Leave it on or off

Karyon

Karyon

.
Jun 8, 2004
171
Hunter 23.5 Red deer, Alberta
So what do most of you trailer sailors do with the windex on the mast when the mast is down and traveling down the road?
Is it safe to leave it on or should it be removed.

It would be kind of a pain to bring a ladder along to install it each time, as the mast is hanging over the transom when it is down.
 
cb32863

cb32863

.
Jun 29, 2010
1,287
Beneteau First 235 Lake Minnetonka, MN
I towed my boat home 1600 miles from Florida to Minnesota.Left it on and it was fine. I don't take mine off when I take it to the lake in the spring or on the way home in the fall. Not saying it can't get fubar'd but, my experience so far is no problem.
 
BudGates

BudGates

.
Apr 19, 2012
1,043
O'Day Daysailor 17 Nevis MN
I usually remove it every time but forgot and left it on once and after about 100 miles it was broken and half of it was gone. By 150 miles the rest of it was gone. Now I remove it every time.
 
kito

kito

.
Sep 13, 2012
2,011
1979 Hunter Cherubini 30 Clemmons
I always remove mine since it's only one nut. I just slide the mast forward enough so I can install it standing on the stern ladder. I guess you could always get the ol' duct tape out and secure it so it doesn't spin while trailering too.
 
rgranger

rgranger

.
Jan 19, 2010
12,579
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
I've lost two for failure to take them off.... then I started tying it off with a bungee so it won't spin as I drive down the road....that has worked out so far.... on my current boat, the disconnect is easy so I take it off...

I've also had the opposite problem... spend half the morning stepping the mast and launching only to realize the windex is still sitting in the galley sink. :eek::oops:o_O:cuss:
 
fred1diver

fred1diver

.
Aug 17, 2013
1,024
Pearson P30 202 Ottawa/Gatineau
thats what happened to me as well, either forget to take it off and loose it on my way home, or forget to put it up before raising the mast
 
MrBill_FLL

MrBill_FLL

.
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
They pinwheel if you leave them on. I took it off. -putting it back was my problem.

too delicate to tie off IMO.
 
D

DAVA390

.
Jul 13, 2010
1,097
Precision 23 Perry Hall,Baltimore County
Every spring when loading the boat from the boat shelf in the house, windex goes on the dashboard of he truck, rattelling around there until I get to the marina. First thing installed when we get there.
 
sail_MN

sail_MN

.
Jan 30, 2012
105
Catalina 36 Bayfield, WI
I've always taken mine off for trailering. I did however have a 6 ft ladder with at all times so it was a pretty simple process. It just seems like the amount of wind that it catches at 65 mph would do much damage to it.
 
Kermit

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,677
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
I would take mine off until a hail storm took it cleanly off while docked. Best thing that coulda happened. I now use cassette tape on the shrouds. I no longer come home with a sore neck. We don't need no stinkin' Windex.
 
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Meriachee

Meriachee

.
Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Kermee, I guess that precludes the Ray wind data for the network?
I got a case for the Ray instrument and the Windex and keep forgetting to put the Windex on.
 
Kermit

Kermit

.
Jul 31, 2010
5,677
AquaCat 12.5 17342 Wateree Lake, SC
Meriachee said:
Kermee, I guess that precludes the Ray wind data for the network?
I got a case for the Ray instrument and the Windex and keep forgetting to put the Windex on.
Click to expand
Waaaaaay above my pay grade. If things get too sporty I either come in or don't go out. Only twice have I had to change my pants.
 
Gene Neill

Gene Neill

.
Sep 30, 2013
3,595
1988 Catalina 22 North Florida
We leave ours on. This one's been on for a year and a half or so ... meaning maybe forty hours on the road?

I've had a couple others vanish after one or two hours of towing. But my thought is, I'm just as likely to break it in the process of removing, stowing, transporting, and reinstalling it as I'll be if I just leave it on.
 
C

Crazy Dave Condon

.
Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
Originally the windex came with a clip that you could depress and either take off or put on the wind indicator. That was the best way but appx. 15 years ago they went away with that base with no response other than a fixed base. I am not sure if they have started reproducing that but saw it on RGRANGER's Hunter 26.
Rob, can you post a photo of that spring loaded clip so the folks here can see what I am talking about as it would be appreciated. Maybe you folks can talk to Windex about coming out with that again.
 
Sumner

Sumner

.
Jan 31, 2009
5,254
Macgregor & Endeavour 26S and 37 Utah's Canyon Country

I put a small black bungee around the windex to prevent it from rotating while going down the road. Towed it over 11,000 miles that way without a problem. I drive 60-70 and was in 50+ mile per hour headwinds in Texas once and haven't had a problem yet,

Sumner
==================================================================
1300 miles to The Bahamas and Back in the Mac...
Endeavour 37 Mods...
MacGregor 26-S Mods...http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/endeavour-main/endeavour-index.html
Mac Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida, Bahamas
 
RussC

RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,622
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
I drilled a small hole (not all the way through) in the end of the table to store the windex. keeps it from being sat on and it's the first thing I see when I get to the ramp and open the hatch.
P1030382.JPG
 
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