Wet slip or on trailer storage

[AnchorDragger]

Floating dry storage

There is an alternative you could call floating dry storage. It's called a Hydro-Hoist which is basically a pontoon boat with sailboat bunks on top instead of the usual deck. The pontoons are flooded to submerge the hoist, the boat is moved over it, then air is pumped into the pontoons forcing most of the water out . My sailboat is lifted clear of the water except for the lower 3 feet of the keel and some of the rudder. The manufacturer's website has some pictures unfortunately none include a sailboat. http://www.boatlift.com/ But it works fine with my Wavelength 24 with 4.5 foot draft. The keel goes thru the middle opening.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Man, it didn't take but a couple of times with this trailer boat idea, and my lovely bride got a slip. Everything that everybody says about the slip is true. Damn the stupid trailer. Hauling that thing up and down the road, rig and derig, no way. I used to do it years ago, but now I'd rather eat a snake than launch a boat. And like said, sometimes wife and I will just go to the boat, turn on the stereo softly, some mellow music like "Beat Me All Night" by Scagmeat Johnson and the Needle Freaks, (sort of puts her in the mood), and sit there and have a pizza. Cheap vacation home man.

However, Lake Norman can be sailed for an entire month without seeing it all. I used to live on it, cool place, (used to be).

BTW, my sister lives right there beside Clemmons.

 

[Sail123]

Man, it didn't take but a couple of times with this trailer boat idea, and my lovely bride got a slip. Everything that everybody says about the slip is true. Damn the stupid trailer. Hauling that thing up and down the road, rig and derig, no way. I used to do it years ago, but now I'd rather eat a snake than launch a boat. And like said, sometimes wife and I will just go to the boat, turn on the stereo softly, some mellow music like "Beat Me All Night" by Scagmeat Johnson and the Needle Freaks, (sort of puts her in the mood), and sit there and have a pizza. Cheap vacation home man.

However, Lake Norman can be sailed for an entire month without seeing it all. I used to live on it, cool place, (used to be).

BTW, my sister lives right there beside Clemmons.

Hope the " Beat me all night" reference pushses his buttons to getting a slip, he will not regret it.

 

[kito]

Hydro-hoists are nice but expensive. I decided on the "mast-up" trailer storage....no mast stepping. I just pull up beside the boat and unload my gear, hook it to my truck and drive about 200 yards to the ramp. Should be in the water within 15 minutes from arrival compared to 45 minutes stepping the mast etc. This marina charges a $10 launching fee so the ramps are never crowded since there are free ramps down the road. Launching fees are included with storage. This is my first big sailboat and always had a power boat since I was 18. Launching and retrieving is not an issue. I am starting to think that even if the wet slip was the same price as dry storage, I would still do the dry storage. Less maintenance and worries. Plus like I said earlier, at least 2 weekends a month I will be trailering it to other lakes anyway.

 

[kito]

Man, it didn't take but a couple of times with this trailer boat idea, and my lovely bride got a slip. Everything that everybody says about the slip is true. Damn the stupid trailer. Hauling that thing up and down the road, rig and derig, no way. I used to do it years ago, but now I'd rather eat a snake than launch a boat. And like said, sometimes wife and I will just go to the boat, turn on the stereo softly, some mellow music like "Beat Me All Night" by Scagmeat Johnson and the Needle Freaks, (sort of puts her in the mood), and sit there and have a pizza. Cheap vacation home man.

However, Lake Norman can be sailed for an entire month without seeing it all. I used to live on it, cool place, (used to be).

BTW, my sister lives right there beside Clemmons.

Yes, Lake Norman is a nice lake. Just got too busy on the weekends for my little 20' Malibu ski boat. Hard to find any skiable water. If you found a nice cove to ski in then the jet skis would ruin it for us. Started going to Mountain Island lake just north of Norman. Great lake for sking. I wonder if your sister lives close to me. I am outside Clemmons too. Actually closer to Midway

 

[Chris Patterson]

Yeah, that's one of the big reasons we sold out on the lake, the weekends turned into a nightmare. First time that I've thought of it in awhile, but we would move back to the winter home on some weekends, then back to the lake during the week. 530 miles of shoreline, and it would be hard to believe how many people could be on the water. I even had a substantial power boat that I wouldn't use, so the sailing was strictly through the week. It was like roller derby while drinking liquor. The only drinking law back then was, you had to have a pull tab for every empty beer can in the boat. More of a littering thing. It didn't matter if there were 500 empty cans, but you better have 500 pull tabs. Crazy. Kind of gives away my age too, huh? And it's why I prefer the open ocean these days.
My sister live on up near Clemmonsville Rd. She plays golf. Poor kid. I pray for her recovery..

 

[kloudie1]

Before I bought a boat, I went with folks who trailered and folks who kept their boats in the slip.. After two trailer trips and the un-rigging , I made a choice that it would be a slip or no sail boats..That was back in 1978.. I bought a new Spirit 23 and kept her in a slip, borrowing a friend's trailer and tow vehicle to accomplish bottom jobs at home.. Have had a slip ever since.. as many have said, the convenience of boat being ready to go and stuff already there make the experience very pleasant. Recently a friend bought a Stiletto 27 catamaran on a trailer.. after two rig/de-rig cycles at about an hour each, she is in a slip now.

 

[kito]

Yeah, that's one of the big reasons we sold out on the lake, the weekends turned into a nightmare. First time that I've thought of it in awhile, but we would move back to the winter home on some weekends, then back to the lake during the week. 530 miles of shoreline, and it would be hard to believe how many people could be on the water. I even had a substantial power boat that I wouldn't use, so the sailing was strictly through the week. It was like roller derby while drinking liquor. The only drinking law back then was, you had to have a pull tab for every empty beer can in the boat. More of a littering thing. It didn't matter if there were 500 empty cans, but you better have 500 pull tabs. Crazy. Kind of gives away my age too, huh? And it's why I prefer the open ocean these days.
My sister live on up near Clemmonsville Rd. She plays golf. Poor kid. I pray for her recovery..

During the week Norman is wonderful. Yeah, that's the way it used to be on most any lake.....drink as much as you want and go as fast as you can and it was legal. Just don't let your wake damage anyones dock or throw trash in the water. I think laws have changed now. If the boat is moving the driver can't be drinking. I wonder if your sister plays Wilshire golf course just down the road....pretty much a goat track.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Well, what I didn't mention was that she has a drug problem. Her husband is a pro, so she gets drug down to the course regularly. I know I can't WAIT to ask her. A goat track. That is just funny as hell..

 

[Ray Bowles]

Kito, I think you will like the dash and splash method quite nicely. The secret is to get your routine down pat. I always rig up before splashing so as to not be a pain to all the poo boaters as they freakout on the ramp. That means I load all my gear and mount whatever headsail I plan on using. Hang the fenders, set the docklines up and hang the rudder. My Catalina 22 trailer was high enough that I could hang the rudder before launch. Be VERY careful with the rudder so it doesn't drag on the ground as it will totally destroy it if it hits the ground. My current boat requires mounting the rudder with the boat in the water.
When I return to the dock I have the boat ready to go on the trailer before arriving.
The very best thing you can do to make this work out is to have your trailer set-up for retrieval.
Like I said before I had guides on the trailer for the keel to follow. I had a bow roller to lift the bow as it came to the trailer winch area and I had that step by the winch. If you have a factory C22 trailer and have questions about it I will see if I have pictures of my trailer that might help.
Ray

 

[Doc_holiday]

I wet slip my Mac for several reasons but really if those reasons changed, I would put it on the trailer and leave it at the marina.

1. There are power lines between storage and the ramp (who's the power boater idiot that came up with this genius design) so I would have to lower the mast each time.

2. I don't have my truck any more so I would have to use my wife's van and sometimes I swing by and solo on occasion

3. I pay $50 a month for the wet slip with power and water included. I would save nothing on land and have no power for the battery charger.

I got almost one season before the barnicals made a mess. So much for high dollar paint. I think this year, I will still wet slip it but pull it out several times to clean it.

 

[kito]

Kito, I think you will like the dash and splash method quite nicely. The secret is to get your routine down pat. I always rig up before splashing so as to not be a pain to all the poo boaters as they freakout on the ramp. That means I load all my gear and mount whatever headsail I plan on using. Hang the fenders, set the docklines up and hang the rudder. My Catalina 22 trailer was high enough that I could hang the rudder before launch. Be VERY careful with the rudder so it doesn't drag on the ground as it will totally destroy it if it hits the ground. My current boat requires mounting the rudder with the boat in the water.
When I return to the dock I have the boat ready to go on the trailer before arriving.
The very best thing you can do to make this work out is to have your trailer set-up for retrieval.
Like I said before I had guides on the trailer for the keel to follow. I had a bow roller to lift the bow as it came to the trailer winch area and I had that step by the winch. If you have a factory C22 trailer and have questions about it I will see if I have pictures of my trailer that might help.
Ray

Ray, not sure if I have a factory Catalina trailer or not. It does have a bow roller but raises off it as I crank it to the bow stop. The keel wedge that helps center the keel sounds interesting. Not sure how to add one to my trailer though. The first cross member in the back is right above the axle and has a rubber roller that the keel sets on. My trailer does have side rollers that help center the hull though.

 

[Ray Bowles]

Kito, The side rollers will do the same as the lower guide if it is adjusted right. My keel guide were just 2x6 wood boards that were bolted down very low on the trailer to guide the keel into the centered position.
The factory trailer usually had a tougue extension that could be pulled out about 6 feet to make the boat easier to launch. Usually they are rusted into place and hard to break out.
The bow roller was adjustable in height. There is a bolt in the front of its upright post that could be loosened to adjust the roller. If yours is frozen up and can't be adjusted it is worth taking the trailer to a welding shop and having it fixed or a new one made. The bow should rest on that roller when it is snugged up into the front of the trailer. That roller makes getting the boat on the trailer much easier.
Ray

 

[kenn]

For the past 6 years we've had a "dry" membership at a nice yacht club 3 miles from home, where our boat stays on the trailer, mast-up, and it takes all of 10 minutes to launch. (this particular ramp is crappy, though...) Still, we'd mooch the use of a slip for a few days from time to time, and it was a luxury to just come down and cast off.

I currently have two-foot-itis, but before seeking a new boat we might just cough up for a slip and see how that changes our sailing experience. Also,every summer we trailer up to a day's drive away to explore some new spot, so we don't want to give that up just yet.