Launch day - she floats - Cruising Dream (TEST)

So, yesterday was beautiful, and finally had time to launch our MacGregor 19...nameless still...which reminds me that I need to send that Pleasure Craft License, which I will cover in a future post.

She floats - right in our backyard

Anyways, I took my sweet time to make sure I did everything properly.

Lower the rudders, warm up the outboard, lower the centerboard 1/4 of the way down, I think, I lowered it closer to 1/2.

At first, I was really pleased with the directionality of the boat, and was doubting what I was reading in the forums. The motor would not really pivot, so exclusively used the rudders for direction. I will need to look deeper if there's anything I can do to direct with the outboard as well, as from what I read she could really turn on a dime by using both rudders and outboard. My outboard, by the way is 30hp, that is considered somewhat low end for a MacGregor 19, I can still blow by other sailboats regardless, not sure if there's enough power to plane her. Maybe next year, I will upgrade to 40 or 50 hp.

Anyways, back to steer-ability, going home meant ducking under one or two bridges. Even though I had measured everything, coming to the bridge was still looking doubtful to my nervous naked eye. So I actually chickened away from 2 bridges, and had to turn-around in the canals of Lagoon City...thats where I really learnt that reverse was better at turning it seems than forward...came close to a few sidewalls, but never touched them....phew.

In the end, at the last bridge, I decided to go for it...we motored painfully slow in case we had to reverse...and it passed by...just as I had measured by...30cms (a foot) to spare!

Phew...my nerves were shot...once docked....a cocktail was in order to relax my nerves....I dont think anyone realized how nervous I was inside! :-)

Now, shes out back, next weekend, I plan is cleaning her insides thoroughly, as well, I want to dismantle the mast and all, and put it back together to learn how that all goes together.

All is well, that ends well