Trailer Sailing 101

cephius (Dave) · Sep 15, 2012

The lines and blocks attaching to the boom should all have pelican hooks allowing for quick disconnection. The gooseneck is a single pin usually secured with a ring. None of these tasks take much time.

I leave the sail and cover on the boom and put it in the cabin as a unit. Others bag the main first.

Take a good look at your motor mount. Safety requires you remove the motor prior to traveling any distance down the highway. Roads have different forces than waves.

Sumner · Sep 15, 2012

I'd have the owner go through putting the boat from the water onto the trailer and back off again if you are going to be doing this often, such as going to different lakes. And it would be really great if you could hook on to it and take a short drive, with him going along, so see how your tow vehicle works if there are any concerns there.

You don't want this to be a hassle if this is the way you are going to use the boat vs. leaving it in a slip or in a mast-up yard. It sits....

...pretty high on the trailer and that could be or not be a problem depending on the ramps you plan on using.

One of the criteria for us was a boat that was easy to launch and quick to setup. Our Mac has been very easy to launch on any ramp we have come across. In Fact at Lake Powell the water was too low to use the ramp and ...

...we were able to just launch from shore. With another boat we probably wouldn't of been able to make that trip. Also on a boat like ours the side shrouds and backstay stay connected at all times. You push the mast up or use the jin pole and just pin the forestay and you are done.

The motor deal will probably come down to how the boat trailers. We leave....

...both outboards on the back of our boat while trailering and still have a lot of tongue weight. Others with the same boat have to take theirs off to help the handling while towing. They have single axles and we added a second axle.

Good luck,

Sum

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Our Endeavour 37

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Joe11688 · Sep 15, 2012

T_well said:
First of all, yea I did a search trying to find some of these answers without a lot of luck for some issues.

I am about to buy an '85 Hunter 23. It is the wing keel version without the swing. The present owner bought it in the slip that he still uses, however, he does have the original trailer. My plan is to use it as a trailer sailor. I need advice for the following type issues and any that I may not have foreseen. Pics would be great too. Any tips or tricks will be greatly appreciated.

--How to quickly disconnect the boom? Gooseneck, top lift, mainsheet rigging.
--How where to store the boom/sails?
--Should I remove the outboard each time or trailer in place?

I have found a book titled "The Complete Trailer Sailor." I will be looking through it as well.

I think that you will wind up getting a mooring for this boat because it's not going to be an easy boat to trailer sail. Years ago I tried getting the mast up on a Hunter 23 with my own Gin Pole and had a heck of a time but that may be a minor problem.
I just don't think that it's going to work out well for you.
Of course this is my own opinion and I could be wrong about that. I'll let you make the call.

As far as rigging the boat for faster and easier set up, I can help you on that.
You can use quick release shackles at both ends of your Main sheet and boom vang.

It may be possible to stow your boom inside your cabin and if so, you could keep your Mainsail on the boom with sail ties and a mainsail cover. I'm using this system on my boom:
http://www.cncphotoalbum.com/doityourself/sailties/sailties.htm

I'm not sure about how your topping lift is configured. My topping lift comes down from the top of the mast. If you have a similar set up, you could attach the topping lift to the back of the boom after the mast is up, and lead it right out of the cabin. It's like having a second pair of hands and you can stow it back in the cabin the same way when you get ready to break it down.

The boom's goose neck can have a rigging pin with a large cotter ring that is easy to put on, or you may be able to use a press button quick release pin. Don't use a "Fast Pin". Once you get your boom attached to the goose neck, you only need to get the sail slides in the mast and hook up you main halyard shackle which should have a quick release shackle also.

In order to put slack in your fore stay to take it off or put it on, you may be able to add an adjustable backstay unit. I'm not really sure about this. I had a Johnson Handy-Lock installed on my backstay years ago and it allows me to tighten all the rigging up without messing with my turnbuckles. Today I have a CDI Roller Furler and I'm able to connect it or disconnect it by using the Handy-Lock. I am using a press button quick release pin for the forestay also.

You'll need a Gin Pole for raising/lowering your mast, plus a mast crutch on your stern rail to hold the mast while you pin your tabernacle. I also have a mast crutch on my bow pulpit for trailering.

I've always left my outboard on the back of my boat when trailering but you can use your own judgment on this one.

My boat has a tip up rudder that I keep in the back of my truck. I mount it on the boat's transom and set the rudder blade hold-up pendant line, and tie off my tiller so that the rudder is centered, before I back down the ramp. It's easier than trying to mount the rudder after the boat is in the water.

I trailer sailed my 1986 O'Day 222 for eight years. I bought it new at the Boston Boat Show and it came with a complete roller trailer. Today I have a 23' Aluminum tandem bunk trailer for her and I have a club mooring.
Good luck!
Joe

MSN-Travelers · Sep 15, 2012

Think hard about getting a trailer launched keel boat ...

T_well said:
First of all, yea I did a search trying to find some of these answers without a lot of luck for some issues.

I am about to buy an '85 Hunter 23. It is the wing keel version without the swing. The present owner bought it in the slip that he still uses, however, he does have the original trailer. My plan is to use it as a trailer sailor. I need advice for the following type issues and any that I may not have foreseen. Pics would be great too. Any tips or tricks will be greatly appreciated.

--How to quickly disconnect the boom? Gooseneck, top lift, mainsheet rigging.
--How where to store the boom/sails?
--Should I remove the outboard each time or trailer in place?

I have found a book titled "The Complete Trailer Sailor." I will be looking through it as well.

While I can't help with this specific boat, I had a MacGregor 26M. I learned that the number of times you will actually use the boat is tied directly to the ease of rigging, launching, hauling & de-rigging.

My Mac launched in 15 inches of water. Make sure you know the depth required to launch the H23.

My Mac took me roughly 45 minutes to rig and about the same to de-rig (by myself). Have the current owner pull the boat and take you through the process of rigging/de-rigging the boat while it is on the trailer.

Then figure out if 1) Will you be able to find anyplace to launch & use the boat as you envision? 2) Really think about the work required to get on/off the water and honestly decide if you are willing to do that every time you feel like sailing.

We started with the boat on the trailer in our back yard and went sailing once or twice a month. We moved the boat to mast-up storage at a Lake Michigan ramp for a year and used it weekly. Then we moved to a slip and used is several times a week. It sounds like the current owner has only kept the H23 in a slip and I can tell you that there is a reason for doing that. It's called going sailing on short notice whenever you want.

Kermit · Sep 15, 2012

We have our '86 H23 in a slip. Originally wanted to be trailer-sailers. Yeah, how'd that work out? We love being able to jump right on and sail.

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · Sep 15, 2012

On the boom question. I leave the sail and sail cover on the boom and stow it in the cabin.

When either putting away or setting up, I hook up the topping lift and let that hold up the end of the boom, while I hook the gooseneck. That way I don't have to support the entire weight of the boom at any time while working on it.

And take a good close look at the pics of Sumners mac 26 on the trailer- see all the goall posts and side stuff. If you fix the trailer so the boat HAS to go where it's supposed to, you'll have far less difficulty over time.. Set it up so it has NO choice-worth the effort

Yuletide · Sep 15, 2012

Me too

Glad to see all the great info, I too am buying a H23. I plan to dry store it at the marina, fully rigged, just back in. You may or my not have this option. Guides along the sides of the trailer are a must, does alot to keep the Admiral happy. Regarding my post from last night are you getting a survey done?

Timo42 · Sep 15, 2012

On the trailer, have the bearings and brakes serviced and tires replaced before you hit the road. Do your expected launch ramps have finger piers? If so, the guidons etc that Sumner uses aren't as critical, and with a fixed keel may not even be practical. Get a good folding ladder. A long dockrope for the bow is a good idea. A couple of good flashlights. Extra bungee cords and sailties. Strap the boat to the trailer front and rear, don't depend on the winch strap. Check or replace the winch strap. Make sure that the motor starts first time every time, have the boathook ready. You will find more things as you get practice.

justsomeguy · Sep 15, 2012

T_well said:
No the price is low enough not to warrant it. I may eventually park it at a marina but at first I want it at the house so I can work on it and tinker.

That is the best reason to trailer, IMO. Ease of maintenance. Love tinkering in my driveway.

rgranger · Sep 16, 2012

If you have not already done so, you may want to post this on the hunter forum of this site. More likely to find people with your exact boat.

Sumner · Sep 16, 2012

Sounds like you might of already committed to this boat, but if not I'd think real hard about it. They sound like nice boats, but maybe not a great boat if you want to trailer a lot and it doesn't even sound like it is your first choice for a boat, but that you think it is a deal that you can turn into money.

There might be a reason that it is a deal either something with the boat or just the fact that there are a lot of deals out there right now. I've found that estimating costs for a boat or like fixing something on the house and that it usually ends up about twice what I thought it would at first. If you think you can find a buyer even at twice what you bought it for but the fix up costs are twice what you thought they would be then you might not be very far ahead. If it takes some time to fix it and to then find the new buyer that will pay top dollar and you don't really have the boat that is best for you..........take it from there............

Sum

[FONT=Arial, sans-serif]============================[/FONT]

Our Endeavour 37

Our MacGregor 26-S Pages

Our Trips to Utah, Idaho, Canada, Florida

Mac-Venture Links

Dougo · Sep 16, 2012

I put my '89 H23 in once a year, and out once a year. Honestly, I don't think I could stomach doing it more than that! It takes me about an hour to rig, and getting it on the trailer is tricky (to get it straight on the trailer and forward all the way).

We love the boat, just wouldn't want to launch / take out more than we do now.

I remove the outboard while trailering (my personal choice)

The topping lift is tied to the top of the mast proir to stepping. It runs down to the boom, then through the boom to the gooseneck. I suppose you could make the one-piece topping lift into a two-piece, which you could disconnect when you want to store the boom.

Have fun!

Joe11688 · Sep 16, 2012

Dougo said:
I put my '89 H23 in once a year, and out once a year. Honestly, I don't think I could stomach doing it more than that! It takes me about an hour to rig, and getting it on the trailer is tricky (to get it straight on the trailer and forward all the way).

We love the boat, just wouldn't want to launch / take out more than we do now.

I remove the outboard while trailering (my personal choice)

The topping lift is tied to the top of the mast prior to stepping. It runs down to the boom, then through the boom to the gooseneck. I suppose you could make the one-piece topping lift into a two-piece, which you could disconnect when you want to store the boom.

Have fun!

My O'Day 222 has a topping lift that comes down from the top of the mast and it hangs just short of the end of the boom with a single sheave attached to the end.
My boom has three internal control lines inside which come through near the goose neck fitting with three cam cleats. One the line is for the clew outhaul, the other is for the reefing, and the third one is for the topping lift which exits the back of the boom and through the topping lift sheave and to the back of the boom via a quick shackle.
This makes it easy to connect and disconnect the topping lift.

Joe11688 · Sep 16, 2012

T_well said:
This is exactly the type of info I was looking for guys. Some I may not have "wanted" to hear but needed to. When attaching or removing the boom, do you attach the gooseneck or the topping lift first?

After I get the mast up with my Gin pole and boom vang to raise and lower the mast, I attach the topping lift control line which exits out the end of my boom, through the sheave at the end of my topping lift. Then I let the topping lift support the back of my boom while I lead the boom out of the cabin where I generally keep it stored with the sail and the cover on it. It's like having an extra pair of hands in getting the boom connected to the gooseneck.
I just want to point out that my boat is rigged a little different than the Hunter 23 and this is how I rig mine. You may want to experiment and try other ways to rig your boat. Whatever way is the easiest way is the best way for you to go.

dscribner · Sep 17, 2012

T-W,

Time to weigh in.

There isn't a boat out there that isn't loved and hated by knowledgeable people with great reasons on both sides. That said, I have no clue about your boat. But . . . I trailer a 25 footer, step the mast and rig it every time we sail or about every weekend. With a home-made gin pole, my lovely bride and I can do it in about 25 minutes. We step forward, leave our shrouds tight and have a "Johnson lever" on the back stay. So, once it's up, I pin the fore stay (roller furler), pull the gin pole, then close the Johnson lever . . . done. Once you get good at it, it isn't such a big deal anymore. Our boat is 3400 lbs dry and empty, so about 4000 lbs at launch. Don't be afraid of doing it, just be careful and smart. You have one spine, so work with winches, blocks and the like. It looks like your boat doesn't sit any higher on a trailer than mine does and with the wing, your keel is still narrower than mine. Make sure you have a keel guide on the trailer then let 'er rip!

Trailer Sailing 101

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