First time out - exhausted !

[Catigale]

Larry. Alternate view. I live near the hudson river in NY and trailer with teenagers to Cape Cod MA three or four times each summer. For day sailing, I trailer an under 20 foot boat ( Harpoon) down to the river with a 10 minute setup time.
A boat in this range runs under 3k in great shape with a good trailer

If I didnt have the Harpoon I would slip the boat on the Hudson... About 1500 USD for season. I figure the Harpoon paid for itself in 2 seasons plus it doesn't depreciate!!!

[raycarlson]

I sail on Pleasant also, but never just for a day.What i do is only take the mast and sail if I'm going to be there for three days or more.Less than three days and i leave the mast and sail at home and just use our M as a day cruiser, it makes it less tedious if you have three or five days between the set-up and the tear-down.And don't be led on be the hype that some of these guys on the board give you that they can set-up in fifteen minutes that's all hormones talking,40 minutes to an hour for a set up is reality for an M,as even when i leave the mast and sails at home it takes 15-20 minutes to get the boat loaded and ready to launch.

[Catigale]

Ditto on Ray,,,you can get the mast up in 15 minutes, but to have the boat rigged and ready to go, car parked, etc...longer

[CampCook]

I sai on Lake Pleasant as well but keep my boat in sailboat storage so it is mast up and rigged. Still, it takes time to launch and retrieve. I usually single hand so have to wait for room at the launch area for a tie-up space. Then, if i miss the close parking spots it is a long walk up the hill. Given all that it is usually exactly an hour from park entrance to pulling away from the dock. The same on the other end -- an hour from entering the no wake area to driving away from the storage gate. Yup, at 72, 3 hours on the water plus 2 hours extra is exhausting but I enjoy every minute of it.

BTW, I have studied all of the videos and have gotten my mast step and rigging down to about 150 minutes solo. Same on the other end. Yup, that's 2.5 hours. I plan on it.
Dave

[DaveB]

When I said we launch in 15 min. at the time we arrive at the ramp. Our boat is fully riged and bimini installed and boat is in the water ready to sail.
Takes me 5 min. to park my truck and trailer in a parking lot 1000 ft. away from launch.
What I can't figure out is why all you old Farts are takeing 1- 2 hrs to set up?
Maybe I should do a vidio in how it's done tho utube already has them.
If it ever took me more than 20 min. I would take mast off and power boat , that would take me 2 min. to launch without mast and boom.
Dave

Ditto on Ray,,,you can get the mast up in 15 minutes, but to have the boat rigged and ready to go, car parked, etc...longer

[Hearts content]

It's always more work until you are comfortable with boat.

Still these 15-30 minute setups are a bunch of poo so don't let if bother you. It's a bit of work to trailer, that's why I am in a slip.

Take your time, set it up correctly.

Good luck.


Heart's Content

[Divecoz]

Well said Dave my post will follow ...

When I said we launch in 15 min. at the time we arrive at the ramp. Our boat is fully riged and bimini installed and boat is in the water ready to sail.
Takes me 5 min. to park my truck and trailer in a parking lot 1000 ft. away from launch.
What I can't figure out is why all you old Farts are takeing 1- 2 hrs to set up?
Maybe I should do a vidio in how it's done tho utube already has them.
If it ever took me more than 20 min. I would take mast off and power boat , that would take me 2 min. to launch without mast and boom.
Dave

Ditto on Ray,,,you can get the mast up in 15 minutes, but to have the boat rigged and ready to go, car parked, etc...longer

[Divecoz]

Humm maybe I am seeing the definition of rigging wrong..??
Trailering to location is a given, for any boat not in a slip or at your water front home .. 3 choices BTDT 3 different ways..
Rigging for day sailing.. Boat is ready.. its a day sail, not an Exploratory Voyage with Magellan!!!
Sail is on boom at worst in its sail-cover and in cabin.... I have traveled with the sail and boom ready to rock and roll..still attached to the mast...
Get out of TRUCK.. ( no overhead obstructions) mast winch is already there. unstrap winch hook to mast lift.. Mast.. takes a few minutes.. attach fore-stay.. Insert key in ignition squeeze bulb for fuel get off boat.. Back boat into water.. backing is 3 minutes max..
This should, in time become... 1 2 3 4 done.. I see a lot of issues at boat ramps!!! OMG!!!! Too Funny!! For the love ! Take the boat to (walmart) at midnight and practice backing up.. Take it to the local school at night and Practice putting that bad boy in a slot!
First time I EVER Backed my boat in , Bill from Bills Boats 4 sail was with me.. It was literally a S curve . Bill was a little concerned.. Rich do you need help? No way dude badabingbadabang in the slot and off the trailer..

[RobertB]

How do you get the mast down with the boom still on the mast? I would try this if it did not threaten to wreck the hatch cover. Do you rotate the mast to the side?

[Crikey]

\Rich do you need help? No way dude badabingbadabang in the slot and off the trailer..

[Québec 1]

Takes me 7 minutes to setup , but I use a chicken thingy!
Q1

[Divecoz]

My Boom will, with the sail in the cover , fold right UP against the mast.. two bungees and lower the mast. Its now on the Crutch . Do the Mac ..giggle and jive and set in on the bow rail.
Yep Crickey hahaha badabbingbadabang and hopefully? NO BANGS hahaha !! My Lights on the trailer are LED no need to unplug those bad boys..

How do you get the mast down with the boom still on the mast? I would try this if it did not threaten to wreck the hatch cover. Do you rotate the mast to the side?

[mastreb]

Stepping and raising the mast, boom on and ready to sail is about 15 minutes for me. But I don't have a million mods, doger or Bimini to setup, lines led aft, lazy jacks, or any of that stuff. Complicates trailering way too much. Removable spreaders is the secret to fast rigging IMHO.

Launch is another matter. I launch at Shelter Island, widely regarded as the worst ramp on the west coast. Google Earth it and you'll see why. Launch is about 20 minuts if there's no wait, and retrieve is about 45 minutes. De-rig also takes me longer, about 30 minutes, because it's harder to tie knots and securely stow than to untie and pull out.

So in all I can be in the water in 30..45 minuts but getting out takes an hour to an hour and a half. We put in at the public docks for a weekend at $20/day (friday night and Saturday night) so we can spend three days on the water for a single setup/tear down.

Just got into the only mast-up storage in SD, so I'm stoked about that. Haven't yet gone in the water from there though.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Well I'm in pretty good physical shape and 42, so not that old I guess I have never had any help setting up, always do it single handed. I try not to gasbag with Mac admirers at the ramp if I can get away with it and from pull up to ready go into the water is about 50 minutes I think. I have nothing fancy, just your basic mast and boom setup with mainsail already tied to the boom, and a furler for the headsail.

On one hand, I dont get how it can take people 2 hours LOL, but on the other, I dont see how others can go from pull up, to ready to launch, in 15 minutes.
I'd really really like to see someone make a video of them going from pull up, to launch ready in 15 minutes......... and just for laughs, I'd like to see one of the 2 hour guys although, I reckon these are the guys who cant help but gasbag to all the Mac admirers for half the time

From the original message, it seems to me, you might be worried this whole thing is just too much hassle and work. Lots of us feel that way for a while when we are getting used to the boat.. If you love sailing, you will begin to see its worth the hassle. If you got a mac because you wanted a big floating camper for the family, then leave the mast at home most of the time and enjoy reasonably stress free holidays afloat (90 percent of my families use of the boat does not involve the mast and we love it).

What I can say is, that it will all get easier and as you start to develop some great memories with the boat, it will be worth it more and more. However no matter how long you have this boat (or any other boat) there will be days where everything goes wrong and it just doesnt seem worth the hassle/expense - trust me, in the long run, it is!

[Divecoz]

I think the SECRET is...... Boat is as ready as possible before leaving the Driveway at home.. I have All Lines Lead aft and IMHO it makes it simpler..
Its just practice.. Practice Practice .. Just One Issue.. Dock lines? Where are they at? Mine stay HOOKED UP at ALL TIMES.. I use those fancy little West Marine ( just where I found them on sale cheap) Velcro Heavy Duty line straps.. My lines are where I need them . No Looking... no wondering.... right there.. Take notes if it help.. What works what doesnt? I dont have detachable spreaders I have learned The Dance The Giggle and Jive to get those spreaders free..
Gas Bagging!!! Hahahaha THATS! A Killer.. or can be.. End of season is the worst.. with several fellows hitting the ramps ( 8 Ramps No Waiting ) at the same time.. hahaha Someone starts with passing around a beer cooler and the day is SHOT! Your realllllly screwed... if someone pulls out some good cigars.. But what da heck its a sad day....end of the season and time? Time is NOT of the essence.. My wife can tell you the night before , about how bad yanking the boat will be.. Frank calls says Dave will see us up there ...Al calls says he talked to Frank and Dave so he'll meet us around 11 AM for ( Now were first going to breakfast!!) Chris called Al and (he's a Pilot ) and will be having his full keel pulled tomorrow and he doesnt have to fly for 2 days uhoh Chris aint flying for 2 days! We'll be ....drinking! This is going to be a long day...