[quote=philzy]Hey Michaelg,
So I have a Prindle 16, and mostly sail (or at least launch) alone, at a dock, with only powerboats around. So, I think I have a good grasp of what you're going to be going through, with the pressure to speed things up and not make any mistakes.
Set up the mast,wires, rudders (in up position), lines, boom, everything EXCEPT for your sail when your P15 is on the trailer in the parking lot. REMEBEMBER since you are doing this alone, you need DOCK LINE to tie your boat while you park your vehicle. I use about a 10' long piece and tie it around the port or starboard forestay line. Choose the side that will be closest to the dock, once you turn the boat into the wind.
Lay your rolled up sail down on the trampoline, you can connect the haylard to the top so it's closer to being ready to go. P15's don't have Jibs so that's good, it's one less thing to set up, and you can ignore all the hook & ring talk from the other posts.
Remember your rudders need to stay up while at the dock, or the boat will want to sail.
Backing a vehicle up with a trailer takes common sense.. I've learned that steering the wheel with my hand on the bottom of the wheel is similar to the rudder effect, (turning left points the trailer right, turning right points the trailer left)
Remember your rudders need to stay up while at the dock, or the boat will want to sail.
I have large rubber bands with hooks to keep my hulls tight down on the trailer, and leave them on the FRONT of the hulls when launching, keeping the back untied to the trailer, allowing it to float freely.. as soon as I see the rear of my sailboat take float, I stop there, regardless of what my trailer tires are doing, and yes packing the bearings is essential for longevity. At that point, crawl onto the traler neck, undo the forward straps, and push the rest of the boat into the water, while holding the dock line.
Remember your rudders need to stay up while at the dock, or the boat will want to sail.
This is when you need to walk the boat back (if the wind is offshore to the launch ramp) or slowly spin it around 180 if the wind is onshore, then walk it to the end of the dock (This frees up space for motorboats to creep in) and tie the dock line so the boat is right up to the dock. If it is really windy and causing the rear of my sailboat to drift away, then I will grab my traveler sheet and use that as a rear dock line, essentially pinning the boat to the dock from both ends.
Remember your rudders need to stay up while at the dock, or the boat will want to sail.
IF YOU HAVE A LARGE DOCK FACILITY it is better to launch your boat to the side of the dock that is downwind ("Leeward") so that your boat isnt not being squished against the dock, and if you are downwind the natural tendency is your boat to float away from the dock when you sail away.
Remember your rudders need to stay up while at the dock, or the boat will want to sail.
Okay, so go park, lock up, and walk back to start sailing. At this point stand on the trampoline while the point is still all tied to the dock, and raise that main sail! Get ready for it to become harder as more sail is in the air, and pushing it back and forth. When you have the sail all the way up, and the bottom of the sail is snug so that there are no wrinkles, tie off the haylard line, and store it in a trampoline pocket. All that's left is to lower the rudders (Remember your rudders need to stay up while at the dock, or the boat will want to sail...just saying... again) .. so Lower those rudders into place, make sure they're jammed in and locked,get you mainsheet and tiller untangled... double-check that your main sheet and traveler and all the lines are loose, because you're about to attach the sail to them...
...now the final thing...
...Grab the end of the mainsail ("Clew"), fit it into the sliding hole at the end of the boom by using the pin, and expect to feel the boat wanting to sail...fortunately your lines are very loose, and the sail has some wiggle room to flap around with the boom.
At this point, turn around, untie your dockline(s) and sheet in!
Wow that was a lot, but it all happens in a couple minutes and then you're sailing.
So.. coming back in from sailing? you have to approach the launch dock so that by the time you stop, you have your P15 pointed into the wind, sometimes this means flipping a full 180 at the last second, give yourself room to do that. The moment you hit the dock, tie off with your dock line, get back on the trampoline and drop your sail... now nothing is trying to move you, and you're free to RAISE YOUR RUDDERS and go get your vehicle.
Did i mention to keep the rudders up unless you're sailing?
From there, just back-step whatever you did to launch the boat, careful gettint the hulls in the right spot on the trailer before exiting the water.
If this is your first time, give yourself a lot of tolerance for mistakes here and there, it certainly takes practice. I would suggest parking your boat into the wind, raising the sail to make sure it goes all the way up, and then taking it down before putting the boat in the water.
In many of my experiences, at harbors in southern california, most weekend-warrior-type power boaters and fishers will assume sailors are a nuisance and they just don't understand that we usually do not have an engine to control things.. so therefore we actually plan a little better and think things through 100%, not just 98% that they can get away with because have reverse, neutral, and gear, so shrug off any of the eyes staring you down.. the minute you fly a hull out there they all come by hooting and hollering to see more.[/quote]
