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PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2021 10:34 am 
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Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 9:52 am
Posts: 2
I'm still pretty new to my 16 and am working up to taking it out solo so I can have more days on the water. My biggest stumbling block right now is how to launch and rig by myself.

It seems like if I tie the boat up against the dock, thats a pretty good way to damage the boat.

I'm looking for advice on how to hold the boat while I park the car. I know I could uses the center of the ramp and tie the boat away from the docks using both docks. But won't make me any friends when this place is busy, and I'd rather not rely on asking a random person for help.

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PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2021 11:35 am 
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Joined: Mon May 24, 2021 9:03 am
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Location: Richmond, VA
Just my $0.02 having put in with varying levels of help (experienced vs "rope holder" lol) in a public and busy ramp for a few years:

1. Find the most available slip to put into where the boat can be tied to 2 cleats on the dock and blow downwind without hitting another boat or dock while you go and park your vehicle / trailer.
2. Have the mast stepped and sails up before putting in. This would mean with the trailer still connected to your car for counterbalance. Step the mast solo using the gin pole method and a hand or electric winch - this can be tricky, but YouTube is good!
3. Keep your rudders up and your jib and main sheets loose so the sails can luff downwind while your boat is tied to the dock and you're parking the car/trailer.
4. Slowly back the boat into the water and have your 2 ropes ready for your cleats. Launch the boat with the ropes long enough to be in your hand and around the cleats as well so you don't lose the boat or the ropes. Once the boat is off the trailer, still holding the rope(s), hope up onto the dock and pull the ropes in and tie off so that your boat is held away from the dock a few feet with the wind. Now park the car and trailer and come back.
4. Disconnect the rear most rope from the dock and toss it onto the trampoline. Disconnect the front rope and hold it in your hand. Walk it as far out on the dock as you can go, then pull the boat close, hop on, and do your best to drop the rudders from there and paddle/ tack out to where it's safer to pull in your main and start sailing :)

We usually put into a ramp with only 2 slips that's tucked in a cove on a lake. It's tight quarters, there are power lines, and usually a long line of boats waiting impatiently lol. If I can have all the rigging and sails in place and all I have to do is launch, I'm usually golden. The mast stepping is usually the doozie for me though...

Hope this helps or at least gets some gears turning. Of course there are more experienced people here than myself who could probably tell you better, but just my $0.02.

Good luck!


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PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2021 1:57 pm 
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Joined: Fri Oct 17, 2008 2:21 pm
Posts: 379
Location: Winston Salem, NC
The launch area you show doesn't seem to have any beach area. I always used ramps that had a sandy beach adjacent to it. Then you can launch, drag the boat to the beach and return to the car to park it. Setup at you leisure. If you can't find a launch area like that, a couple of bumpers or even life jackets hung on the side might work at the dock. Bumpers would have to stay with you while you sail so life jackets might be better.

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PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2021 2:13 pm 
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I've done a lot of reading on this forum and Life jackets as boat fenders is the best idea I've heard yet.

You're right the shore is rocks all around this lake. Not even somewhere I can paddle it to and then rig.


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PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2021 2:52 pm 
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Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 7:02 pm
Posts: 737
Location: Rockford, IL
I have a couple of bumpers that I use on some selected docks. Most are ok, even if they aren’t particularly soft edged, but there are a few that make me wonder what the dock builder was thinking.
You can also launch and tie to the upwind dock, whichever that is, so the wind keeps the boat away from the dock.

Yeah, beach launching is a rare luxury, at least in my experience. In 30 years, I’ve beach launched once. And most docks are bass-boat-centric.

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"Firefly" - 2012 Hobie Getaway with wings and spinnaker
"Sparky" - 1978 Sunfish (OK, it's not a Hobie, but it's a fun little craft)
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PostPosted: Mon May 24, 2021 7:43 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 08, 2007 10:20 pm
Posts: 295
Location: South Boardman, Mi
You will need to raise your sails on the water. To do this you must re-learn how to roll a jib.

Next time you take your jib sail down start by sheeting the jib lightly. Leave the jib fastened at the head, tack and clew and lower the sail all the way. Grab the middle most batten and roll the sail up. If you picked the right batten the top and bottom of the sail should roll up together. Clip your lifejacket around the rolled Jib to temporarily hold it in place.

Next time you go out don't raise the jib on the trailer. Just rig it up to that lifejacket bundled state with the head, tack and clew attached. Put the mainsail on the tramp with the halyard secured to the head. Without any sails up you can easily tie off to the dock while you park. When you get back to your boat raise the jib and sail off under jib alone. You won't be able to point so hopefully you are reaching or going downwind. Alternatively leave the sail down and paddle off. Raising sails solo on the water isn't easy but it can be done. When I sail off the ramp I almost always drop the main before returning to the dock.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2021 3:13 am 
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Joined: Sat Aug 01, 2020 2:13 pm
Posts: 107
Location: Conway, New Hampshire
Honestly I just look for launch areas that are clear of wires and have a beach area too. Takes some real looking.

Short of that option, I might place my cat on the grass to the right in photo off the trailer, point into wind (if possible) and park. Step the mast with mast step link kit, rig up keeping the boom end disconnected and sails up but loose and untensioned so as to not power up on beach. Then using cat trax, launch at ramp. If you can, tie it off with 'life jacket bumpers' to put the trax away

I run my halyard line for the main through the bow shackle for the bridles and tie it to a cleat on bottom of mast to secure and keep handy. Step the mast, then pull the halyard line tight and cleat off again. This allows you to get off the tramp after raising mast and connect forestay to bridles with some confidence and safety. Lot's of good videos on this, Hobie U or JB have been very helpful.

Sometimes we cat sailors have to get a little creative in this world of power craft. Just be safe, watch out for overhead power lines and branches and have fun.

Hope this helps some...

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