Tips for faster setup of the 26?

[Jimmyt]

To hit my 30-minute launch challenge:

1) Sidestays, backstay, and spreaders stay fully attached. The lifelines have quick-disconnect pelican hooks so that the spreaders aren't resting on them during transport.
2) No nuts and bolts. All of the 9/16 bolts and nuts have been replaced with these: https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/3443-1v0.htm
3) All 7/16 bolts (rudders, spreaders, boom attachment) have been replaced with trailer coupler pins like these: https://www.amazon.ca/Safety-Coupler-Ma ... 808&sr=8-5
4) Loose footed main (huge time savings in setup) with sail slugs, of course.
5) Added a second forestay above the roller furler, with a turnbuckle and a snap-shackle. Very easy to snap it on, tighten the turnbuckle to pin the furler pin, then back it off again. Plus, the added safety is nice.
6) Snap shackles to attach mainsheet and boom vang.
7) Snap-hook on the boom to attach the mainsail tack-ring with a click.
Mainsail outhaul run through a quick-release cleat
9) Topping lift with two snap-hooks: one to keep the lift attached while sailing with no tension, the other a bit higher up to hold the boom above the dodger when the sail is down.

The biggest single time saver is to invest a few seconds to check the standing rigging attachment points for snags, and place the stays in the right place vis a vis the stantions and other snag points. You'll start to know what they are after a few trys. The backstay snags the motor with startling accuracy, the sidestays snag the trailer posts and the stantions. The worst time waster is getting the mast up with a snag at height, the second worst is a snag that is out of reach during the lifting process (no MRS here, yet).

This is very similar to my approach. Eliminate threaded fasteners, and don't remove anything that you can secure.

Starscream's point about making sure nothing is tangled/snagged is solid gold. Nothing increases setup time like having to drop the rig you just raised to untangle something.

Excellent!

[WinSome]

This season We’ve a new to us ‘99 X.
I’m in agreement with the suggested ideas for speedy rigging.
Re: second forestay as safety. How about making it a spinnaker halyard instead? That’s my winter plan.
- MRS. - use your current gin pole and add a winch and pulley. Quick, easy and makes mast raising from the foredeck so easy. PLUS I can lower mast for passing under bridges when canal cruising’. Gotta love the ‘baby stays’ on the X.
Rigging needs: I’m going to add pelican hooks to foreward lifelines to speed getting mast fully lowered quickly. Won’t need to do the mast dance! A good idea.
- I retired the ratchet straps and simply drop the dock lines to secure boat to trailer. Already have them in place. Can ask helper (if/when available) to deal with undoing those. Also use one as safety from bow ring to winch stand. Don’t have to worry about storing the ratchet straps or having them knocking the boat.
-I use another stern dock line to loosely go around the rudders as a safety.
- we leave the main sail on the boom inside in the sail cover. When inserting the sail slugs back onto the mast it’s fun keeping things properly aligned! Check it’s correct, prior to mainsail raising on the water. Ask how I know!!
- use dry lube on the mast slide to make sail slugs slide so-easy. Up and down.
- bungee-balls- we use a dozen or so 10”-12” ones. Great time saver to tie down.
Thanks for all the ideas.

[Starscream]

Re: second forestay as safety. How about making it a spinnaker halyard instead? That’s my winter plan.
- MRS. - use your current gin pole and add a winch and pulley. Quick, easy and makes mast raising from the foredeck so easy. PLUS I can lower mast for passing under bridges when canal cruising’. Gotta love the ‘baby stays’ on the X.
Rigging needs: I’m going to add pelican hooks to foreward lifelines to speed getting mast fully lowered quickly. Won’t need to do the mast dance! A good idea.
- I retired the ratchet straps and simply drop the dock lines to secure boat to trailer. Already have them in place. Can ask helper (if/when available) to deal with undoing those. Also use one as safety from bow ring to winch stand. Don’t have to worry about storing the ratchet straps or having them knocking the boat.
-I use another stern dock line to loosely go around the rudders as a safety.
- we leave the main sail on the boom inside in the sail cover. When inserting the sail slugs back onto the mast it’s fun keeping things properly aligned! Check it’s correct, prior to mainsail raising on the water. Ask how I know!!
- use dry lube on the mast slide to make sail slugs slide so-easy. Up and down.
- bungee-balls- we use a dozen or so 10”-12” ones. Great time saver to tie down.
Thanks for all the ideas.

I really like to learn about what other people do, and borrow their ideas!

Never thought about a spinnaker, but a good idea, just not for me. Our home lake is only a few miles wide so by the time you get a spinnaker set and drawing, it's about time to turn around and go back upwind. When we voyage, we are packed to the gills and no room for an extra sail.

Don't have a gin pole either, but that sounds like a good idea. I've got the baby stays in one of the sheds somewhere, and a pole that I THINK is the mast raising pole, still wrapped in its original tape and cardboard from the original owner. The boat has those little deck attachment points on it, so some day soon I'll add the MRS. One of my hesitations is that we use the cabin top as a diving platform often, and I heard tell that the baby stays get in the way of moving around up there.

I don't attach the boat to the trailer other than a short length of chain from the trailer Vee to the bow ring. It doesn't budge an inch, and we have had some crazy roads, swerves, and panic stops. We trailer a lot, usually several hundred miles per trip, multiple trips per year. I usually err on the side of caution, but I don't feel that the lack of trailer straps is a big risk. I don't recall ever hearing a story about a Mac and its trailer parting ways, and YouTube teaches me that it's a risk for power-boats, but seemingly not for Macs. Maybe that's because everyone straps their Mac down and it's just me that doesn't, but more likely, with the number of Macs out there being towed by amateurs without problems, it's not a big problem.

The rudders are tied up with the rudder uphauls, and we use a trailer quick-pin through the rudder brackets to lock the rudders in the up position (the rudders have a hole for that purpose, I'm sure you know but thought I'd mention it just in case). I'm not sure a line in addition to that gives any more security. Could save a couple of minutes here.

[Tomfoolery]

The boat has those little deck attachment points on it, so some day soon I'll add the MRS. One of my hesitations is that we use the cabin top as a diving platform often, and I heard tell that the baby stays get in the way of moving around up there.

I pop mine off the deck attachments and bungie them tight to the mast when sailing. Takes seconds to disconnect and reconnect, and so worth it to have them. I had a mast go over sideways on another boat long ago, and don’t want to deal with that again.

[Tomfoolery]

Just so you know, there is a turnbuckle INSIDE the CDI furler that can be adjusted to make the pinning as easy as you want it to be, depending on how tight you want the forestay.

But if you slack that off, all the other stays will be slack, too. Like a radio tower with only three stays, if you change the tension in one, you change it in all of them. The stays in this case aren’t spaced around at 120 degrees, and the distance out from the base is different, and the static tension in the side vs forestay is different too (side stays are larger wire rope), but it still works the same way.

[WinSome]

Here’s why I tie down the boat to trailer. I’m in Ontario and Ministry of Transport states:
“There must be at least:
One tie-down for articles 1.52 metres or less in length, and 500 kilograms or less in weight.
Two tie-downs if the article is: 1.52 metres (five feet) or less in length and more than 500 kilograms (1,100 lb.) in weight.”

And it goes on from there. Rules about tie-down loads and breaking strength. I’m likely pushing it using the dock lines.
But I agree the boat doesn’t seem to move. The load is not to disconnect from the trailer in event of an accident.

I’d mentioned using my gin pole for mast raising. It’s actually the MRS pole. With a winch added.

[Starscream]

Interesting, I didn't think about traffic code rules for tie downs. They were probably made for flat-bed truck loads, but you're right, they would certainy be applied to boat trailers too. I'll have to think about it, now.

[NiceAft]

My dear Lord

With all due respect to all of the owners, they can do what you can't, rig you boat in a half hour easily. The mast on the is significantly lighter than the mast on the , and you do need the mast raising system for the . That step alone adds time.

The wiggle you referred to while raising the mast is normal. It is much worse when there are water-skier's nearby .

After 16 years, I still allow an hour and a half to rig. That's why we got a slip in year two. Now. Nice Aft' is docked in our driveway; we tired of the Delaware River.

[LordElsinore]

Thanks for all the great suggestions everyone. I love the idea of using the dock lines as tie downs for the trailer. That makes sense since they are out already. My boat has a couple spots where the buckles/handles on the tie downs I use have put dings in the clear coat, so I definitely want to try using the lines instead.

Also loved seeing Starscream's pictures of his extra forestay. I actually just put the BWY spinnaker mast hound on my mast in preparation for getting a Spinnaker in my stocking this Christmas, so if I can figure out how to use that spinnaker halyard to help in attaching the forestay pin as he does, that will be a nice win. Also liked seeing that 'anchor holder' in that photo - I have a similar plow anchor and unfortunately my Mac roller furler doesn't clear the anchor shaft when its on the anchor roller, so I've been looking for a better alternative to having to detach it etc.

Starscream also mentioned a turnbuckle inside the CDI furler, but as mentioned, I have a Mac furler which I don't believe has one.

NiceAft, thanks for pointing out the difference in the vs mast weights. I've been amazed at some of the YouTube videos showing people raising their masts quickly by themselves without the raising system and I scratched my head seeing people do it. I had noted they owned X's, and that makes a little more sense now.

Also loved the suggestions for all the quick connectors instead of nuts and bolts. I have a mix on my boat - I think I will get some of those trailer hitch clips as I do still use nuts on bolts on the rudders.

All great tips. Thanks for sharing. Keep 'em coming!

Mike

[Jimmyt]

I use safety lines on the rudders in lieu of bolts/pins. They clip to the stern rails and can be removed underway if you forget. I think I used pre-made fender lines that had the loop already on them. Also, I used red line so they are a bit more obvious. (The black line is an extension cord - ignore). The ladder is secured by one also. The red is helpful to remind me if it isn't there, also. I am used to seeing it when trailering and look for it.

[pitchpolehobie]

2002

2 of these for mainsheet and 2 for boom Vang.
https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/3445-1v0.htm

I use a 120lb non-human rated caribiner on my topping lift.


I use 2 of these for my boom and my mainsail clew
https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/3461-1v4.htm

I use 2 for mast base and to hold in place on pedastal.
https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/3443-1v0.htm


I have a bag for all of my halyards and sheets and they're all wrapped and ready.
I also have small tools sized for tightening any bolts before I raise.


That all cut my launch time in half.

[Tomfoolery]

I use a 120lb non-human rated caribiner on my topping lift.

For the record, I often find myself laying across the boom while trying to secure the main sail in rough conditions. And I’m no lightweight. Sometimes on purpose, and sometimes by accident, or to keep from flying off the deck. I would beef up that hardware to take the unexpected. Just a friendly observation.

[Starscream]

For the record, I often find myself laying across the boom while trying to secure the main sail in rough conditions. And I’m no lightweight. Sometimes on purpose, and sometimes by accident, or to keep from flying off the deck. I would beef up that hardware to take the unexpected. Just a friendly observation.

I used to get into this situation as well, and I didn't like it, especially when single-handing. We got hit by a rogue wake, once, out of the blue while I was up there and my wife was driving. I almost went overboard, but was able to grip a stantion with my toes and the boom with an arm and hang on. My son did a full somersault backflip off of the forward dinette bench during that event, but was unhurt.

Leading the halyard and downhaul into the cockpit allows me to tame the mainsail without climbing on to the cabin top, even with the dodger in place, and in high winds. My dodger has an opening front window flap, and I can perch fairly securely with one foot on the ladder and one foot on the aft dinette bench and stand up through the open window flap to wrap a velcro strap around the boom and mainsail. Lazy Jacks would be nice, I suppose, but I'm not there yet.

[kurz]

If your mainsail tack attaches to the front end of the boom using a clevis pin through the sail track (the way most MacGregors should be if rigged they have had slides added to a factory mainsail) then you can use this pin to replace the vertical bolt that attaches the gooseneck tube to the mast bracket making it really quick and easy to remove the boom.

Ok. This is the text on bwy. But I'm sorry, I do not really understand where they say that the mainsail is attached.

it goes to the quick pins (https://shop.bwyachts.com/product-p/3461-1v4.htm)