about to buy a catalina 22

[Bilbo]

Launch on a thursday; just nose your tow vehicle down the ramp. Nobody will be there to get angry....

Your points are valid on all accounts as one who sets the mast with a bit of a rakish tip to stern. but alas ....our parking lot is really flat and in order to angle the trailer down at the bow, I'd have to locate the tow vehicle in the bay. . or.....or disconnect the tow vehicle and have a jack handy for the trailer tongue.

...
I’ve raised my mast and other masts all of the different ways described on this website, halyards, mainsheet purchases, ginpoles, A-frames and muscle and with less than experienced help, this is the easiest and simplest. Many times I get everything set, drop the 100 foot line over the side and ask a fisherman or passerby to give me a pull from ground level, everyone's willing to help just to see that mast go up.

I've preferred so far to raise it single handed. When I ask for assistance, they generally don't get things right and that can be costly. I found one person bending my bow winch once, another not providing any assistance with that mast line....when you're trying to do one thing and watching someone else doing something that they're not told to do....it's just a muck up. Same goes on the water with the boat. We had a discussion not very long ago about the captain's legal responsibilities and all that recently.

I find that it’s also easier to attach the baby stays first because, here again easier, one will do it and they both have to be attached anyway, then the person holding the mast is free to do something else while I squeeze into the bow pulpit or stand on the front of the trailer to hook up the forestay.

Again, I single hand it. I have the fore halyard/downhaul cleated, raise the mast, cleat the fore halyard/downhaul tightly to the horn/jam cleat at the base of the mast and she's safe. Then, I attach the forestay, and the two forward lower shrouds in that order. This issue isn't a big issue as far as I'm concerned. My concern is to mention that each person consider their procedure intelligently and do it in their order as a good and carefully followed procedure can prevent costly mistakes or injuries.

 

[ShotgunSlim]

I trailer sail and single hand almost exclusively and thanks to many previous posts here on this forum, I picked all the good points out and made a pdf file checklist that I print out and go by for launching and recovering. I did add 3 Catalina Direct quick releases for the fwd lower shrouds and the forestay, a gin pole and a mast crutch to make things easier. Speeding things up even more, I have started using "R" keys on my clevis pins since the little rings and even the cotter pins were getting to be a pain with my eyesight and fumbly fingers. They may not be "marine" or kosher by other serious sailors but they work for me, are cheap, easily replaced every year and totally covered up by my turnbuckle covers. I have an old multi pocketed gym bag that I use for a rigging/tool bag and everything I need to launch and recover is in it including a nail bag I wear around my waist with the hardware and tools in it. I try to have a couple of extra everythings in the bag 'cause you never know where something will land when you drop it and my sailing days are too precious to mess up by losing that one critical clevis pin or something else. It has saved my bacon (and some other folks) on more than one day. FYI: make sure you have "Attach wind indicator to top of mast" at the top of your list. You're not going to put that sucker on once you get the mast up, I only made that mistake once! Happy sailing and welcome to the most helpful and friendly group of people I know on the internet. They really do give the reloading and skeet people a run for their money.

 

[Bilbo]

....... FYI: make sure you have "Attach wind indicator to top of mast" at the top of your list. You're not going to put that sucker on once you get the mast up, I only made that mistake once!......

Aha...now you know why I can lift the mast so easily by myself. I do it a few times each season because of that.

 

[txtowman]

I realize I am late to the discussion. My c22 is in Tomball. Contact Me anytime and You can watch or help me rig mine. it's not hard just a little tedious. If I really work hard at it I can be on the water in 20 minutes. But to me launching is part of the experience. I have a launching system you are welcome to copy. I made my own "Mast Up" and I use the trailer winch to raise without a gin pole. works pretty good. And I do it solo. Lots of parts and boats at Clearlake. If you can afford it get an 82' or newer. Once I raise the mast I have to pull it down at least 20 degrees to get it to come down on its own. Does anyone else's do this?