TIME from Trailer to Sail

[SURV69]

It takes me about 15 minutes to leave the ramp dock and take the boat to my assigned dock. I never tie up the ramp dock.

AT the assigned dock, I have to put the boom, put the rudder on, check the rigging tension(it seems to change), and get all my sails ready/checked(main, jibs and spinnaker).

I'm married to a full-time dock because of the time it takes.

IF I could reduce the time from trailer to sail to 1/2 hour or so, I could realistically become a true "trailer" sailor.

[nedmiller]

With mast down and all food, ice, etc in the tow vehicle, pulling it into the parking lot above the ramp, until we sail away is right at one hour. We load the boat, raise the mast and attach the boom, and get everything ready to sail while on the parking lot. We back the boat in--I park the car/trailer and we take off with less than 5 min. tied at the ramp.
Ned

[pokerrick1]

I think I understand what Surv69 means. I am in the water in a slip at MDR. However, when I go somewhere else it is usually a LONG distance (like to Lake Mead or San Diego or Lake Perris or Big Bear). It takes me AT LEAST 2 hours to lower the mast and secure everything for trailering (I have a mast raising system). Then it seems to take me JUST AS LONG to unsecure everything and raise the mast. I do everything by myself and I am not an expert - - - I have to go slowly and carefully. It is a main reason I am reluctant to trailer- - - even though I LOVE to go to new places and sail! It is SUCH a hassle to secure and unsecure for traveling - - - even my wife thinks it is too much of a hassle. In the heat of the summer (like at Lake Mead) securing and unsecuring can be a dreadful task for me! When I'm doing either I always wish I was able to hire someone else to do it!

Rick

[Bill Earnhardt]

I normally take 45 to 60 minutes from setup to motoring out of dock area.
and was planing on taking a few trips this summer with the M26, but I just found a dock at Lake Tahoe ($1800.00 ) no services, just a dock, thats a deal here, if you can get one at all. So We ( girlfriend Cindy ) will be doing a lot of days, weekends, and vacations on Lake Tahoe this year, and not wasting time launching, so I think we'll use it a lot more.

[patsjoy]

I have a 89 90 mac 26D. I only live 3 blocks from the boat ramp. I usally only take 40 minutes to get from my kitchen to when I have the boat in the water, with mast up. I don't take the mast pin out when I lower the the mast, and I have the mast raising kit from MacGregor. I don''t pull the trailer more than 25mph to get to or from boat ramp. I check the mast base to make sure the strain isn't getting to be to much. I usally power my boat to a dead end street that ends at the lake. Water is real shallow there. perfect for the mac. I can walk in, about 3ft. of water, about 50 ft from shore I load any passengers there and raise the sail and go. I have a little raft from West Marine that has no side walls, but easy to paddle with kayak paddle. I can store that up on the bow. I Use that for the Admiral and she brings the ice cooler and clothes I alway forget. With no passengers to load I can raise sails and be on my way. I live in Holland, Mich. I usally go out to lake michigan. Lake Macatawa is to shallow in to many places. I've seen the the bottom go from 30' to 3' in a distance of less of 20'. stuck my dagger boat so bad that I had to get on top and wedge my board back and forth for a while to get it unstuck. Love my Mac, althouth the size still scares me , I can't think of an easer boat to get in and out of the water.

[pokerrick1]

All done on the parking lot - - 2 to 2 1/2 hours both in AND out for me (includes raising and lowering the mast) - - - which is why I don't trailer anywhere unless I'm going to be there a week (ala Mead Madness). Time to launch, park the tow vehicle and LEAVE the launch ramp - - - 7 minutes, because I'm all set to go when I actually launch .

Rick

[Tom F.]

Have only trailered several times but my wife and I generally can get it set up in 35-40 minutes with mast raising system. The trick is to split the projects that are not better perfomed by two people (e.g., mast raising). I've done it myself a few times and it still only took less than 60 minutes. It probably helps that I can still bench press 300 pounds so perfoming the mast dance through the spreaders can generally be done with one hand and is pretty easy.

[Catigale]

I can bench press 500 pounds and this does help. Euros or dollars are harder as the paper is thicker..

[beene]