First time out - exhausted !

[phoenixtoohot]

I'm wondering if others had the same experience as I did this past weekend on your first time out. After a month of reading all about the enthusiasm and fun other owners have had with their boats, I bought a 2008 M in CA and got it out here for a sail on Lake Pleasant near Phoenix, AZ, yesterday for the first time.

We finished two outings wondering if this sailing is really for us. I just don't remember it being so labor intensive from my Catalina 22 days back in the 70's on Long Island Sound.

What with the trailering, mast stepping, launching, docking, ballast in, ballast out, raising the main from the deck, stuck roller furling ... we eventually had a nice 1 hour sail ... but that was preceeded and followed by labor intensive 1 to 2 hour setups and teardowns.

Anyway, will it get better, quickly? Have some of you been discouraged on your first outings? Advice and thoughts much appreciated. Larry

[alanmoor]

First time out, especially on a new boat, is always trying for me - it doesn't make sense, it should be an adventure, right? Our general sailing enjoyment has gone up considerably since we got a slip, even though we have a trailer-sailor!

[dlandersson]

It does get easier as you gain experience.

Getting a slip makes it even easier.

I'm wondering if others had the same experience as I did this past weekend on your first time out. After a month of reading all about the enthusiasm and fun other owners have had with their boats, I bought a 2008 M in CA and got it out here for a sail on Lake Pleasant near Phoenix, AZ, yesterday for the first time.

We finished two outings wondering if this sailing is really for us. I just don't remember it being so labor intensive from my Catalina 22 days back in the 70's on Long Island Sound.

What with the trailering, mast stepping, launching, docking, ballast in, ballast out, raising the main from the deck, stuck roller furling ... we eventually had a nice 1 hour sail ... but that was preceeded and followed by labor intensive 1 to 2 hour setups and teardowns.

Anyway, will it get better, quickly? Have some of you been discouraged on your first outings? Advice and thoughts much appreciated. Larry

[pokerrick1]

It gets better - - - much better

Rick

[DaveB]

Takes 15 min. to set up and launch with 2 persons once you know how to do it, takes same time to derig.
you will find the method to do this and won't look back.
Keep it simple! Raise the mast without gin pole, leading all sheet lines aft is nice but increaces time for take down.
Have a CDI roller furler with a sun protector and have a protector over that when mast is down for storage.
A good team working togeather doesn't talk, they know what to do and it goes as smooth like melted butter.
After awhile you will learn this and will enjoy your boat.
Practice makes perfect, best time for us was 11 min. once we arrived at marina and launched ready to sail.
I am 61 and girlfrend much less and for I not best in shape....not in shape!
Dave

I'm wondering if others had the same experience as I did this past weekend on your first time out. After a month of reading all about the enthusiasm and fun other owners have had with their boats, I bought a 2008 M in CA and got it out here for a sail on Lake Pleasant near Phoenix, AZ, yesterday for the first time.

We finished two outings wondering if this sailing is really for us. I just don't remember it being so labor intensive from my Catalina 22 days back in the 70's on Long Island Sound.

What with the trailering, mast stepping, launching, docking, ballast in, ballast out, raising the main from the deck, stuck roller furling ... we eventually had a nice 1 hour sail ... but that was preceeded and followed by labor intensive 1 to 2 hour setups and teardowns.

Anyway, will it get better, quickly? Have some of you been discouraged on your first outings? Advice and thoughts much appreciated. Larry

[The-strikes]

This boat is the best! Just hang in there. You'll get better, but I would suggest you find a place to leave the boat, with the mast up - either a slip, or on the trailer. I don't tow the boat unless I'm going to be out for more than a few days, because as you found out, there's lots of work. I keep my at a marina on the trailer with the mast up. It's a breeze to drop it in the water and go - even for as little as a few hours. I used to keep it a few blocks away and while I could keep the mast connected to the boat and lower it onto the support (which got me under the wires) it was still a headache trying to secure the furler each time, plus if it was raining, I'd have to take down the bimini and get drenched.

[Gazmn]

Diddo on Brother Strikes

This boat is for romantics, dreamers and tinkerers. Romantics settle for "keep it simple" and appreciate the natural beauty of their surroundings. Dreamers dream they're in exotic places & the tinkerers make it happen. All require work - mental or physical - better done offseason in your backyard or driveway - pi$$ off envious neighbors

In season get a slip or a ball & enjoy
Personally I don't set up & breakdown unless I'm going to be there for more than three days. REMEMBER, you can always leave the mast home - so long as you have an engine with balls

Then it's in & out your choice of location, vocation & station

P.S. You WILL have fun - u just have to relearn how...

[Divecoz]

Phoenix: Remember....... That was 30 years ago! Today it takes me about 20 minutes to rig my boat ..less if no one is asking questions or wanting to help..
EVERY Endeavor has a Learning curve.. I have taught 3 sports and most folks give up long before they even begin to get good.. No Matter how short the learning curve.. Practice in the driveway ... Just dont hoist sails on a windy day without having that trailer hooked up to the tow vehicle !! DONT ASK ME!!!!!
BTDT Hahahaha Learning Curve Hahaha!!

[Russ]

That's why we slip our boat. Sure, it defeats the trailer to another sailing ground every week, but we get out there and back quickly.

[gabid]

I got mine last year and I trailer it for couple of weekends. The same as in your case, each time we would sail for only 1-2 hours, the rest was hard labor. We rented a slip for a month and we liked it so much that we stayed for the rest of the season. This year we will go back in the same marina.
The trailer part is still nice to have, easy to get it out of the water to fix something, bring the boat home to work on it and of course the future trips to other lakes and places.

[Divecoz]

YEP!!! and while EVERY OTHER Sailor in Chicago was Snowed in?? Mine was in Florida for a little over 4 months!!!
Gabid.. If you had practiced say a dozen times you would have gotten that time down to minutes.. If you show up at a ramp at 9 or 10 AM and then need to rig ?? humm its new to you? The ramp is getting crowded?

I got mine last year and I trailer it for couple of weekends. The same as in your case, each time we would sail for only 1-2 hours, the rest was hard labor. We rented a slip for a month and we liked it so much that we stayed for the rest of the season. This year we will go back in the same marina.
The trailer part is still nice to have, easy to get it out of the water to fix something, bring the boat home to work on it and of course the future trips to other lakes and places.

[gabid]

YEP!!! and while EVERY OTHER Sailor in Chicago was Snowed in?? Mine was in Florida for a little over 4 months!!!
Gabid.. If you had practiced say a dozen times you would have gotten that time down to minutes.. If you show up at a ramp at 9 or 10 AM and then need to rig ?? humm its new to you? The ramp is getting crowded?

Yes, it is new to me, I am also new into sailing. This would be an approximate time split:
-10 to 90 minutes waiting in line for the ramp (depends on the place and time of the day)
-15 to 45 minutes to put her in water then park the car with trailer
-30 to 60 minutes to put the mast up and prepare for sailing.
About the same time at return. Also hauling the trailer I am slower on the highway.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it every moment. However taking in consideration the time spent (see above), the social life at the docs, slip worked better for us. It was like a cottage actually for summer weekends.

[1st Sail]

No doubt rigging is a PIA for day sailing. We should have filmed our first time out. But then noone want to watch a four hour slap stick movie. I used one of the rigging lists posted on this board and modified for my boat. Now we rig in 25-35min. My son-in-law and I can fly as we sail together frequently. So get your list going and assign some duties to your crew.
I do have removeable spreaders which makes setup very quick. Practice dry rigging in your drive way a few times.

[roril]

How does that quote go..." It's not about getting to the end but about the journey".

At 70 years young, I really enjoy the setup and take down, 45 minutes each way, solo. When I go out on the water I sail for 4-5 hours around the lake and cover 20 miles. And yes, it kicks my a$$ but it's still fun!

I have had the oppertunity to have my boat in a slip for 5 days at Havasu and it was great to just kick the bumpers and go but the expence of a slip/mast up storage is out of my income range.

I have a 1988 MacGregor 26D and I love to sail and I love my boat!

[Mac26Mpaul]

The whole trailer sailer thing, particularly the cruising side of it, most deffinately gets much better and easier with time. However setting up and packing up is always a pain, especially if you just want to go sailing for a few hours. I am a lazy B and this is one of the reasons the Mac was the trailer cruising boat to buy - When we are going on holidays, (minum of 2 nights) I stick the mast on and we sail. If its just a quick day trip to a nice beach somewhere, or an overnighter, we go as a motor cruiser in which case its as simple a process as can be (well, getting the boat back on in high wind or current is not always fun).

At the end of the day, if you want the versatility of a trailer sailer, and you dont keep it at a slip, then you have to go through all the extra work, but with this boat, you can always have a super easy day on the water without all the hassle.