Hi Gerry, You will LOVE the San Juans, have fun! I almost always step and unstep my mast in the water on my 23. The height from boat to ground is a lot farther than the water and the water seems a bit softer. Not sure what you think might go splash, but I've not had any issues. Also, I think youve got that custom raising gizmo that the owner before Bones made, which should make it even easier. I find a slip and make sure there is ample room to tie the sloop off at an angle so one person can be on the dock to steady the mast in the beginning, then move to the bow for further steadying. Hope that make sense. I'm sure others will have more detailed experiences and suggestions. It's second nature to me after 23 years of doing it! Best. Theo PS: Have fun with the Orcas! On Tue, Aug 8, 2023 at 10:27 PM Gerald Wyatt <wyattgs@gmail.com> wrote:
Hello,
We are trailing our M23 Dhana to the San Juan Islands next week. Larry was very kind to help us with planning and suggested sling launching the boat at Cap Sante Marina. We plan to follow his suggestion, but we have never stepped the mast on the water. The steps we take will be the same, but if any M23 owners have any suggestions or experiences, it would be helpful.
It would be a shame to not take advantage of all the experience out there.
At the very least, we plan to do as much as possible while the boat is on the trailer to avoid dropping stuff in the water....
Thank you,
Gerry