A New Way to Look at Sailing Your Seaspray?

A SeaSpray as a fast cruiser? Musings on expanding use of your SeaSpray catamaran by Don Snell.

First, your boat trailer could be changed or replaced to accommodate more than your sailboat, because with some thought, bicycles and other equipment like camping equipment might be considered.  The size of the standard Seaspray trailer is likely too small so a bigger trailer with a higher gross vehicle weight axle in the 3500 lb. range with larger tires would work.

A 8 x 16 cargo trailer could hold a SeaSpray or number of SeaSprays with the mast(s) attached on the outside of the trailer or vehicle.  Such a big trailer means a lot of other stuff could be brought along as well.   The thought of acquiring a multipurpose trailer to hold a lot more than your Seaspray might be the answer for some of you with space constrictions.

In today's tighter world with over 7 billion people, Canadians may find their empty space beginning to fill up in the future.   Getting back to our boat trailers and down to earth, consider the possibility of camping/boating with your SeaSpray.

There are lots of lakes and coastal areas in Western Canada as well as the US to consider for such an endeavor.  A halyard sail boat with a small outboard could get you places sailing and powering along with a back pack for camping to places you never dreamed of going with your SeaSpray.   Kayakers and adventure motorcyles are popular today because of this desire to explore.  Maybe, adding an element of adventure sailing on a small catamaran to the mix of recreational sailing and racing is the next logical step.

Where, you say, could such an adventure take place?  Possibly a lake like Buffalo Lake in central Alberta, Lesser Slave Lake in Northern Alberta, Shushwap Lake in BC for example, along with a gallon of bug spray, wet/cold weather gear, camping equipment, bear spray, fishing equipment and your SeaSpray trailer holding two SeaSpray and all the equipment you need for such a sailing adventure for you and a friend.

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Another area are the Gulf Islands. You would need tide tables, charts and all the camping, hiking equipment and perhaps a small outboard motor.  There are a lot of excellent marinas, towns, etc to explore on the coast. The boat can be pulled on shore or onto a dock easily and they say the smaller the sailboat the more it gets used. Bring along some hull supports or even a simple dolly for manhandling the boat on shore. Give yourself a week or so for enough time to cover some ground.

Your boat trailer could become something of an adventure vehicle for sailing and other pursuits, including, bicycling, camping, motorcycle conveyance, kayaking or traveling to the next Seaspray North Americans or Canadian Nationals which by the way the North Americans are the next big SeaSpray happening.   Hope to see you there.

Snell Repeats as North American Champ

Don Snell, of the Newell Sailing Club in Brooks, Alberta, defended his North American SeaSpray Championship in Osoyoos at the LOSC Invitational Regatta.

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L-R: Chris Schuren, LOSC; 1st: Don Snell; 2nd: Rupert Holmes; 3rd: Jay Gardner; 4th: Pam Simonson; 5th: Hamish Ferguson