Wrinkles hits the water.

[Greene]

Well Wrinkles was glad to be off her trailer today after being stuck on it for the 1300 mile trip up from Florida.  She still needs to be cleaned up and a few items tweaked, but she is swimming again.



We trailered her over to Marshall Park on Lake Mendota to rig her up for the first time.  It took us a while to find all the pieces and get them in their correct places, but we did eventually figure it out.  The mast raising system we built worked fantastic.  It seems to stabilize and control the raising/lowering of the mast enough to make it a non-issue for us.  We started taking some video of the system in use and plan on posting it on YouTube after we have some from enough angles to show how it works.

She floated off her trailer very nicely with the back tires of the 4Runner just down to the water's edge.  

We motored out using the little Yamaha 4 stroke 4 HP and it moved the boat surprisingly well.  I don't think it has the power to stop the 23 though, so a 6 HP is in our future.  



The winds were right on the nose so we tacked our way out onto the lake and found tacks and jibes to be very easy and responsive.  The furler (FF2) worked very nicely and Brenda says I can keep it.  She is really going to miss hanking on sails though.  Don't ask me why, but she just loves working the bow.

We sailed across the lake to a small protected cove and took an hour break.  Nice and roomy interior to relax and make lunch.

We started sailing back to the dock with the winds dying to 3-8 knots and we were very impressed with the 23's low wind performance.  We can proudly claim that we were the fastest sailboat on the water almost all day.  OK, we were also the only sailboat on the water all day.
Although the weather forecast called for mid 70's and sunshine, we were treated to nearly full cloud coverage and 55 degree temps.   B was dressed in MULTIPLE layers of clothing setting quite the fashion standard for the year.  



OH well, it was still a great first day of the season sail and a perfect shakedown for Wrinkles.

Another perfect docking episode with no one around to impress.  Isn't that the way it always works?

Retrieving went OK, but we have an issue with getting the bow roller to stay in contact with the hull after we get her up the ramp.  I tried twice and both times she settled back about 4 inches.  I'll have to ponder that issue.

Dropped the mast and bungeed the poor girl to death for the short trip home.

The sailing season has begun and we think we'll get along well with our new sailing partner, Wrinkles.

Mike and B

[hockeyfool]

Nice story and pics -- so you said a 1300 mile drive up from FLA ? Where are you docked at now ?

[Bob23]

Thanks for sharing the shakedown cruise with us! She sure is one beautiful 23. Looks like a Ronstan tiller extension, no? I like using mine in light to medium winds. Seems to make a difference when I can shift my weight forward a bit. Do you have any shots of the soon-to-be-famous M&B Mast Raising System?
bob23

[Greene]

Hockeyfool -  We are trailer sailing her near Madison, WI.  We sail Lake Mendota there and we go up into Green Bay to sample the great sailing around Door County.  The CLR in Carlyle, IL is becoming a highlight sailing weekend as well.

Bob - The mast raising system is just a combination of everyone elses systems.  I took what I liked from each and made something simple up that works the way I like it.  I had some metal laying around from an A-frame motor lift that I had to build to replace an engine (twice) in Brenda's brand new van. (That is another story that I'll let Brenda tell!)  A few simple hardware pieces, some old line and a $25 winch and the system is ready to go.  I'll try to get the pic's and video done soon.

Mike

[Salty19]

Congrats on a successful maiden voyage!!!

[HideAway]

Retrieving went OK, but we have an issue with getting the bow roller to stay in contact with the hull after we get her up the ramp.  I tried twice and both times she settled back about 4 inches.  I'll have to ponder that issue.

We have the same problem with HideAway.  I wonder if it has to do with how steep the ramp is and the depth of the water.   I set my winch level with the bow eye thinking that would help.  The chock on the trailer starts on the chain plate and ends up level but the boat is always back probably 6 inches.  That is a lot for trailering but we have yet to leave the yard loaded.   My trailer has a large adjustable pad under the bow about 3 feet in - well in front of the keel.  I m thinking that with that pad adjusted all the way up when trailering the boat will not pitch.  M

[Greene]

I agree that a steep ramp contributes to this issue.  We pull the bow up tightly to the chock or roller,  but as soon as we pull forward the aft end of the trailer settles down unto the trailer which causes the bow to raise.  As the bow raises the gap appears.   So the boat isn't actually sliding back, it is just tilting which creates the gap. 

Solutions?   
1. Shift a couple hundred pounds of ballast from fore to aft of the boat when retrieving?  Possible, but sounds like a lot of work.

2. Modify the bow roller/winch mount so it could be moved easily back into contact with the hull after retrieval?  I am considering this solution as it assures contact. 

Any other ideas anyone?

Mike