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Old 13-05-2022, 18:50   #1
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Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

I have a growing interest in sailing after taking several ASA courses, and I'm contemplating the purchase of a trailerable pocket cruiser. My initial thought is that I'd like to take week-long to month-long trips around the US trailering the boat and cruising anywhere and everywhere. Living in the central part of the country, it seems that nearly every interesting sailing spot is within one to three days drive.

However, in reading lots of material online and in print, this doesn't appear to be a popular idea. Is there something that I'm misunderstanding about the feasibility of cruising US waters in a small boat from a trailer? Is it not possible to leave my vehicle and trailer parked for several days somehow? Are anchorages difficult to find or marina fees excessive? I know that things to see and do along the Texas coast are sparse, but does the same apply to the rest of the country?

If there are forum members, blogs, youtube channels, or anything documenting trips like these, I'd love to read/watch those experiences to better understand the logistics and see workable itineraries for different destinations.
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Old 13-05-2022, 18:56   #2
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

While it is not popular there is nothing wrong with the idea other than the inherent limitations of your boat. Generally speaking trailer sailers are small with limited accommodations. If you can be comfortable living in the space provided for the amount of time you would like to be out then it may be something you will enjoy. I imagine there would be a bit of planning with regards to where you would leave your truck and trailer, but other than that there would be no other issue with your plan, excepting possibly boat speed.
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Old 13-05-2022, 19:16   #3
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

Welcome to CF.

These forums may provide more specific information small boat related:

http://https://forum.trailersailor.com/forum.php?id=1

https://sailfar.net/forum/index.php

There are probably more too, these are just ones I am familiar with.
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Old 13-05-2022, 20:19   #4
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

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Originally Posted by tackingdev32 View Post
I have a growing interest in sailing after taking several ASA courses, and I'm contemplating the purchase of a trailerable pocket cruiser. My initial thought is that I'd like to take week-long to month-long trips around the US trailering the boat and cruising anywhere and everywhere. Living in the central part of the country, it seems that nearly every interesting sailing spot is within one to three days drive.
Pick up an issue or two of Small Craft Advisor; you'll read about people having adventures in pocket cruisers, or smaller. Also look for books by Frank & Margaret Dye, who cruised extensively on an open 16' dinghy.

We are going into year 15 with a 19 ft trailerable micro cruiser. Not much of a boat by CF standards. (and we are still thinking about a larger boat, but also keeping the microcruiser). Our boat has a pretty strong owners group, and for each of about 13 years prior to the pandemic, the group would meet up somewhere different for 3 days of sailing and cruising some interesting spots. Some of our favourite "microcruising" destinations are the mid-size inland lakes ("cottage" lakes) that most CF members can't or won't get to.

And yes, we are also quite interested in driving around the US and Canada, launching the microcruiser wherever we can. At 2000 lb trailer included, it can be towed by most vehicles with a 6 cyl engine. So you're not alone there.

Most trailerable micro- or pocket-cruisers are ideal as a first boat; used ones are inexpensive to buy and maintain, and stable yet fun to sail. And unless you fail to keep the boat & trailer maintained, they can be sold later on at near the same price.

So yeah, I think that your plan is potentially a great one.
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Old 13-05-2022, 21:10   #5
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

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Originally Posted by tackingdev32 View Post
However, in reading lots of material online and in print, this doesn't appear to be a popular idea. Is there something that I'm misunderstanding about the feasibility of cruising US waters in a small boat from a trailer? Is it not possible to leave my vehicle and trailer parked for several days somehow? Are anchorages difficult to find or marina fees excessive? I know that things to see and do along the Texas coast are sparse, but does the same apply to the rest of the country?

I had a Morgan 24 for two years, and a Hunter 260 for two years after that which I just sold a couple of weeks ago. Trailers with brakes, F-250 pickup, the whole setup.


I couldn't make it work, at least not well.


* Trailerable boats are too small to live on at anchor for longer periods (more than a night or two). Not enough tankage, no good way to generate electricity, not enough space or electricity for refrigeration, no workable choices for dinghy, boats too small to be stable in bad weather. In rainy weather, there wasn't enough space below decks for two people to move around, due to low headroom and cramped berths. Ventilation was insufficient on rainy days with no dorades or fans.

* At the large end (23' and up) of the trailer sailor spectrum the boats are difficult to launch and land. You need a deep ramp and it takes time and at least two people. Boat launches and parking lots tend to have overhead obstructions (powerlines, trees, lights). Other ramp users are IME not tolerant of sailboats that require space for stepping/unstepping and extra time due to their size and draft. Even with boats like the H260 that are water ballast, shoal draft, and designed for ease of launch and land.



* Overnight parking is restricted at most boat ramps and security is a problem in places where it is not. There is no useful reference regarding parking restrictions or their absence -- you have to scout in person to find a place that will work.


* It was my experience that paying for dockage at marinas/resorts familiar with sailboats worked best, even if we were not going to stay at the dock every night. This provided us with parking for truck and trailer and a place to return to for shore power, groceries, etc, and provided us with an opportunity to launch and land where assistance was available and where there was some understanding and acceptance of what we were doing.


* Dockage availability was limiting and we had to make reservations well in advance. Facilities that were not sail-oriented (i.e. fishing-oriented resorts) usually had length limitations or were otherwise unwilling to work with us. There are few sail-oriented facilities that are trailer-friendly -- some don't have itinerant slips at all, some don't have ramps so you have to pay for a hoist to launch and land (convenient but costs hundreds of dollars and has to be scheduled in advance)


* Compliance with aquatic invasive species regulations is nearly impossible because there are portions of a trailer sailor that can't be accessed on a trailer for cleaning, such as the ballast tanks or the inside of the centerboard case. Enforcement is becoming more strict making this an emerging problem. After a season in freshwater lakes with zebra mussels it is nearly impossible to remove them completely without significant disassembly while the boat is in slings.



We are moving to a larger boat that we will, for the most part, base in one spot.
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Old 16-05-2022, 07:27   #6
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

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I couldn't make it work, at least not well.
Thanks for these valuable insights.
Quote:
* Trailerable boats are too small to live on at anchor for longer periods (more than a night or two). Not enough tankage, no good way to generate electricity, not enough space or electricity for refrigeration, no workable choices for dinghy, boats too small to be stable in bad weather. In rainy weather, there wasn't enough space below decks for two people to move around, due to low headroom and cramped berths. Ventilation was insufficient on rainy days with no dorades or fans.
We've done 3-days aboard with few hardships.

One big advantage on our boat is that it came with a real dodger, so we can open the front hatch and the companionway (both screened) to have great ventilation. With the dodger and an extra umbrella (Taylor Anchorshade), we can actually sit out of the rain in the cockpit.

The boat has a deep-cycle group 24 battery, and that will run LED lights, radios and instruments as needed for 3 days, if we're frugal. A small portable solar panel helps top up the battery.

For food, we plan the meals so that the last day's food can be frozen beforehand, together with some water bottles. These help keep other food cool in the first couple of days. And of course we have some food that doesn't require refrigeration. We have a portable jug for drinking water and we wash with lakewater, with careful use of biodegradable soap.

But yeah, one isn't going to spend a week or more away from land in a small boat. Just about every day, we're visiting somewhere - like a beach, or a park or a town where we can walk around a bit. And we'll plan a marina stop every few days for a hot shower, a meal out, to recharge the battery, and to buy more food.
Quote:
* At the large end (23' and up) of the trailer sailor spectrum the boats are difficult to launch and land. You need a deep ramp and it takes time and at least two people. Boat launches and parking lots tend to have overhead obstructions (powerlines, trees, lights). Other ramp users are IME not tolerant of sailboats that require space for stepping/unstepping and extra time due to their size and draft. Even with boats like the H260 that are water ballast, shoal draft, and designed for ease of launch and land.

* Overnight parking is restricted at most boat ramps and security is a problem in places where it is not. There is no useful reference regarding parking restrictions or their absence -- you have to scout in person to find a place that will work.
Yes, but with research and planning, a safe base for launch can often be found.

Quote:
* It was my experience that paying for dockage at marinas/resorts familiar with sailboats worked best, even if we were not going to stay at the dock every night. This provided us with parking for truck and trailer and a place to return to for shore power, groceries, etc, and provided us with an opportunity to launch and land where assistance was available and where there was some understanding and acceptance of what we were doing.
Agreed. And it's nice to have a known base to return to.
Quote:
* Dockage availability was limiting and we had to make reservations well in advance. Facilities that were not sail-oriented (i.e. fishing-oriented resorts) usually had length limitations or were otherwise unwilling to work with us. There are few sail-oriented facilities that are trailer-friendly -- some don't have itinerant slips at all, some don't have ramps so you have to pay for a hoist to launch and land (convenient but costs hundreds of dollars and has to be scheduled in advance)
We can launch anywhere a motorboat can. But yeah I'm finding it tough to find marinas in some areas, that provide transient slips period...
Quote:
* Compliance with aquatic invasive species regulations is nearly impossible because there are portions of a trailer sailor that can't be accessed on a trailer for cleaning, such as the ballast tanks or the inside of the centerboard case. Enforcement is becoming more strict making this an emerging problem. After a season in freshwater lakes with zebra mussels it is nearly impossible to remove them completely without significant disassembly while the boat is in slings.
Yes, this is more of a concern now.
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Old 21-06-2022, 17:23   #7
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

Been trailer sailing for 36 years with the same boat.

Find the lack of a multitude of electronics to be an asset.

Any boat your contemplating on getting…sail it first!

On the trailer I would suggest some familiarity with wheel bearings. I got channeled spindles a few years back and am happy with them. You can get hub kits for these that you just bolt on. The oil seal takes some finesse to seat if you take the hub apart. I just use temp of bearing (touch it it should be cold) after a trip to judge grease interval and jack the wheels off the ground to grease while spinning. You can’t go wrong with hot dipped “U” channel trailers, after 36 years replaced the axle and springs once (just a feeling) and couplers thrice. Light problems are 9 times out of 10 ground screw corrosion issues. Trailer sway is 10 times out of 10 the lack of adequate tongue weight. Big problem with some ramps is mirky water and short ramps. Dumped my trailer off a ramp on ICW, near Atlantic Beach, MD the 351 M Bronco pulled it out but I thought about making small ramps, smidge higher than 1/2 the wheel height to bolt in front of the wheels…it’s on the project list. Good ground clearance and 4-wheel drive are a plus.

I would also suggest getting a boat that you can raise the stick with no or minimal gadgetry. I would also suggest figuring out a system to secure the turnbuckles that doesn’t involve cotter pins.

Transient slips can be an issue. Many state parks have somewhat monitored ramps and camp sites where you can use your boat as an RV. One of my best memories was staying at Commodore Perry’s yacht club in Erie, PA…couldn’t find a nicer group of people!

Head room is always an issue with these boats which is why I opted for a large cockpit. It’s a bit of a target when coastal sailing but it’s where you will be spending the majority of your time. Also suggest getting a boat with minimal, below waterline fittings if any.

Believe the recommendation is 5 days out of the water for Zebra’s.
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Old 21-06-2022, 18:01   #8
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

I have met many trailer sailors,,,,use their boat in the Great Lakes in summer, then load up and head south in the fall, and ultimately winding up in Florida in winter. Launch and live aboard, store the tow vehicle and trailer at marina, storage lot, airport park/n/ride, industrial storage lot, many other options.
Hard part is finding good launch ramp, but today many dry rack marinas can pick your boat off the trailer and float you quicker than you can step the mast. And using their forklift saves your trailer and wheel bearings from salt water damage.
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Old 22-06-2022, 21:45   #9
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

For anyone that's interested in minimalist sailing adventures, check out this book: The Voyage of the Cormorant by Christian Beamish

The author, who's a fantastic writer by the way, builds an 18 foot open sailboat and sets out on a solo sailing and surfing expedition down the Baja coast (Pacific side of course). This book will make you rethink what's possible with this type of sailing, and it's just a great, inspiring read for any sailor or waterman. Here's a link for the book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Voyage-Cormor.../dp/0980122767
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Old 09-08-2022, 19:29   #10
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

Hi Just spotted your post. I am located in Australia but believe things are not that different here. Cruising a trailer sailer just doesn’t seem to be in the popular consciousness amongst yachties apart from a small subset of us who love it.
I have just returned from cruising for 5 and a half weeks in company with old friends who have been doing this on their Court 750 TS for as much as half each year for the last 30 years.
I have also done it on and off for about 25 years now just retired to do it much more.
You need a fairly large TS if intending more than on water camping for shorter periods but these are readily available though generally not kitted out for extended cruising. ( part of the fun in my view but a pain for others)
Seems many focus on offshore capability and or speed yet if focussed on these things then perhaps a TS isn’t the right choice.
There are a wide range of coastal hops and inshore sailing destinations accessible by towing combined with storage, maintenance and provisioning at home.
With limited exceptions I feel the effort to tow, rig, unrig and launch and retrieve is prohibitive time wise for day trips whilst not impossible.
Conversely many TS’s really don’t have the size and carrying capacity for week to multi week, month long trips in relative comfort.
They are out there and they bring a range of locations into play unavailable or very difficult to access for conventional yachts.
I suggest shallow draft, low set on trailer, easier to rig and launch types. Issues highlighted by many ( like difficulty raising the mast) are easily overcome with appropriate modifications and design.
Anyway have fun out there.
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Old 09-08-2022, 22:23   #11
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

If you are traveling long distances then most people think of water ballast or swing keel monos. However, I think the foldable trimarans might be the best combination of lightweight trailering weight, max cabin size width of 8 feet, lengths of over 30 feet and blistering speed. A trimaran like the Corsair 970 is 32 foot long and weighs less than 5000 pounds so it can be pulled with a pickup truck or full size SUV. The downside is that they are priced somewhere between gold and platinum.
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Old 10-08-2022, 00:22   #12
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

Sam Holmes sailed a ranger 23 from California to Hawaii. Which I believe he lived on for 2 years before he left. He’s way tougher than me but it can be done. I had a 26ft Chrysler trailer sailor and sold it to a man who said he was taking it to Florida to live on in a marina and sail back and forth to Bahamas. He said a dock mate there has one and loves it.
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Old 10-08-2022, 01:45   #13
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

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If you are traveling long distances then most people think of water ballast or swing keel monos. However, I think the foldable trimarans might be the best combination of lightweight trailering weight, max cabin size width of 8 feet, lengths of over 30 feet and blistering speed. A trimaran like the Corsair 970 is 32 foot long and weighs less than 5000 pounds so it can be pulled with a pickup truck or full size SUV. The downside is that they are priced somewhere between gold and platinum.
I love the speed of tri’s personally but for trailering and cruising they have their drawbacks. They generally take quite a lot of rigging at the ramp and often need a very wide one and can be a hassle in the rigging area. The only exception are ones like dragonfly’s and if you think a Corsair is expensive they have nothing on Dragonfly prices!
Then internally they are also generally pretty constrained and using them in transit is pretty difficult as folded and on a trailer they are generally high and awkward whilst they are relatively light.
I have owned two slightly smaller trailer tri’s prior to my current 28 foot mono trailable cruiser.
Raising and lowering the mast whilst underway is a huge bonus in many situations whilst many of the tri’s haven’t got this facility due to their huge masts and are also constrained for manoeuvring around rivers, bridges and inland waterways.
It depends I feel if you are focussed on cruising of still have that need for speed.🙂
Summer deck space on tri’s is fabulous and tramps make great places to put dingy’s getting away from towing which generally you don’t want to do with a tri anyway.
Monos are better in marina’s, at the ramps and fuel docks, for use on land between distant sailing destinations and can be easier to handle.
Both have their pros and cons but I left tri’s and went back to mono’s whilst occasionally lusting after a dragonfly 28 cruiser.
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Old 13-08-2022, 17:18   #14
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

Trailer boat cruising is a great idea and we've been doing it for years. So, here's a little different take on it.


We worked our way up to a Catalina 36 to go cruising: Tahiti, Alaska, East Coast (ICW , Bahamas and Great Lakes), and back to San Diego. So what do we do next, seeing as how we live in San Diego. There are a lot of places to visit, but they're a at least a month away by sail: San Francisco and the Delta, San Juans, etc. Now here comes the hard part. We needed to get there starting in the spring, cruise, see the sights and get home by winter. And we needed a good level of convenience, since the Cat 36 spoiled us.


So, the answer was a trailerable power boat. We had started with trailerable sailboats, working our way up so the idea seemed simple to us. But why a power boat? Now, hold on and I'll explain. First we retired to go cruising so we're not young. Second, at least in Alaska and the ICW, we rarely sailed; the diesel got us there most of the time. And trailererable sailboats are somewhat limited in speed; our sailboat limited us to 6 knts. That's enough for a years sail, but not enough for a summer trip if you're exploring.


So what was available? Well, if you're willing to haul 9000 lbs, 3 25' boats spring to mind: a C-Dory, a Rosborougo or a Ranger. Remember, this list is not exhaustive. Each has an enclosed head (a must for Judy,) kitchen/dinette with stove, reasonable fuel economy (max speed of vessel 15 knots or greater), space for storage, V-berth bed long enough for a 6'2ft individual and will do some offshore.


We happen to have a C-Dory 25, just because. Judy likes the view when she's in the cabin and I like to view when I'm in the cockpit. Has a 150 hp outboard, which give us 25 knts (empty) or 18 knts (loaded.) We've trainer cruised this for 15 years, been to the San Juans, Lake Superior, Mississippi River and the Sacramento delta. Camped in RV parks when on the road and launched in more ramps than I want to remember. Been through the Trent–Severn Waterway. It's been wonderful, exciting and takes a lot of gas.


Now, we have a 3/4 ton truck, so there's no trouble hauling it. If you want something lighter, with less amenities, look at the C-Dory 22 and others like it.


In summary, it's a wonderful idea and a lot of great trips.


Boris
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Old 13-08-2022, 17:51   #15
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Re: Cruising the US from a Trailer Sailor

Yes, not having to deal with the draft of the keel makes life easier. Plus, no unrigging at the end of the trip, then re-rigging at the next destination.

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