Careening an Alberg 30

Sometimes when you need to be launched or lifted for under the waterline maintenance it could be very time consuming and expensive. I chose to spend 12 hours doing this for free and not have to put up with marina scheduling and so on. I guess it's in the sailor's blood to be self-sufficient.

To carine my A30, I use the following method:

Step 1

Study the tide levels for the area you are planning to carine your vessel. It is important to take note the levels of the high and low tides you will be using. You do not want to go aground at a point higher than the next high tide mark.

Step 2

I use five attachment points to balance the weight and heel of the boat.

Point a - bow cleat to forward piling or bulkhead
Point b - bow cleat to starboard piling or bulkhead
Point c - mast step to starboard piling or bulkhead
Point d - stern cleat to starboard piling or bulkhead
Point e - halyard to port piling or bulkhead (this line determines the heel)

Step 3

Make fast all attachment points and make sure there is a 5-10 degree heel and wait for the tide to go down.

I have successfully used this method single handedly. Having an extra hand and a dinghy helps very much.

-- Christos Katehis

Offshore Sailing by Bill Seifert with Daniel Spurr

We went to a Windjammers lecture to hear Bill Seifert and I was impressed enough to buy the book on the spot. I've heard a lot of people talk about ways to improve a boat, but I've never heard one person suggest so many good ideas that I hadn't considered. Part of the charm is the specificity of the suggestions. Everyone says you should secure your floorboards, hatchboards and batteries. Bill shows good suggestions on how to do so.

The suggestions are very practical for the do-it-yourselfer, too. Many show how to make or adapt inexpensive solutions. Tip #12 on closing the deck blower vents is one that will pay off for me without ever going offshore. I'll implement that one to stop the wintertime storms from finding their way belowdecks.

Besides modifications, the book also includes advice for operating offshore, cooking, boat selection, dealing with bureaucracy, and more.

Bill Seifert has worked at Tartan, TPI, and Alden Yachts. He's a veteran of many Marion-Bermuda races and now runs his own yacht management company. His tips are born of experience--not of book-learning--and it shows. He obviously knows his stuff.

(Note: commissions earned from this link help defray the costs of this website)

Privacy and other policies

Page last modified: Friday 03-Feb-2023