On the Water Storage questions

[RandO]

Hi All,
I leave my DSII on a mooring when not in use. I have always taken the rudder assembly off and stored it in the caddy. I also take the jib and mainsail off for storage as well. My boat has a full mooring cover which I always use so I don't have to worry about bailing after heavy rains.
1. Can I leave the mainsail on and will the mooring cover be enough protection from the elements instead of a sail cover?
2. Any harm in leaving the rudder/tiller assembly always attached ?
I often have limited time to sail, so I would really like to have everything to get underway without having to spend time rigging and de-rigging every time I sail. Or, is it just better to spend the time? I'm not sure it's worth going through this procedure if it really gains me nothing. Thoughts?
Thanks!
Rand

 

[Sunbird22358]

I would continue to remove the rudder and stow in the cuddy. Much more secure and will mean less wear and tear on the rudder and tiller as well as the fittings (pintles and gudgeons). Without really seeing your mooring cover, it is hard to tell if the mainsail can be left o nthe boom with the cover on, I have a regular sail cover for my main, and made a Sunbrella bag to stow my jib in while attached to the forestay. I don't use a cockpit cover or mooring cover, the cockpit will self-bail at rest if the plug in the bailer is left out. The downside its that the self-bailer doesn't stop a little bit (maybe 1.5 gallons) of water to back up into the slop well and "rain gutters" along each side of the cockpit footwell, so I do get some staining there. A mooring cover would be nice to keep the rain out and the bird poop off, but it is nice to step aboard and just bail out that excess water, then start preparing to sail without needing to remove and find a place to stow the cover. I would expect that if the cover will fit with the sail furled on the boom, it should project the sail from weather and sun damage. Possible that if you flake the sail (kind of an "accordion" fold draping over the boom, hanging down about 12-18" on each side) it may work fine. I agree that keeping the sail on the boom is a LOT more convienient! That justified the $140 the sail cover cost me back in 2001.

 

[BudGates]

My '72 Daysailer doesn't have a self bailing cockpit so I can't leave it without a cockpit cover. I have a cockpit cover that looks basically like a pup-tent that is held up by the boom and a topping lift. I keep the rudder and tiller in place and the main rolled up around the boom. To me it would be worth replacing a little hardware every few years for the simpler rigging.