Solo Launching

L

LiamMcLennan

New Member
I would like to be able to launch by myself, but so far I find it hard even with two people. One problem is that once I have the boat in the water I need to put the trolley away. I thought about tying the boat to a mooring, but I suspect that with the sail up it will just blow over.

Does anyone have any tips on how to do this?
 
yeah, just leave the bow on the dock still, I do it alll the time. then, just sit on the dock and hang your feet in the cockpit, trim in, and plop the rest of you in as the boat takes off!
 
It is really quite easy. If you have a mooring in shallow water simply tie the bow to the mooring and walk the dolly back to shore and put it away. When I do this I leave the sheet unattached, the board in the cockpit and the rudder up. The boat just swings into the wind, and if the wind shifts it swings with the wind. The key is to have the sheet loose so the sail and boom will swing freely with the puffs and shifts, and it will not tip the boat. When you go back to the boat lower the rudder, slip the board into the slot, hook up the sheet, untie the bow and hop in. I rig the sheet to the back of the boom and tie it off there until it is ready to be attached. It is then simple to run it through the traveler block and back to the boom block and tie it off.
 
I often pull the main through all blocks but the last, at least with my sheetlenght that makas it possible for the boom to go almost streight forward.
I guess LaserBills method also works if you're main is shorter than mine =P
 
Hi,

A couple more ideas. I often put my lifejacket on the beach, then lift the bow onto it, so I can leave if for a few seconds. Or, if it's sandy, I just "stake" the boat by dropping the board lightly into the sand.

Neither work if there are waves though. Then I might capsize the boat to reduce it's drift.

The new clew sleeve/hook is great for attaching the sail/boom as the last step, or for instant release when you get in.

If it's a semi crowded dinghy launch ramp, it's kind of normal to leave the troller/dolly for the next guy to move before he launches. It sounds rude, but everyone has the same problem, so doesn't complain. If the next guy is likely to not be a dinghy sailor, then forget this.

Al
 
I use a public ramp, and although I am sailing with someone else(laser 2)... what helps us landing the boat, at the dock, is the clew hook. I ease the outhaul and let the sail flap and just use the jib for the final yards, or rock the boat if we do it early.

its easier then fighting with the wire loop of a main haylard
 
you can tie the boat up, rigged, but w/o the boom in the gose neck, thats what i've done in the past. then get in on the stern, put the gooseneck in the boom and away you go!
 
Ok... heres what you do... point the boat upwind, let the main completely go, and ease on vang, outhaul, and cunningham. Then, stroll up with you dolly and put it away, then run back to ur boat, untie it, get a running start, and jump into the cockpit. If done correctly, you should be going backwards in the boat... Now grab hold of the tiller, pull in some main, crank on the vang and cunningham, and depending on the conditions, pull some outhaul in. XD
 
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