On another thread, Sumner mentioned something that I've been wondering about. How feasible is it to stay on the boat at night when it's being trailered? Or has anyone stayed at a campground on the boat? I would think that the mast would get in the way if it's secured for trailering. Has anyone who's done this have any suggestions to make it more comfortable?
Living on the boat while trailering or camping
- Thread starter Robspan
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Did that last summer- stayed in a Hational Forest campground near the coast one night. Got along just fine (got a lot of strange looks, but no problems). I had carried an extension cord and 20" box fan, which came in very handy, as it was a hot night. As faras the mast is concerned, I have two crutches. One holds the mast horizontally for traveling. The other is considerably longer to give more head clearance when camping, or when working on the boat at home. -Paul
Paul has it right, to be most comfortable, you need a mast crutch that is high enough to allow the pop top to go up. My family and I have traveled throughout the Pacific Northwest to many distant destinations and we dry camp along the way. It is safer than a tent, no animal is getting up on the boat. You can preplan by setting up bedding, so when you,ve reached a place for camping you can climb up into the boat and drop into sleep. Having the pop top up, especially with the cover on it, makes cooking breakfast easier, dressing is easier, the boat seems much nicer. You are right there to protect your vehicle as well. You have a slight elevation which will help with aiming should you need to discourage anyone, (did I mention that we travel well armed?). And it is way cheaper than a hotel and restaurant. My aft mast crutch is mounted on my rudder head, there are two guy ropes to the aft end of the hull, my intermediate crutch acts as a pop top stop.
Ours is set up just like that. The mast is now high enough at the.....
.....stern that the.............
....pop-top will go up and attach to that mid mast support. There is a bolt through it always that captures the pop-top. Having it that high also helps as the bimini can also be upright and when you get on and off the boat on the trailer it is easy to get under the bimini and the mast.
We will stay in the boat on our trips this year also. I've mentioned it before, but I'll do it again. Most Walmarts (not San Diego) will let you stay in their parking lots. We usually have some shopping to do and there bathrooms are usually pretty clean, especially first thing in the morning. We carry one of their road atlas's with us as it has all of their locations in it.
If you see a Mac in a Walmart parking lot come say hi,
Sum
Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID
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when I got my boat, I thought I might trailer camp, and the PO already had made a tall rear crutch. but I don't think I could raise the poptop, so I copied an idea I read here on raising the front crutch. I'm on ver2.0 of the front crutch... it worked well for me....
arrrg! photobucket chaned their links again, so if you want to look at the front or rear crutch.... http://s64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/ftldiver2/MACGREGOR/?start=all
arrrg! photobucket chaned their links again, so if you want to look at the front or rear crutch.... http://s64.photobucket.com/albums/h169/ftldiver2/MACGREGOR/?start=all
Thanks for the tips, everyone.
Sum, that's a great idea to stay in the Wal-Mart parking lots. I'm surprised that most of them let you do that.
It looks like everyone has an intermediate crutch. I know the mast flexes when it's trailered but do you think it's really needed?
I thought I might use the gin pole to raise and support the mast forward, and look at something a little taller on the stern. I really hadn't thought of raising the poptop. Maybe it could be tied to the mast.
Sum, that's a great idea to stay in the Wal-Mart parking lots. I'm surprised that most of them let you do that.
It looks like everyone has an intermediate crutch. I know the mast flexes when it's trailered but do you think it's really needed?
I thought I might use the gin pole to raise and support the mast forward, and look at something a little taller on the stern. I really hadn't thought of raising the poptop. Maybe it could be tied to the mast.
In the west this is very common. Drive by any Walmart in the evening you will see a number of RV's off to the side of the parking lot. Now one thing of note is that here in the west the Walmart parking lots are generally very large and RV's parking on them at night is no big deal. In San Diego the night security guard came by and ran a bunch of us out at 2 am. He was parked only about 100 feet from me before that. I'm sure he enjoyed waking everyone up at 2 and sending them on their way. I've been to Walmarts in Conn. where the parking lots are very small and I'll bet they run RV's off at night.
I have over 50,000 miles towing my teardrop behind my street rod and have stayed in it over 300 nights on the road and besides Walmart I like to stay in truck stops and would stay in one with the boat also. The trucks run all night, but once the noise settles in it doesn't seem to bother me. I feel safe in the truck stops as most of those guys won't put up with anything. I've stayed in rest areas, but don't feel safe in those. I have been armed in the teardrop, but not the boat. Last year going to Canada having a gun would of been a big no-no. Also the gun rules are so different from state to state it can be a chance you maybe don't want to take.
I've also looked for restaurants that are closed and stayed in their parking lots later in the evening and then got up in the morning and gone in and had breakfast. Lots of options out there if you are just trying to get from point A to B and need a place to pull into for the night.
Yep, I wouldn't trailer very far without one as I don't believe it is good for the mast. They are quick and simple to make and have other benefits, like holding the pop-top up.
I just added a page to my site with some pictures of mine here..........
http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner/macgregor2/rigging-12.html
....if anyone is interested.
c ya,
Sum
Our Trips to Lake Powell, UT - Kootenay Lake, Canada - Priest Lake, ID
Our Mac Pages
Mac Links
Camping not only on the road but we use it at home. Its called my "dog house" (joke). Its used when we have visitors over night. I sleep in it unless its 10 below. Photos show as it is today without the mast but a cross beam is in the same place as the mast would be. The height is for the 5 feet of snow we are supposed to have at ths time of year to slide off. As you an see the snow missed us (and Vancouver/Whistler) but stopped at Blanding, see Sums photos.
With this height I can raise the pop top and hold it up with a strap around the mast crutch. Having the pop top up makes working in it easier. Also the mast crutch is a necessity for the gravel roads here.
I must take note of Wallmart parking here in BC.
With this height I can raise the pop top and hold it up with a strap around the mast crutch. Having the pop top up makes working in it easier. Also the mast crutch is a necessity for the gravel roads here.
I must take note of Wallmart parking here in BC.
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PS Last night we had friends over who live near Wall Mart in Vernon BC. They said on most nights there are half a dozen RV's and boats over nighting in the Wall Mart Parking lot.
The reason I was prompted to use a crutch was from a driver following who was apprehensive of over taking as he said the mast was vibrating like a banjo string.
Having too much height on the mast crutches can also be a cost factor and available boarding space if having to use BC Ferries. So having two sizes of crutches would be an advantage is this case. --OK-- why use a ferry when we have a boat? If work limits time and the need to meet with sailing friends on Van Isl for the weekend.
Cheers
Mic
The reason I was prompted to use a crutch was from a driver following who was apprehensive of over taking as he said the mast was vibrating like a banjo string.
Having too much height on the mast crutches can also be a cost factor and available boarding space if having to use BC Ferries. So having two sizes of crutches would be an advantage is this case. --OK-- why use a ferry when we have a boat? If work limits time and the need to meet with sailing friends on Van Isl for the weekend.
Cheers
Mic
WE almost always overnight on the boat while driving. State parks with showers and 24 boat ramp even if not staying there and just for sleeping, work well if on the way. Wal marts are o.k...but usually get busy and are too well lighted.
Cracker barrels work really great...all over the place...quiet parking lot, and breakfast when you wake up! There are all kinds of places...a few times we have actually parked at a hotel and swam in the pool. Don't do that anymore...For us, it's kinda part of the whole adventure.
Cracker barrels work really great...all over the place...quiet parking lot, and breakfast when you wake up! There are all kinds of places...a few times we have actually parked at a hotel and swam in the pool. Don't do that anymore...For us, it's kinda part of the whole adventure.
I'm always driving until late, then pulling into some place where a sailboat in the parking lot seems entirely "normal".
There is a boom with a main sail mostly attached jammed into the cabin and also my jib sail in a bag thrown in there somewhere. I don't bother taking them out for the night. Wife and one kid sleep in the rear berths. One kid crawls over boom and sails, sleeps in the forward berth.
No room for me, I end up sleeping in the truck with the dogs (and the seat does NOT fold back enough).
My kids would like the idea of sneaking into a motel swimming pool - good thing it has not occurred to them yet.
There is a boom with a main sail mostly attached jammed into the cabin and also my jib sail in a bag thrown in there somewhere. I don't bother taking them out for the night. Wife and one kid sleep in the rear berths. One kid crawls over boom and sails, sleeps in the forward berth.
No room for me, I end up sleeping in the truck with the dogs (and the seat does NOT fold back enough).
My kids would like the idea of sneaking into a motel swimming pool - good thing it has not occurred to them yet.
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