At Detroit Lake Thursday for our annual 26X shakedown sail I discovered that Mongold launch ramp may present problems for sail boaters. Trees have grown larger along the set up area beside the launch access road and there is no longer tree-free space to raise a mast. That leaves only the parking are...

I wanted to recognize my wife’s heritage with a name from her home country, Korea. After much thought, I named the boat Chung Mu, the former name of a very pretty city on the southern coast of the Korean peninsula, which is also near her hometown. Chung Mu is also the honorary title given to several...

Almost the same situation happend to me a couple years ago, except that the cb didn't drag. With the cb pulled up, it still sticks out a little, and after a retrieve and 160 miles it somehow got ahead of the cross member and I couldn't push the boat off the trailer at launch. I pulled it back out, s...

If you get 15 in. tires, make sure the tire shop installs heavy duty valve stems. Standard automobile stems will blow out and leave your tire flat. I was lucky, it happened as I was entering a parking lot.

I have replaced the 14 in. wheels and tires with 15 in. wheels and 2500 lb ST (special trailer) tires and am pleased with the results. The tires and hubs run cooler and I feel safer without the flimsy 14 in. tires and wheels. There was one problem: the larger tires rubbed the inside of the fenders o...

Consider the knot at the end of the keel line. About four years ago I pulled the keel out of my X . When I replaced it, I tied a stopper knot on the keel line and my keel began to stick up or deploy very slowly. I crawled under in the driveway and could see that the stopper knot was binding, but a s...

Before launching, remove the bolts or pins that hold the rudders in travel position.

You might consider using a weight-distributing anti-sway hitch. Take a look at http://www.equalizerhitch.com. It is the only weight-distributing hitch that works with surge brakes. I have been towing my X for several years with both a Honda Odyssey minivan and a Ford Explorer using the Equal-i-zer a...

I once pulled the keel out and forgot to note what kind of knot kept the keel line in, so I tied a double overhand knot. Put the boat in the water and the keel was reluctant to descend. Frustrating! When home, pulled the keel again and tied a single overhand knot and next time in the water, all was ...

Weight of boat on trailer on truck scale, 12 gal fuel, 5 gal H2O, other normal supplies: 3800 Lb.

Harvey

I have never considered the mast on my '02 X to be very heavy, but it is awkward lowering it by hand. I have raised and lowered it by myself, w/o a mast raising kit, for the past 6 years. Most of the time my wife is along and she pins the forestay. On those rare occasions she isn't along, I use my h...

I replaced the centerboard line on my X on the trailer last summer. Because the trailer cross member prevented lowering the board with the line I had to drop the hanger from inside. With a piece of carpet or other cushion underneath to avoid chipping the board, it was pretty easy. Before I lowered t...

2003 Ford Explorer
4wd
200 hp V6
5000#
14 mpg hwy
tow at 60
Pretty stable with E-qual-izer-brand weight distribution hitch, tried once with regular hitch, never again on hwy

Who was that fine-looking X entering Yaquina Bay harbor at about 5:00 PM Thursday, July 30? Anyone from this group? I tried to find you in the marina, but no luck.

Harvey

'02 X, currently moored in the driveway in Salem, OR. Sail the Columbia River, often from Scappoose Bay (Thanks, Don T), sometimes from Portland. Also Detroit Lake, Upper Klamath Lake, and the Hood Canal. I even got out of Newport, OR once after a couple launches, when the CG allowed that the bar wa...