 10 minutes from the time I pulled into the launch area. I could be in the water in 20 minutes if I worked at it. Normally 1/2 hour. I watched a guy who got to the dock before I did. I was in the water before he got his mast up. If you want to enjoy sailing, don't be that guy. Figure out a process. I did a lot of yard sailing, setting up the boat, where I had access to the local hardware store, buying whatever it would take to make the launch process quick. Part of the trick is to not rig anything for transport. Put cleats the where you need them. Buy the tie down straps you need. Everything should be dedicated.
You sound well-organized. This sounds like the kind of thing I would do: do drills in your backyard to try to get set-up and tear-down time down to a minimum. Cheers to that! :beer:

I'd say an RL 24 is the perfect boat, but don't buy one, as I have been trying to find a replacement for almost a year now. They are rare and I don't want you to get to it before I do. The RL is lightweight racer/cruiser. Perfect for solo sailing or up to 4-5 people. It sails up wind like nobodies business.
Well, I have to say that, that last part about being perfect for solo sailing or sailing up to 4-5 people is one of the key items on my wish list.

Why are they so hard to find? Are they not made anymore?

BREAK

One boat that caught my eye was a Sanibel 18. This guy Sam Holmes does videos about sailing, and he did a video where he took one out for a short trip:


That might be in the "too small" category, at least for overnights with more than 2 or three people; but at 18 feet long, and about 21 feet on the trailer, I could fit it in my garage. And for winter storage, that would be important. Anything bigger than that, and I'm going to have to bum space off of relatives with pole barns...

Does anyone have any opinions about this boat? Just spit-balling...
 
Sep 20, 2014
1,320
Rob Legg RL24 Chain O'Lakes
Why are they so hard to find? Are they not made anymore?
They were originally designed and built in Australia. There are several thousand over there. They were also contracted to be built here between 1980 to 1984. There were only 500 boats built in the US. The designer Rob Legg passed away last year. He would stay active on the forum, so once in a while you could get very specific information from him. Prior to this boat, he designed a few boats for the Coast Guard. The design criteria was to build boats that wouldn't sink in adverse conditions. This boat he designed for his family, so he carried over some of the same thought process. Since it was built for his family, the designed followed all the rules, rather than to be a fancy production boat. In Australia, they build for speed, so some think the boat is a little tender. I've been out in 30 mph winds and found it to be fun. I've also been out in 40 +, and you can't have sails up. However it is one of the very few boats with a cabin that will plain up wind. The boat only weighs 1540 lbs, so not a lot of ballast. While I sail solo much of the time, in high winds, it really likes some rail meat.
That might be in the "too small" category, at least for overnights with more than 2 or three people; but at 18 feet long, and about 21 feet on the trailer, I could fit it in my garage. And for winter storage, that would be important. Anything bigger than that, and I'm going to have to bum space off of relatives with pole barns...
If you are going to sail on the Great Lakes, that boat may be a little small. When you get under 20 feet, a boat with a cabin will be sluggish and tender. You can see that in the way the boat handles.