What works for me so far

[Divecoz]

.

[2BonC]

I did it the same way, and it works very well as long one doesn´t need the space in the cabin. However during longer trips on the road I´m used to sleep in the boat while it is still on the trailer. For that I´m thinking about to tie the whole boom/mainsail/mainsailcover-assembly to the mast/foresail-assembly. Do You think that will work?

Rainer

[hart]

I have installed a keypin shackle on the ceiling so the mast end of the boom/mainsail rests on the v berth and the other end hangs from the ceiling near the galley. For the most part it's out of the way and allows you to move around in the boat - except for the V berth of course. It works well but I do take the sail bag and put up in the berth as additional protection for the gelcoat. That might not work on an M though since the head is forward.

I've also removed the sail from the boom and secured the boom to lifeline stanchions and that works okay too. I've never tried it with the sail on and trailering though, seems like too much windage for the sail and cover.

[Divecoz]

2bonC I cannot imagine why that wouldn't work ....We'll wait to hear back from you on that one.
Hart that's a great idea and yes I believe some variation of that would work on the M as well . I have yet to sleep on the boat when not on the water. Being in my late 50's I opt out for a hotel room . Big Bed Real toilet TV in room Coffee maker But that's just me and I have read that numerous others have made your choice as well. What ever works and floats your boat as they say...........
I made lots of mods this winter and I need to find a simple to run, easy to set up, off site photo thing... so I can post pictures of them.

[The Mutt]

Were looking at sleeping in our while trailering, might look at pivoting the boom up to the mast, keeping the boom and sail in a cover.

Glenn

[Scott]

It helps if you also pull the front of the sail cover to behind the mast and set the twist clasps before removing the boom. This will keep the luff of the sail contained and keep it from spilling out when you remove it.

[March]

It depends on how many people would sleep in the Mac. I have taken longer trips with a good friend of mine and my son. Before leaving, all the luggae was stored both in the boat and in the trunk of the VS; we only needed easy access to the cooler and the galley (can't start a day without coffee). The rest of the stuff (including the main sail around the boom) was stored wherever we could find room for it in the boat. It wasn't pretty, to be sure (the bimini was down there too, wedged in the rear berth) but three people could still rough it, for a night or even two.
Of course, launching the boat after such a trip took us about two hours. Even so, after the launch, stuff had to be reshuffled around down below deck before the first aaaah! evening moment with a cold beer, under the stars.
I always made sure the boom ends were wrapped in towels

[Chinook]

We tow with a pickup. On most trips, I stow the boom and mainsail, bundled up inside the sail cover, in the truck bed. The boom is slightly longer than the truck bed, so I prop it up diagonally, and set the aft end of the boom on the closed tailgate. The folded up porta-bote hull sets alongside, and both are thoroughly lashed down. They travel fine there, and the only potential problem is banging one's head against the end of the boom when walking around the truck. It's at perfect height for a headache. I tried tying a piece of flagging ribbon on it, but it didn't survive the wind whipping when driving.

On our big drive around the country we had a camper on the truck and the boat in tow. Most of the time, I stowed the boom/mainsail in the cabin of the boat, but on some short runs I did lash it down on the deck, extending from pulpit to side of cabin. I had to take extra pains to lash things down, so the wind didn't thrash things. That isn't a problem when the boom is in the truck bed. The truck cab helps provide a wind break.

[David Mellon]

I tow with a Suburban and sleeping in it is possible but not as comfy as the dinette berth in The Yam. I store the main on the boom lashed with sail ties. I use 1/4" quick release pins to hold the boom to the mast, one clip there and one at the bottom fiddle block of the main sheet and the whole thing goes in the cabin on the port side. When sleeping on the road I just put it on the port deck. If I know I wont be using it for extended periods I put on my sail cover. It would be nice to store it hanging from the overhead on the port side. I have yet to pull an inspection cover off a bolt in the overhead. I have many ideas including a grab bar or line which need a secure anchorin the overhead.

[bscott]

I keep mine stored on the boom w/cover and lashed to the life line stantions while towing. Never had a problem and always check the lashings and trailer wheels at each rest stop.

bscott

[C Striker]

I was wondering if any of you have had any luck lashing the boom with sail to the mast yet for trailering? It would make life much easier. I hope to do some kind of a mock up on land here in a few weeks. I guess the main issue is if there is clearence for the mast to come down into the crutch. Sometimes I'm tempted to leave the main at home the furled genny is so user friendly.

Another issue may be chafing of the sails. My poor genny suffered a rub scar from having it tied to the mast at the bow. I will now keep it on deck and bump my head on the furler all the time. The sail itself survived without damage but the uv cover has a nasty hole in it. I was only pulling her 1.5 to 2 hours too. I need to search how to fix that thing, any1 remember reading about that?

Erik

[c130king]

Erik,

You can lower the mast with the boom and main still attached. At least on my '05 I can do it. The gooseneck swivels just fine. However, with the halyards let aft I was not able to slide the mast all the way forward so I trailered with the mast tied down secure but about 5 feet short of all the way forward...one long trip and then only short trips after that...and of course the mast stuck out the rear 5' further than normal.

Allow the boom to rotate off to one side as the mast comes down...I alway let it rotate to port...and when complete the mast will be rotated some...but completely do-able.

Coming down...rotating to port side by physically pushing the boom to port.


Once the mast base is disconnected I can slide this forward about 1/2 way to the pulpit...tied down securely.


Sticks out the back...but you may be able to get the mast all the way forward if you take off the halyard.


Good Luck,
Jim

[C Striker]

Thanks Jim and those are some great pics. I have a few questions just to clarify.
You have a furled Genoa, right?
Do you keep the main slugs inside the mast? I imagine so, since the cover wraps around the mast. If so, can you see any signs of wear? It's so nice to know I can leave the boom on the mast all summer and in the garage all winter. And the cabin belongs to the Admiral all year 'hiccup' long

thanks again,
Erik

[c130king]

Yes on the furled Genoa. Yes on slugs on the main and kept inside the track on the mast all the time...never came out when I did this.

No signs of unusual wear that I can see.

However, I no longer leave the boom on the mast when trailering or storing the boat. I take the slugs out of the track and then roll the main around the boom and store the boom (with the main still attached and rolled around it) inside the cabin. I remove all lines (halyard, main sheet, boom vang, reefing line) and store the mast in the normal/recommended spot. I do this due to my "long term" outside storage.

However, it can be done.

The one problem I have experienced is that I do have a few shallow "bends" in my furler from where it was strapped to the mast during storage. I am pretty sure they will work their way out when I have the mast up and in the heat of Florida...someday...when I get back to Florida. I guess I could take the Genoa off the furler and that would probably help me store the furler a little "straighter" but that seems like more effort than necessary...I am essentially pretty lazy.

Cheers,
Jim

[Rick Westlake]

I've ... removed the sail from the boom and secured the boom to lifeline stanchions and that works okay too. I've never tried it with the sail on and trailering though, seems like too much windage for the sail and cover.

That seems the safest course to me, too ... yeah, it's a little bit more trouble pulling the foot of the mainsail out of the boom and bagging it. But I plan to sleep in the port quarter-berth when I'm on the road.

What worries me now is the SailCaddy system I put on the boom last week; how will that stand up to trailering, with the boom tied to the lifeline stanchions? I'll report back when I have anything to report back ....