Maiden Voyage on New to Me C16.

[Saluki86]

A few notes on my maiden voyage in my new-to-me C16.

Trailering.  Piece of cake.  I had installed a hitch and lighting harness (etrailer.com) specific to my 4cyl Toyota Tacoma.  Fit like a glove.  Plugged in my rewired trailer lights and all was good.  Truck pulled the boat fine to the ramp and off and I had no trouble backing down.

Setup.  Helping 2 of cake.  No problems.  Took about an hour but I had the PO helping me.  He let me take the lead and only said anything when I was wrong.  Realized I needed to organize my shrouds a little better when mast is down as I kept snagging them when I would raise it.  Noted.

Launching.  Getting full of cake.  No problems backing down, boat slide right off.  The ramp is an almost new ramp that 10 boats can launch simultaneously.  Used mostly by bass fisherman but it was no problem for us and there was a 25 footer being launched as we were launching.  Motor started on second pull and we were off.

Sailing.  I am stuffed full of cake and happy.  10mph winds, 80deg, sunny.  A lot of motorboat traffic but they are enjoying themselves too and I don't let it bother me.  I thought she sailed beautiful and we had a great time.  We seemed to be really scooting along.  I had downloaded a new app on my iPhone (dashboard) to use for speed and direction but completely forgot about it.  Sailed under a railway bridge (bridge was up) to another marina, tied up, had lunch.  It was awesome.  The shackle I bought for the main halyard was too small.  Tied a bowline.  Small annoyance.

Returning.  Problem #1.  As we were leaving the lunch-marina, the damn railroad bridge went down and for the next 2 hours, we watched 5 trains pass while we sailed in circles and waited for the bridge to raise so we could get back to the other side to the launch ramp where my trailer was.  Finally, it was getting close to dark.  So we went to plan B.  We tied back up again at the lunch site marina, I called my wife, she picked me up (20minute drive for her) and took me to get my truck/trailer so I could go to the second marina.  Problem #2.  I blew out my trailer light bulbs.  I did not unplug them when I launched and I assume the cold water blew them out while lit.  Note to unplug and carry spares.  Drove to pick up my boat.  Backed down no problem.  Took a little bit of tugging and push/pull to get the boat on properly. PO was doing winch duty.  He stepped on algae covered ramp and promptly slid all the way down the ramp and fell in, phone and all.  He isn't hurt and I pulled the boat out to begin unrigging.  Note to self, work on staying dry during retrieving.  Now it is dark.  For whatever reason, I couldn't relieve the tension of the mast pin while it was laid down to pull out the pin.  I was using a crutch but it took me 3 forevers to finally get it into position to pull it out.  Can't imagine doing it singlehanded.  Got everything stowed and tied down and started trek home with no trailer lights.  Oddly enough, the side lights were still lit.  We made it home ok.  But I could not get it backed into my driveway!!!  Had no problem at the ramps but I had 10x more room there.  After about 15 minutes of cursing, I just went down the street, turned around, drove forward up my driveway, unhitched it and PUSHED into place.  By this time I am vomiting cake.  I am sure the neighbors all had a good laugh.

Lots of lessons learned.  I love sailing.  I can do that part.  It was fun and enjoyable.  The surrounding activities to support the on-water functions I need a lot of work on.  Hoping to go again this coming weekend.

[MKBLK]

Saluki86 -

Sounds like you had a great experience! All those little issues are just part of the learning curve. On a 16 you'll soon be hoisting the mast and in the water in under 20 minutes. Backing up the trailer is "a piece of cake",... after you've done it a bunch of times! You have a beautiful example of a CP16. Enjoy her as much as possible. The little things will take care of themselves, in time. Every time you go sailing you'll learn that much more and much of the effort in launching and retrieving will become habit (like disconnecting the trailer lead).

Marty K.

[NateD]

I got tired of blowing trailer bulbs and ended up putting LED trailer lights on. As an added bonus, they were MUCH brighter than regular incandescent.

Did you have the sliding hatch opened or closed (fore or aft) when you were trying to pull the bolt at the bottom of the mast? It's been a while since I rigged a CP16, but I know on my CP23 that if the hatch is open (pushed forward), then the mast hits the ridge on the hatch and puts upward tension on the bolt, making it very difficult to remove.

Like Marty said, once you get the process down, setup time is about 20 minutes at the ramp. Of course hooking up at home, getting to the ramp, launching, retrieving, driving home, cleaning it up, and getting it back into place is a considerable amount of work when you add it all up. Every time I think "I could go sailing, but it is going to be a lot of work...." I remind myself that I have never regretted a trip to the lake, no matter how much work it turned out to be.

[capt_nemo]

Saluki86,

Welcome to the truly WONDERFUL World of Sailing. You'll soon be well versed in all the little intricacies of trailer sailing, especially if you go sailing as often as you can. We all climbed the moderately steep learning curve initially - welcome to the club!

Best wishes for many happy hours of sailing enjoyment on your CP16.

capt_nemo

[Saluki86]

Thanks All.  It is humorous now, even watching the PO skate down the ramp trying to stop and not fall (fail).

Nate, I believe the hatch was forward.  I will check that next time.  Sounds reasonable.

[kickingbug1]

   im amazed, that little bugger looks almost new. one thing i know that a day a sailing is always a learning experience. another unique thing about sailing. welcome aboard.

[JParody]

Your boat is so pretty!  I love all of the wood!
If you devise a technique for retrieval that works easily.... please post!   Have fun!

[MacGyver]

To help with pulling I would use a extension, preferably a draw bar extension around 3 feet long maybe? Sailen69 would know, he has one, made pulling his boat look easy really.
Still get feet wet.

Otherwise, all else is learning curve stuff.
I knew full well about unplugging the lights, and one morning really early went to plug mine in and blew a fuse on the truck. I am assuming I jumped terminals on the plug, so make sure your plugs go together easy also!

Other than that, she is a fine boat! I am glad you held out for this one! she is really clean!
Hope you got my email!

Mac

[Saluki86]

Well, this weekend I took her out again.  My son was home from college and I was eager to show him the boat. 

We hit the same marina as last week.  I was a little apprehensive as this was the FIRST time I was sailing as the Skipper and not the crew.  I had always gone with someone else.  Got her rigged fine.  Forgot the trailer spare.  Not to self.  I just threw on a pair of old tennis shoes and waded out into the water to launch.  No futzing around (remembered to unplug lights!).  Got her off the trailer and launched fine.  Headed out into the lake and it was then that I realized it was freaking windy!!!  15mph maybe?  Turned into the wind to raise the sails and it was THEN I noticed all my halyards were tangled (ok, it was only 2 but still.....).  So sails are flapping, the boat is up and down while I try to untangle the lines.  Finally get the sails up and we are off.  It is great!!  We are scooting pretty good, the sun is out.  Enjoying time with my son who I havent see since school started, etc.  Then all of a sudden....we run aground!!!  What???  In the middle of a freaking river!?!?!?  I didnt see any markers of any kind and there is barge traffic so I KNOW it is deep enough.  I am going to have to investigate that again.  Luckily my son volunteered to jump out and right us.  I wasnt sure what to do so I immediately dropped all the sails.  I figured that wouldnt help matters if I am stuck and the wind is blowing.  My son got us going (down wind) and we were off again.  At this point my confidence was a little shaken, as well as my ego.  I also noticed that their were whitecaps on the water.  Sooooo, we sailed about another 20minutes or so and I decided to return to the dock.  I was just not confident I knew what I was doing in that kind of conditions (I had reef points on the main but no reef lines.  Note to self) by myself.  I know you old sailers are probably slapping your head with you palm going 'what the hell, that is the kind of wind you want' but i was just a little apprehensive.  Motored to dock, got my son close enough to jump out without even kissing the doc, backed down, loaded up (again just waded in), took everything down and headed home.  Stopped for wing and a beer and watched the last quarter of the game.

About the only positives from the day was 1) the weather...sunny, 78 and windy, 2) spent time with my son and 3) managed to back it into my driveway this time when I got home lol.  Not sure I am a better sailer but I AM getting better at setup and backing!

Maybe one more weekend of good weather.  Here's to being hopeful.

[Bob23]

Positive #4:
   You learned a heckuva lot. There are only 2 kinds of sailors: Those who've run aground and those who are liars. Glad your'e not a liar. But, leaving the sails up isn't all bad- sometimes you can sail off by heeling the boat, thus decreasing draft.
   Your 16 is probably just starting to live at 15 mph of wind...she, like my 23, will take a lot.  Last week I got hit by a 30 knt plus gust in my 23...scared me a bit but she said: "Hah! Is that all you got?"
   Glad your'e enjoying your boat,
Bob23

[Saluki86]

Thanks Bob.  That actually made me laugh out loud!  :-)