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Launching a Sailfish 18

Theo Stanley, who owns a Sailfish 18 trailer sailer, invited me to help him launch his boat at the beginning of the 2005 sailing season. He is a member of the Up River Yacht Club, and it was there at the Club's rather fine concrete slipway we proposed to put the boat in the water. The Club is situated at Hullbridge, Essex, on the south bank of the River Crouch, where, at low water it is possible to wade across the river to the South Woodham Ferres Yacht Club's slipway, but at high water the depth could be as much as 5 metres. Ideally we wanted the boat to float off her trailer about half-an-hour before high water, and to that purpose Theo arranged for us to meet at the Club two hours before the event. As we went through the sequence of launching 'Blue Marlin' I took a number of photos recording what happened.

 Preparing the mast for hoisting.

'Blue Marlin's' arrival at the Up River Yacht Club.
'Blue Marlin' can be towed very easily by Theo's saloon car; note the boat trailer remains attached to the car during the mast hoisting process.

 

Ready to hoist the mast.

Ready to raise the mast.
Theo uses a 'V' frame attached to the pulpit for levering the mast into a vertical position.

 

The mast is being raised with the help of a bungee attached below the spreaders.

The mast being raised.
Theo very easily raises the mast with the aid of a bungee attached below the spreaders. (Photo added 11.04.06 by Courtesy John Bowen)

Adjusting tension on the forestay.

Adjusting tension on the forestay.
Here Theo can be seen adjusting the tension of the forestay after hoisting the mast.

Controlling the descent on the slipway.

Controlling the descent on the slipway.
'Blue Marlin's' descent towards the water is controlled with a warp attached to a fixed ring at the head of the slipway from where it passes through a block shackled to the trailer, thence back to the car.

 Loading heavy gear after launching the boat.

Loading heavy gear.
After the boat floats off her trailer Theo ships the outboard motor.

 Theo's homemade 'snatcher' for grabbing a mooring buoy.

'The Snatcher' - a convenient boat hook for picking up a mooring.
The skipper can be proud of his modified boat hook, 'The Snatcher', that intantaneously secures a line to the boat.

The 'snatcher'.

Q.E.D. - a satisfied skipper.
Theo has an expression that says it all! 'Launching mission accomplished.'

The 'snatcher'.

'Blue Marlin' at her mooring.
'Blue Marlin' sits contentedly at her mooring, knowing she has a season's adventures ahead.