Solo Launching a Laser Pro with Seitech Dolly

W

Wildbank

Member
Can anyone offer a few pointers or tips regarding the best way to sequence the launch of the Laser Pro when solo? I have an option of laucnhing from a muddy shoreline (I prefer not to do this) or a cement boat ramp.

One question has to do with situating the Dolly on dry land once the boat is fully rigged in the water at the ramp.

Any tips?
 
I launch from a concrete ramp or a gravel shore. I tend to put my lifejacket just in the water and ground the boat on it (i.e. using the lifejacket to protect the boat from the concrete/gravel). How successful this is seems to depend on the wind strength and direction. Not lost the boat (with an offshore wind) but it would be a risk if the offshore wind is strong. Onshore winds tend to spin the boat round.


What I do is not an ideal way so I will be interested in any suggestions others have.


Ian
 
get the boat into moderately deep water, capsize. Run the trolley up the ramp, leg it back to boat and stop it from mashing mast/boom on the bottom ;)
 
Thanks Ian. I hope we get a few ideas out of this. I appreciate your help.

I thought of dropping a 10 lb. mushroom anchor with a 6-10' line and mooring float near the side of the ramp area. I could wade off the side of the ramp, attach the boat to the mooring and then move the dolly. It seems like alot of work though. Your thoughts?
 
Thanks LaserBen. Have you tried this? Will the boat lay on its side without fully turning over? It sounds as if it will continue to flip until the mast touches bottom.
 
Wildbank said:
Thanks Ian. I hope we get a few ideas out of this. I appreciate your help.

I thought of dropping a 10 lb. mushroom anchor with a 6-10' line and mooring float near the side of the ramp area. I could wade off the side of the ramp, attach the boat to the mooring and then move the dolly. It seems like alot of work though. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

That's the way (although I don't know which kind of anchor is appropriate). Obviously, you will use the anchoring site upon your return as well.
I think this method is safer than capsizing the boat. In strong winds (force 4-5, or >20 mph), a capsized boat can float away pretty rapidly, unless the mast gets stuck in the mud, but you don't want that to happen either.
 
Thanks WaveDancer. I appreciate the affirmation of the mooring idea. I really want to figure an effective way to launch solo.
 
I usually just leave my boat floating in the water and run up the beach and run back really quickly and hope that it doesn't smash too many other boats during those 10-15 seconds :)
 
Thanks Shloe. That's what I tried yesterday but fogot to detach the main sheet. I am figuring it all out as I go.
 
Wildbank said:
Thanks LaserBen. Have you tried this? Will the boat lay on its side without fully turning over? It sounds as if it will continue to flip until the mast touches bottom.
Click to expand...

Yeah it's what I do if its really windy at the lake I sail at. The boat will take a fair while to invert, while left on it's own like this much longer than it will take you to pull your trolley up!
 
If it is a concrete sectioned ramp there are usually metal attachments between the sections which at low tide you can go down and tie some line to. When launching just reach down grab a line and tie your bow line to it for the few seconds you need to hurl your dolly above high water...Another option is to push your boat out a little way, run back pick up your dolly and heave it as far up the ramp as possible.
 
Hey,

Tough one and no good solution in my book.

I used the lifejacket thing until it slipped off and my bow was all scuffed. It actually works quite well if you lift the stern up and put it on the jacket. The stern is flatter so it does not slide off as easily. This only work in offshore winds. Let the vang loose and the sheet off - needless to say, make sure that the rudder is ALL the way up.

I tried the run up the ramp thing until I fell flat on my face and needed new teeth - not really - but ramps in my area are slippery as a greased pig.

My latest trick, and has not caused me any sort of expense is to get a rock, tie the bow line around it and then toss it off. Seems to work ok. Just try to do this at the side of the ramp else you will leave rocks all over the ramp (which someone will run over and need to spend money on new tires). Almost forgot to say, don't bring the rock with you when you leave. Heave it up the beach as best you can so you can use it when you get back!

Good luck.

M
 
Thanks M:
I went out and got a 22# river anchor (mushroom) and attached a 5' line with a float and a loop on the end (like a mooring). I thought I could drop it off the ramp when I launch (out of the way of other ramp users), I would then leave it there like a temporary mooring for when I return. At the end of the day I would throw it in the back of the truck until next time.

I think I will give this a try tomorrow. What do you think?
 
should be fine -

Just make sure you leave it to the side so people don't get annoyed with it. Also hope no one takes it. My dad had one of those to chuck out of the dinghy on the beach and someone took it.

I can already see the next thread - how to keep temp moorings from being knicked!

Good luck, sounds like a fine idea.

Matt
 
I launch off my ramp, and if the wind if the right direction (i.e. going straight down the ramp) I put the dolly in launch the boat. Hold on to the painter (around 5 feet) and literally push the dolly off the side of the ramp. Not pretty, but it works.

If it's out of the opposite direction or a side draft, I launch and hold on to the boat while trying to win the gold in the dolly toss.
 
Wildbank said:
Thanks Ian. I hope we get a few ideas out of this. I appreciate your help.

I thought of dropping a 10 lb. mushroom anchor with a 6-10' line and mooring float near the side of the ramp area. I could wade off the side of the ramp, attach the boat to the mooring and then move the dolly. It seems like alot of work though. Your thoughts?
Click to expand...

Around here some use a spiral anchor that you twist into the bottom. A short piece of "swim noodle" is attached to the mooring line to make it easier to see & that way it is there when you are ready to take the boat out as well. I've heard of people using the anchors that Walmart sells for beach umbrellas as the anchor as well.
 
Thanks so much for the swim noodle idea. I actually did something quite similar and it is working well. I bought a 60 pound landscape block at Home Depot for less than $5.00 and then attached a line and a float. I like the screw anchor idea too. I might try that if the block shifts too much in stronger wind.
 
What about this guys? Beach- Take a pole and drive it into the ground just out of the reach of the tide. Then get a long(VERY LONG!) line. Stick the rope around the pole and run it down to the water. Launch Your boat into the water and tie both ends on the handles or some other part of the dolly. Then pull on the rope forcing the dolly to go with the rope up to the pole. Then take a cinder block and tie it on to the other rope with some more rope and chuck it into the water. (go sailing)! When you come back... detach the block from the rope and use that rope to pull your dolly back to you.

Launch ramp- I am sure you can find something to put the rope around. The follow above.

I hope you guys get what I mean and sorry if someone already said this.
 
Wildbank said:
I thought of dropping a 10 lb. mushroom anchor with a 6-10' line and mooring float near the side of the ramp area?
Click to expand...

That's what I do (I use floating poly-pro rope, so I don't need a separate float).

Had one anchor stolen by bass fishing a$$ holes while I was sailing, so now I use very nondescript blue/gray line and I haven't had any problems.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top