Eclipse Freeboard

[carry-on]

I trailer sail a CP-16 and may want a little more space. About 90% of my launching and  sailing is single handed, so I like a three stay rig and  shallow draft.
My home ramp does not have an parallel dock so when launching, I get a little wet and board the boat, motor to a dock, tie up and the park the truck and trailer. I've worked out a method with the 16, but would it work with the Eclipse?

Would appreciate two dimensions for the Eclipse: vertical from waterline to top of toe rail at the aft end of the pulpit and vertical from waterline to top of coaming at the forward end of the cockpit.

Thanks.   

[Vectordirector]

I don't have the boat here as it is on the hard at the yacht club, but it is at least 2 feet.  I assume you are trying to board the boat from the water after launching? I don't think it is possible without using the stern ladder, unless you have the upper body strength of an olympic gymnast!   Maybe rig a portable ladder on the side attached to the lifeline.  It is a great boat but the design doesn't really have what you have in mind as a priority.  I have single handed mine a few times and it works well for that.  Getting it off and on the trailer is easy except for the evil powerboat wakes that bounce it around where I launch. I can get it in the water without getting wet.  Recovering is water up to the ankles if I get the trailer in correctly.    All with a parallel dock.  Good luck.

Vectordirector

[carry-on]

Well, let me improve my explanation.
I have walk boards on both sides of my trailer and a 12ft. tongue extension on the hitch.
When I launch the boat and the boat is floating, I release the bow strap and make my way along the walk board to the fender. The boat is still secured to the trailer by temporary lines placed to hold against wind conditions. The top of the fender is about a foot under water, so the cockpit coaming on the 16 is about three feet above the fender. I swing the old bod into the cockpit, start the motor, set rudder blade etc. and move to the dock.
The requested dimensions will give me an idea of how much more difficult it would be to board the Eclipse using a similar scheme.

[Eagleye]

Carry-on,

Nice set-up on your trailer.  That is an interesting situation that made me curious enough to go out and try to get on our Eclipse from the trailer.  I have always boarded through the open transom. 

First to answer your dimension questions.  From the rub rail (just aft of the pulpit) to the WL is approximately 30" and from the coaming to the WL is also very close to 30".






When I float the eclipse off the trailer at the ramp I have to back far enough in so that the foreword tip of the bunk is only about 4" to 6" out of the water.  Looking at this pic you can imagine that most of the trailer is submerged about up to the spare tire.





That does leave 2 option of boarding from the trailer at that point.  You could step from the trailer to the exposed tip of the bunk then pull yourself over the lifeline using the pulpit and handrail.  The 2nd option that I can see is climbing the ladder on the winch post and swinging over the pulpit onto the bow.   I just did give it a try and this 59 year old bod was able to do it ...maybe not gracefully... but doable.   You do know that now I will have to give it a try next time we launch just for giggles.

I hope that helps,
Allen

[Vectordirector]

That helps a bit.  I don't know if this will help but here is a pic of my boat on the trailer.  [/URL]][/img]

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The walkboards are a great idea and could make it possible to do what you want.  I'm pushing 50, a little over weight and out of shape.  I don't thnk I could do it.  I don't know about the 16, but the only way the Eclipse comes off the trailer is floating. The side bunks need to be about 7/8s in the water to make it float.  I am planning to go up to the boat tomorrow and I'll get the measurements for you.  Whoops looks like Allen beat me to it.

Vectordirector

[carry-on]

Vectordirector and Eagleye,
Thanks for the pictures and the information.
The vertical measurements on my 16 are 28" at the aft end of the pulpit and 24" at the cockpit. At 30" on the Eclipse, I think boarding is doable. Maybe a gate in the life lines. Looks like the Eclipse sits a little higher on the trailer and the axle/fender on the Eclipse is forward of the cockpit. A two axle trailer might solve that issue.
The cockpit is a good entry point on my boat. The boat takes a pretty good initial list when I put my 210 on the gunwale..then quickly stiffens. I expect the Eclipse would be stiffer.
The ladder on the trailer looks good for launching..need to think about single hand recovery. Crossing winds while recovering really work on my bow, so I need to get over the side PDQ to make sure the keel is in the slot.
The walk boards have really been useful to me. I use them while rigging and breaking down the jib and downhaul and working on the forestay.
Anyway, many thanks for the input from the 16's "bigger brothers". Your boats look great!

[Eagleye]

Carry-On,
I took some pics when we launched the "Madame" this week while we were staying on Otsego Lake, Cooperstown, NY.  There is only one public launch on the lake and it is extremely unfriendly to use for anything larger than a canoe. The hotel we stayed at had access to a private launch literally next door and although it was a gravel launch it worked out quite well. 
   When the Eclipse sits on the trailer the bow roller rest against the bow between the bottom of the bobstay and the bow eye.  In this picture she was just about to float off of the trailer and you can see that as the stern floats off  the trailer the bow roller moves up on the bobstay about 16" making access to the deck of the boat even easier then our previous photos showed. 

At 30" on the Eclipse, I think boarding is doable. Maybe a gate in the life lines {would help}.

The lifelines do unhook from the stern arch thus relaxing them at the pulpit end.


I hope this helps you in making your decision. 
It would be great to have a new Eclipse owner on the forum.

  Allen

[Napier6]

I had to scramble as you describe on a windy day before I installed the side posts.  I motored to the trailer multiple times and was blown sideways.  I then motored up, turned off the motor went forward lay down and grabbed the ladder.  I was then able to slide out and put my feet on the trailer rail and shove the boat into position.  I then hurried to the car and pulled up a few feet, shoved again and got her on at last and pulled out.  I wished for a 2x6 plank bolted on, but with the two posts and 100 feet of three strand line to pull to the shore ( or hopefully hand to someone) or dock in the wind I have not had a problem since that blustery day (knock on wood).  I usually can motor up, lean over the bow and grab the winch strap with my boat hook and clip it to the bow eye, climb down and then crank a few turns.  This picture shows the angle of the hull and the rail you can stand on.  I still might bolt on a 2x6 one of these days, but it's low on the wish list.

[EclipseGuy]

I typically launch and retrieve my Eclipse by myself.

I added boat guides to the trailer, much like the ones shown in photos here, however I searched for the type that fit more snug to the trailer as opposed to being a bent tube at the base that flares out. It is difficult to explain but I will try to take a picture and post it some time.

In addition, I changed out the 2x4 keel guides for 2x6. This helps to guide the boat to center as I come in, and helps to prevent over shooting to one side or the other at the front.

My spare tire is mounted horizontally on the front of the trailer, so it acts as a good place to step when I unhook the bow and climb on-board.

These mods were easy to do and launching and retrieving solo is no problem.

-John

[carry-on]

Thanks to all for the info on freeboard and singlehand launch/recovery. I like  the guides on the trailer. When I installed guides a couple years ago, I did not think of a vertical connection bracket. Was able to use some shims to improve the angle but 90 degree brackets would be better.
I've inserted treated 2x2 in the PVC guides;then attached a cleat screwed into the 2x2. This gives a fairly stiff attachment point that I can reach from the cockpit. These are not very strong points but can hold the 16 in position while I start the motor and set the rudder blade.
When recovering, once the keel is started in the slot, a light line to the windward guide holds position while I stop the motor tilt motor and rudder blade before going to the bow ring.
 

The Eclipse may be too heavy for this scheme.