Cruising a Trailer Sailer

[Neeves]

For murky water introducing a second or third 5 micron filter would be a good move - but buy one for under 'domestic' sink applications. To be really 'efficient' you would want tp pipe so as you can simply move from one to another clean the first and move back - but we did not add another filter - it was a 'nice' thing to do but we never got round to it.

Our water tanks were only 200l each, one under the cabin sole in each hull. Each tank could be isolated from the other and switch drawing from one to the other was simply 2 taps. We measured usage with a dip stick through an inspection hatch in the top of each tank. The only easy way to empty the tanks for cleaning was to pump the water out. The only time cleaning was necessary was after a summer in Tasmania where the tannins stained the tanks (and the water line of the hull).

Wet always kept one tank full and emptied the other to use the water. We then used the second tank and re-filled the first from the de sal unit. Theoretically we were always using new water.

We tried to run the de sal unit only when we were motoring or before we were going to motor as the amount of water we made was a real drain on batteries. I'm not sure which was most precious amps or litres. but we were strict with both. (Electric cooking is a whole new ball game, needing that Lithium input).


Sailing was meant to be a simple pleasure, you, a like minded companion, some breeze and good weather + decent forecasts, a knowledge of basic navigation - its growing into a highly complex technical 'machine' demanding a high level of management. And I have not even included anchoring. . It certainly keeps the brain active.

No complaints - simply an observation.

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

For murky water introducing a second or third 5 micron filter would be a good move - but buy one for under 'domestic' sink applications. To be really 'efficient' you would want tp pipe so as you can simply move from one to another clean the first and move back - but we did not add another filter - it was a 'nice' thing to do but we never got round to it.

Our water tanks were only 200l each, one under the cabin sole in each hull. Each tank could be isolated from the other and switch drawing from one to the other was simply 2 taps. We measured usage with a dip stick through an inspection hatch in the top of each tank. The only easy way to empty the tanks for cleaning was to pump the water out. The only time cleaning was necessary was after a summer in Tasmania where the tannins stained the tanks (and the water line of the hull).

Wet always kept one tank full and emptied the other to use the water. We then used the second tank and re-filled the first from the de sal unit. Theoretically we were always using new water.

We tried to run the de sal unit only when we were motoring or before we were going to motor as the amount of water we made was a real drain on batteries. I'm not sure which was most precious amps or litres. but we were strict with both. (Electric cooking is a whole new ball game, needing that Lithium input).


Sailing was meant to be a simple pleasure, you, a like minded companion, some breeze and good weather + decent forecasts, a knowledge of basic navigation - its growing into a highly complex technical 'machine' demanding a high level of management. And I have not even included anchoring. . It certainly keeps the brain active.

No complaints - simply an observation.

Jonathan

Despite now having an RO watermaker I don’t see us needing to use it all that often. ( May be using it just to keep it fresh more than needing it all the time to make more fresh water )
Not having had one previously I can imagine you just get a bit less careful with water use choices when you have that luxury. We will likely only make water with excess solar availablity much like we currently do with our 240v hotwater system.
As for silted water use whilst now having a provision to provide water under pressure to and via a secondary 5micron prefilter for rare occasions I expect most times we will be able to make fresh water in clear sea water.
My 730l water ballast tank can even carry clear seawater into murky rivers and high silt tidal costal anchorages still feeding the watermaker clear seawater.
My solution of twin portable EcoFlow Lithium Delta Max 2000 power packs plugged into our shore power system along with solar panel recharging worked very well for our recent over eight week cruise. So well in fact that we never fired up our Honda eu10 generator and may even leave this behind for our big planned 3/4 month without resupply Kimberley’s cruise.
Yes the simple pleasure of just sailing with my partner to superb and unique destinations is the primary goal but the longer you wish to stay out without resupply the more backup stuff and extras you are likely to need.
Whilst the wine and olives in the photo were on land purchases much of the rest of this dinner was hunter and gathered from the sea, shore and surrounds.

 

[Neeves]

Despite now having an RO watermaker I don’t see us needing to use it all that often. ( May be using it just to keep it fresh more than needing it all the time to make more fresh water )
Not having had one previously I can imagine you just get a bit less careful with water use choices when you have that luxury. We will likely only make water with excess solar availablity much like we currently do with our 240v hotwater system.
As for silted water use whilst now having a provision to provide water under pressure to and via a secondary 5micron prefilter for rare occasions I expect most times we will be able to make fresh water in clear sea water.
My 730l water ballast tank can even carry clear seawater into murky rivers and high silt tidal costal anchorages still feeding the watermaker clear seawater.
My solution of twin portable EcoFlow Lithium Delta Max 2000 power packs plugged into our shore power system along with solar panel recharging worked very well for our recent over eight week cruise. So well in fact that we never fired up our Honda eu10 generator and may even leave this behind for our big planned 3/4 month without resupply Kimberley’s cruise.
Yes the simple pleasure of just sailing with my partner to superb and unique destinations is the primary goal but the longer you wish to stay out without resupply the more backup stuff and extras you are likely to need.
Whilst the wine and olives in the photo were on land purchases much of the rest of this dinner was hunter and gathered from the sea, shore and surrounds. View attachment 170181

The big issues with being 'off grid' for long periods of time are fresh greens - and your having an Asian wife possibly makes that loss more acute.

Asian cuisine actually caters for the loss of veg, wombok cabbage, grow bean sprouts, those big round 'tight' cabbage we have in Oz and then 'preserved vegetables' (and drifting a bit - make yoghurt from an Easi Yo kit). Broccoli then becomes so enticing when you see some! Fresh protein is so much easier viz fish and crustaceans Or if the fish are not biting, dried shrimps or closer to YBW members - salted cod.. I know you will have a local store from which you can stock up on dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots etc - the skills needed to offer a varied menu are genetic in Asian partners . Another drift - the people who sell the Easi Yo packs (available in the UK) also sell some 'instant' desserts, Panna Cota, Creme Brûlée etc. You can usually source 3 Feathers NZ butter in tins from Oz Asian supermarkets. (They used to tin cheese, in Oz,, Bega I recall, but they appear to have stopped that - but cheese keeps quite well anyway.)

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

The big issues with being 'off grid' for long periods of time are fresh greens - and your having an Asian wife possibly makes that loss more acute.

Asian cuisine actually caters for the loss of veg, wombok cabbage, grow bean sprouts, those big round 'tight' cabbage we have in Oz and then 'preserved vegetables' (and drifting a bit - make yoghurt from an Easi Yo kit). Broccoli then becomes so enticing when you see some! Fresh protein is so much easier viz fish and crustaceans Or if the fish are not biting, dried shrimps or closer to YBW members - salted cod.. I know you will have a local store from which you can stock up on dried mushrooms, bamboo shoots etc - the skills needed to offer a varied menu are genetic in Asian partners . Another drift - the people who sell the Easi Yo packs (available in the UK) also sell some 'instant' desserts, Panna Cota, Creme Brûlée etc. You can usually source 3 Feathers NZ butter in tins from Oz Asian supermarkets. (They used to tin cheese, in Oz,, Bega I recall, but they appear to have stopped that - but cheese keeps quite well anyway.)

Jonathan

Yes The greens issue is a significant one for my partner with super long expeditions away from resupply. It is amazing however what Clare grows and dries and also what is available in Asian grocery stores.
As you say both Asian and European tight cabbages last an awfully long time with some care and attention if kept cool and dry as do a variety of other non green vegetables.
We are also fairly adept at finding and using local ingredients when onshore. I have done the bean and other sprouts thing previously and we will be doing this again.
We are off to Tassie for 10 weeks in a week and a half’s time but this time will be walking, backpacking, cycling and canoeing using our slide on truck camper as a base as it was prohibitive to take the Imexus over on the Spirit of Tasmania.
( $199 versus well over $1,000 each way).
One of our EcoFlow Delta Max lithium power packs will be along for the trip which recharges whilst driving and also by solar panels on the roof. Again it is able to be plugged into our external plug in power system and changed over from that via a switch on the internal fuse box.
No need to take both ecoflows as we do in the yacht as with moving on regularly the trucks alternator will mainly recharge it supplemented at rest by the solar panels.
I am not sure I would be wanting to tow our yacht around some of the wilderness backroads we hope to explore anyway, I think our height will already mean some careful driving!
Due to having no ability to carry a hard canoe (without again paying huge fees for a trailer) we are carrying a modern inflatable drop stitched double kayak as well a mountain bikes on the rear which will go inside for the ferry crossing to cut the length charges.

 

[Neeves]

Yes The greens issue is a significant one for my partner with super long expeditions away from resupply. It is amazing however what Clare grows and dries and also what is available in Asian grocery stores.
As you say both Asian and European tight cabbages last an awfully long time with some care and attention if kept cool and dry as do a variety of other non green vegetables.
We are also fairly adept at finding and using local ingredients when onshore. I have done the bean and other sprouts thing previously and we will be doing this again.
We are off to Tassie for 10 weeks in a week and a half’s time but this time will be walking, backpacking, cycling and canoeing using our slide on truck camper as a base as it was prohibitive to take the Imexus over on the Spirit of Tasmania.
( $199 versus well over $1,000 each way).
One of our EcoFlow Delta Max lithium power packs will be along for the trip which recharges whilst driving and also by solar panels on the roof. Again it is able to be plugged into our external plug in power system and changed over from that via a switch on the internal fuse box.
No need to take both ecoflows as we do in the yacht as with moving on regularly the trucks alternator will mainly recharge it supplemented at rest by the solar panels.
I am not sure I would be wanting to tow our yacht around some of the wilderness backroads we hope to explore anyway, I think our height will already mean some careful driving!
Due to having no ability to carry a hard canoe (without again paying huge fees for a trailer) we are carrying a modern inflatable drop stitched double kayak as well a mountain bikes on the rear which will go inside for the ferry crossing to cut the length charges.
View attachment 170187
View attachment 170188

Tasmania - go for it. You'll love it. They really don't encourage people to take caravans and the like (yachts). The island must lose, or not gain, a decent tranche of income.


I'd like to say we we will see you there - but we are in Asia, currently Philippines, having spent Xmas and New Year in SE Asia.

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

Tasmania - go for it. You'll love it. They really don't encourage people to take caravans and the like (yachts). The island must lose, or not gain, a decent tranche of income.


I'd like to say we we will see you there - but we are in Asia, currently Philippines, having spent Xmas and New Year in SE Asia.

Jonathan

Travelling by yacht or by air?
Both of us have been to Tassie separately quite a number of times previously and it’s very beautiful . We didn’t choose it to retire there due to the higher costs of getting off Tassie to travel (especially with a heavily trailer sailing based cruising plan) combined with less than perfect weather for much of the year in many parts. We like to tow to sunnier northern climes to cruise to escape the winter chill! We may however sail over to Tassie one summer in a perfect weather window at some future time despite our diminutive 28 foot craft of choice.
Even spring here in South Australia can throw up some cold weather at times.
Huddled behind the dodger with full offshore jacket just cruising the local Coorong in early October in bitterly cold winds. It was a huge contrast from cruising in northern Queensland in winter!

 

[Neeves]

Travelling by yacht or by air?
Both of us have been to Tassie separately quite a number of times previously and it’s very beautiful . We didn’t choose it to retire there due to the higher costs of getting off Tassie to travel (especially with a heavily trailer sailing based cruising plan) combined with less than perfect weather for much of the year in many parts. We like to tow to sunnier northern climes to cruise to escape the winter chill! We may however sail over to Tassie one summer in a perfect weather window at some future time despite our diminutive 28 foot craft of choice.
Even spring here in South Australia can throw up some cold weather at times. View attachment 170222
Huddled behind the dodger with full offshore jacket just cruising the local Coorong in early October in bitterly cold winds. It was a huge contrast from cruising in northern Queensland in winter!

We did Vietnam and Thailand in and out of Singapore by sea and on the return to Singapore we are in Manilla courtesy of air, the then air back to Oz.

There is a regular treck of the Grey Nomads, primarily from Vic and SA at the end of Autumn and then another migration south in Spring to Old - same reasons - to escape the cold. I'm not sure how many of them will be insured for the trip or, in fact, how many even have 3rd party cover. If you stay too long in QED you may find your insurance does not cover you for summer in QED as premiums increase to cover cyclones (in the summer). The theory is you need insurance, at least 3rd party, to even enter a Marina. When we were up there, even Southport, only 50% of marinas asked and no-one ever asked to see sight of a policy. This is meant to include marina fuel wharfs - but income is more important than the risk.

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

So I assume from that you have your yacht parked up in Singapore somewhere and are leaving it there?
I contemplated buying a second Imexus in Greece (there have been a few for sale at good prices there on occasion) to do Europe and its various and extensive waterways at times and would love to also sail the Polish Lakes my yacht was built for.
I think we might just have to do the buy and sell the motor home thing I did back in 2002 with my daughters mother however and perhaps some shorter yacht and canal boat charters whilst over there.
Buying, selling, storing, insuring are hard enough with a motor home but could prove really difficult for an Australian post Brexit with the loss of some of my previous distant British heritage privileges. ( One Grandmother who came to Australia at 2yo) My daughter was really upset that her European living plans were also messed up as she had much greater rights with her mother originally being English and Welsh.
Wild camping in The Spanish Pyrenees. Motor homes and large trailer sailers equipped for cruising do have some extended living similarities.

 

[Grith]

We did love Tasmania in our 10 weeks touring there with just our truck and slide on camper but seeing all the beautiful bays, rivers, lakes and dams might just get us to contemplate sailing over via Bass Straight in an appropriate weather window for a summer of sailing there.
It might even be worth paying the extra about A$1,800 return to carry the yacht and trailer over on the Spirit of Tasmania as this would allow us to access some of the beautiful Dams and West coast rivers still out of reach even if we sailed over.


Wineglass Bay

Fortescue Bay

Cockle Creek

Bruney Island

Tasman Island from Cape Pillar

 

[Grith]

After nearly 12 months renovating our (forever hopefully) very cheap waterfront retirement home we are finally embarking again on our trailer sailer cruising life.
(We currently have stuck on land as distinct from cabin fever!)
We are off trailering to The Gippsland Lakes in south eastern Victoria Australia in a week for an extended cruise.
We will also take a look at suitable waiting anchorages for a potential weather window dependant crossing of Bass Straight to Tasmania at some time.
We feel very lucky to have found our little unknown waterfront spot on a Murray River connected side lake near the massive Lake Alexandrina.
It must be one of the very few affordable homes in Australia with a drive in forwards and launch then drive out forwards personal boat ramp and its own jetty/pontoon.
Lounge, main bedroom, kitchen/dining and outdoor entertaining all have unrestricted views over our yacht when on water and out over the lake to the sunsets.
Paradise for a trailerable owners only as the 1.5 metre lake depth does preclude most keel yachts whilst the 4knot lake speed limit stops the disturbance by yahoos on jet skis and wakeboats.
As so many have experienced recently however the renovation took twice as long and cost twice as much as planned! Just the final landscaping finishing touches this week.
We are not full time live onboards despite spending months at a time cruising our trailer sailer but our new home feels like an extension of our sailing life with gin and tonics or wine time still on the back deck overlooking the water.

 

[fredrussell]

Looks amazing, congratulations!

 

[Grith]

Cruising in company with the Trailer Sailier Association of South Australia in the Gippsland Lakes. The joys of trailer sailing include mooring up directly onto shallow beaches and sharing happy hour with fellow sailers.
Despite looking like we are moored out deep it was actually a shallow walk to shore on a sandy bottom.
It’s a two week cruise in company after which we will spend another few weeks exploring the area further ourselves and visiting some online sailing friends by water.

 

[William_H]

Am I right in thinking that the famous Marley Point Yacht race is this weekend coming? I did it twice some 42 years ago when near 1000 yachts almost all trailer sailers start the race at 7 PM in the dark and sail over night about 30nm to Metung ariving typically mid morning.
For me it meant at the time a drive of about 200 miles. The drive home after the race a bit fraught with no sleep the night before. Some amazing memories like tacking up a narrow river in the dark little wind. You could a,most walk across the river from boat to boat. People fending off and pushing them selves forward at the same time. I was so tempted to used the spin pole as a weapon. Anyway do enjoy the race if you get involved. ol'will

 

[Grith]

Yes It is The Marley Point Overnight Trailer Sailer Race this weekend. Still a big event but more like just over 100 participants these days.
No our yacht is definitely not for racing and huge crushes at start lines and around marks with a big lumbering sailing caravan isn’t our thing.
If racing I like a chance at an outright place well sailed and with the appropriate bit of luck not to drag in with the back markers just for the sake of participating.
Many of those involved spend time stripping everything not required out for a weight advantage and that’s just not my current style.
Been there, done that and have a cabinet full of sailing trophies to attest to that distant past part of my life.
I still like to sail fast occasionally but have a foiling catamaran to scratch that itch and wonder when the first genuine foiling trailer sailer will appear to blow everyone away!

 

[Grith]

The Wellington Yacht Club home of the annual Famous Marley Point overnight race at one time the largest trailer sailer race in the World and one of the largest sailing races drawing nearly 700 competitors. Now just again run and languishing with a relatively tiny just over 100.
We overnighted on their jetty to wait out a storm front.


I have found our electric auxiliary, a torqeedo 1103 with helm mounted remote throttle, a superb way to travel in silence on narrow twisting rivers and directly into a light breeze or in windless conditions.
It manages to push our nearly 3 ton, high windage cruising equipped trailer sailer at around 3 knots at half throttle for over an hour and with 2 spare batteries and on the go charging gives us over a 15 nm silent electric motoring range.
It also provides an ability for our otherwise poor performance directly upwind yacht to sail in company with more performance oriented trailer sailers by giving us a silent catch up shove.
Off the breeze our caravan like yacht is fine but it struggles with speed and pointing direction directly upwind in some conditions.

 

[Neeves]

The Wellington Yacht Club home of the annual Famous Marley Point overnight race at one time the largest trailer sailer race in the World and one of the largest sailing races drawing nearly 700 competitors. Now just again run and languishing with a relatively tiny just over 100.
We overnighted on their jetty to wait out a storm front.
View attachment 190869
View attachment 190868
I have found our electric auxiliary, a torqeedo 1103 with helm mounted remote throttle, a superb way to travel in silence on narrow twisting rivers and directly into a light breeze or in windless conditions.
It manages to push our nearly 3 ton, high windage cruising equipped trailer sailer at around 3 knots at half throttle for over an hour and with 2 spare batteries and on the go charging gives us over a 15 nm silent electric motoring range.
It also provides an ability for our otherwise poor performance directly upwind yacht to sail in company with more performance oriented trailer sailers by giving us a silent catch up shove.
Off the breeze our caravan like yacht is fine but it struggles with speed and pointing direction directly upwind in some conditions. View attachment 190870
View attachment 190872

100 entries compared to 700 is a large reduction but ignoring the past then 100 keel boats in one race is still respectable. the reduced numbers of Trailer sailors may reflect the transition of owners from smaller yachts to bigger ones (a common trend) - that are too big or too inconvenient to haul.

There is nothing wrong with a floating caravan - you have listed reasons why it can be a really good choice.

Jonathan

 

[Grith]

I created and Admin the Facebook site Trailer Sailer Cruising Australia which has now over 4,000 joiners and is active on a daily basis.
Just my little bit to try to garner some new interest in a shrinking pastime.
Here in Australia lots of retirees buy the big caravan and set off on “The Lap” a circumnavigation by land of Australia whilst others downsize permanently and live a nomadic life in these.
I have just tried to offer up an alternative to land based travel of this kind via a large comfortable trailer sailer.
Many of the caravan folk are also fisherfolk carrying tinnies or other watercraft for fishing and highly prize waterside campsites. These are sometimes crowded and at other times in caravan parks and expensive.
We continue to have free access to the very best water campsites around Australia sometimes even sitting directly in the water view of multimillion dollar properties.
Many sailers are aging out of racing and therefore sailing these days and many others find it difficult to get their partners enthused about a boating life.
Most marinas are full of yachts and boats that seem to never leave their pen possibly as their owners have been there and done that multiple times around their restricted home waters.
Alternatively long ocean/coastal passages with all the challenges those can entail can sometimes be no longer appealing to a now aging couple.
A trailerable cruising oriented yacht with enough comfort for the better half is one way of staying enthusiastic and engaged in retirement in another form of grey nomading.

 

[Grith]

Back home from our recent nearly 4 week cruise/exploration of the Gippsland Lakes. As usual a cruise of this length highlighted/discovered/wanted further things to modify on our yacht which I immediately commenced some of these upon our return. Others will have to wait for our next trip to the big smoke (Adelaide) for access to more comprehensive yacht chandeliers and (bring out another thousand).
Several more large chunks of my yacht are sitting in the pile on my work bench as further large holes have been cut and fitted with access hatches.
One of my Bimini reinforcing struts pulled its screws out again whilst trailering the long distance and this time the fix required a new access hatch to fit a reinforcing plate and bolts and nuts to replace stripped screw threads.
The hatch was sized to allow this previously inaccessible area in the cockpit combing To also now become a storage area and it has immediately accommodated my fishing gear removing this from a deep hidden corner of the port side large cockpit locker hidden by fenders, sheets and lines and various covers. Another access hatches will be added to my fold up stern access helmsman seat which presented itself as an ideal place for our snorkeling gear also currently buried in the far recesses of the other even larger and more overstuffed starboard cockpit locker.
I also managed to trim the anti vibration feet and carry handle of my desalinator made portable box which now allows it to stand vertical in my yachts stern generator box and the desalinator be used insitu there. This makes life much easier than awkwardly removing it and mounting it on my swim platform for use and also freed a huge additional space in the box which can accomodate either 2 additional 20 litre portable fuel containers or my Honda eu10 generator ( now generally not required except for deep midwinter cruises when sunshine is very limited). Nice to have the option to take this again for these if really required as The Murray where we live is infested with ski and wake boats and jet skis during the warmer months but absolutely beautiful and deserted and tranquil cruising it in mid winter.
Running our little ceramic heater as required mid winter is a power consuming luxury worth having and the generator (only run occasionally when already petrol motoring so no added noise or smell) for extra battery recharging will be handy.
It’s amazing how much heat this little 240v heater emits for an only 300w consumption.

 

[Grith]

Just wondering if any others here use a trailer sailer for extended cruising as distinct from day sailing with occasional weekend or week camping style trips?
Our slightly unusual trailer sailer is equipped for multi month cruising and has done so on several occasions whilst we use it this way for weeks of cruising quite regularly.
I admin a Facebook site trailer sailer cruising Australia with over 4000 joiners but even on there the number of dedicated cruisers using trailer sailers is a small proportion of those obviously with an interest in doing so.
Camping via trailer sailers is fairly common and how I started over 35 years ago with a Hartley 16 graduating through a variety of larger TS’s to our current Imexus 28 which I chose as the largest still “easily” trailerable multi capability adventure platform.
Various other trailerable yachts here in Australia make great micro cruisers with different capabilities and access to cruising grounds unavailable to fixed keelers or non trailerable craft.
Examples include RL28’s, Magnum 850’s, Ross 850’s, Court 750’s Mac X and M’s, some of the larger tri’s and so many other larger trailerable yachts.
Personally I draw the line at yachts requiring overwidth signs or permits and/or outside assistance to launch or rig as not being truely trailerable but perhaps relatively easily transportable.
Having a large trailerable yacht equipped for extended cruising opens a whole different world of destinations including many of those used by conventional craft but perhaps not ocean crossing with very rare exceptions.
Smaller trailerable yachts are generally for solo sailers if used for cruising as few provide adequate comfort if wishing to have partners along for extended trips.

Our trailerable cruising yacht looking like the mini version of a full cruising mono. Out cruising with the big yachts. The tiny spec in close is us!
Same trip but anchored where regular yachts can’t.

 

[Grith]

Yet another advantage of our cruising yacht choice being trailerable. We are currently touring Northern Europe including lake and canal motor boating, coastal fjord ship cruising and about to start a two week yacht hire in the Mansurian Lake District in Poland.
During our three months away I am happy with the thought of our yacht and truck camper being securely tucked away behind high locked gates and under full and partial covers down beside our house.
our home region on south east South Australia had had some serious storms in our absence (even destroying some historic jetties) which would be a real worry if our yacht was on water be it in a pen or on a mooring.