Downsizing Even More

[Donald Miller]

I need some advice from seasoned sailors. After hip surgery I downsized from a Macgregor 26 (which I dearly loved) to a great little Venture 17. The reason for the downsizing was that I could no longer handle climbing around on the boat setting up the mast etc. Now I find that I am using the Venture 17 very little due to the same reasons. I have to climb on board to mount the mast, even though it is easier than the 26. I have considered giving up sailing and selling Bay Wind, but I still love to sail with my wife or sometimes solo. Here is my question. Is there a suitable sailboat for lake sailing that is easy to set up without climbing around on it? It needs to be trailerable and stable. Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Andy Howard]

sailing forever

If setup is the limiting factor, I'd call every marina and boatyard in the area looking for slip rental or yard storage with the mast up. Don't forget about your friends with waterfront property, they may be willing to let you "borrow" or rent a few feet of their dock space.

 

[Wanderer138]

Other options

See if you can find a marina that will store the boat on your trailer in their yard. Hidden Harbour Marina in Sanford does it for a reasonable fee (they call it a "dry slip"). All do is call them a couple of hours before you want to go out and the boat will be waiting in the water when you get there. The only drawback with HHM is having to wait sometimes for the railroad drawbridge to open.If Sanford is too far to drive, you might have some luck at one of the marinas on Lake Harris near Leesburg. There used to be a small place on the east shore of Lake Eustis between Tavares and Eustis, but I don't know if they're still in operation.If mast raising is your only problem, then you might want to look at one of the mast raising systems that have been discussed in the HOW Smaller Boats Forum. There was also a neat mast-raising rig in last month's issue of Sail magazine. I hope this helps.PeterH23 "Raven"

 

[Ray Bowles]

Don, Our 95 H26 has the easiest to use

factory mast raising systems I've seen. It still is a somewhat demanding physical chore but very duable if approached intellengently. I have a severe disability that we must work around doing this task but the love of sailing is worth the effort. We did spring for a slip and leave our boat at the marina for the season thus requiring only 1 set-up and tear-down.Most marinas in our area also allow smaller sailboats (26' and less) to remain rigged on their trailers and are launched and retrieved everytime the owner wants to sail. This might also work for you. The cost is about $150 per year.The H26 works very well for me as I would have mobility problems with a smaller boat and its cramped working area.We sailed over 1100 miles last summer and it is the best r/x around.RayS/V Speedy