MacGregorSailors.com

In anticipation of a new 26M; I plan to travel a good bit to mostly lakes and rivers in the Southeast but also some saltwater. I am concerned with vehicle and trailer security while sailing because many trips will be for multiple days. Here are my options as I see them:

1. Most of the public ramps are in remote areas and many prohibit overnight parking. Would you generally encourage or discourage leaving a vehicle and trailer at a public ramp overnight?

2. Find a marina that provides overnight parking. Do any or most marinas offer this service?

3. Some of my trips will be river cruses where the starting and ending point may be a hundred miles or more apart. Are there companies that will contract to pick up, store, and deliver vehicles and tailors?

Thank you for any alternates or advise.

Our friends used to do that alot. They would find a marina where they could leave the boat for a day ....then rent a car to go pick up the vehicle(s).
We left our truck and trailer at a launch ramp in LaBelle Fl for 14 days and had no problem...but we were worried the whole trip so will make sure we can leave it in a more secure area the next time.

If you are planning to do the St Johns River in FL, there is a gated park at the N end of Lake Monroe on the E side that only charges $2 a night for overnight parking. http://volusia.org/parks/LkMonroe.htm

Have to step the mast after launching. (wires overhead the ramps) no problem....good dock to tie up to for launch & retrieval.

Ive noticed that State Parks in Texas have sites where vehicles and trailers may be left and are safe, and the option to camp in the boat is nice too. Big lakes in state parks are great fun.
Ive also noticed that several public boat ramps in my area near Galveston Bay have vehicles and trailers sitting unattended with no problems for days...
I dont think youre going to have any serious problems. And, happy sailing with your new Mac M

My old truck looks so crappy noone gets near it.

Left in front of my house for months at a time with the keys on the floorboard.

Last weekend when we went out I left the drivers door open with the keys in the ignition for around 6 hours. The only grief I got was from thewife.

Scott wrote:Last weekend when we went out I left the drivers door open with the keys in the ignition for around 6 hours. The only grief I got was from thewife.

That Ford's not so bad. Thieves prolly passed on it due to ....
that Mac trailer hanging aft!

Welcome Freestyle

Six words for you on the trailer parking dilemma

Local knowledge, local knowledge, local knowledge

If you can, drop in at the proposed launch site early one morning and ask the crowd launching (while you help with lines and loading beer) where they leave their vehicles....

Im amazed, when I launch at Woods Hole MA, at the people who launch their boat, then turn to me and say - do you know where I parK?

Errrr...there is no parking here, or within a mile of here. You can park on the street and get a $20 ticket every two hours, but that is about it...

I guess it makes me wonder if you cant plan your parking problem, how well prepared are you for the sea????

(YOur asking in advance, Freestyle, obviously shows you grasp this!!!)

Walmart has a 'informal' policy of letting you park a trailer rig in their parking lots - we have threaded this before here if you want to search.

Many yacht clubs will help find/shuttle you to a place where you can sail your boat in their area.....and the only time I got the beginning of a sneer at my from a yacht club, it was quickly wiped off when they learned I was coming in from Nantucket.

Idle Time

....then rent a car to go pick up the vehicle(s).

Great idea, and thanks for the tip on the St. Johns River.

LOUIS

Thanks, state parks look like the ticket for the lakes.

Scott
Your truck wouldnt last long here in Georgia prime meat!

Frank

Are you kidding? With those twin axels? Gone in a flash but they would probably loose the boat.no front seat and no trolling motor!

Catigale
Thanks for the good advice. I did try a search...just not good at it but getting better.

Thanks all

FreeStyle - Good point. There is a lot of people in this forum in the SE.

Let me know if you plan to go to Ft Myers Fl. I know of a few places where it will be safe.

Thanks James, will do.

Checking with the board is probably one of your best bets since most here are trailer sailers. Someone is bound to know of a spot in the area you are planning on when you have a more specific area in mind.

I have called the local police depts or park police to get information about leaving rig for multiple days, vandalizm etc for launch areas. I have also left trip /return and contact information with them. They appriciated the questions and info because they said they often notice vehicles in the lot for multiple days and wonder if the owners were having problems. They also patrol the lots and said they would call if they noticed any problems.

Greg

I think most of the yacht clubs around here have reciprocation policies. Ie, if you belong to one, you can use facilities at the others. I haven't done it for a cruise yet, but for distance races, we generally position a car at the finish point. So for example, if you have two vehicles (and two drivers) and you want to sail from St Pete to Ft Myers, you place one of your cars down at the finish line in Ft Myers. To do that of course, both cars will have to drive down to Ft Myers and you leave one there. If you do it the day before, then you don't need to trailer the boat down to Ft Myers and back. Then you launch in St Pete and leave your rig there, sail down to Ft Meyers, pick up your parked car, drive it back to St Pete, pick up your rig and drive it to Ft Myers, load the boat, drive back through St Pete and pick up the car you left there and then both vehicles drive home. A bit of a logistical challenge, but certainly feasible.

Here on the lovely west coast of Michigan we are lucky to have many excellent boat ramps. The majority of them allow overnigt parking for extended periods of time. Common curtesy dictates that you inform the harbor master or ramp masterof the approximate time you'll be gone.

If traveling, try one of the inland seas, Lake Michigan
Fair Winds and Smooth Seas
Wally

www.charternet.com has a link for Marinas & Yacht Clubs....click on that and you can get a list for each state...plus phone numbers...might be worth a call if there is one in the area you want to launch

Thanks Idle Time, I put it in my planning folder.