Preparing a PocketShip to Sail

[JonLee]

Hi All,

In response to a couple of threads I've seen here over the past few months, and a couple of email inquiries I've received, I put together a short video showing how I go about readying my boat for a sailing adventure!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vy_bn8h2qRY&feature=youtu.be

You can also check it out on the blog:
http://leeboatworkspocketship.blogspot.com/2013/10/rigging-pocketship.html

[DanaDCole]

Thanks John, very instructive--you make it look easy. I think the reason some people may be wondering about all the fuss I've been talking about is that, at least here in what they call the southwest (to me a more appropriate name would be southern mid-west) we don't have ramps that are adjacent to a pier as in your video. What we have (or at least all I have ever seen) are ramps with a floating metal dock that may be fairly nearby, or maybe 50' to 100' away. There is always a little causeway out to the dock, and it is usually quite a bit high above the water. So you can't just walk the boat out to the end of the dock. (When we launched "Captain Charlie's" boat in lake Keystone, the best situation we could find was a steep ramp with a dock about 70' away. There was no beach in between, only rocks, so we had to keep the boat away from the rocks, and the dock was alee of the ramp so we had to work fast and very carefully. I don't know how a person could have done it by himself, except by using the motor.)

So the problem I have been discussing is that I either have to find a way to get the boat out to the dock using a long line, or I need to get into the boat while it is still on the trailer and motor it out to the dock. The long line approach is not that hard if there is a fairly calm wind and the ramp is leeward of the dock. If the wind is blowing the boat toward the dock, though, a lot of running and clambering over rails is required to try and catch the boat before it hits sharp pointed metal objects protruding from the causeway floats, etc., etc. If the wind is in fairly strong 12 or 15 knots or more, it can be a real challenge, especially for us old farts.

Seeing your video made me realize why I wasn't getting many responses to my post. If I could merely step from the ramp onto a nice pier with no railing in the way it would be a piece of cake. Clearly the ramps and docks in our area were designed for people with motorboats. I suppose the rich folks with big sailboats keep them in a marina, but I'm afraid I don't fit that category.

At any rate, I have some ideas in mind and I'm sure I can work this out. I was just wondering if someone had a similar experience and maybe developed some methods I had not thought of.

[jwv630]

Hey JonLee:

Great video and thanks! I'd never seen a Pocketship launched. Actually, I've never launched any sailboat; only small motorboats.
I somehow thought the whole procedure was more complicated but it seems relatively doable singlehanded. My build will take about another year. Plan is to splash it next fall in the Chesapeake Bay.

Regards,
Jimmy V

[DanaDCole]

I have to say I'm jealous of you guys where you have natural waterways, beaches, piers, etc. Our crappy artificial reservoirs in the interior (at least the ones in my area of the country) are not so amenable to sailboats. Well, I'm determined to come up with ways to make it work--not a huge problem when I have helpers, but there are many times when I have to (or would rather) go it single-handed.

[Pastorjim]

JohnLee,

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your video's and your blog. I am very much in the same position as Jimmy V, up to this point I have never launched a sailboat and actually have limited experience sailing period. But the information that you have been willing to share through your blog and your videos has been very instrumental in my decision to build a Pocketship. Unfortunately, I am still waiting patiently (well not so patiently anymore) for the email that says I can pick up the kit and get started.
Thanks again for your willingness to share your insight and experience.
Jim

[JonLee]

I sail a lot singlehanded. With some basic preparation (i.e. having the dock lines where you can reach them), it is a piece of cake.

I've launched/retrieved with winds several times. Fortunately for me, the prevailing wind at the boat launch just pushes the boat back toward the trailer. When there are crosswinds, I generally have the option of choosing a lane with the dock to leeward.

Of course, when I have a crosswind AND I don't have the luxury of choosing a lane with the dock downwind, I generally get the rudder involved in the game. Since, I'll be standing on the trailer, with the bowsprit in hand, I mostly have control where the bow is going. To control the stern, I will have lashed the tiller so that stern of the boat will move into the wind. For example, If I'm retrieving the boat, I'll be pulling the boat forward onto the trailer, and I'll want to lash the tiller to windward some amount so that as I pull, the rudder will push the stern to windward. Likewise, when launching, to get the stern to go to windward, I lash the tiller to leeward.

In any of these crosswind scenarios, to reduce exposure to panic and increase your bacon-saving power, you'll also want to make sure you have the bow and stern lines in your hand throughout the process. 'Cause if the boat gets away from you, things can get exciting quickly. Ask me how I know.

This still doesn't address the "what if I don't have a dock" thing, but I'd think that have a long bow line (and maybe a long stern line), plus lashing the tiller appropriately (whatever that means...straight ahead in calm conditions and maybe something different in wind) should generally give you adequate control of the boat to manuever it to shore and scramble aboard.

[DanaDCole]

Thanks again to everyone. I'm sure I can make it work, but learning what I can from others' experiences might keep me from repeating quite as much history!

[I's the B'y]

Very helpful post! Thanks a bunch!