Lucid wrote:Boat, by where to start I was referring to my post more than the sailing. I know the area fairly well, am a member in the local yacht club, have been dinghy sailing and motor boating the bay for a fair while. Having said that, I do look fwd to meeting other Mac sailors, will be subscribing to Marine Rescue Queensland, don't know about the specifics of trailer sailing. Locally, we are shallow so if the wind picks up the waves can become treacherous in minutes up the northern end of the bay. Winter is better for calm weather generally, summer gets blustery.
Tomfoolery, the PO demonstrated his raising method, I'm not sold. No MRS pole, no side cable guides, he lifts to get the first part of the raise going, and supports laterally, his wife drives the winch and tails. I wasn't impressed and it made it a 2 person job with lifting involved, but I'll start another post rather than wax on here.
SailboatMike, I grew up sailing outta Hastings, on Sabot, Heron, Windrush surfcat. My memories of sailing western port were sitting staring at mud waiting for the tide to come up, and French Island kept the waves from building so even 30 knots was flat water, used to have to sail around to Pt Leo chasing the surf. Camping Fairhaven, or Turtle Head, 4 knot tidal runs. Good times. After that, sailing from Port Melbourne YC was like sailing in the middle of the city, so different. Sandy beach, either ripping shifty northerly flat water or solid southerly massive waves.
A Farr was never on the cards, a good mate knows more than I do advised that you should measure a trailersailer in volume, not length.
Downsouth, thnx for the links. Already found the channel, their vids contributed to Jane's liking the Mac. Ill chk out the other forum too, see if we can't go do a day sail.
Herschel, the genny is currently up on a roller furler so I dunno about the advantage of the jib, but appreciate the reefing advice. Got a bunch of queries I'll post about changing the main rig to make it soloable. After reading up here I'm interested in slugs, lazy jacks, boom kicker v topping lift (got neither) PO never popped the kite, but I'm not going to try till Jane's learned the difference b/w a halfhitch and a bowline. Checklist was also an idea the admiral had after our second retrieval I dragged the skeg of the outboard up the ramp (in front of the clubhouse of course) oops oh yeah raise the merc 60
Im time poor, Jane doesn't like spending time waiting while I spend hours scratching round on the hard trying to work out wtf is going on with the boat so I'm hoping I might benefit from all your combined years of doing it wrong first
If you would like a couple of my checklists for starters, send me a PM, and I can attach the Excel files to a return email.
could not handle safely. I have been out in 25+ Southerlies with 2-3 metre waves from Cape Moreton back to Scarborough uncomfortable unpleasant but not unsafe. Not recommended especially if you want to keep the missus happy but nice to know if you ever get caught out. Though I would not take it out in a tropical low or if a NSW high is extending a 30+ knot ridge into QLD 
next year, looking forward to it.