Launching at the beach

I don't know if you have a dolly or not, but either way it should be about the same. If you have a dolly set it right next to the water with it pointing out to the water (helps if you have it angled just a little bit). Then grab the bow handle and move the bow off the dolly to the side that the sail is on to keep the dolly from interfearing with the sail. After the bow is off the dolly, go to the sturn and push that straight. Make sure you watch to make sure your mainsheet doesnt get stuck on the dolly. Then just give the boat a big push off the beach and hop on the sturn, put the rudder down and go to the cockpit and sail. I hope that helped.
 
A lot of how you launch a boat depends on the wind direction. I have seen people try to launch boats with the sail raised and have the boat blown off the trailer. I would always get the boat into the water, as I do now, with the sail lowered. I then wade out to the water is a little less than waist deep. Determine wind direction and point bow into the wind. Then raise the sail, while standing on the windward side holding onto the boat. Catching the wind while raising the sail can make for some interesting, if not exciting launches and is best avoided. Once the sail is raised, point the boat to the appropriate angle to catch the wind and sail away from the beach. It may be a reach, run or close hauled.
As far as getting the boat to the water, each beach is different. I have trailered my boat for years, used the public launch and walked the boat to the beach, but before that, sailing with a partner, we carried the boat to the water. This past week-end I used the public launch which was very narrow, but luckily was able to reach out form the launch.
 
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