This is going to sound odd on this forum, since many of the boats being discussed are likely too fragile for this kind of maneuver. But I have to ask:

How the heck do you tie up your catamaran at the dock?

That recent survey on boat lifts got me to thinking... There's only one beach on this island I can use to put a trailer in the water, and it's over an hour away down some seriously twisty roads. Most of the good spots to put in are rocky beaches or rocky harbors with boat ramps. In case the term "rocky beach" doesn't convey what I'm trying to say, this might:

This place has a boat ramp:



This place doesn't, and doesn't allow you to beach a boat:



So for me putting in is an involved process. The trailer goes in the water, my family goes in the water, and everyone but me glides the boat off the trailer and into the water. After that I go park the car while they hold on for dear life to keep the boat from smacking into some hull-eating rock.

But there's a ray of hope! One of the ramps I use has two docks right next to it. These are the typical wooden pylon affair with a wooden deck. None of them float. So at low tide you'd have to jump about six feet onto the deck of the boat. At high tide it's only about a two foot drop.

Regardless, the boat is going to rub against pylons. It's not a kind dock.

If I got some boat-length fenders, I could probably pull this off without damaging my boat. But I honestly don't know where I'd stow the things when I'm sailing. I know there's something I'm missing. Any ideas? I'd love to make putting in and taking out a lot less stressful on me and my family. If I can use the dock to make that happen, I'm in.

Thanks,

Tom

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Tom Benedict
Island of Hawaii
P-Cat 18 / Sail# 361 / HA 7633 H / "Smilodon"
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Put a bridle on between the forestay tangs and let her swing off that in the wind, rudders and boards up?

Use my righting line to tie off to the leeward side of the dock. This probably doesn't help you much, though with a non-floating dock.

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Sheet In!
Bob
_/)_____/)_/)____/)____/)_____/)/)__________/)__
Prindle 18-2 #244 "Wakizashi"
Prindle 16 #3690 "Pegasus" Sold (sigh)
AZ Multihull Fleet 42 member
(Way) Past Commodore of Prindle Fleet 14
Arizona, USA
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Can you deploy a small anchor with buoy and tie off to the buoy while getting ready instead of haveing the family hold the boat? Then leave the anchor/buoy in the water while sailing, and do the reverse when getting back on the trailer? A guy at our club does when he solos his Nacra 5.2, so he can put the sails up out past the biggest waves (in waist deep water).

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John Fricker
Prindle 16
Seabrook, Texas
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I can't deploy an anchor, but there are mooring points out in the water. I'll look into that.

I'll also look into maybe leaving some kind of fender tied up on the leeward side of the dock while I'm out on the water. I can always throw it back in the car once I get the boat back on the trailer.

Thanks for the ideas, guys!

Tom

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Tom Benedict
Island of Hawaii
P-Cat 18 / Sail# 361 / HA 7633 H / "Smilodon"
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With the wood pylon dock. Could you have your family sit on the boat and use their feet to keep the boat off the pylon, while using a rope around the pylon to keep the boat within leg distance? Not sure how rough the water is where you launch, but I have done similar on docks on lakes. Make sure they are wearing shoes.

Launching without a beach is always tricky to say the least.

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Scott,
‘92 H18 w/SX wings
‘95 Hobie Funseeker 12 (Holder 12)
‘96/‘01/‘14 Hobie Waves
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