Transporting; deck up or deck down?

Looks great! Y'all jumped over a bunch of hurdles to get there and we appreciate your sharing the experience. Hope y'all have a great time with the boat, does she have a name yet?

Food for thought, we rig everything on our dolly except raising the sail and popping the rudder down. Roll into the water, slide boat off, park dolly, raise sail, push rudder down and shove off. Very easy, esp if waves are coming in form pontoons, etc...Looks like a hill there, your cast and crew will be happier with a dolly, I know from experience. If you decide to go the dolly route, we can get a new Dynamic Dolly shipped free for $495. Or check CL, and other Forum folks have DIY plans. Keep in mind the Dynamic breaks down easily into 5 parts that would fit in your truck bed.

3 cheers for you sailing family!
Kent and Skipper
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Charlie is correct the dolly is the way to go. Yes, there is the cost but so worth it. I have mine in three pieces and it goes together quick. You can then set the boat on and prep right at your truck. When all set just roll to the water. Sailed in the pre-dolly years and it was not fun.
 
Yes, a dolly is in order. The boat ramp is steep and while my kid and I were able to load the boat okay, an easier method is needed. Some things I noted while sailing were that I really like the sail window-it was busy on this lake yesterday. Also, the tiller extension was a bit awkward at first but once I got used to it, I liked it very much. Kent, I'll keep in mind that Dynamic...oh and love that Navy Sunfish...
 
Even with a dolly, you might wanna recon other launching points on the lake... sometimes it's worth a little extra drive to reach a superior launch site with better access to the water, less rocks on shore, maybe even a bit of grassy lawn where you can momentarily set your gear or throw down a blanket for a picnic lunch. Shade trees are good for those who wait on shore for their turn at the tiller... :rolleyes:

P.S. Boat looks good, that sail is sharp and it really stands out, which is also a plus in terms of safety... some drunken power wank is less likely to slam into ya, LOL. Signal Charlie is right, you need to come up with a name for your boat... back when my Minifish was decked out as a Confederate Gunboat, I painted "HEART OF DIXIE" on each side, the name was easier to read there than trying to squeeze it onto the transom where nobody could see it. With the name on each side, it'll be easy to read, particularly when the boat heels slightly, aye? Just food for thought... :cool:
 
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Realize what rolls down a steep hill, on a dolly, might offer some potential grunt work, pulling it back up. I got a trailer tongue jack with an oversize wheel on it, so I can just attach a rope to my tow vehicle hitch and to the trailer. That way my tow vehicle, doesn't have to back down in areas that might get stuck (loose gravel shores), but can easily pull the trailer and boat back up to an area, where the trailer can be hooked back up.
 
Charlie...that sail looks great. How did you attach the Navy graphic...or what is it made of? Adhesive, rip stop or similar?
 
Hi Signal Charlie, Been thinking of a name, might take awhile...but I have been joking around with a few. And Mixmkr, nice solution to such a problem. I also plan to scout out some locations with easier access as suggested by Ghost Rider.
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Nice pictures. As you get more comfortable on the boat you will want to sit at the front of the cockpit. It balances the boat better and will make using the tiller extension much easier.
 
Nice pictures. As you get more comfortable on the boat you will want to sit at the front of the cockpit. It balances the boat better and will make using the tiller extension much easier.

Thanks Charles, When I was out there, I had a bit of uncertainty but did get more comfortable as the day progressed. It helps to get advice here on the Forum. Would like to take it to a lake up in the Sierras where I can camp for a few days and sail, maybe after Labor Day.
 
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'Looks like a nice ride on that mattress, and the balance point (the daggerboard trunk) is supported by the tailgate. I'd be tempted to run a protected cable over the cab to the front bumper, and secured at the bow handle. (A narrow cable, so it's not distracting while driving). "Protected", meaning, run through flexible PVC tube, then through a swim noodle. A turnbuckle would be a plus.

If the boat is transported deck-down instead, I'd run something from your trailer hitch to the bow handle. A wood broom handle won't reach, but a section of discarded bed frame should.

I replaced the repurposed wood rack pieces (pictured on page 2) to the "mystery-metal" of a bed frame—cut down to the right size and using the existing holes—and it's still with me today. Bed frame is very hard to drill or cut. I used a carbide cutting wheel to cut it to length.
 
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'Looks like a nice ride on that mattress, and the balance point (the daggerboard trunk) is supported by the tailgate. I'd be tempted to run a protected cable over the cab to the front bumper, and secured at the bow handle. (A narrow cable, so it's not distracting while driving). "Protected", meaning, run through flexible PVC tube, then through a swim noodle. A turnbuckle would be a plus.

If the boat is transported deck-down instead, I'd run something from your trailer hitch to the bow handle. A wood broom handle won't reach, but a section of discarded bed frame should.

I replaced the repurposed wood rack pieces (pictured on page 2) to the "mystery-metal" of a bed frame—cut down to the right size and using the existing holes—and it's still with me today. Bed frame is very hard to drill or cut. I used a carbide cutting wheel to cut it to length.

Hi L&VW- I purchased an Erickson bed extender so will see how that goes. Got to work out a way to load and unload solo. I have a kayak dolly so I'll practice and try a few things. I was looking at a variety of items and sure like the dolly/dolly trailer setup. The air mattress worked well and we even got on the 101 at 65 mph for a short time but if it pops it would not be good-a lot of faith to put into an old air mattress. I have to think how this will work as I get older so trailer and dolly may be in the future.
 
You'll be alright with the extender, and something more reliable than the air mattress. Ya know, if ya don't want to build a cradle of some sort, you'll hafta find a way to protect the boat in transport... remember those wide flat sofa cushions with vinyl covers on 'em? The thick vinyl covers which were hard to rip? Something like that, maybe some old cockpit cushions from a larger boat... you could throw those down in the bed of your truck, set the Fish in the bed, add the padded extender and secure everything with line or webbing. Find places for the spars, dolly, etc. That will probably be your best bet if you plan to do it all solo... if transferring the boat from the truck to the dolly (and vice versa) gives ya too much grief, then it's time to get a trailer, but that means fees, maintenance, the backing job in your driveway on the busy street you mentioned, etc. If you have enough room in your driveway or yard, you can pull straight in, unhook the trailer and move it by hand, adding a wheel up forward to make things easier... more work, LOL. I think you're on the right track with the extender, just dial it all in so it becomes easy for you to do everything solo. Nobody will be timing you as you load or unload, it's okay if it takes ya 10 or 15 minutes, LOL. :rolleyes:

P.S. If ya run an ad on C/L for old boat cushions, you could probably get 'em dirt cheap, and they don't have to be pretty as long as the vinyl/foam combo does its job and protects your boat hull or deck... pool noodles could add extra support. Boat should slide up on those cushions fairly easily too, it's not like it weighs a ton. :cool:
 
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You'll be alright with the extender, and something more reliable than the air mattress. Ya know, if ya don't want to build a cradle of some sort, you'll hafta find a way to protect the boat in transport... remember those wide flat sofa cushions with vinyl covers on 'em? The thick vinyl covers which were hard to rip? Something like that, maybe some old cockpit cushions from a larger boat... you could throw those down in the bed of your truck, set the Fish in the bed, add the padded extender and secure everything with line or webbing. Find places for the spars, dolly, etc. That will probably be your best bet if you plan to do it all solo... if transferring the boat from the truck to the dolly (and vice versa) gives ya too much grief, then it's time to get a trailer, but that means fees, maintenance, the backing job in your driveway on the busy street you mentioned, etc. If you have enough room in your driveway or yard, you can pull straight in, unhook the trailer and move it by hand, adding a wheel up forward to make things easier... more work, LOL. I think you're on the right track with the extender, just dial it all in so it becomes easy for you to do everything solo. Nobody will be timing you as you load or unload, it's okay if it takes ya 10 or 15 minutes, LOL. :rolleyes:

P.S. If ya run an ad on C/L for old boat cushions, you could probably get 'em dirt cheap, and they don't have to be pretty as long as the vinyl/foam combo does its job and protects your boat hull or deck... pool noodles could add extra support. Boat should slide up on those cushions fairly easily too, it's not like it weighs a ton. :cool:

Trailex SUT 220 is a trailer that is advertised as "so light, you can use it as a dolly". Just about $1,000. Caught my interest... The mattress works but is sketchy to say the least. If it pops, then all my tie downs loosen-potentially disastrous. Believe me, I kept my eye on the boat all the way to the lake and back the other day. I need to work on this "solo" loading idea by trial and error. The question is, can I physically do it without beating up the boat- hmmmm?
 
The cost of the trailer doesn't stop with the purchase... vinyl-covered foam cushions would eliminate the possibility of the air mattress leaking and your boat shifting around in the bed due to loosened securement. No future in that, I'd swap out the air mattress ASAP and go with solid cushions which are just thick enough to protect your boat... with the padded extender to provide additional support, you should be good to go. That extender can also be used for securement by running a line or some webbing through your bow handle, wrapping it around the upright bar or stock of the extender, and tying it off... or slap a bowline on the bow handle, wrap the line or webbing around the upright, and then run it wherever you might need it, say to secure the spars or dolly or whatever. That extender will give you a solid anchor point to prevent the boat from sliding out of the bed under normal transport conditions... if you have tiedown points or eyes in the bed of your truck, you should have the problem licked. Worst-case scenario, you try it and decide that you want a trailer after all... but I'd definitely give it a shot, you could save heller money that way. :rolleyes:
 
The cost of the trailer doesn't stop with the purchase... vinyl-covered foam cushions would eliminate the possibility of the air mattress leaking and your boat shifting around in the bed due to loosened securement. No future in that, I'd swap out the air mattress ASAP and go with solid cushions which are just thick enough to protect your boat... with the padded extender to provide additional support, you should be good to go. That extender can also be used for securement by running a line or some webbing through your bow handle, wrapping it around the upright bar or stock of the extender, and tying it off... or slap a bowline on the bow handle, wrap the line or webbing around the upright, and then run it wherever you might need it, say to secure the spars or dolly or whatever. That extender will give you a solid anchor point to prevent the boat from sliding out of the bed under normal transport conditions... if you have tiedown points or eyes in the bed of your truck, you should have the problem licked. Worst-case scenario, you try it and decide that you want a trailer after all... but I'd definitely give it a shot, you could save heller money that way. :rolleyes:

Ok, think I got it Ghost Rider, Dolly, extender and.....Quad/motorcycle ramps. Saw some ramps at Harbor Freight for @ $70.
Not a place to buy reliable tools but I think these ramps are sturdy enough. Now, to build or buy a dolly? You're right about the air mattress-I need to figure out a replacement for that. Also, maybe a come along. Thanks for all your advice on this...
 
Hey, Norcalsail, forgot to mention this in that PM I sent, but I noticed in your photos that you're not wearing shades or a hat... good polarized shades on a goon cord around your neck, a wide-brimmed hat or ballcap for protection from the sun's glare even when you're wearing shades. You'll see better over the surface at long range too... see cat's-paws and other indicators which will help you make better tactical decisions, LOL. Glad things are going well, today I get to load more boxes for my upcoming relocation to the coast... oh, boy, at least I have plenty o' beer in the fridge. Gotta break down that 8' pool table soon as well, I'm gonna give myself an entire day to do that, as I don't wanna f/u the table, that thing cost me $3500, LOL. More than my freakin' car, if THAT tells ya anything... WTF, a man has to get his priorities straight, I don't need a fancy rig to impress women, they'll hafta settle for my sweet disposition, LOL. :eek:

CHEERS!!! ;)
 
Hey, Norcalsail, forgot to mention this in that PM I sent, but I noticed in your photos that you're not wearing shades or a hat... good polarized shades on a goon cord around your neck, a wide-brimmed hat or ballcap for protection from the sun's glare even when you're wearing shades. You'll see better over the surface at long range too... see cat's-paws and other indicators which will help you make better tactical decisions, LOL. Glad things are going well, today I get to load more boxes for my upcoming relocation to the coast... oh, boy, at least I have plenty o' beer in the fridge. Gotta break down that 8' pool table soon as well, I'm gonna give myself an entire day to do that, as I don't wanna f/u the table, that thing cost me $3500, LOL. More than my freakin' car, if THAT tells ya anything... WTF, a man has to get his priorities straight, I don't need a fancy rig to impress women, they'll hafta settle for my sweet disposition, LOL. :eek:

CHEERS!!! ;)
I tend not to wear sunglasses unless I'm on my motorcycle. I kind of like to wear a cheap straw cowboy hat but lost one of them on that windy day back in Wisconsin. The glare of the water may not be too good for the eyes though...good idea to get some gear!
 
Good retention gear is essential for shades and hat... don't use those goon cords with the cheesy little (breakable) rubber eyes which slide over the arms of your shades, use the kind with the burly surgical tubing or whatever to really grip the arms. Those foam or neoprene straps are okay, the main thing is to have a good grip on the arms of the shades, so the retention gear doesn't slide off in an onboard incident or capsize and ya lose your expensive Vuarnets or Bolles, yeah? That "blue flash" coating on lenses also works well on water, though that characteristic may be specific to my vision. Some like the rose lenses, some the amber, some that grayish tint... find what works best for you on the water, you wanna tame the glare as much as possible to combat long-term adverse effects, as noted by L&VW. :rolleyes:

You'll also need a stout cord or chinstrap for your hat, IF you have a wide-brimmed hat... a ballcap tends to stay on, but it doesn't offer the protection for the sides of your face or the back of your neck. You lost a cowboy hat... I once lost my favorite sailing hat, a wide-brimmed Advantage Camo Henschel hat out of St. Louis, Missouri, that thing was the bomb for sailing. Lost it in gusty & heller choppy conditions on North Bay in Dago, there's an area over by NASNI where the wind drops back down to the surface after crossing Point Loma, and it can get heller rough, especially with an opposing ebb tide. I tell folks that Poseidon stole my Henschel hat... it sank before I could retrieve it, and the gust which ripped it off my head had no respect for my rawhide goon cord, LOL. :confused:
 
Here ya go:

www.henschelhats.com/new/e-catalog/

If you can't find a good sailing hat amongst this collection, you ain't tryin' hard enough, 10-4??? Think I'll pick up a Civil War Rebel Officer's Hat once I relocate, I'm sure that'll go over well in the PNW, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :eek:

P.S. Gotta give that site time to load up pics, there are a LOT of hats for sale at Henschel, LOL. ;)
 
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Hey, Norcalsail, I'll just toss this reply into the public forum: don't sweat the five miles, I'd routinely log 25 or 30 nautical miles per voyage when daysailing in Dago, less if conditions weren't quite as favorable. Of course, that mileage included long & short tacks while beating down the main channel, and working the tides will always add mileage because a skipper is making better time, aye? On rare occasions, the wind would blow from an unusual quarter and a hand could sail directly down the channel, making one gybe to round NASNI rather than making a dozen or more short & long tacks, LOL. Those days were rare indeed, and even the NOAA Weather website had a hard time predicting such winds. :confused:

I'd try sailing past that point I see which forms the west side of Bodega Bay, just to get a feel for conditions farther offshore... if it's too rough for your liking or comfort, sail back into more protected waters. Don't know if there are big kelp beds up there, should your dagger and rudder become fouled by kelp, simply raise them far enough to ditch the weed, otherwise it'll slow ya down... like applying brakes to your boat, LOL. One can sail across kelp beds by raising the boards partway and lifting them higher as necessary... I used to cross the kelp beds whenever I sailed from Dago to Mission Bay, kinda like cutting the corner, so to speak. :D

Big sharks don't like kelp beds, if that's any consolation, LOL. You're more likely to see friendly critters like sea otters, which are absolutely hilarious. Seals & sea lions too, they like the safety of the kelp beds, as opposed to fleeing 2-ton Great Whites in the open ocean. As far as cold tinnies go, a good soft cooler is best, it doesn't knock around as much as a hard cooler, and ya won't bang yer ankles or shins on it, LOL. Sandwiches are best protected in Tupperware containers with tight lids, same goes for other beverages in Nalgene canteens with tight solid caps---no drinking tubes or other bull$h!t, no future in drinking beverages contaminated with sea water. :eek:

Whenever you sail on the ocean, don't forget to consult the NOAA forecast and your tide chart booklet. Easy info to obtain, and extremely useful. Remember what I said: tides & coastal current are two different animals, though they can have an effect upon one another. The southward set of the Humboldt Current should be less of a factor than the tides, but it's good to be aware of it in case the wind dies or some other negative factor rears its ugly head. Just go easy at first, I'd recommend sailing around Bodega Bay, maybe down toward Tomales Bay, once you've learned more about local conditions, launch sites, etc., you can venture farther out to sea. Good luck to ya, hope ya have a blast when ya get out there!!! :rolleyes:

EDIT: CROWDED HERE IN SHOW LOW THIS WEEKEND WITH FOLKS UP FROM THE VALLEY... I FORGOT ABOUT THE EARLY HOLIDAY WEEKEND WHEN I DROVE TO TOWN THIS MORNING. WALLYWORLD WAS AN ABSOLUTE CLUSTERF#%, BUT I SAW SOME NICE SIDE-BY-SIDES & MX BIKES ON TRAILERS ON THE ROAD, LOL. BAD@$$ TRAIL RIDING UP HERE IN THE WHITE MOUNTAINS, RIM ROAD 300 IS AWESOME!!! CHEERS!!! :cool:

EDIT #2: COME TO THINK OF IT, THE NOAA WEBSITE ALSO HAS MARINE FORECASTS, BUT I LIKE HAVING A TIDE CHART BOOKLET ON HAND SO I CAN CHECK IT AGAIN IF I FORGET THE NOAA DATA... AS AN OLDER HAND, I SUFFER FROM CRS, LOL. ;)
 
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Gee, I guess one map or chart I saw in the past of ocean currents was wrong... the Humboldt Current is now off Peru, I was hoping the nautical armchair experts would call me on that one. YOUR current is now referred to as the California Current... though maps & textbooks once (erroneously, I guess) referred to it as the Humboldt Current, same way ya gots Humboldt County in NorCal, AYE??? :confused:

MEH, BACK TO MY COLD BEER, I'M THINKING OF WATCHING AN ACTION FLICK BEFORE MACKING HELLER GRINDS... I WONDER WHY NO HOLYWAD KOOKS HAVE MADE AN ACTION FLICK WITH NOTHING BUT WINGSUIT FLIGHT??? MAYBE HALF THE FLICK WITH WINGSUIT ACTION... GOTTA WEAVE A SUPERFICIAL PLOT AND SOME TANG INTO THE EQUATION, LOL. :rolleyes:
 
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I have been looking at wind and tides for Tomales Bay and you tubed a guy in a Laser who was planing fast on Tomales. Also checked out the distance from Bodega's mouth to Tomales. It is a straight shot South by Southeast, about 5 miles, if one can stay safely out and parallel to the breakers going south, it might be a possible sail. I do not have a wetsuit or the skills for this, but very interesting . Not goin any time soon, but might try the salt water in one bay or the other some time. My current (ha ha) plan is to go up to Lake Spaulding reservoir in the Sierras (off the 80), camp, swim and sail. After this Labor Day weekend, things will die down and it will be a great camp as long as that bear that rolled my cooler in 2015 doesn't come back.. Currently building a dolly as per Tag-thank you very much! Boy, we got to bury this thread...
 
I just took some pictures of stress? cracks that I attribute to the tie down straps and also the roller. I might make some kind of carpeted 2x4 thingy that will distribute tie down pressure across the deck and rout them past the edge of the boat and down to the trailer. I suppose I should adjust the roller to be useful in retrieving the boat but have it barely touching during transport.
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I just took some pictures of stress? cracks that I attribute to the tie down straps and also the roller. I might make some kind of carpeted 2x4 thingy that will distribute tie down pressure across the deck and rout them past the edge of the boat and down to the trailer. I suppose I should adjust the roller to be useful in retrieving the boat but have it barely touching during transport.
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Thanks to Signal Charlie's advice, I kept some slack in my tie downs. I tend to over tighten things so his reminder was important. This scares me as I don't know exactly how much is too much. I ran them through the dagger board well but kept them a bit loose. Not sure if the dagger board well is a good idea but it is secure.
 
I ran them through the dagger board well but kept them a bit loose

That seems like a good idea! I wonder how much force the dagger well is designed to hold.

It is way too easy to overtighten those ratchet straps!
I’m going to anchor some clips or caribeaners to the trailer so I can run the straps loose and not worry about the hooks coming free.
 
That seems like a good idea! I wonder how much force the dagger well is designed to hold.

It is way too easy to overtighten those ratchet straps!
I’m going to anchor some clips or caribeaners to the trailer so I can run the straps loose and not worry about the hooks coming free.

Multiple points of security and slightly loose I think... the boats aren't so heavy that they need a lot of tight tie downs, just snug. Uh oh, thread resurrection!
 
Yah, multiple points exactly. The fine line between fine cracks in the hull and having your boat fly off into the bushes at the side of the highway!
 
It’s best to transport it deck side down whether it’s on trailer or cartop.
Back to cartopping...
I'd made a rack for my truck, but still had to load it on—solo! :confused: Using a stepladder, here's the three-step method: :cool:
 

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