With the help and advice of many members of this forum, my kids and I managed our first long-distance trip in our small trailer sailor.
Last edited:
Our first long-distance trip in a 19' Mariner.
- Thread starter JackOlsen
- Start date
I could not help but feel a little apprehensive at taking a vessel intended for protected waters into a 28nm passage in open waters. You had a reliable weather window which worked in your favor but a change in weather can quickly turn into an emergency. I would recommend having a manual gusher pump on board in case of a swamping . The USCG recommends you file a Float Plan about the trip and have someone monitoring the trip. It will help expediting a search in case you might be overdue at your destination or need some assistance. Inspect and protect your rudder as it is a most crucial piece of equipment. I would build up more experience in coastal trips as well as build up the sailing abilities of your crew before attempting another open water passage. As a Captain and father you are responsible for the crew and if they are inexperienced it is easy to get overwhelmed with handling the boat while having to protect the crew in case of an emergency. We have cruised extensively in a 22' trailer sailer and we like to trailer to different sailing venues for a 7 to 10 day trips. Needless to say we have had some thrilling experiences and are no strangers to having to call for tows; by the way make sure you get tow insurance. Good luck.
I appreciate your caution, Benny17441. My kids and I have been sailing weekly for two years now, so we're not newbies. We prepared for this trip for much of the summer. We have a manual pump, and electric pump, and a self-bailing cockpit. I had several people aware of the trip and following our progress, including one member of this forum who was there in the harbor to introduce himself when we got there. And as the video mentions, the boat has a 25-watt VHF radio with DSC and GPS, as well as a satellite locator beacon set up for one-button SOS with GPS. And yes, we have a towing plan.
The Mariner is not a blue-water boat. But this is a route that paddleboarders and jetskiers run. I would not attempt it if bad weather were a possibility, and I would pull the plug on the trip if there were any sign of imminent trouble.
I would also caution people reading this that the Mariner is definitely a small boat for this size of crossing. Just because I did it does not mean it's a good idea. But I believe we did it with a lot of redundancy and a fair amount of prudence.
The Mariner is not a blue-water boat. But this is a route that paddleboarders and jetskiers run. I would not attempt it if bad weather were a possibility, and I would pull the plug on the trip if there were any sign of imminent trouble.
I would also caution people reading this that the Mariner is definitely a small boat for this size of crossing. Just because I did it does not mean it's a good idea. But I believe we did it with a lot of redundancy and a fair amount of prudence.
Consider getting a spot
I have two and they are great
www.rei.com
I have two and they are great
SPOT Personal Tracker | REI Co-op
With a SPOT Personal Tracker, Backpacker April '08 states, ''Now you can call in a rescue—or simply send the OK signal—from anywhere.''
www.rei.com
Nice video.
Does the boat fit in your trailer/boat driveway lift ?
(I was almost expecting the annoying Click, Like, Subscribe and Patreon type "Beg Sailing" stuff at the end) hehe
Does the boat fit in your trailer/boat driveway lift ?
(I was almost expecting the annoying Click, Like, Subscribe and Patreon type "Beg Sailing" stuff at the end) hehe
very cool ! How long was the trip timewise. Well done for you and the kids, great life lessons for sure.
Ha! I forget that people know about my goofball engineering.
I had thought that I could modify the existing boat-lift-in-the-driveway. But that was before I stood next to the boat. The weight is manageable, but the size is such that I think the neighbors might just lose their minds. On top of that, the increased setup time (compared to my old Lido 14) was enough to finally nudge me to get a mast-up storage spot at the marina. Now that the Lido has been sold, I have to admit that there's something really nice about not having two sailboats in the driveway, whether they're up or down.
This was 'too much boat.'
(That said, there's still a 1,500-pound camper up in the air, there. So my goofball engineering lives on.)
Thanks! Six hours to the island, five hours coming back. The part I hadn't figured was how uneventful the sailing itself was. No turns.
I was glad I'd brought some headphones and an audiobook both of them liked.
Nothing goofball about it.
I respect anyone who has the thinking and attitude to do projects like that. Many just think about things, nevermind come up with a working design and build isomething.
It looks like a practical.design, which works well for the space. You would think that some neighbours would want one themselves. I found it when browsing.your youtube channel.
I assume the entertainment was for when crew was “off watch.” Introduction to sailing & cruising should include, in your example, a two-hr “trick” each at the helm for you and the kids. Better if steering by compass (not a chart plotter) to learn how, but if not then by a visible landmark when approaching a coast. Lots to learn even if only motoring in calm conditions, etc.
you might invest in some "yo-yo" rigs for the boring parts. These are really nice since you can have a dozen with different bait/lures already attached and they stow in a bucket or tupperware. I have four on my boat. Here are some pics of my daughter fishing during a 5 hour passage to Ocracoke island from Swanquarter. Also some links to Yo-Yo rigs for more info.
thetackleroom.com
Edit: After she payed out the line, we tied the yo-yo to a cleat and trolled. We learned that a leather glove is a useful thing for "realing" the line back in.
Cuban YoYo Handline Reel
A Cuban YoYo handline reel is a great way to store long leaders. These reels also work great for traditional hand line fishing or storing hand line planers.
thetackleroom.com
Edit: After she payed out the line, we tied the yo-yo to a cleat and trolled. We learned that a leather glove is a useful thing for "realing" the line back in.
What's that quote? "Sailing is 90% boredom and 10% sheer terror.
Congratulations Jack.
Are you going to post this trip on the Trailer Mariner's 20-20 suggestions? You should
-Will
Congratulations Jack.
Are you going to post this trip on the Trailer Mariner's 20-20 suggestions? You should
-Will
I always thought that those sayings were a bit off because they didn't include the maintenance and the workdays to pay for the parts.
the kids need to put in some labour to get the full sailor training.
I have heard from many that most boats get used for 14 days a year. So far I concur.
Hmmm... that may be an average but I think the standard deviation is enourmous. Some boats go years without being used. Others are used daily.
We go once a week.
Yesterday, we brought our waterproof drone. It didn't do very well, and ended up sitting upside-down in the water, which (oddly) produced the best pictures.
The waterline shots remind me of how small this boat is.
Yesterday, we brought our waterproof drone. It didn't do very well, and ended up sitting upside-down in the water, which (oddly) produced the best pictures.
The waterline shots remind me of how small this boat is.