Sailing's a lot of work!

Bilbo · Jul 17, 2011

Moorings or dockages are a good thing. My mainsail rests under a sail cover on the boom. Some use roller furling foresails. Then their big issue is loading the boat with provisions.
That being written...yesterday was a hot and windless sail. I sweated gallons out there.

davidf · Jul 17, 2011

In the same boat

I know what you mean. I used to have a place where I could keep the boat mast up but on the trailer. That's definitely the best of both worlds imho. Now I find myself sailing my C-22 less and my Dolphin more because of the setup time in relation to sailing time.

I don't have any big tips to offer as much as sharing your pain.
One thing that did help me is to thoroughly document each step you take in setting up the boat and analyze how you can rearrange the steps and cut down the time & effort in setup.

jfrench said:
I'm finding out now that I've begun sailing my boat, that it's very work intensive. I am trailering to and from a local marina and stepping the mast each time (twice of course), as well as dealing with launching from a ramp and sometimes having to attach a tongue extension to the trailer to get the boat deep enough to float it off. Additionally, climbing in and out of the boat while it's sitting high up on a trailer to load cooler, baggage, toys, etc. adds to the job. Then of course there's assembly, hoisting, dousing, and disassembly of sails, and dealing with wet gear after a trip. I'm finding that it's not unusual to spend three to four hours on each end of a sail, just in doing the above plus making a 35 minute drive to or from the marina. It's so time consuming that I'm worried about pursuing this as a hobby.

I found myself telling someone at the marina recently that trailer-sailing sounds a whole lot more glamourous than it seems to be in practice.

Are there any tips you veterans can offer to minimize the time and effort involved?

Stu Jackson · Jul 17, 2011

You do end up getting more efficient at it. The advantages of trailer sailing is that you can go to different places. If you go to the same place all the time, it gets tiresome, so see if you can find a way to store with the stick up, or find a berth in the water for the boat.

Ken · Jul 17, 2011

My advise would have you buying Avibank quick pins on your forward lowers and forestay, an adjustable back-stay makes stepping the mast much quicker as well. I even use a quick pin on my tiller.

Anywhere you can trim time makes a huge difference. I do usually spend a week or more on the boat.

I use a fold aluminum up dolly to ferry the heavy stuff to the boat once launched, much easier to load once launched.

Time will make rigging faster and easier.

shipwreck66 · Jul 17, 2011

I would highly advise drysailing. Pay to leave it all set up on the trailer ready to launch, well worth the investment.

C22_Lady_OH · Jul 17, 2011

I am storing with the stick up and all I really have to do is hank on the genny. The only problem I have is loading and unloading solo. I have to have crew still but that is only a matter of experience.

Oh yeah, I might get a roll-furl for Christmas or Birthday next year. Hell, I've been a good boy!

Good luck!

gypsyorchid · Jul 17, 2011

I would find someone on the Lake, join the local US Power Squadron and see if they know someone who would not mind you leaving at there dock.Even if you have to pay it's going to be well worth your money.
You will get a whole lot more enjoyment from your boat.

Captnkev25 · Jul 17, 2011

If possible getting a mooring or slip takes the pain out of it. My C25 is 8 minutes from the house and we have it down to where we can be out within 10 minutes of getting to the boat. If I had to spend 6 hours cumulative setting up and breaking down I would be discouraged as well. I'll sometimes go out for 2 hours or so after work just to unwind. If the slip idea isn't possible a good mast raising system and a lot of practice should cut your time down. I know some folks that launch their C22 every time and they can do it in about 45 minutes to an hour. They have such a good system down that when I have offered to lend a hand it was politely refused because I'd probably only be in their way

.

Forrest15112 · Jul 17, 2011

I've always tried to improve my setup time at the launch area so I wouldn't be in the way of other boaters for very long. I would do as much preparation at home before and after as possible. loading the cooler, baggage, toys, etc could mostly be done before you leave. I always keep the mainsail attached to the boom, hank the headsail on after I'm underway, and deal with wet gear afterwards - at home again. I may have spent the time between the launch and home but I didn't hold up anybody else such as guests who always want to help but you know it will take longer to explain what to do than to do it yourself. Organizing certain tasks such as loading and unloading gear to your crew. Maybe as someone mentioned, write down everything, study that and reorganize into something that flows better. For me, an hour on each end is typical and 30-40 minutes when in a hurry. Try different ramps at the same launch if possible, you may not need the extension on one. I used to rent a transient slip at the local marina for a week or two at a time several times a year and get almost daily sailing in during that time. It was cheap ( $7 a night) and allowed lots of access. It allows your muscles to heal before you take the rig down. Whatever you do, you will get faster at it as you do it more.

CaptDon01 · Jul 17, 2011

I know what you mean. In the past, taking the boat out was a minimum 2 day event. I didn't want to haul the boat, rig it, launch it, pull it, de-rig it, and haul it home again for a day sailing. So we joined one of the local yacht clubs. We're able to keep the boat fully rigged on the trailer. When we want to go sailing, we use one of the electric mules to pull it to the crane, I already have a hoisting harness under the floor in the keel sump, so I disconnect the back-stay and push the boom out of the way. Clip the harness into the crane, lift her off the trailer and swing her over and drop her into the water. Arrival to water about 15 minutes. We also save a bunch of gas because we now take the little Kia to the club instead of our Dodge Ram hauling the boat. When were done, we pull the boat and rinse her down at the wash-rack before we park her in our slot.

It is the best option for us right now, and we use the boat a lot more with the convenience of our dry storage at the club.

Don

dkdoyle · Jul 17, 2011

If you can afford it get a slip

OldCat · Jul 18, 2011

Another suggestion:

IMO: If it is used on the boat, it stays on the boat. Spare clothes, toys for the kids, PFD's, hats (for hat overboard drills

), sunscreen, sunglasses, beach towels, anything and everything that you would normally need except food that would spoil. Cuts down on stuff to remember, or forget, and what needs to be hauled aboard and stowed since it is only put back in stowage when that particular item is used.

Whenever I depart with a crew of Pirate scaliwags

, the Admiral is always asking about whether I have remembered this stuff. Even though she sails aboard and knows it is always aboard

.

You can get really nice "Blue Performance" stowage bags that can be mounted on bulkheads from this site's chandlery. With that, or similar solutions and a few duffel bags, stuff can stay organized. Nothing better than a well found ship, nothing worse than chaos aboard.

OC;
& nothing is better than a slip (or at least a mooring) if you want sailing time.

paphman · Jul 18, 2011

think about a slip

My wife and I are in the "get a slip" camp. If we had to haul and rig the boat each time we wanted to sail, half of the fun would be gone for me. I enjoy sailing not hauling and rigging. Everyone has a different set of problems they deal with, but if you live where the slip fees are not killers then go for it. I think you will find that you will sail more and enjoy it alot more. There is something to be said about sailing different lakes. If you are young and want to do this, then go ahead and have a ball. The tone of your post though sounds like this might not be the case. My advise would be to look into a slip. Just a thought.

Dale

dkdoyle · Jul 18, 2011

A trailer boat i would think is a pretty good option. Keep it in a slip for everyday use. Pull it to clean bottom,out of season for a northerner, or hook to a car and sail someplace new.

DavoArts · Jul 18, 2011

After last year going all season trailering out and stepping the mast and rigging up in 100+ degree humid Oklahoma weather, this season I got a slip and man, it is pure heaven. Last year I was out maybe 20 times during the season, this year I have been out 20 times in the past month. Granted, I now live within 5 minutes of my slip, but keeping it on the water is well worth the slip fees.

However, my slip fees are only $47 a month and that includes locked access and 110v power (no water). A few years ago I had my first boat in a slip in a shoddy marina with spotty electricity and water and they charged me $120 a month and tried to up it to $140 a month and at that price I was willing to trailer sail.

Guess it depends on how much you want to sail. It's a different price for everyone.

dkdoyle · Jul 19, 2011

Good grief thats cheap. We average 10 bucks a foot with usually a 30 ft minimum.

shipwreck66 · Jul 19, 2011

At $200 a month we figured it is worth it to just walk out, crank her up and go. And it makes a great place to get away from people and relax even if you never leave the slip. Lakefront living on the cheap. Get a slip, try it for a year at least, you won't regret it, you will only regret not doing it.

Captnkev25 · Jul 19, 2011

shipwreck66 said:
At $200 a month we figured it is worth it to just walk out, crank her up and go. And it makes a great place to get away from people and relax even if you never leave the slip. Lakefront living on the cheap. Get a slip, try it for a year at least, you won't regret it, you will only regret not doing it.

I couldn't agree more. Directly across from my slip on the Great South Bay on Long Island is the former summer house of Robert Redford. I have the same view as them for a fraction of what their taxes are for the year

AND the best part is I can change my view whenever I want.