So this has made me think...what steps do I go through when I’ve arrived at the ramp with Arwen? I don’t want to sort of jump on a band wagon but actually it is something I’ve never really considered...............so for all navigator owners...............
I think I have the rigging time down to about 35 minutes from arrival to launch. I’ve tried to leave some stuff ready rigged. For example,
Arwen ready at top of ramp at QAB
• The sail is left tied on the top yard; the clew is left tied onto the aft end of the sprit boom and the sail is folded so it rests between them and yellow sail straps tie the whole lot together as a bundle. The downhaul is permanently attached as well during sailing season when it is stored in the boat. The lazy jack/ topping lift system I use is also permanently attached during ‘the season’.
• My shrouds are two parts – the bottoms are double blocks, the top one with a snap shackle – so it just clips onto the shroud that hangs down from the mast band. You can see this in the picture at the top of the blog.
• I leave the jib permanently mounted via the furler to the bowsprit during the sailing season. The jib sheets are already run through the deck eyes and coaming to the rear centre board area. The jib furler halyard is permanently threaded through small deck loops along bowsprit, side deck and coaming.
• All my fenders are tied on to the correct length and are stored in the alcoves behind the coaming.
• I have a mooring warp permanently attached to the Samson post
sorting out the top yard
So with these short cuts.......what’s the procedure?
• Stop car – put chock behind trailer wheel
• Remove lighting board and coil/store in car
• Take outboard from car and put onto bracket; tie in position with ropes and then lock in up position; remove orange prop bag; double check again fuel levels and that its out of gear; retaining clip checked
• Check bungs on transom are screwed in
• Take Boomkin from rear cockpit, pass through transom and lock in place with retaining pin
• Rudder from rear cockpit and placed onto transom and retaining clip checked
• Tiller passed through rudder stock and retaining pin in place
• Rudder up-haul and downhaul sorted; rudder hauled into up position and locked off
• Fenders taken out from inside cockpit behind coaming and hung over side on which I’ll be tying up
• Untie elastic bungees which hold mast, mizzen mast, booms and sprit boom to the two upright stands ( I have upright ‘T’ stands which hold masts etc – one slots through deck into position where mast goes; the other fits between a wedge piece on the bottom of the rear cockpit and the rear of the centreboard – this one I tie to cleats)
All last checks done and ready to go......
• Insert mizzen mast through rear deck and secure
• Unfurl mizzen sail and insert battens
• Pull sail up and cleat off
• Thread mizzen sheet through rear coaming and Boomkin and lock off on jammer
• Attach mizzen sprit boom via snap shackle to mast
• Pull mizzen sail downhaul through deck block and cleat off
• lift mast into place through deck
• Pass jib halyard through deck, through block at mast base – then pull up jib and tie off at cleat found at back of centre case. Jib sheets flaked to floor
• hook the two lower shrouds to mast components; tighten and cleat off on side deck cleats
• Main sail halyard threaded through deck, through block below deck, run back to rear cockpit
• Other end of mast main halyard tied onto top boom of sail with sufficient left over to tie a loop of rope around the main mast
• Sail bundle lifted up to mast – yard placed port side; sprit boom end placed starboard side.
• Sprit boom end outhaul tackle snap shackled onto mast
I think this was our maiden voyage.....must be - I hadn't worked out
how to get rid of that 'orrible crease!!
• Elastic from mast head snap shackled onto sprit boom end
• Elastic from sprit boom end snapped onto deck loop at mast base
• Sprit boom and top boom lifted via topping life/lazy jack halyard so that it all lifts clear of cockpit. extra rope from mainsheet where it ties to yard is now looped around mast and tied off on yard
• Mainsheet is clipped onto end of sprit boom (other end is permanent left attached to block found on rear deck ); mainsheet uncoiled and flaked
• The two support stands are now removed from boat
• Centreboard raised and cleated off
• Safety harness/rope coiled ready on side thwart
• Ditty box bungeed into place aft under side deck starboard side
• Spare clothes bag stored up front port side under deck
• Food and waterproofs put into respective places under side decks
• Sallopettes on and lifejacket secured
• Then retaining winch strap is removed.
• Mooring warps are tied on stern; the front one is left permanently tied to the Samson post.
• There is an all-round check and ‘think about everything’
• Chock is removed and rig is reversed down ramp to just above waterline.
• At this point the retaining ropes which tie bow to winch post are taken off;
• the winch tape is uncoupled from the bow eye;
• The boat is reversed last few metres into water.
• One shove pushes boat off trailer and it’s guided across to pontoon and moored.
• Trailer is removed, taken to top of ramp and uncovered and left.
• Car is driven 30 m to car park.
• On returning to boat the bumpkin is tightened up to place tension on the bowsprit and cleated off at mast base.
• Final checks and tidy up take place whilst the outboard warms up. Fuel tank is stored; spare fuel bottle secured with funnel
• Charts are placed under bungee cords and secured; binoculars, compass, GPS and SPOT waterproof notebook and passage plan put under thwart bungee cords or in allocated alcove, starboard side.
• Then VHF switched on and radio checked with Brixham coastguard or QAB marina. Placed on strap and over shoulder/across chest
• Mobile phone switched on and placed in jacket pocket
• Centreboard lowered a third
• Rudder lowered and downhaul secured
• Mainsheet tightened through jammer to secure sprit boom above
And out and sailing...the rigging time is really worth it.......
Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment