I'm planning on trying the boat out this weekend with my wife, who has never sailed.
My conundrum is where I've got a friend who will loan us his truck to pull the boat but with our lack of launching and sailing experience with this boat I'm trying to pick the best location. We live in Pewaukee so Pewaukee lake would be a good first choice but the ramp is probably going to be very busy this weekend.

Lake Michigan gives us several launching options McKinley or South Shore or I suppose even the river.

The advantage of Lake Michigan is there is more space to not have to worry about a lot of congestion, but it is lake Michigan and could be a little more challenging depending on the weather.

I'm wondering what the consensus of the forum would be?

I think you'd be fine on Lake Michigan. Check the marine forecast and make periodic checks on the radio - you'll be fine. The interior of the breakwater area is great for sailing too and is less subject to any heavy seas - just stay away from the walls if there is bad weather There's some congestion near the gaps, but for the most part is usually clear enough away from the gaps to manage your sails. Get comfortable in there and venture out when you're ready.

Lake Michigan, definately. If you've a motor... and normal enough to have some trepidations about congestion around the gap areas (after a sailing hiatus)... simply motor out to an area that's 'clear', then point her into the wind and raise sail. Conversely, if light wind, you could simply motor through while relieving the wind from your main.

Lake Michigan is likely to be as safe as Pewaukee, both lakes you have to watch your forecast. Saturday's not looking good but Sunday's lite NW winds and clear skies look wonderful.

You can motor out to the outer harbor, over to the lee side of the corrugated iron wall on the south side of the land fill area (where folks walk out to watch the boats) and point into the wind to raise your main. As long as the walls are upwind of you, to the weather side of you, they not only pose little danger but can be quite useful as shelter. I actually use to like those huge barges that were in the harbor for a couple of years as convenient areas to the lee of them allowed easy sail up or down.

If you don't have a motor it should be easy sailing out of the McKinley Marina mooring area from the ramp, but you will likely have to tack upwind to get back.

Even with a good forecast, check your weather radio occasionally and watch for an afternoon sea breeze. It might reverse the wind direction on you unexpectedly. The afternoon temps are supposed to be warm on Sunday so a sea breeze is possible.

Have fun!

We went out Sunday I thought we would just use the jib to calm things down a little bit. That strategy worked going 180 or 360 degrees, however each time i tried to go up wind we ended up heeling so badly we totally lost rudder control. I'm thinking this out and wonder if I had to much force forward which wouldn't let the little rudder do its thing.

Wound up some how running and pulling in the furling and motoring back in.

Any suggestions?

I'm very open to anyone who would either want to help me on my boat or take me out on theirs to get the rust worked off. we'll be gone until Sept 1st but after that I'm open. am also open to any suggestions for pendants and or somewhere or someone to teach rope splicing.

Thanks


Scott

The hull design & sail plan for the Mac favors the use of the main when using only one sail. Sailing with only a full genoa tends to drive the bow into the water and lift the stern.

Sunday was a little beezy for a first sail. I would have used reefed main and the genoa to no more than 100% for balance.

I'll send you PM via your rr account.

Paul

Yeah, Sunday was a little intense. I hope I didn't mis-encourage you on the forecast. It changed considerably.

We were getting ready to cast off of our mooring when a couple of big gusts blew through. I decided to wait and watch and ended up sitting it out watching the boat that ran up on the rocks and a couple of others that had to be towed in.

We saw one guy, single handling it, going for his mooring, jump off his bow into his dinghy while holding onto the boat's bow pulpit. (If this was anyone on the forum, I'm not trying to be critical of your method, just illustrate how intense it was out there, although I've got to wonder, "what were you thinking?" ) If he had lost his grip on his bow pulpit his boat would have been adrift with no one on board!

Full disclosure: I actually did something similar awhile back under pretty windy conditions but it was to clear my mooring lines that had been fouled by some idiot sailing between my float and my dinghy while I was off the mooring. I first secured a line from my boat to my mooring however (which wasn't easy either)in case I lost my grip.

We, my wife and I, actually enjoyed the day while hanging on the mooring all day. It would've been fun to sail but it would have been essentially single handed. Some days you just have to make the call.

Did you wait for the wind to abate before you rowed home? My son gleefully reminded me you suggest I row him back to the dock.