Has anyone watched the Speedy Rigger videos?

[K9Kampers]

When my boat arrives I'm going to be entirely clueless about the rigging, so any tips to make life easier will be hugely appreciated

I think that starting out, it is important to not try to be fast or beat the clock by working faster. Rather, focus on doing things right, then work on being efficient. In time, as the process becomes easier, you'll be able to shave minutes.

Some things that work for me:

Reduce or eliminate the need for tools for rigging for launch. When I started out, I was carrying several different wrenches as there were several different sized bolt / nut combos. I replaced most bolts with quick pins, and just finger-tighten the nut/bolts that remain (baby stays). The only tool I need is a multitool, to tighten the screw for the windicator, and if needed to set the forestay pin.

Reduce the number of times needed to go up/down into the cabin. I reach into the cabin just twice during my setup. First, to get the windicator/set screw, multitool, and MRS (gin pole & baby stays laid on deck). Second to fetch the boom and mainsail.

Reduce the number of 'empty steps' moving fore & aft on the boat. Starting aft, I set the windicator on the masthead. Then as I move toward the bow I'm removing transport tie-downs and rigging ties, readying the mast. Next, unpin the mast from the bow pulpit, do the Mac Dance (pelican clips on the forward lifelines would be safer/easier), push the mast back and set the mast hinge. The MRS is right there and is set up next. Raise mast, pin forestay, unhook/stow MRS, etc...

In summary, what works for me is reducing the number of steps, not stepping faster.

Potential time savers that don't work for me:
Deadlifting the mast to vertical without MRS (high injury potential!).
Leaving the MRS in place while sailing (clutters foredeck).
Storing the mainsail on the boom after unrigging (too cumbersome in cabin).

[Drifter]

I'm not so much interested in speed but in keeping it simple and easy to remember.

Realistically i'll probably only take the boat out around once a month, so simple and easy is more important to me than raw speed.

Thanks for your post, have printed it for later

[K9Kampers]

Mmm, I just ordered these vids. Now i'm wondering if they're even still available?

Anyone know of a really good video that explains sailing the ?

I've invested in the 'esailing simulator' computer game but right now I'm having more trouble figuring out the game's controls than actually learning to sail...

The only sailing simulator computer game I've played was about ten years ago at the Mariners Museum in Newport News, Va. That one was about sailing into battle with square riggers and blowing ship up!

[K9Kampers]

I'm not so much interested in speed but in keeping it simple and easy to remember.
... so simple and easy is more important to me...

The MacGregors are relatively easy to rig. Read up on the owners manual which can be found under the Resources tab on this site.

A few simple ideas to keep in mind while you get familiar with rigging your :

Practice stepping and unstepping a few times in your driveway before trying to figure it out at the launch ramp / public docks. That Mast Raising System & baby stays make all the difference, especially when starting out.

The mast stays and the backstay can stay attached to the boat. The forestay / roller furler is the only stay that needs to attach / detach for rigging / unrigging.

The Mac Dance refers to the maneuver of wrestling the mast spreaders out from underneath the lifelines before sliding the mast into place to attach the mast-hinge. After detaching the mast from the bow pulpit, walk towards the mast spreaders while supporting the mast. With one hand on a spreader and one hand holding the mast, swing the mast to one side (pivoting on the mast crutch), and raise that spreader over the lifeline, Then repeat the other side so both spreaders are above the lifelines. You can now walk the mast aft to position it to attach the mast-hinge.

When walking the mast aft, and / or, while winching the mast up, be mindful of any stay that may be snagged somewhere. Don't try to crank harder to free it. The backstay likes to snag itself on the outboard.

Just before the mast is fully vertical, secure the winch line and inspect both ends of all stays to make sure they are not twisted / kinked and make appropriate adjustments before securing the forestay.

Be mindful of overhead branches and power lines between where you step the mast and the launch ramp.

[Drifter]

The ramp I'm most likely to be using is beside a bridge, so I'll be raising the mast after motoring under that bridge and having headed some distance up the river (far enough to avoid being stared at, plus having dropped anchor and ensured it's biting and the boat stationary)

Annoyingly, none of the local ramps have an actual jetty. Some vague attempts at creating a jetty, with no care for such exotic materials as stainless steel or epoxy-treated wood, have occurred and as you would expect they have rapidly disintegrated again. So launching is launching; you come off the ramp and get immediately plucked by the current and thrown towards the remains of previous attempts at jetties...

There are no niceties such as tying a mooring rope and then getting things from the car or anything like raising the mast first. Everything, including you, goes in the boat before it gets unhooked from the trailer and once unhooked you're on the move, so best to warm up the engine first. Ask me how I know that?

Glad you asked! Because my very first attempt at launching my very first boat resulted in a cold engine stalling, refusing to re-start and in the meantime we drifted downstream towards the croc-infested swamp...

So yeah, rigging will be me wobbling around on the boat in the water, quite some distance away from the ramp (and preferable with the tide taking me away from the bridge, not towards it)!

[kurz]

Here my forestay pin:




I the past I could insert a small screwdriver... Becouse it was long enough. But the no possibility to put in the pin....

So I tested out this pin: it is very long and at the end small and sharp. So it is much easier to grab with the sharp end first through the holes and then pull easily the whole pin through.


Btw: was it possible to put a Johnson lever in one upper shroud? Maybe opened maybe there was less tension in the forestay to pin it. and the forestay itself would not have to be changed. ?

[Drifter]

I have no idea what I'm looking at

One thing I still need to figure out, and partly what I mean when I talk about 'rigging' is the actual sail controls.

I believe the boom control thing (main sheet?) is supposed to be on the steering pedestal. All I know about my boat is that it isn't there (but there is a Japanese fishfinder there, so there's that?). I have no idea where - or if - the previous owner has relocated it. Somewhere? And why..??

I guess I'll be able to figure it all out when I have the actual boat in front of me; it's just frustrating somehow, not having a clue where anything is...

On the game/simulator thingy, there are 2 winches for the jib sheets, one of which has a 2nd line for furling or unfurling the jib.

There are 2 more winches, one has the halyard for raising the mainsail, and a couple of other thingies on the port side. I'm a tad confused because on the there are only 2 winches, not 4?

In the simulator there are many "jammers". I don't think I see any on the ?

I suppose I'm being impatient but somehow it's really frustrating me that I don't know how the thingies work on any MacGregor, and especially mine. I'm not finding much solace in the manual either.

I want to go through things in my head, build on my learning but the more I look at youtube or play the simulator the more I feel I'm learning how to operate someone else's boat, not mine.