I'm still new at this trailer sailing thing, and have only had my new (used) Catalina out sailing 3 times now. The last time was best - there was actually some wind! So, my latest question.... How long does it take you to set up your boat, get it in the water, back out of the water and ready to tow home? I find that the first time took me about 48 minutes from parking to, stepped mast, outboard mounted, and in the water. Last time I think I cut 10 minutes off my time. I'd like to get this down to 1/2 hour if possible. Picking up the boat takes about the same time, but tucking the sail neatly on the boom, and then jacking up the trailer slightly to get the extension retracted all the way, takes a varying amount of time. Gravity helps get the mast down, so that goes a little quicker (I use an a-frame type of gin-pole for this - see link). Any tips on speeding up this process? Tom
Setting up to sail....how long?
- Thread starter tegwilym
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One hour
Hello, In 2003 I bought my first boat - a Catalina 22. We trailer sailed it that year, trailing to the marina, rigging and launching, sailing, then retrieving, un-rigging, and trailering home. After 4 or 5 times I got good at it, but it still took about 1 hour from the time we arrived at the marina until we were on the boat and motoring away from the dock. The retrieval process took about the same time. Some things I learned to speed things up were to leave the mainsail on the boom, and have a roller furling head sail. The stays and shrouds stay connected, so it's just a matter of connecting the head-stay. I left the rudder on, but not the outboard. The next year we put the boat on a mooring. Then it went from 1 hour to go from car to leaving the dock to about 5 minutes to row out to the boat, and 5 minutes to start the engine and slip the lines. Good luck, Barry
Hello, In 2003 I bought my first boat - a Catalina 22. We trailer sailed it that year, trailing to the marina, rigging and launching, sailing, then retrieving, un-rigging, and trailering home. After 4 or 5 times I got good at it, but it still took about 1 hour from the time we arrived at the marina until we were on the boat and motoring away from the dock. The retrieval process took about the same time. Some things I learned to speed things up were to leave the mainsail on the boom, and have a roller furling head sail. The stays and shrouds stay connected, so it's just a matter of connecting the head-stay. I left the rudder on, but not the outboard. The next year we put the boat on a mooring. Then it went from 1 hour to go from car to leaving the dock to about 5 minutes to row out to the boat, and 5 minutes to start the engine and slip the lines. Good luck, Barry
One hour
Hi Tom: I have a Catalina 22 and like Barry it takes me an hour in or out. I keep all the lines in place on the mast and don't take anything off I don't have to. I use a ton of wire ties to tie every thing together like shrouds & lines. It's faster than tying knots and when I launch just cut them with a side cutter and your ready to go. So if your doing it in 48 min. you probably know somting I don't know. that's real good. Don't rush it to much or you might forget somthing like a turn buckle cotter ring. My sailing buddy did and it cost him a mast. Happy Sailing, Phil
Hi Tom: I have a Catalina 22 and like Barry it takes me an hour in or out. I keep all the lines in place on the mast and don't take anything off I don't have to. I use a ton of wire ties to tie every thing together like shrouds & lines. It's faster than tying knots and when I launch just cut them with a side cutter and your ready to go. So if your doing it in 48 min. you probably know somting I don't know. that's real good. Don't rush it to much or you might forget somthing like a turn buckle cotter ring. My sailing buddy did and it cost him a mast. Happy Sailing, Phil
Trailer Sailor Setup and Retreival
Average set up and launch time for most trailer sailors is about one hour. The more you hustle the more chance for errors. If you have not done so, maybe a look at this launch checklist might help shorten your time. http://kobernus.com/hunter260/checklist1/checklist1.html http://kobernus.com/hunter260/checklist1/checklist_screwups.html Of course, you are too organized and experienced to let something bad happen, but why not take a look at this link: Go to: http://kobernus.com/hunter260/accident/accident.html
Average set up and launch time for most trailer sailors is about one hour. The more you hustle the more chance for errors. If you have not done so, maybe a look at this launch checklist might help shorten your time. http://kobernus.com/hunter260/checklist1/checklist1.html http://kobernus.com/hunter260/checklist1/checklist_screwups.html Of course, you are too organized and experienced to let something bad happen, but why not take a look at this link: Go to: http://kobernus.com/hunter260/accident/accident.html
1 hour setup
Well, it sounds like I'm doing ok then. I've started leaving my a-frame on the boat when I tow to the launch, then I just have to hook up the jib halyard to the frame, connect the main sheet pulleys, and I'm ready to lift I have string that I tie up the lines with (kind fo a long shoelace thing) and a small bungy cord) I just remove those, toss all the stays over the side so it will lift without snagging, and start pulling. Usually something will catch on the mast support on the back and pull that out so it falls on the ground, but it's just a wood piece. I do have the sail folded over the boom (best I can) and have the boom cover on it. I attach it and remove he cover and the straps and have it all ready to hoist up when I get out on the water. folding that thing on the boom is still kind of a challenge to keep it on there neatly, but I'm working on it! I could speed things up a little more if I had some more of those quick-release type of pins, that cotter pin ring (or whatever they are) are kind of a pain on the fingernails trying to attach. Thanks for the reassurance that I'm doing it right then!
Here are some photos of my boat and some of the fixes/improvements I've done to it. http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boatfixes Tom
Well, it sounds like I'm doing ok then. I've started leaving my a-frame on the boat when I tow to the launch, then I just have to hook up the jib halyard to the frame, connect the main sheet pulleys, and I'm ready to lift I have string that I tie up the lines with (kind fo a long shoelace thing) and a small bungy cord) I just remove those, toss all the stays over the side so it will lift without snagging, and start pulling. Usually something will catch on the mast support on the back and pull that out so it falls on the ground, but it's just a wood piece. I do have the sail folded over the boom (best I can) and have the boom cover on it. I attach it and remove he cover and the straps and have it all ready to hoist up when I get out on the water. folding that thing on the boom is still kind of a challenge to keep it on there neatly, but I'm working on it! I could speed things up a little more if I had some more of those quick-release type of pins, that cotter pin ring (or whatever they are) are kind of a pain on the fingernails trying to attach. Thanks for the reassurance that I'm doing it right then!
Here are some photos of my boat and some of the fixes/improvements I've done to it. http://home.comcast.net/~tegwilym/boatfixes Tom
Practise and crew,
After a couple of years practise (in at spring, out at fall) we found that myself and a crew of two (well trained) could launch or recover our C27's in about an hour. Being well prepared and the right weather conditions seem to be the key. EG
After a couple of years practise (in at spring, out at fall) we found that myself and a crew of two (well trained) could launch or recover our C27's in about an hour. Being well prepared and the right weather conditions seem to be the key. EG
22?
Am guessing you have a 22? these are great boats for trailering, easy to set up and light enough to tow and still a good sailer. If you are down to 48 minutes I think you're doing well. This is outside your question a bit so please forgive, however a good way to speed launch drastically is to put it in dry storage near the ramp where you sail the most, and where you can legally and safely tow in to the ramp mast up. The $100 a month spend on storage is well worth the time eliminated setting up every weekend. You'll end up using the boat more.
Am guessing you have a 22? these are great boats for trailering, easy to set up and light enough to tow and still a good sailer. If you are down to 48 minutes I think you're doing well. This is outside your question a bit so please forgive, however a good way to speed launch drastically is to put it in dry storage near the ramp where you sail the most, and where you can legally and safely tow in to the ramp mast up. The $100 a month spend on storage is well worth the time eliminated setting up every weekend. You'll end up using the boat more.
Storage
I'd love to have a moorage for the boat, but it's just too hard to get and way too expensive. My moorage is my backyard which is only about 2 miles from the boat launch. It only takes me about 15 minutes to load the boat, hook up the truck and another 5 minutes or so to drag it to the launch. It's nice having it in the yard also so I can work on it whenever I want - and not forget to bring a certain tool if I went to a moorage! Yes, it is a Catalina 22. An early one - 1971 model and number 880 - so it's one of the first 1,000 "Hall of Fame" boats too. I spent about 5 months searching for a boat and a lot of research on the size I wanted. I have a V6 2WD Ford Ranger that I tow with, so I wanted to make sure I could tow it. I think it's about as big as I can go with that truck, I don't go on the freeway, I take the longer less steep hill back home, and just go SLOW and easy on the truck. (This Cat22 is one of the 1850lb models also) Forecast is looking awesome for this weekend. I can't wait to drag out of the yard for a 48 minute setup and go sailing! Yay! Tom
I'd love to have a moorage for the boat, but it's just too hard to get and way too expensive. My moorage is my backyard which is only about 2 miles from the boat launch. It only takes me about 15 minutes to load the boat, hook up the truck and another 5 minutes or so to drag it to the launch. It's nice having it in the yard also so I can work on it whenever I want - and not forget to bring a certain tool if I went to a moorage!
Yes, it is a Catalina 22. An early one - 1971 model and number 880 - so it's one of the first 1,000 "Hall of Fame" boats too. I spent about 5 months searching for a boat and a lot of research on the size I wanted. I have a V6 2WD Ford Ranger that I tow with, so I wanted to make sure I could tow it. I think it's about as big as I can go with that truck, I don't go on the freeway, I take the longer less steep hill back home, and just go SLOW and easy on the truck. (This Cat22 is one of the 1850lb models also) Forecast is looking awesome for this weekend. I can't wait to drag out of the yard for a 48 minute setup and go sailing! Yay! Tom20 minutes????????????????
What are you sailing? A Sunfish? I'm in a slip, and by the time I take the mainsail cover and genoa restraining strap off, set out throwable cushions, and pfds, check the bilge for water, start the outboard, and untie the docklines, you've beat me into the water :O
What are you sailing? A Sunfish? I'm in a slip, and by the time I take the mainsail cover and genoa restraining strap off, set out throwable cushions, and pfds, check the bilge for water, start the outboard, and untie the docklines, you've beat me into the water :O
slip
Yeah, what Mike said. I'm also in a slip. By the time I set out the cockpit cushions, remove the tiller cover and sail cover, unbag the jib (it stays attached to the forestay and lives in a bag) open the seacocks and cast off the lines, it's at least 15 minutes but closer to 20. I don't raise the sails until I'm under way but thats a real quick job.
Yeah, what Mike said. I'm also in a slip. By the time I set out the cockpit cushions, remove the tiller cover and sail cover, unbag the jib (it stays attached to the forestay and lives in a bag) open the seacocks and cast off the lines, it's at least 15 minutes but closer to 20. I don't raise the sails until I'm under way but thats a real quick job.
20 minutes
I have a hunter 18.5. All I have to do is untie mast from bow pulpit and mast supt. Them roll mast back on supt. Attatch hinge pin. Then run jib halyard to forestay fitting. Raise mast and attach forestay. Mainsail stays on boom in cabin, so all I have to do is attatch to mast. Mount rudder and put jib on and launch. I have been sailing the same boat for 17 years. I have a routine that appears to work. I also leave all stays in place just tie them up while towing.
I have a hunter 18.5. All I have to do is untie mast from bow pulpit and mast supt. Them roll mast back on supt. Attatch hinge pin. Then run jib halyard to forestay fitting. Raise mast and attach forestay. Mainsail stays on boom in cabin, so all I have to do is attatch to mast. Mount rudder and put jib on and launch. I have been sailing the same boat for 17 years. I have a routine that appears to work. I also leave all stays in place just tie them up while towing.
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