Dreams of Offshore and where to launch?

[Styve]

Hi all, dipping my toe here.
So after sailing my Wayfarer a little while, I really have a dream of going offshore.
I have friends who sail off the coast of scotland and have an amazing time.
Stunning scenery.
I would love to do the same, but at 60 (some of these people are older!) I really value my comfort.
But my dream still exists of going offshore.
I watch countless hours of people on youtube, sailing the solent, falmouth etc.
So last August I bought a quite nice Catalina 22 lift keel.
I've spent the winter 'doing it up' its mainly cosmetic., polishing, getting the electrics working, sorting running rigging.
Some people i speak to are full of barriers and what ifs, mainly the maunching and recovery.
My Wayfarer was difficult first off, but I engineered the difficult bits out.
I plan on doing the same with this boat.
Its on a bunked trailer.
I have made a short extension, about 8' which may or may not be of use.
I will be towing with my converted LWB Movano.
I love to find out info for arriving at and launching, what to do, using visitor moorings short term etc.
I have a plan of winching the boat/trailer out the water part way up a slip to save the van's clutch and getting it wet?
But I am totally new to using marinas/harbours etc.
I've done my VHF and aware there are other courses i could/should do.
But this is for short trips to get used to being on the sea.
Reading weather, tides etc.
Any info tips appreciated.

 

[Refueler]

Never put towing vehicle in the water ... use the jockey wheel of the trailer and a rope. Maybe you already know this from your Wayfarer ?

I use this setup for my Alacrity 19 - then my Snapdragon 23 when I was in UK ... I use it for my non roller trailer boats here in Latvia ...

Reverse and get straight with trailer starting down the slipway slope. Stop - apply trailer brake. Maybe put stopper behind trailer wheels if needed. Lower jockey wheel maiking sure wheel is straight .. Unhitch. Now make fast rope to trailer towpart and other end to towing vehicle towball. Move vehivle forward to take up rope slack. Stop .. handbrake on. Remove blocks from trailer wheels ... release trailer brake ... trailer will probably move a few inches taking up tension on rope.
Run a couple of lines of the boat long enough and laid to side out of way of wheels etc.
Now with vehicle .. ease of handrbrake, with in FWD low gear but clutch pedal down .. let vehicle roll back by trailer pulling it ... let it gather a little mementum so boat nearly floats off. Stop - vehicle should not be in water ... now with ropes boat can be cleared from trailer ... vegicle can pull trailer out ...

Recovery is basically reverse of that ... main point is keeping that jockey wheel straight ..

But I'm sure you knew all this anyway if you've been launching / recovering Wayfarer ... one of my all time favs.

As to offshore ? Not so long ago - boats like that were crossing English Channel ... blimey - even Wayfarers were doing it. Check your weather ... select your trip with your ability / fuel / time etc all taken into account ... GO ENJOY !!

I did some amazing trips in my Alacrity 19 .. and the Snap 23 in UK .... my SR 25 has crossed the Baltic numerous times in good and bad conditions ...

 

[Tranona]

Welcome to the forum

You are right to listen to concerns about trailer sailing with such a boat, particularly if you attempt it on your own. The Catalina is what one might term "trailerable" rather than a tralier-sailer such as a day boat under 20'. This means it is more likely to be launched in different locations and kept at home when not being used. You will need a good sheltered slipway alongside a dock and at least 2 people to rig and launch it, then somewhere to park the van and trailer. Think in terms of hours to get ready to sail - same or more at the end of the sail, so not something you would do just for a day or two.

That is the negative bit, but you need to be aware of the limitations when planning where and how you are going to use the boat. This type of trailer sailing is not common in the UK because of the limited supply of locations with the right facilities, and many are in locations that are not easy to access by road. To get used to the boat suggest rather than attempt short trips you identify a location that has the right facilities and is in an area with good local sheltered sailing and take a week or two. You don't say where you are located or where you want to sail so difficult to suggest specific facilities. this might help boatlaunch.co.uk give you an idea of where facilities are located.

You might also find this useful dockrell.com/dockrell_website/documents/Catalina%2022%20Owner's%20Manual%20for%201987.pdf

 

[Styve]

Thanks for that, i get what you describe.
My Wayfarer has two trailer, stacked, if you like, so the road trailer never goes in the water, only the launch trailer, I have had to use a car/rope to get it out a couple of times.
Obviously the Catalina is quite a bit heavier.

 

[Styve]

Welcome to the forum

You are right to listen to concerns about trailer sailing with such a boat, particularly if you attempt it on your own. The Catalina is what one might term "trailerable" rather than a tralier-sailer such as a day boat under 20'. This means it is more likely to be launched in different locations and kept at home when not being used. You will need a good sheltered slipway alongside a dock and at least 2 people to rig and launch it, then somewhere to park the van and trailer. Think in terms of hours to get ready to sail - same or more at the end of the sail, so not something you would do just for a day or two.

That is the negative bit, but you need to be aware of the limitations when planning where and how you are going to use the boat. This type of trailer sailing is not common in the UK because of the limited supply of locations with the right facilities, and many are in locations that are not easy to access by road. To get used to the boat suggest rather than attempt short trips you identify a location that has the right facilities and is in an area with good local sheltered sailing and take a week or two. You don't say where you are located or where you want to sail so difficult to suggest specific facilities. this might help boatlaunch.co.uk give you an idea of where facilities are located.

You might also find this useful dockrell.com/dockrell_website/documents/Catalina%2022%20Owner's%20Manual%20for%201987.pdf

Thank you, The boat is at Rutland and has all the facilities there. I'm not far from there and was just coincidence where the boat was for sale.

 

[Tranona]

Thank you, The boat is at Rutland and has all the facilities there. I'm not far from there and was just coincidence where the boat was for sale.

That is a good location. The Lake District is also a good location, but has a shortage of shoreside facilities reflecting the limited waterside land that is accessible. Rutland is big enough to get to know how to handle the boat and work out whether it is feasible to launch and recover. I suppose the point I was making is that once you get to that size boat that is capable of coastal cruising and overnighting it is more common to keep it on a mooring during the summer and trailer it home for the winter plus maybe take it to another location for a 2 week holiday..

 

[ridgy]

Not offshore but the Norfolk Broads would be a great next step from Rutland, very beautiful and mostly peaceful when not dodging the hire boats plus you can moor for free.
The Thames estuary is probably the next step for going further, still sheltered in parts but longer distances available.
Anglesey also great in the right weather, you can launch and park at Port Dinorwic marina, in fact they will launch and recover it for you with their tractor. A circumnavigation of the island over 3 or 4 days would be a good target.

 

[Sea Change]

You should get in touch with @steve yates who sailed the west coast extensively on an 18ft trailer sailer. He'd have lots of relevant experience and advice for you.

Down south it sounds quite hard to get access to slipways, but up here (I'm on Skye) it's pretty straightforward. Most slips are free, unless they're actually within a marina.

Are you doing this on your own? That could be a bit tricky, as you'd need to put the boat somewhere safe and then get back ashore to move the van.

 

[Refueler]

Sorry but I do not fully agree with the pessimism shown here ...

The Catalina is basically a boat developed from US intracostal waterways ... the jaguar and Alcrity boats are of that family ...

The boat is designed as a Trailer Sailor ... and I suggest its a 50-50 whether its trailed or moored.

Yes I agree that 2 people are best to launch / rig etc .. but many owners single hand rig these boats ... they set up simjple a frames to do the mast - go on Youtiube and you will see Catalina setups ....

 

[Refueler]

You should get in touch with @steve yates who sailed the west coast extensively on an 18ft trailer sailer. He'd have lots of relevant experience and advice for you.

Down south it sounds quite hard to get access to slipways, but up here (I'm on Skye) it's pretty straightforward. Most slips are free, unless they're actually within a marina.

Are you doing this on your own? That could be a bit tricky, as you'd need to put the boat somewhere safe and then get back ashore to move the van.

A breath of resh air ... thank you SC ...

 

[Refueler]

Not offshore but the Norfolk Broads would be a great next step from Rutland, very beautiful and mostly peaceful when not dodging the hire boats plus you can moor for free.
The Thames estuary is probably the next step for going further, still sheltered in parts but longer distances available.
Anglesey also great in the right weather, you can launch and park at Port Dinorwic marina, in fact they will launch and recover it for you with their tractor. A circumnavigation of the island over 3 or 4 days would be a good target.

From West Coast ?? I don't think he's ready for such a trip !!

 

[dunedin]

My late father owned an Alacrity 22 - which I think is basically the same boat as the Catalina 22 (and Jaguar 22).
He took it on the trailer and sailed in lots of interesting places - the Clyde, the West Coast of Scotland (inner more sheltered waters), Mediterranean France and even Yugoslavia (now Croatia).
So perfectly feasible.

After countless wheel bearing failures and other hassles, he started getting the boat craned / lifted in at a marina and kept the trailer dry. Not essential but potentially easier.

If want to explore Scotland I would suggest starting in the Clyde. Lots of lovely sailing in sheltered waters (if keep N of Arran). Get the CCC Pilot book plus Antares Charts and start doing some armchair sailing.

Check prices but lifting in at somewhere like Largs, Kip, Rhu etc might be easiest. Lots of other options might be cheaper in return for a bit more driving.

Day or weekend sailing from the trailer is not really practical. But towing to a new cruising ground and launching for a week or two cruising is ideal.