Cruising on a Trailer Sailer
- Thread starter Grith
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Grith
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- #162
Hi SemiSalt Thanks for that info. I have remarked previously about the differences between many earlier American TS’s and many of the Australian/New Zealand ones. In the much earlier periods it seems almost like many US Cruising oriented TS’s were an attempt to downscale from keelboats hanging onto skegs and and really stout designs whilst many over here were gradually getting larger and more comfortable dingy’s have started with the lightweight planning hull NZ designed Hartley 16. Obviously the whole racing and sports boat TS’s then went there respective ways but the cruising oriented yachts seem to have retained a bit of this difference between our countries. Really popular large TS’s for cruising here include Nolex 25’s, Court 750’s, RL 28’s, Sonata 7’s, Farr 7500’s and very many smaller TS’s nearly all with very shallow drafts and specifically designed to be launched and retrieved on an every use basis. I know this is a gross over generalisation but does seem to be a bit of a recurring theme.
My specific feeling is part of the reason TS’s have dwindled in use and numbers is their ease of use issues as many of the older designs available and cheap are not that user friendly to rig and launch yet the price gap to some of the newer designs addressing some of these issues is often so steep that few will venture there. This of course is overlayed with the general drop in numbers sailing generally.
I have just been trying to highlight the specific capabilities of larger TS’s to provide a platform for reaching and exploring many different cruising grounds relatively comfortably and easily. Have fun out there. Regards Graeme
My specific feeling is part of the reason TS’s have dwindled in use and numbers is their ease of use issues as many of the older designs available and cheap are not that user friendly to rig and launch yet the price gap to some of the newer designs addressing some of these issues is often so steep that few will venture there. This of course is overlayed with the general drop in numbers sailing generally.
I have just been trying to highlight the specific capabilities of larger TS’s to provide a platform for reaching and exploring many different cruising grounds relatively comfortably and easily. Have fun out there. Regards Graeme
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Grith
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- #163
On 3/6/2019 at 1:14 AM, bmiller said:
https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van/boa/d/chilliwack-catalina-30/6830675627.html
Atomic 4 Yanmar Gas engine 1200h
Good maintenance and condition
Bottom painting 2015
Furuno Fishfinder 1870 F
Added bonus of tiller and wheel!!
View attachment 301296
Thats a setup for co-ownership. Just disconnect one and don't tell the other!!
- Stumbling
Hey bmiller and stumbling I picked up your post and comments elsewhere. I also have that set up on my yacht. Great idea about using it for arguments over whose in control! Either that or for just keeping your left hand guessing what your right hand is doing.
Mine setup is as it’s actually much nicer to sail with a tiller than a tiny wheel but I need the wheel controlled hydralic power steering to handle the big inboard leg. Given the remote trips that I have planned I also thought it makes a great redundancy back up like many wheel steer larger yachts that have a way to connect a tiller directly to the top of the rudder post if the wheel steering fails.
https://vancouver.craigslist.org/van/boa/d/chilliwack-catalina-30/6830675627.html
Atomic 4 Yanmar Gas engine 1200h
Good maintenance and condition
Bottom painting 2015
Furuno Fishfinder 1870 F
Added bonus of tiller and wheel!!
View attachment 301296
Thats a setup for co-ownership. Just disconnect one and don't tell the other!!
- Stumbling
Hey bmiller and stumbling I picked up your post and comments elsewhere. I also have that set up on my yacht. Great idea about using it for arguments over whose in control! Either that or for just keeping your left hand guessing what your right hand is doing.
Mine setup is as it’s actually much nicer to sail with a tiller than a tiny wheel but I need the wheel controlled hydralic power steering to handle the big inboard leg. Given the remote trips that I have planned I also thought it makes a great redundancy back up like many wheel steer larger yachts that have a way to connect a tiller directly to the top of the rudder post if the wheel steering fails.
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Not sailing, not cruising, apologies. But anybody that trailer launches has to respect the quick reaction when the dog (a Dalmatian of course) pops the transmission. Anybody whose hung out on even semirural ramps will recognize the can do problem solving. The first and third videos work.
https://www.canoekayak.com/videos/dog-puts-jackson-rv-into-the-drink-vid-clip-goes-viral/
https://www.canoekayak.com/videos/dog-puts-jackson-rv-into-the-drink-vid-clip-goes-viral/
Grith
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- #166
Hi All Whilst back on this thread here are a couple of shots I just took of the intergrated mast raising system on my yacht which makes rigging, raising and lowering a fair sized section 30 foot mast a one person job. It also works entirely from the cockpit for passing under bridges and powerlines with just releasing a rope clutch on the cabin roof and easing the line around the sheet/halyard winch and lowering in complete control including sideways stabilisation. I just posted this as I think mast raising problems are one of the big off-putting tasks on many trailer sailers yet it can be overcome with well thought out systems.
Regards Graeme
Regards Graeme
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stumblingthunder
Super Anarchist
Thats a setup for co-ownership. Just disconnect one and don't tell the other!!
- Stumbling
Hey bmiller and stumbling I picked up your post and comments elsewhere. I also have that set up on my yacht. Great idea about using it for arguments over whose in control! Either that or for just keeping your left hand guessing what your right hand is doing.
Mine setup is as it’s actually much nicer to sail with a tiller than a tiny wheel but I need the wheel controlled hydralic power steering to handle the big inboard leg. Given the remote trips that I have planned I also thought it makes a great redundancy back up like many wheel steer larger yachts that have a way to connect a tiller directly to the top of the rudder post if the wheel steering fails.
View attachment 301851
View attachment 301856
This configuration is not limited to monohulls. The Wormwood Gulfstream 35 "Merlin" also had this setup. The aux motor was an outboard under the deck bridge, which was attached to a steering wheel, while boat also had tillers attached to the rudders.
I still kick myself for not buying her when she was up for an estate firesale.
- Stumbling
Grith
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- #167
Hi All Reviving this thread having now retired and commenced cruising my trailer sailer. Currently we have been successfully living onboard our 28 foot hybrid trailer sailer for 4 weeks cruising in company with trailer sailer cruising much older friends with 30 years extensive experience cruising in their Court 750. They often spend months onboard in truly challenging destinations like the wild and mostly uncharted Kimberley’s of North West Western Australia.
It’s mid winter here in the southern latitudes of Australia ( barely makes freezing however) and we have been very comfortable with our bit out of left field sailing oriented Imexus 28 powersailer.
For simplicity of maintenance and remote location repair reasons ( along with a really excellent roll on roll off trailer ) I have swapped my previous 180hp inboard diesel Imexus 28 for the less powerful 115hp Yamaha outboard version and it’s a slightly newer one as well.
I have also secured a fabulous new sailing companion Clare up for the challenge of doing extended live aboard adventuring on a trailer sailer which is outstanding luck especially at my advancing age.
Today we struck high winds with a very short sharp chop which overwhelmed my friends 9.9 Yamaha partially due to hobby horsing cavitation and partially just insufficient power in sharp crosswind gusts. In 30 years it was one of the very first times this had happened to them.
It also blew the Imexus sideways several times due to its very high side profile windage combined with two bimini’s and dodger. Cranking up the engine just slightly from ticking over at 900rpm ( to keep the speed down to cruise in company) to 2000rpm easily regained control of the yacht however. We were in a narrow section of river with high cliffs on one side with a savage dead up river headwind and cliff bounced crosswind gusts when we were travelling down river precluding sailing.
It’s mid winter here in the southern latitudes of Australia ( barely makes freezing however) and we have been very comfortable with our bit out of left field sailing oriented Imexus 28 powersailer.
For simplicity of maintenance and remote location repair reasons ( along with a really excellent roll on roll off trailer ) I have swapped my previous 180hp inboard diesel Imexus 28 for the less powerful 115hp Yamaha outboard version and it’s a slightly newer one as well.
I have also secured a fabulous new sailing companion Clare up for the challenge of doing extended live aboard adventuring on a trailer sailer which is outstanding luck especially at my advancing age.
Today we struck high winds with a very short sharp chop which overwhelmed my friends 9.9 Yamaha partially due to hobby horsing cavitation and partially just insufficient power in sharp crosswind gusts. In 30 years it was one of the very first times this had happened to them.
It also blew the Imexus sideways several times due to its very high side profile windage combined with two bimini’s and dodger. Cranking up the engine just slightly from ticking over at 900rpm ( to keep the speed down to cruise in company) to 2000rpm easily regained control of the yacht however. We were in a narrow section of river with high cliffs on one side with a savage dead up river headwind and cliff bounced crosswind gusts when we were travelling down river precluding sailing.
Jim in Halifax
Super Anarchist
Nice to see someone out cruising a nice 'powersailer'. Although the concept is infamously associated with the cheap and shoddy Macgregor, I think it has a lot of merit and appeal for a certain niche. Your Imexus 28 looks like a neat boat.
Grith
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- #169
Hi Jim Thanks for your comments, yes it hard to own a powersailer without comparison to McGregors and criticism of the concept and it’s sailing performance in a way never really applied to motorsailers, older full keel cruisers, gaffers and many other cruising yachts sailing performance.
As a cruising biased yacht it performs very well at all points of sail except hard into the wind in a chop keeping pace or even passing many other similar length cruising monos whilst sailing.
The combination of a big engine with the ability to bring the yacht up onto a plane with water ballast for lighter trailering and huge slab sides to achieve comfortable internal volume and some over 6 foot standing headroom in a relatively small yacht just seems to offend some sailers.
I have owned a wide variety of trailer sailers myself from high performance sports boats and trimarans, several cruising trailable catamarans to the good old Hartley 16 which was perhaps one of the very first true trailer sailers.
My primary interest is now extended comfortable cruising in unusual and far flung locations that can be reached quickly and safely by towing behind my vehicle rather than long coastal passage sailing. Some of these destinations are completely inaccessible to non trailable or fixed keel yachts.
The power part of the powersailer is rarely utilised but it’s presence means the ability to more safely attempt a range of more challenging destinations and objectives from crossing river-mouth bars, working against tidal races and river currents to reaching more distant objectives in limited weather windows and escaping sudden unexpected weather changes.
It has also already come in handy towing others out of trouble. Currently in four weeks living onboard so far it has only been used for exactly that once towing a broken down powerboat and once to overcome very unusual funnelled wind and wave conditions as a storm front briefly passed through which overwhelmed our friends more usual 9.9 outboard auxiliary powered trailer sailer and pushed them onto the bank.
Previously I had a tiny 6 meter plywood cruising catamaran, a Jarcat 6, with an 18hp outboard capable of about 12-14 knots fully laden which got me to places few would expect to see something so small and delicate including well offshore islands. It was the many advantages of occasional fast runs under motor this yacht provided that contributed to my selection of the Imexus 28 after very careful review of nearly all the larger trailer sailers.
My intention is extended grey nomad travel and adventure now in retirement using our Imexus as both yacht and caravan to reach far more interesting and unique destinations than either a conventional yacht or the common, here in Australia, caravan/camper and roof mounted dingy could achieve.
As a cruising biased yacht it performs very well at all points of sail except hard into the wind in a chop keeping pace or even passing many other similar length cruising monos whilst sailing.
The combination of a big engine with the ability to bring the yacht up onto a plane with water ballast for lighter trailering and huge slab sides to achieve comfortable internal volume and some over 6 foot standing headroom in a relatively small yacht just seems to offend some sailers.
I have owned a wide variety of trailer sailers myself from high performance sports boats and trimarans, several cruising trailable catamarans to the good old Hartley 16 which was perhaps one of the very first true trailer sailers.
My primary interest is now extended comfortable cruising in unusual and far flung locations that can be reached quickly and safely by towing behind my vehicle rather than long coastal passage sailing. Some of these destinations are completely inaccessible to non trailable or fixed keel yachts.
The power part of the powersailer is rarely utilised but it’s presence means the ability to more safely attempt a range of more challenging destinations and objectives from crossing river-mouth bars, working against tidal races and river currents to reaching more distant objectives in limited weather windows and escaping sudden unexpected weather changes.
It has also already come in handy towing others out of trouble. Currently in four weeks living onboard so far it has only been used for exactly that once towing a broken down powerboat and once to overcome very unusual funnelled wind and wave conditions as a storm front briefly passed through which overwhelmed our friends more usual 9.9 outboard auxiliary powered trailer sailer and pushed them onto the bank.
Previously I had a tiny 6 meter plywood cruising catamaran, a Jarcat 6, with an 18hp outboard capable of about 12-14 knots fully laden which got me to places few would expect to see something so small and delicate including well offshore islands. It was the many advantages of occasional fast runs under motor this yacht provided that contributed to my selection of the Imexus 28 after very careful review of nearly all the larger trailer sailers.
My intention is extended grey nomad travel and adventure now in retirement using our Imexus as both yacht and caravan to reach far more interesting and unique destinations than either a conventional yacht or the common, here in Australia, caravan/camper and roof mounted dingy could achieve.
Grith
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- #170
Just to say our nearly six weeks living on our trailer sailer was great. My relatively new partner (of previously to our meeting 2.5 years ago no sailing experience) loved it and is keen to go again. Clare being previously a dedicated backpacker helped as living onboard a 28 foot trailable yacht is way more comfortable than erecting and putting away a tent every night.🙂
Now In early retirement our future cruising journeys are planned to extend into multiple months onboard at times and I am confident this can be accomplished very comfortably on my chosen yacht.
We are currently planing a Bass Straight Islands trip next February in company with another very experienced trailer sailer cruiser who has an RL28 fully kitted for long range cruising. Mark recently returned from a 3 months Darwin to Broome Kimberley’s cruise with just his wife.
They travelled alone but of course met others out their on their travels.
It is early in Clare’s yacht cruising initiation to contemplate such a challenging location for cruising a trailer sailer with it being subject to big waves and weather changes but Mark also being recently retired means we can hang around in some close by superb sheltered cruising grounds and wait for the right weather window to go out.
One of the big advantages of cruising a trailer sailer is the ease of taking your yacht home after the trip and cleaning, improving, maintaining and reprovisioning it on your own property.
It also also allows a life more easily balanced between shore and water based homes for those not wishing a full time boating life or the ongoing fees, worry and maintenance of a yacht permanently parked in the water. 🙂
Now In early retirement our future cruising journeys are planned to extend into multiple months onboard at times and I am confident this can be accomplished very comfortably on my chosen yacht.
We are currently planing a Bass Straight Islands trip next February in company with another very experienced trailer sailer cruiser who has an RL28 fully kitted for long range cruising. Mark recently returned from a 3 months Darwin to Broome Kimberley’s cruise with just his wife.
They travelled alone but of course met others out their on their travels.
It is early in Clare’s yacht cruising initiation to contemplate such a challenging location for cruising a trailer sailer with it being subject to big waves and weather changes but Mark also being recently retired means we can hang around in some close by superb sheltered cruising grounds and wait for the right weather window to go out.
One of the big advantages of cruising a trailer sailer is the ease of taking your yacht home after the trip and cleaning, improving, maintaining and reprovisioning it on your own property.
It also also allows a life more easily balanced between shore and water based homes for those not wishing a full time boating life or the ongoing fees, worry and maintenance of a yacht permanently parked in the water. 🙂
Jim in Halifax
Super Anarchist
All good points and I love your boat. But at least at the mooring where my boat is 'parked' its never been 'booted' by the traffic cops
(No decent tongue locks available in Oz?)
Grith
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- #172
Most of the tongue locks cut away with a pair of bolt cutters in a moment. As I leave my yacht parked on my vacant block which overlooks our local boat ramp whilst away land camping I added the wheel lock to the hitch lock to discourage unauthorised casual usage in our absence!🙂All good points and I love your boat. But at least at the mooring where my boat is 'parked' its never been 'booted' by the traffic cops
(No decent tongue locks available in Oz?)
Definitely wouldn’t leave it in its usual backyard parking spot!😂
PS We know we were so very lucky to find such a cheap retirement home with most features a trailerable yacht owner could ever dream of.
View over to our local public boat ramp (with launching pontoon and public toilet) which can be reached mast up on trailer from home.
It provides the odd comedy hour as well watching others launching antics!
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Fah Kiew Tu
Curmudgeon, First Rank
Nice location for boating but I have to ask - how did you get on with the recent floods?
FKT
Grith
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- #174
Wellington East is a tiny virtually unknown 30 year old marina development of 110 waterfront lots on a small side lake with direct access to the Murray River. It is located only a couple of miles upstream of the huge 30 square mile Lake Alexandrina without cliff or bank constraints allowing even the most extreme flood flows to spread into this lake causing only an around 3-5 foot maximum rise. The homes have to be built 9 feet above river level. Half of South Australia would be underwater before our house.🙂
This is much different from further upstream where we have just cruised where 1956 flood markers are above roofs and way up cliff faces and in the tops of tall trees.
Apparently it hasn’t reached the second concrete retaining wall and the 1956 record flood wouldn’t have topped it.
This is much different from further upstream where we have just cruised where 1956 flood markers are above roofs and way up cliff faces and in the tops of tall trees.
Apparently it hasn’t reached the second concrete retaining wall and the 1956 record flood wouldn’t have topped it.
Russell Brown
Super Anarchist
My hunch is that the people doing that kind of cruising (video) are having far more fun than any of us with bigger boats.
I've had a lot of different boats, but cruised a few times on my Tornado and that kind of cruising got me to my happy place. There's something about having the wind die in the middle of the straits and laying down for a nap on the trampoline and letting the ducks talk me to sleep to start off a cruise. On a "real boat", I'd fire up the motor and monitor everything instead of waiting for the wind to come up and would have missed sailing into the other side with the moonrise.
I've had a lot of different boats, but cruised a few times on my Tornado and that kind of cruising got me to my happy place. There's something about having the wind die in the middle of the straits and laying down for a nap on the trampoline and letting the ducks talk me to sleep to start off a cruise. On a "real boat", I'd fire up the motor and monitor everything instead of waiting for the wind to come up and would have missed sailing into the other side with the moonrise.
bmiller
Super Anarchist
Does your neighbor have the same boat?
Kris Cringle
Super Anarchist
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That is true. If I'm sailing by myself or have patient crew (which I do usually, within reason,..) I will pause when the wind 'dies'.
That sometimes means it's changing and will return with something a bit different; often stronger.
Last sail I was solo, and that happened, instead of firing up the engine, I rolled the genoa in and sheeted the main tight.
Then I cleaned some bird droppings off the decks for a few minutes with a brush. Takes your mind off the bit of noise from the slatting main.
It may have been 15 minutes, and that can seem like an eternity if you just sit there.
I know from experience once you give it up and start the engine, you won't feel the wind return until it pipes up way past a nice 'sailable' light breeze, if you're aware of the wind at all once under power.
It may seem like a long time to just sit and drift with the current, but in fact, I just checked the track which shows a loop on the end of a tack of no more than 500 yards of drift in the current.
And I in fact had the most memorable sail from that windless drift, that likely never would have been.
Grith
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- #179
Nope that my original Imexus 28 with a really outrageous 180hp turbo diesel inboard and twin counter rotations prop retracting leg just being prepared for sale. (I didn’t fit that monster just purchased it that way) It is capable of about 30knots under engine lightly loaded ( logged during its commissioning trials) and I have decided to sell it after buying an outboard version just to secure that one’s superb roll On roll Off trailer as we wanted it to go travelling now and there was a very long new build wait and very big expense to build new.
I had just planned to swap trailers and resell for little loss.
Despite being much less powerful and a bit less economical we have decided to stay with the outboard version as it’s just easier to manage and self repair in the very remote locations we are planning to explore so sadly my original one has been stripped of some of its long range cruising oriented modifications ( like bimini, dodger, targa bar and solar panels ) will be for sale shortly. 🙂
It was so very cheap here we grabbed the rare chance to buy the vacant block next door to our house in case we wanted to custom build a new passive solar home in the future and for our storage and visiting grey nomad caravanning friends camping use at present.
PS Yes that is our local council boat ramp with launching pontoon about 120 metres by water and 350 metres by road (mast up from home). Feeling very lucky about our almost accidental find retirement travelling base!
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Grith
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- #180
Hi All just an update. I have now converted my Imexus 28 cruising trailer sailer to all electric not including the big Yamaha outboard and the Honda suitcase generator in the stern box provided for this by Imexus.
We now cook via an induction cooktop, have an all electric compressor fridge freezer, 25 litre electric hot water system and an electric fan heater and fans. (no aircond as that consumes just too much electricity to justify).
Rather than rip out the existing AGM twin battery system I have supplemented it with an Ecoflow Delta Max 2000 portable lithium battery/inverter/ fast charger/ solar regulator system which then plugs into the yacht as though it was a shore power connection.
It accepts my 650w 4 panel solar system input and also a very infrequent topup via the Honda 2.2eu generator. (About 1 hour every second day, 20-90 percent charge, here in mid winter) I am hoping no additional power might be needed at all in sunnier weather but will retain the Generator as a backup as it can also recharge my Torqeedo electric outboard now most of my solar power will now be consumed by cooking.
For those contemplating changing from lead acid or agm to lithium I recommend looking at this option.
Whilst pretty pricy it is less so when you consider the 168a lithium battery, 2400w sine wave inverter with boost function to 3000w, super fast computer controlled charger and 100v 800w capable solar regulator all in a totally portable unit that can have other uses. lt can act as a UPS at home and/or for outdoor/camping and outdoor events which then makes it worth investigating in my view especially if your yacht already has shore power fitted.
I fitted it under a settee in an off the shelf storage hatch box with venting and a cabling set of holes drilled into it.
As it totally remote controls and monitors via a phone app being hidden safely away isn’t an issue.
We now cook via an induction cooktop, have an all electric compressor fridge freezer, 25 litre electric hot water system and an electric fan heater and fans. (no aircond as that consumes just too much electricity to justify).
Rather than rip out the existing AGM twin battery system I have supplemented it with an Ecoflow Delta Max 2000 portable lithium battery/inverter/ fast charger/ solar regulator system which then plugs into the yacht as though it was a shore power connection.
It accepts my 650w 4 panel solar system input and also a very infrequent topup via the Honda 2.2eu generator. (About 1 hour every second day, 20-90 percent charge, here in mid winter) I am hoping no additional power might be needed at all in sunnier weather but will retain the Generator as a backup as it can also recharge my Torqeedo electric outboard now most of my solar power will now be consumed by cooking.
For those contemplating changing from lead acid or agm to lithium I recommend looking at this option.
Whilst pretty pricy it is less so when you consider the 168a lithium battery, 2400w sine wave inverter with boost function to 3000w, super fast computer controlled charger and 100v 800w capable solar regulator all in a totally portable unit that can have other uses. lt can act as a UPS at home and/or for outdoor/camping and outdoor events which then makes it worth investigating in my view especially if your yacht already has shore power fitted.
I fitted it under a settee in an off the shelf storage hatch box with venting and a cabling set of holes drilled into it.
As it totally remote controls and monitors via a phone app being hidden safely away isn’t an issue.
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