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I have building my Skerry for over three years now, and hope to get it in the water this summer. I hope I'm not jinxing myself, but I have questions about using the boat.
I am building the boat at my lakeside vacation home in southern Maine, and will sail it on that lake, exclusively. Ideally, I would put it in the water in June, keep it attached to a buoy, and take it out in early September.
- The lake is mostly calm, but occasionally choppy. Hopefully, being attached to a buoy, it will ride out the chop. Is this likely to work without damaging the boat? Or is recommended usage to take the boat out when not sailing?
- Assuming it's OK to leave the boat in the lake, what is recommended to keep the interior dry? Does anyone have experience with boat covers that will keep the rain out?
7 replies:
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
Given that your vacation home is lakeside, why not save yourself a lot of heartache and take it out each time you're done sailing. You'll probably have noticed by now, it is not a heavy boat. 100 lbs give or take. And easy to move by one person, end by end, a few feet a time. When done, lay the mast lengthwise down the center. using a cross bar at one end to support it. Buy a 10 x 20 plastic tarp at a big box store for 30 bucks, lay it over the mast, and over the sides, clipping it to the gunwales with butterfly brackets, keeping the interior dry for you. Good luck on your June launch! Check the Skerry Facebook page out for tips and pics.
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
I'm going to second the idea of storing it on land if you have a beach you can launch it from. Fresh water is the enemy of wooden boats and topside paint. If it was my boat, I'd store it upside down on land under a waterproof tarp that doesn't touch the boat anywhere. That would keep the inside dry, allow good ventilation and keep the sun from baking the paint.
For getting it to the lake, you can buy or build a small dolly.
This obviously won't work if your shoreline is not suitable for launching. In that case, let us know what kind of shoreline you have access to and we can give you more ideas.
Laszlo
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
Thank you all, I am convinced to not keep the boat in the water all summer. However, my shoreline is a challenge. It is EXTREMELY rocky. My situation is similar to KenDor's, the house is up a hill, although not 500 feet, and the hill is uneven. Still, that might be doable.
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
Well, maybe the next time you hear one of your neighbors complaining about how their teenage son spends too much time playin' video games (tools of the devil, straight from the workshops of hell, in my opinion), see if you can press gang him into service helping you carry your Skerry to and from the water. Maybe bribe him with Cheetos, but don't let him have any until after you are done handling the sails and such. Heck, maybe you could teach him to sail, and row and maybe end up with an eager Able Bodied Seaman (able to hand, reef and steer) in the bargain. If he gives you any trouble, a couple of keel haulings should sort him out. <;-)
.....Michael
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
Another thought, if you have a dock, is to make a boat hoist to lift it out when not using it. A sailing friend of mine has a dock at his house and is very gracious with letting friends use it. He lets the college son of his neighbor keep his used 420 sailing dinghy there. It's alongside the main piece of the dock, away from the slips with the big boats. They devised a pair of davits made of scrap lumber that angle over the water and used leftover blocks to make a hoist so he can haul it clear of the water. It took a bit of thought to triangulate the arms so they were far enough out yet stiff enough. You'll still need a cover (CLC sells a nice one or get one made by a local shop) but davits might work.
I'd consider through-bolting a pair of folding Wichard padeyes to the breasthooks to let you more simply connect a pair of carabiners. I use one on my skerry as a tiedown and dockline connection on the stern (I have a standard stainless cleat on the bow) and they are very stout.
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
Another thought are inflatable beach rollers. I know a lot of the people doing "raid" style regattas use them since they have to beach launch unaided. Here's a pair from Aere on a Brooklin ME beach so there are some rocks:
RE: Using a CLC sailboat
» Submitted by jn1 - Fri, 2/10/23 » 6:30 PM
Welcome aboard. A) If you're going to leave it in the water, you'll need an actual bottom paint, not Brightsides or similar below the waterline. B) There are a lot of canvas shops up there, one very good one in Rockland, who will make a cover for the boat. Have fun.