The complete trailer sailor : how to buy, equip, and handle small cruising sailboats

Excerpt CHAPTER 1 Thinking about Your Boat There are lots of questions to ask yourself when you start to think about buying a boat. Whether you can afford it is certainly one of the most important, but you must also consider how you would move it, where you would store it, and whether you truly have the time to devote to this pastime. But let's start with a question that may help you answer some of the others: How big a boat do you need? HOW BIG? Trailerable sailboats with cabins range from a minimum of about 15 feet to a maximum of about 25 feet. The natural tendency for most folks is to covet the biggest boat they can get. Not so fast, Popeye—the biggest boat isn't always the best. To see why, let's use an extreme example—the Lancer 28. The Lancer 28 was introduced in 1977, when trailer sailers were quite popular. This was about the most boat that would fit on a trailer. To haul a boat on the highway without a special permit, the beam must be no wider than 8 feet (though some states have increased this limit to 8 feet 6 inches). But an 8-foot beam is considered narrow for a boat this size; it was a compromise the designer made to fit the boat on the trailer. Another compromise was a fairly shallow, wide keel. In order to keep the loaded height down, the designer used a shallow keel, which doesn't add much stability. And since the keel is so shallow, the ballast is up high, where it doesn't do nearly as much good. Compare this to a conventional 28-footer, where the draft averages around 4 feet. The keels on these conventional boats are commonly solid—not hollow—chunks of lead or iron. With that much weight so deep in the water, the nontrailerable boat has a lot of stability compared to the Lancer. The reason for the Lancer's wide keel also has nothing to do with performance—the designer wanted a boat with lots of headroom, so he dropped the cabin sole down into the keel. The result is sort of a fiberglass trench that you stand in, and the keel is wider than it should be for best sailing performance. If you stand in the trench, the boat has 6 feet 2 inches of headroom—an unheard-of space on most trailerables. This feature may enhance sales, but it does little to improve sailing. But the real drawback to the Lancer 28 is out of the water. Once on the trailer, this boat is a monster. It weighs almost 5,000 pounds. You can forget pulling this rig with anything less than a large vehicle with a dedicated tow package. And a panic stop at 55 miles per hour might turn you into something like a pressed turkey sandwich. I talk more about tow vehicles and road safety in Chapter 6 , but this illustrates some of the problems with taking a large object like a boat out of its natural element and hauling it over the road. It must be said that while a Lancer 28 isn't my particular cup of tea, many other folks are quite happy with it. There's an active owners' website at www.lancerowners.com. If you'll be sailing in relatively sheltered conditions, and if you don't plan on hauling the boat overland very often, the Lancer 28 might be a good choice for you. As I noted at the outset, the Lancer 28 is an extreme example of the trailerable category. At about 26 feet, trailerable boats stop making sense. If you really want a large boat, then you would do well to consider a model that is not trailerable. But be ready for a significantly larger commitment of time and money. Boat design always involves a series of trade-offs and compromises; if you set your sights a little smaller, the trade-offs required to make a boat trailerable become less severe. Nearly all sailboats around 20 feet long can be launched, transported, and stored on a trailer. Some are designed for easy launching and trailering. Others are optimized for sailing ability, and are more difficult to launch and haul. Most are somewhere in between. You can learn to evaluate a trailerable sailboat design by looking at a few key factors, such as the specifications, the hull outline, and the sail plan. While you can't predict everything from such information, it will allow you to make educated guesses about performance on the water, ease of launching, ease of hauling, and other factors. It's not my intention to make anyone into a naval architect—I'm far from one myself—but we can infer, for example, that a boat with a tiny swing keel is going to make more leeway than a boat with a larger keel. And don't worry if you don't know that leeway means the way that a sailboat gets pushed slightly downwind as she sails; I cover this in detail in upcoming sections. So if a Lancer 28 is too big, what's the best size for a trailerable sailboat? Of course, there's no single answer that fits everyone. Instead, consider this question: What kind of sailing do you want to do, and where do you want to do it? WHAT KIND OF SAILING DO YOU WANT TO DO? The sport of sailing can be generally divided into racing or cruising. Some boats are specifically designed for racing only—every feature is built for speed, and all other considerations are secondary. Other boats are specifically designed to be cruisers, where strength and load-carrying capacity are paramount. Many are called cruiser-racers, and are marketed to do both well, but in reality that's a difficult balancing act. Because trailerables are limited by length, weight, and beam, you won't find many that are said to be purely cruising boats. Presumably you live within a reasonable distance to a body of water that's big enough to sail in. Even this isn't an absolute requirement—many sailboat owners live far from their regular sailing grounds. But chances are you live near a lake, large river, or, if you're lucky, the coast. On average, what's the weather like there? Some places, like San Francisco Bay, are known for consistently strong winds. In that region, heavier boats with shorter masts and smaller sail areas are the norm. On the other hand, the winds at many inland lakes (like Chickamauga Lake in Tennessee, where I often sail) are light and variable. Boats with tall masts have the advantage, and large, lightweight sails are almost a necessity. The prevailing weather where you'll sail has a direct correlation to appropriate boat size—or more accurately, boat displacement. A boat's displacement is, for our purposes, equal to the weight of the boat and all its gear. (Actually, it's the weight of the water the boat displaces while at rest.) In a nutshell, lightweight boats perform best in light winds, while heavy boats are better for stronger winds (and the rougher seas that accompany them). This is, of course, a broad generality and not a hard-and-fast rule. My current boat, a Montgomery 17, is considered a medium-displacement boat, yet its light-air performance is better than the numbers would indicate. I discuss displacement in more detail in Chapter 2 . Another factor to consider is who will be sailing the boat. Let's assume that you will, since you're bothering to read this. But is anyone else planning on coming along on a regular basis? While most people are familiar with the captain-crew relationship, I like to think of sailing participation in different terms: solo sailing, couples (or partner) sailing, group sailing (a captain with two or more crew), and, finally, family sailing. (See the sidebar "Sailing Relationships.") CAN YOU MOVE IT? The Lancer discussion touches on yet another consideration relating to boat size: can you pull the boat you're thinking of buying with your current automobile? I've had quite a struggle with this subject myself. Several years ago, before I owned a trailerable sailboat, I bought a used 6-cylinder van, thinking it would be just the ticket for towing a sailboat. Six cylinders and an automatic transmission should provide plenty of power, right? Unfortunately, I didn't check the manual, which said this van shouldn't pull anything over 2,000 pounds. No sweat, I thought—a MacGregor 222 weighs 2,000 pounds. But add the weight of the trailer, motor, and basic gear, and we're looking at something like 2,800 pounds. OK, so I'll talk to a transmission shop about adding a fluid cooler. Well, I did talk to a transmission specialist, and he informed me that my van was particularly unsuited for towing anything. According to the technician I spoke with, burned-out transmissions are a common repair with vans similar to mine. So, back to the drawing board. The next vehicle I bought was a Nissan Frontier pickup. My truck is a 4-cylinder, manual transmission model for fuel economy. The manual says that this model can tow 3,500 pounds, so my 2,800-pound MacGregor should be no problem, right? Well—after spending three years of parttime work restoring my Mac (for the whole story, read Fix It and Sail ), I hauled it to the lake. Even though it was a big load for my little truck, the Nissan towed and launched it OK. The trouble came when I went to haul it home again in the fall—my Frontier could barely pull the loaded boat and trailer up the steep launch ramp. I had to slip the clutch to get it out, and the smell of burning clutch plates reminded me of smoldering hundred-dollar bills. It was clear that the MacGregor and my current tow vehicle were a poor match. Rather than sell the truck, I decided to sell the boat in favor of a smaller, slightly lighter boat. My Montgomery 17 weighs about 1,550 pounds, and the trailer another 400. The motor is lighter than the Mac's, and the Montgomery, being a good bit smaller, carries less cruising equipment. Even though it's still a sizable towing package, I'm just able to pull this boat up the ramp—it's a much better fit. (I do wish I had gotten the automatic transmission, though.) Towing is such an important part of owning a trailer sailer that I devote an entire section to the subject (see Chapter 4 ). But when evaluating a boat, pay close attention to your tow vehicle's rated capacity. It wouldn't hurt to talk to your mechanic about what you're planning to pull, and get some professional advice about the best way to haul your boat. CAN YOU STORE IT? Unless you are fortunate enough to live in an area with year-round sailing weather, you'll need a place to keep your boat when not in use. This is where the smaller sailboat shines, as it has more affordable storage options than larger boats. The most obvious place is at home, if you have the space. Winter repairs are just a few steps away, and you are immediately aware of developing problems like leaks or trailer rust and can take quick action, preventing larger and more costly repairs later. Some boats will even fit in a standard garage. But do check with your homeowner's coverage to be certain a trailerstored boat will be covered in case it is damaged in any way. The best setting is on level ground, preferably on a concrete driveway. Some homeowners' associations won't allow this, so read carefully any agreements you may have signed. Another storage option is a rental facility, where your boat will fit right in with the rows of camper vans. These can be expensive, though, and it's hard to maneuver a trailered boat through the other parked vehicles. Marina storage is another possibility, and it's where I keep my boat. Keeping the boat at a marina dock is usually the most expensive option, but hard to beat in terms of convenience. You'll do a lot more sailing if your boat is easy to use, and there's nothing easier than untying the boat and raising the sails. However, keeping the boat in a slip all year long accelerates wear and increases the chance of osmotic blisters, which form when the hull is subject to constant moisture. Keeping the boat on a trailer in the winter gives the hull a chance to dry out. Perhaps your marina offers the option of storing the boat near a boat ramp. Stored on the trailer, but fully rigged, it can be launched in much less time than it would take to raise and lower the mast. These arrangements are often much cheaper than keeping the boat in a slip. An important consideration, too, is weatherproofing and protecting your boat during storage. Boats are designed to withstand direct exposure to the elements and can do this admirably, but any boat will look better far longer if it is in some way protected from the sun and rain. Sunlight—specifically UV radiation—is probably the single biggest aging factor for boats. If you keep the sun off the decks, the gelcoat lasts much longer—just look at a gelcoated interior liner for an example. Rainwater can also cause problems if leaks develop, and all boats develop leaks in time. Keeping your boat covered will prevent rain damage as well, but of course you'll discover leaks when they're least welcome—while you're using your boat. Whenever you see evidence of leaks, make proper repairs as quickly as possible, since damage can quickly elevate from a minor annoyance to a major repair. A portable canvas carport is a fairly inexpensive way to pamper your boat. Plan on it lasting about three years, unless you buy a budget model. If you keep your boat at home, you can invest in an aluminum version, which is of course more expensive and less portable but can last far longer. Very small boats may even be stored in a garage. Their loaded height on the trailer is often the limiting factor, apart from the availability of garage space. A tight-fitting off-season cover is often the most practical solution. A good one is expensive, since they are often hand-built and use pricey fabrics. Stock covers are available for powerboats, but sailboats aren't often on the list. Still, it might be possible to modify a stock cover to accommodate an existing mast. Even if all you do is throw a cheap poly tarp over the boat, it's better than leaving your investment to fend for itself all winter. CAN YOU AFFORD IT? I'd love to toss aside this concern with a salesman's catchphrase, like, "There's a sailboat for every budget!" It's just not that easy. Sailboats are discretionary items, plain and simple. Owning one requires that you have enough income to pay for it—both the initial purchase price and the annual maintenance costs. How much does it cost? Well, how much have you got to spend? My MacGregor cost $500. And then I spent approximately $3,600 in parts and equipment to restore the boat to better-than-new condition. Oh, and I almost forgot about the three years of part-time work that I spent restoring it. When I sold the boat, I had owned it for approximately five years. The final selling price was $3,400—which, for a 1972 MacGregor Venture 222, is pretty good. My boat was in excellent condition, but still wasn't perfect. So it cost me roughly $600 for five years of use, not including insurance or taxes. The initial cash outlay was quite small—$500 for a 22-foot boat is about as low as you can get. But I paid more in ongoing costs for replacement equipment and upgrades, and I "paid" a lot in time spent working on the boat. My second trailer sailer, a 1979 Montgomery 17, cost $3,400. It was in much better condition than my first boat, but it still had plenty of maintenance issues, and I wanted to make some upgrades. So far, I've owned it for about two years and spent around $1,000 in equipment. Montgomery sailboats are high- quality boats, and used ones rarely come onto the market. New M-17s cost around $18,000, and I'm fairly confident that I'll get around $5,000 when it comes time to sell. We'll look more closely at sailboat equipment, as well as the "new versus used" argument, in upcoming sections. Book Value One research method for finding a good boat is to look at the book value of boats that you're considering. Two major companies publish price guides—BUC International and NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association). Their pricing varies in accuracy; of the two, NADA is reported to be a touch higher. Remember that these prices do not include motors or trailers, and the data is gathered from asking prices, not actual selling prices. When you begin your search for the perfect boat, it helps to look through these books. The BUC book is quite expensive, but you might be able to find a copy through your local library, and some BUC values are available online. The first thing you'll notice when you examine these books is the price range for trailer sailers. Some will be in your budget, and some won't. If you're interested in a used boat, pick a model year and compare the prices for several boats from that year. You'll note that some boats are at rock-bottom prices. Several factors affect the market price of any used boat—how many are on the market, the number originally built, the original purchase price, and so on, but it's safe to say that the most desirable boats aren't going to be the cheapest. They aren't necessarily the most expensive, either. My point is, unless lack of available cash is your number one concern, think carefully about considering the bottom of the range. Since you will most likely sell your boat at some point, it makes sense to buy a boat that is in demand. This costs you more initially, but your investment is preserved when it comes time to sell. Improvements to a well-made boat will most likely mean a higher selling price, whereas improvements made to an unpopular boat will bring little additional revenue when it comes time to sell. You should also look at the rate of depreciation of a particular model over the years. A boat that holds its value can be an indication of quality, whereas a boat that rapidly declines in value could mean that problems are common. This is good to know if you're thinking of buying a new boat as well. The book value shouldn't be considered as gospel, but you should be aware of the book value for any boat you're thinking of buying. You'll soon discover that the market value of a sailboat is often less than the sum of its parts, so a boat well-equipped with extra gear can represent a good value, while a boat with lots of broken or missing parts can be a fiscally poor choice. Financing a Sailboat Should you want to get a boat loan, your own bank is the best place to start, since your banker knows the most about your current financial situation. Explain that you'd like to buy a boat, and ask what the best way is to go about it. He or she will tell you what the options are, what the costs and interest rates might be, and how much of a down payment you'll need. Since boats are considered luxury items, most banks will require 20 percent of the total price as a down payment. Don't pull every penny out of your account for the down, either—there will be fees and miscellaneous costs. (Continues...) Excerpted from The Complete Trailer Sailor by BRIAN GILBERT . Copyright © 2009 by International Marine. Excerpted by permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher. Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site. Contents......Page 4 Acknowledgments......Page 6 Introduction: Thinking Smaller......Page 8 Affordability......Page 10 Simplicity......Page 11 Practicality......Page 12 How Big?......Page 14 What Kind of Sailing Do you Want to Do?......Page 15 Can You Move It?......Page 16 Can You Store It?......Page 17 Can You Afford It?......Page 19 Do You Have Time for a Boat?......Page 23 Boat Length......Page 25 Beam......Page 26 Draft and Keels......Page 28 Displacement......Page 30 Ballast......Page 31 Sail Area......Page 33 Rigging......Page 34 Where to Look......Page 36 Used Boats......Page 37 Surveying a Used Boat......Page 38 Matching Vehicle to Trailer and Boat......Page 57 Parts of Your Trailer......Page 59 Trailer Tongue Weight and Controlling Sway......Page 66 USCG-Required Equipment......Page 69 Optional Equipment......Page 76 Towing......Page 93 Rigging......Page 95 Launching Your Boat......Page 105 Mast-Raising Systems......Page 106 Bowline......Page 111 Cleating a Line......Page 112 Coiling and Securing a Line......Page 113 Other Knots......Page 117 Setting Up the Headsail......Page 120 Leaving the Dock......Page 125 Sailing......Page 132 Sail Trim......Page 136 Docking......Page 141 Anchoring Techniques......Page 142 Best Practices for the Prudent Mariner......Page 145 9 Rules of the Road......Page 147 Basic Rules......Page 148 10 Weather on the Water......Page 152 Preparing Your Boat and Crew......Page 153 Shortening Sail (Reefing)......Page 154 Sailing Downwind in Strong Winds......Page 155 Navigation Tools......Page 157 Plotting a Fix......Page 161 Danger Bearings......Page 163 Can We Turn on the GPS Now?......Page 164 Sailing at Night......Page 165 Medical Emergencies......Page 168 Crew Overboard......Page 169 Risks to the Boat......Page 172 Frequent Washdowns......Page 176 Preventing Water and Mildew Belowdeck......Page 177 Gelcoat Maintenance......Page 179 Teak Maintenance......Page 182 Dealing with Corrosion......Page 184 Maintaining Your Electrical System......Page 189 Bottom Issues—Blisters, Barnacles, and Painting......Page 193 Running Rigging......Page 194 Outboard Maintenance......Page 197 Trailer Maintenance......Page 199 Building a Navigation Tool Rack......Page 201 Installing a Midships Cleat......Page 203 Installing Cockpit-Led Halyards......Page 205 Cooking on a Small Boat......Page 209 Fresh Water......Page 210 Personal Gear......Page 211 What about the Bathroom?......Page 212 Boats Currently in Production......Page 215 Used Sailboats......Page 237 Epilogue......Page 252 Appendices......Page 254 Bibliography......Page 256 Internet Resources......Page 258 B......Page 261 C......Page 262 D......Page 263 F......Page 264 H......Page 265 L......Page 266 M......Page 267 O......Page 268 R......Page 269 S......Page 270 T......Page 271 V......Page 272 Z......Page 273 Contents 4 Acknowledgments 6 Introduction: Thinking Smaller 8 Affordability 10 Simplicity 11 Practicality 12 Part One: Finding Your Sailboat 14 1 Thinking about Your Boat 14 How Big? 14 What Kind of Sailing Do you Want to Do? 15 Can You Move It? 16 Can You Store It? 17 Can You Afford It? 19 Do You Have Time for a Boat? 23 2 Understanding Sailboat Specs 25 Boat Length 25 Beam 26 Draft and Keels 28 Displacement 30 D/L Ratio 31 Ballast 31 Sail Area 33 Rigging 34 3 Evaluating Trailerable Sailboats 36 Where to Look 36 New Boats 37 Used Boats 37 Fixer-Uppers 38 Surveying a Used Boat 38 4 Trailers 57 Matching Vehicle to Trailer and Boat 57 Parts of Your Trailer 59 Trailer Tongue Weight and Controlling Sway 66 Part Two: Outfitting and Handling Your Sailboat 69 5 Equipment 69 USCG-Required Equipment 69 Optional Equipment 76 6 Towing and Rigging Your Boat 93 Towing 93 Rigging 95 Launching Your Boat 105 Mast-Raising Systems 106 7 Knots and Lines 111 Bowline 111 Cleating a Line 112 Coiling and Securing a Line 113 Other Knots 117 8 Getting Underway and Sailing 120 Setting Up the Headsail 120 Attaching the Headsail Sheets 125 Leaving the Dock 125 Sailing 132 Sail Trim 136 Docking 141 Picking Up and Dropping a Mooring 142 Anchoring Techniques 142 Best Practices for the Prudent Mariner 145 Part Three: More Sailing Knowledge and Skills 147 9 Rules of the Road 147 Basic Rules 148 10 Weather on the Water 152 Altering Course 153 Preparing Your Boat and Crew 153 Shortening Sail (Reefing) 154 Lightning 155 Sailing Downwind in Strong Winds 155 11 Navigation and Piloting 157 Navigation Tools 157 Measuring Time 161 Plotting a Fix 161 Danger Bearings 163 Can We Turn on the GPS Now? 164 Sailing at Night 165 12 Emergencies 168 Medical Emergencies 168 Crew Overboard 169 Risks to the Boat 172 Part Four: Maintaining and Modifying Your Sailboat 176 13 Maintaining Your Sailboat 176 Frequent Washdowns 176 Preventing Water and Mildew Belowdeck 177 Gelcoat Maintenance 179 Teak Maintenance 182 Dealing with Corrosion 184 Maintaining Your Electrical System 189 Bottom Issues—Blisters, Barnacles, and Painting 193 Running Rigging 194 Outboard Maintenance 197 Trailer Maintenance 199 14 Modifying Your Sailboat 201 Building a Navigation Tool Rack 201 Installing a Midships Cleat 203 Installing Cockpit-Led Halyards 205 Part Five: Cruising in Comfort 209 15 Personal Comforts On Board 209 Cooking on a Small Boat 209 Fresh Water 210 Personal Gear 211 What about the Bathroom? 212 The Trailer Sailboat Gallery 215 Boats Currently in Production 215 Used Sailboats 237 Epilogue 252 Appendices 254 Bibliography 256 Internet Resources 258 Index 261 A 261 B 261 C 262 D 263 E 264 F 264 G 265 H 265 I 266 J 266 K 266 L 266 M 267 N 268 O 268 P 269 Q 269 R 269 S 270 T 271 U 272 V 272 W 273 Y 273 Z 273

A soup-to-nuts introduction to small, economical sailing craft

Trailer sailers—the smallest, most economical sailboats with sleeping accommodations—are a popular platform for learning the basics of sailing and are often considered to be the entry level to cruising under sail. Author Brian Gilbert shows how trailer sailers can be the ideal craft for a lifetime of enjoyment, including serious, long-distance cruising. This book covers all the bases, including how to inspect, buy, and equip a boat; how to trailer, sail, navigate, and cruise in small boats; how to use communications and

navigation equipment; and more.