Dumb question - raising sails on a trailered boat

[grantmc]

Surprised by the naysayers. Takes a great deal of wind to blow a standing boat over with sails aloft, UNLESS the sheets are tight. Dinghies of all varieties are left unattended with all sails flying for ages at regattas.

And similarly for me at least whilst working on my old trailer sailor, a Hartley 18 (on it's trailer). Just don't do it in a storm.

[thomm225]

Right.

No calm day needed.

Winds under 15 knots are so works though. I've had my 300 lb. beach cat on the beach with sails up in higher winds with no trailer to tie it down to.

Just have the sheets loose or main boom unhooked and face boat / trailer into the wind.

The guy in the video isn't there to keep the boat down. You can see he has the main boom unattached and jib sheet loose. Boat is toward the wind. This is how folks with small boat on the beach or on trailers always do it.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/5_fJae-4rYc

[jen1722terry]

I'm just barely old enough to remember my sibblings drying their cotton sails after a day of racing. Could not store or furl these sails wet.
Point the trailer into the wind and leave the sheet slack.
Can't ever recall a problem.

Cheers

[timeout]

No big deal.
I've done it many times.
I've tested all my sails, and reefing systems on land.
I have a 6 metre and 7.500 metre, never had a problem, and we are rated a high wind area. If a gust happens just ease the sheets, the sails just flap as they would on the water.
You would need a very strong wind to tip the trailer over.

[Montanan]

Just be sure you set your anchor well and let out enough rode to maintain a proper scope.

Seriously make sure the trailer is immobilized, else it will become a land yacht. Nothing wrong with sailing on a land boat but the MacGregor and its trailer are a tad hard to navigate when the wind comes up and the wheels get to rolling.

Standard rule applies to all sail equipped boats:

Big winds, small sails.

Enjoy.

Oh, yeah, one more thing do remember to unstrap the boat from the trailer before backing it into the water at the boat ramp.
Don't ask how I know to give that sage advice.