One of the two SunCats that CaptnRon saw during his recent tour of the Hutchins' yard (re: Horizon Forum) is, very likely, destined to migrate North...
After some very sound advice received in this superb forum (and also after having taken a year off retirement to gather the required funds...), I decided that a new SunCat was the boat that best fitted the sailing aspirations of my later years. So, in a month or so I hope to drive into 1195 Kapp Drive and haul one of those two cute little floating devices witnessed by CaptnRon, all the way to the Great White North.
In the process, I intend to see a lot of Interstates 81 and 95, so if anyone is not too far from the main path and feels like sharing a cup of coffee, or, after I stop for the night, feels like discussing the philosophy of sailing while sampling some local brew, I'll do my best to oblige...
J.
I'd love to share some time but I think my homestead (NJ) is not on your route. Best wishes with the new boat! Er, I mean yacht.
Bob23
What part of the North are you talking about? If it is all the way across the boarder into Canada, and perhaps Ontario perhaps we can meet up?
Bob -
Don't give up hope... I have good friends in NJ and may plan a detour on the way South...
OntarioSuncat -
Yes, she will be another OntarioSuncat sailing Bob and Doug McKenzie's GWN... Eh! :)
I'll send you a personal message with the travel plans.
J.
Congratulations! I know the feeling. We placed an order for Sanura last March and waited anxiously for her to be born up on Knapp Dr. Gerry H. was a proud builder showing us our new addition. Although we didn't have to drive her home as far as you, it was eventful as I hate heights and the Tampa Bay Skyway bridge was a challenge for me. Good luck and enjoy your new boat.
(http://lh6.ggpht.com/_NMS2wwn4uJ0/S4VNbg8mQnI/AAAAAAAAAGU/1uX7qWqspMg/s640/Picture%20067.jpg)
i dont know if i will ever tire of my little 16, but if i do i think the suncat might be just the thing. i am a little concerned with dealing with the gaff spar but i did see a suncat at the strickly sail show in chicago and i was damned impressed. i look forward to see how you like your new boat but i know the answer----it is after all a com-pac
Congrats on your new purchase. I picked my Sun Cat, SunShower, up at the factory three years ago on spring break. I sailed for a few days out of Dunedin just north of Clearwater and then towed her home to Virginia. You will love your boat I am sure. The Sun Cat is a great boat to trailer and cruise around different waters!
Thank you all for the good wishes and vibes.
All my copilots have deserted me, which mean that I'll be alone at the wheel of the land auxiliary... I intend to ride 400 miles (650 km) a day and stop for the night in motels along the road. The entire distance is 1500 mi (2400 km), so I am planning for 4 days on the road either way with less than 7-8 hrs a day at the wheel (almost a full day at the office...:)).
I'd appreciate any advice on preferred places to stop for the night and where and how to best park and secure the boat and trailer. I have a special lock to secure the coupler when unhooked from the car but I presume that nothing beats a large chain and padlock to keep it chained to the car...
J.
Isn't the lock one you can use when the trailer is attached to the car as well? Skinny pin that fits through the coupler with a lock on the end? If it is not, I would suggest you buy one so the coupler is locked when you are pulling the boat on the trailer. When we travel, we rarely uncouple the trailer from the car. If we are just staying at a motel, we park it in a double space. If we need to drop the trailer to go out to eat, we park in a very public spot and lock the coupler. When we come back, we put the trailer back on the car so it is ready to go in the morning. Don't forget a padlock to secure your hatch. Are you getting an outboard? If so, you'll need a lock for that as well. Have a great trip!
TMorgan,
Much appreciated.
What I already got is a lock for the pin on top of the coupler (but I guess any regular lock of similar size would have done the work):
(http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy290/alberg22/Reesehitchcouplerlock1.jpg)
I also got a lock to occupy the space taken by the ball whenever the trailer is uncoupled from the trailer:
(http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy290/alberg22/Reese72783.jpg)
And, I also have a lockable pin to attach the drawbar to the hitch receptacle.
Thank you for your indication about parking in double space without uncoupling the trailer from the car. I was imagining parking spots only side by side... I will not have the outboard with me so that is not a concern. The other thing I am debating is whether I should get any locks for the wheels. Or... to take with me one of my galvanized 3B anchor chains to link (literally!) trailer and car together if I have to uncouple the trailer overnight. I don't want to over do it and I realize that it is very difficult to get complete protection from a determined thief... On the other hand I'd hate to loose the trailer (and the boat!) along the way, even if they'll be already insured...
J.
Just sleep in the boat with a loaded shotgun...should be a good deterrent!
Bob23
One of those boats is no longer in the Hutchins' yard...
(http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy290/alberg22/IMG_2492.jpg)
I arrived in Clearwater on the evening of the 17 (quite appropriate...), had a great visit with the Hutchins, got the Florida temporary plate for the trailer the next day, and could have headed back right away but decided instead to stay for the weekend in the Clearwater-St Petersburg area... On Monday 22 the boat was hooked to the Jeep and after overnighting in Brunswick GA, Fayetteville NC, and Winchester, VA, she is now in Cortland, NY ready for the border crossing into the Great White North at the Thousand Islands.
The trip so far has been smooth, uneventful and thoroughly enjoyable. The boat rides very well on the trailer and fuel consumption while towing has only gone up to what it usually is when driving without a tow in city traffic. The boat has raised a lot of interest and has received many compliments along the way...
She should be arriving at the Sailing Club tomorrow afternoon. Looking forward to a first launch/sail very soon. This promises to be an interesting season...
J.
Joseph:
Let me be the first to congratulate you...she's a beauty- but what new CP isn't? Any names yet? Keep us posted on her maiden voyage.
Bob23
WOW, I share your joy.............the joy of a new boat can not be put in words, only felt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.............sail on.................Phil
Good for you Joseph. She is a beauty. You'll get lots more compliments even though
some power boaters give them grudgingly. Fair winds!
What a supreme boat. You lucky dog you!
Let us know how all that gaff and folding stick business works...it would take a bit of getting use to, me thinks with a halyard for the gaff and a halyard for the main and a halyard for the peak and a down haul for the boom.
Funny I can smell the inside of that boat now.
skip.
Congratulations!! Those Hutchins cat boats are simply beautiful. Full report on the first long sail is expected.
... and a boomvang, and a topping lift, and two sets of reefing lines both for tacks and clews... not to mention the line for the centerboard and the lanyard for the rudder... that boat has more lines than symmetry lines are in a circle...
I am aiming at a first launch in a couple of weeks. The ice has disappeared from the river but it still cobbles the ramp at the marina... Besides I am still awaiting for the main anchor (being shipped by bus from across the continent) and the motor (coming from Lake Huron)...
The main problem has been choosing a name for her... and after much debate I am "heeling" towards "GAFFER"...
a) it befits her skipper in more ways than one...
b) it refers to one of her most salient features (i.e., the gaff rig)
c) GAFFER was the name of the backstage CAT (!) in the Muppet Show
d) GAFFER had a patch over her left eye (Arrgh!) (as well as a badly bruised left ear...)
e) and GAFFER always kept coming back...! (not a bad feature to have in a boat...). See it for yourselves:
"The Cat Came Back", Episode 523:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltlPINPn8UU
Enjoy!
J.
Man, just lookin' at 'em is enjoyable. Not so enjoyable as sailin' 'em, but still...
Does that trailer have an extended tongue on it? or is it just the picture foolin' me?
congrats J.
mel
Mel,
The tongue ended being longer than usual (which I appreciate) but the feature I asked for was a hinged swing tongue (so that trailer and boat would fit inside the garage).
(http://i800.photobucket.com/albums/yy290/alberg22/IMG_2420.jpg)
J.
Well, "Sassy Gaffer" and her trailer are now both duly licensed, but I also had to deal with the first glitches... the trailer, after enduring over 1500 miles in the Interstates 95 and 81 got its first flat tire in the boat yard and the spare had to spring into action, not much problem there, but then I decided to add some grease to the bearings, the tip of the grease pump got stuck real bad on one of the bearing protector and the contraption had to be taken off... I have since been unable to pry free the tip of the grease pump, so I am replacing both the protector and the pump tip... I also had placed a tarp on the boat, mainly to protect her from nesting birds... but it got windy overnight, one of the bungee chords gave in and the hook rubbed the gelcoat on the side... No structural damage, but boy does it hurt...! Never again...
J.
I hate bungy cords. Never use them. I always tie on tarps with lines to the trailer frame.
Congrats for making it home OK and your beautiful boat. I guess that makes 3 of us now in Ontario. Missing anyone? Where will home port be? Have fun
Like flat trailering my 1930 Ford Model 'A' down the road. Never, never, tarp the car.
Flapping is only for girls in flapper dresses.
She's only covered when it sits in the barn for the winter.
skip.
Should have added never use bunges and never tarp when trailering. Only cover it for the winter.
Love the shade of blue you chose for the stripe and bottom paint!
Thank you TMorgan, but the credit has to go for Gerry H. He was the one who picked the colours on the hull to match the Pacific Blue Sunbrella in the sail cover and Bimini (which was the only colour I really picked...).
J.