[Rhodes22-list] Northern Pull

[Robert Dobson]

Another sad report from the North. Saturday AM, I put
Kel Lee on the Hard. I and my hardy wife got to the
boat at 7am at 43 degrees and no wind on Lake Geneva,
Wisconsin. We have it on a public buoy in town. With
dingy in tow, we set out across the lake for the mile
and a half trip. The buoy is in a rather protected
area from North winds. As soon as we cleared the area
the winds shot up to 15 plus. At 40 degrees that is
not a pretty sight.Two sweat shirts and a stocking cap
is not my idea on appropriate sailing gear. 45 minutes
later we approached our dock and launch only to see a
power boat fisherman had pull up on the end of the
dock,my only available holding area til I could get my
turn at the launch. In these condition no sensible
people should be out.(I don't think fisherman are
sometimes much smarter than the fish)  After circling
a bit, he finally left and I headed for the dock. The
wind shifted to from the northeast and I was coming up
on the dock straight east. Sounded like a good plan
but I came up short on the dock because of the wind
and had to fight to get the boat from hitting the
first boat in the first slip. I final rapped it around
the dock and winds held me very tight to the dock .
Thank God for bumpers. I almost did not need to tie
off.
   For the third year in a row I am asking myself, Why
am I waiting this long in the short season to pull? We
are required to have the boat off the buoy by Oct 15.
Last Saturday was a great sail  with good wind and 87
degrees. So I got nailed again . Rummy,  move over I
am coming South.
   My Son finally showed up at the launch with trailer
8:45. So I meet him and set up the extender on the
trailer. Told him to put it in to have the bulks about
6" out of the water. I headed for the boat, untied and
swung her in to the wind and around the end of the
dock with the wind at my back. To get into the launch
required a zig zag maneuver to get in position. The
winds were up to 20 by this time,so I am coming with
no brakes,except for reverse on my 8hp. motor.
Amazingly I did it better than I parked the car. 
   I have in the past had a problem getting the boat
far enough forward on the trailer. This time I studied
all the comments on the list and followed your advice.
It worked. The extender on the trailer changes the
angle to lessen the distance between the stern of the
boat and angle that the boat is in the water. I had to
get in the water to crank her all the way up to the
bow support.The water was actually very a nice
temperature compare to the rest of the conditions. My
son pulled out 1 foot and I cranked. I did this 3
times ,one foot at a time and experienced very little
slip-age . I have a single axle Triad and she is
sitting in the position where the the back part of the
third cabin window is over the axle. Tow weight seams
great although I only go a mile or so to winter
storage. The other thing I did was to spray the bulks
one week earlier with a can of "Liquid Rollers" I am
not sure, but I think it helped. Just a pre-caution, I
used ty-downs. Anyway ,by 10:02 she was de-rigged and
resting comfortable "On the Hard"   Each time you
really get better and more efficient at it. End of
Northern Tail.


	
		
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