Stupid launching

[Barquito]

OK, I am not completely new to sailing (3yrs Catalina 22), but, I regularly have trouble launching from my mooring pin. The complications are: Tight mooring field, unreliable outboard, weeds in mooring (we launch with swing keel up to keep from fouling). So, what are some good ways to launch from the pin and avoid other boats?

[zz4gta]

Oars.

Other than that, get a mooring out of the weeds and fix up that outboard.

[arbarnhart]

Better yet a single sculling oar. It will let you navigate in tight spaces better than a set of oars and will work on just about any boat without modifying the boat much if any. But a "real" sculling oar, not just one out of a set of rowing oars.

How to Scull , Yuloh a Boat

a.b.b. - amateur boat building - howto Japanese sculling oar

[sailingfool]

Is there some limitation to using your sails...plus at least part of the swing keel down or the boat won't go where you point it. I routinely sail my 36 onto and off my mooring, it adds to the fun and helps sharpen your boat handling skills, especially singlehanded.

Put the main up and luff the main, wait until the boat swings to one side, drop off and trim in and you should be underway.

[Northbeach]

An unreliable outboard will cost you a lot of grief. Getting it tuned up isn’t all that much of a financial investment but it pays great dividends. Doing the tune up yourself is even better; it’s cheaper and you get the added confidence of having done it right as well as understanding the various systems better. With a great running outboard can get off of your mooring and back on dependably. You will be in a better position to render aid to another boater and can motor back in should the wind die without the incontinence or embarrassment of being stuck. For a fairly small financial investment you will gain more boating time, safety, flexibility and reliability. .