In this episode, I roll my 2010 Precision 18 pocket cruiser "Mandatory Fun" out of storage for the first time in over 8 months. I brought the boat home from the marina in mid-September, and she's spent the off-season in the garage. During our long and unseasonably warm Fall, I day-sailed our 1987 Precision 16 sailing dinghy "Boondoggle". The boat gets surprisingly dirty just sitting in the garage. The area where we live is very windy and there's a ton of blowing dirt and dust that gets into everything. This episode covers all the basics of preparing the boat to be rolled out, removing scuffs and scratches, applying UV protectant to plastic and nylon parts, protecting the window gaskets with rubber seal conditioner, vacuuming out the cabin, scrubbing the cabin sole, and charging all the batteries. Links to products featured in this video: - Hanes Cool Dri UPF shirts featured in this video: https://amzn.to/49tXY4Y - WORX cordless tire inflator: https://amzn.to/4vsA0Q5 - NuFinish Car Polish: https://amzn.to/4o14ciB - Armor All Original Protectant: https://amzn.to/4olDAJz - Pledge Wood Oil: https://amzn.to/4vm6prg - 3-in-1 RV Rubber Seal Conditioner: https://amzn.to/4aonmcy - JBL waterproof bluetooth speaker: https://amzn.to/49vsbR5 Disclosure: As an Amazon affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. I greatly appreciate your support to this channel. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 0:38 - Overview of day's tasks 3:04 - Sunscreen and Hanes Cool Dri UPF shirt 3:36 - Preparing the boat to move 4:37 - Moving the boat on the trailer 6:32 - Carrying the mast 6:47 - Washing the boat 7:43 - Removing scuffs in the gelcoat with NuFinish car polish 9:08 - Protecting plastic and nylon boat parts with Armor All UV Protectant 10:17 - Oiling the teak trim 10:34 - Cleaning and scrubbing the cabin 11:19 - Conditioning rubber seals in portlights and hatches 11:31 - Charging batteries 11:57 - Final thoughts and safety reminders Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this episode, I sail back from the shallow north end of Eleven Mile Canyon Reservoir in central Colorado where I was repeatedly fouled by Eurasian water milfoil (an invasive aquatic plant species). As I'm making my way back to the marina, a storm comes in and the winds really pick up. The wind shifts to the south, so I end up sailing to windward double-reefed which is challenging and slow. But it was an exciting sail with large waves (for a lake) and whitecaps. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota and more. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this episode, I sail to the shallow north end of Eleven Mile Canyon Reservoir in central Colorado where I get repeatedly fouled by milfoil, get caught in a storm, and fear I may not make it back. It was my worst, most awful, terrible sail. The north end of the lake is about 2.5 miles long by 1 mile wide and separated from the south end by a string of small islands and rocks that run across a narrow neck of the lake. I normally stay on the south end of the lake where the water is deep (up to 136 ft) and there are fewer boats, beautiful coves and less water milfoil to foul my boat's rudder and centerboard. The north end is shallow, more crowded, and has a serious Eurasian water milfoil problem (an invasive aquatic plant species spreading across the U.S.). The north end is more wide open, surrounded mostly by prairie land, and opens up to the valley that makes up South Park (in Colorado, a high-altitude valley is called a Park). The South Park National Heritage Area was created by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in March 2009. The openness of the north end normally makes for more consistent, less swirly and less gusty winds than the south end. The south end has unpredictable winds because it is closed in on three sides by 11,500' tall mountain peaks. During this worst, most awful, and terrible sail I get fouled repeatedly by invasive Eurasian water milfoil and have my rudder kicked back by large clumps of weeds. As an afternoon storm approached and the winds picked up, I was not sure how I was going to get back to the marina. This video also includes a cool underwater view of leaving the slip and lowering the centerboard. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota and more. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:00 - Underwater view of leaving the slip 1:38 - Sailing plan for the day 2:43 - American White Pelican sighting 3:03 - Clouds starting to build 3:42 - Middle of the north end 6:03 - Very shallow water 6:55 - Getting fouled by milfoil 7:27 - Milfoil everywhere! 8:33 - Sailing with rudder up 10:32 - Locking rudder down 10:49 - I gotta get outta here! 12:23 - Winds building 13:17 - Hove to and reefing 13:47 - Sailing double reefed #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

This is the list of my Top 5 favorite small YouTube sailing channels. These are the channels I really enjoy and inspire me to keep on sailing and making my own YouTube videos. All of the small channels featured in this list are just superb and really should be getting much more attention and more subscribers. Please check out the channels on this list and show them your support! #5 - Conrad Humphreys LINK: www.youtube.com/@ConradHumphreys #4 - Charles Bronaugh LINK: https://www.youtube.com/@charlesbronaugh8996 #3 - Ruddy Duck Sailing Adventures LINK: www.youtube.com/@ruddyducksailing #2 - Southern Sailing Adventure LINK: www.youtube.com/@southernsailingadventure #1 - David Grah LINK: www.youtube.com/@dgrah I also can't talk about great sailing channels without mentioning my overall favorite YouTube sailing channel which is Sailing Magic Carpet. Maya and Aladino produce some of the best quality sailing videos you will ever see. Their sailing, travels, original music, boat repairs and sailboat restoration is a joy to watch and their channel has been a huge inspiration for me and my sailing journey. LINK: www.youtube.com/@SailingMagicCarpet I hope you enjoyed my list of the Top 5 best small YouTube sailing channels you've probably never heard of. If you have small or emerging YouTube sailing channel recommendations you think I've missed...drop them in the comments and I will definitely check them out! Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this week's episode, I head out in the morning for a sail with my daughter on a beautiful Saturday in mid-July. It starts out slow, but the winds quickly fill in and make for some very pleasant sailing. As the afternoon wears on, the winds start to pick up (as usual in the Rocky Mountains) and we head back and call it a day. It was truly a perfect few hours of high-altitude Colorado mountain lake sailing. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing

In this episode I replace a boat trailer hub on my 1987 Precision 16 trailer. The inner seal on the passenger side was faulty and leaking grease. This is my first-ever trailer hub replacement. Up until this point, I've pretty much done every other kind of maintenance task you can possibly do on a boat trailer. Trailer bearing maintenance was the final skill I needed to learn about boat trailer maintenance. In preparation, I did a bunch of research and watched many YouTube videos. But I still learned some new information in the process of doing this job (like don't mix different types of grease). I hope you find this information helpful. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing #sailingtips #sailinglife #learntosail

In this episode, I invite some old friends to spend the day with me on the boat. We sailed for 3.5 hours and covered 6.8 miles with a top speed of 4.5 knots. It was great having guests on the boat and sharing the sport of sailing with non-sailors! Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this week's episode I travel south to Lake Pueblo State Park to watch the first "shakedown" race of the Lake Pueblo Sailing Club (LPSC). Shortly after the race start, severe weather moves in from the west and the winds start gusting into the mid 20s on shore (looked much heavier out on the lake). At least one boat captain I talked to after the race reported a reading of 28 kts on their boat. This was my first time attending a sailboat race and I will definitely be back for more! For more info on the Lake Pueblo Sailing Club visit their Facebook page. I am not a member of the LPSC. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this week's episode, I arrive at the lake during the midday doldrums. I discuss some of the challenges of mountain winds and sailing on mountain lakes. As soon as I finish talking, the winds pick up and I catch some really nice sailing breezes over the next several hours. It made for a very pleasant and relaxing day of sail. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing

In this episode I lay out my entire sail inventory and compare the P-16 and P-18 headsails and mainsails to see if there is any compatibility between them. The mast and boom length between the P-16 and the P-18 are identical, so I was thinking the sails may be interchangeable. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this episode I bring the boat home, unload all the gear out of it, and clean the boat to prepare it for winter storage in the garage. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

Sailing my 2010 Precision 18 sailboat with my daughter on a high-altitude (8,601ft) Rocky Mountain lake. This episode features beautiful 4th of July weekend sailing. As the spring transitions into summer in Colorado there's more clear blue skies, fewer afternoon thunderstorms and calmer winds. This episode features gentle sailing, mountain views, and some chill music. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this episode, I sail through a 36 mph (31 knot) gust on a high-altitude (8,601 ft) Rocky Mountain lake in central Colorado. My small and lightweight (1,100 lbs) Precision 18 sailboat is not really designed for sailing in this kind of wind, but she sailed through it pretty well. I've made several modifications and upgrades to the boat to include adding a second reef to the mainsail, adding a hanked-on #4 (80%) severe weather jib to my sail inventory, adding additional blocks to the factory outhaul setup to flatten the mainsail, and a 4:1 backstay tensioner to add mast bend and flatten the top third of the mainsail. It's also taken a couple of years for me to build the skills for sailing in this much wind. At my mountain lake, 25 to 30 knot gusts are an almost daily occurrence throughout the summer sailing season. To further reduce heeling in the Precision 18, you can also raise the centerboard all the way up and just sail on the shoal draft keel which is a NACA foil (I did not do this for this sail) or you can add additional crew weight on the rail. For more severe weather sailing tips and tricks, check out my video "Storm Tactics for Inland Sailors" available at this link and also linked at the end of the video: https://youtu.be/Hixd4KHzCzs?si=JD8LmcgkB9x9ABwO Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #saillife #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In this episode I cover the recurring checks I do on my two boat trailers. If you're like me and you keep your boat in a marina, then it's a good idea to take the opportunity to do a thorough inspection and make any repairs while the boat is not on the trailer. However, with the exception of bunk repairs, most of these items are easily addressed even with the boat on the trailer. It's always a good idea to have a regular routine of pre-towing checks and annual inspections for your boat trailer. I hope you find this information helpful. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing #sailingtips #sailinglife #learntosail

I created this episode in response to a viewer comment about single-handed docking. In the video, I demonstrate my technique for docking the boat on a long, straight dock and also bringing my boat into my marina slip. On a long, straight dock it's pretty easy and straight-forward. At my marina, there are some constraints including extremely shallow water and a small, shared slip. My particular sailboat also does not turn well to port when the wind is coming from the port side. The boat turns very well to starboard, even against a strong wind. The shallow water around my marina limits maneuverability and also requires that my centerboard be raised, which increases my leeway and makes the boat more difficult to steer when motoring with wind on the beam. Docking at my slip takes a bit more effort. I use the boat hook to grab the lines and the motor to keep my boat pressed against the dock until I secure the bow lines. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing #sailingtips #sailinglife #learntosail

In this episode, I sail close to shore and squeeze a narrow area between rocks. I like sailing close to shore when the wind is light. Being able to sail in constricted areas is an essential boat-handling skill and worthwhile to practice when the right conditions present themselves. In this case, the winds were light and coming from my stern, so I felt comfortable slowly passing through these narrow areas. Would you feel comfortable sailing between these rocks? Do you think I'm taking unnecessary chances? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #lakesailing #mountainsailing #sailingchannel #coloradosailing

In last week's episode, I arrived at the marina to find my Torqeedo Travel 1103C outboard had been damaged by a severe wind storm. It wasn't so much the 40 mph winds, as it was the direction of the winds directly into the marina. According to the marina staff, there were 3-4 foot waves rolling right over the breakwater and swamping all the marina docks. Several boats were damaged and the only other sailboat at the lake broke from its mooring ball and ended up against the shore. So in this episode, the replacement part arrives from Torqeedo. I teardown the Torqeedo Travel motor, install the new part, reassemble the motor and perform a function check. Overall, it was a pretty easy installation, albeit quite expensive. This incident really has me wondering if keeping my sailboat in a marina in this volatile part of Colorado is sustainable. There's a reason this marina only has 12 slips and I've been the only sailboat to ever rent a slip here. Maybe it's time to become a daysailor? Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #sailingdinghy #usedboat #boatrepair #Torqeedo

In this episode, I arrive at the marina to discover my Torqeedo outboard has been wrecked by a severe wind storm. It wasn't so much the 40 mph winds as it was the direction of the winds--directly into the marina. According to the marina staff, there were 3-4 foot waves rolling right over the breakwater and swamping all the marina docks. Several boats were damaged and the only other sailboat at the lake broke from its mooring ball and ended up against the shore. I survey the damage and do a detailed inspection of the boat to make sure everything else is okay. Then I search for and order the replacement parts required for repairs. This incident really has me wondering if keeping my sailboat in a marina in this volatile part of Colorado is sustainable. There's a reason this marina only has 12 slips and I've been the only sailboat to ever rent a slip here. Maybe it's time to become a daysailor? Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailing #sailingdinghy #usedboat #boatrepair #Torqeedo

In this week's episode, I go back to my first sail with my new custom sails from Point Sails of San Diego. In 2022, Point Sails built a custom severe weather (80%) jib for my Precision 18. So with my OEM sails getting baggy, I decided to have them build a new custom mainsail and 100% working jib as well. My new sails are made from a heavier 6oz Dacron for the heavy mountain winds I sail in. The mainsail has 2 reefing points, 4 battens, a custom logo and custom blue and white colors. The working jib is a crimson color and includes leech lines and foot lines. Throughout the video I share thoughts and observations about my new sails and sailing in mountain winds in general. The winds on this day were gusting up to 16 mph. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing #extremesports

This episode provides a basic overview of international maritime day shape rules and use for sailors. Day shapes are standardized daytime signals used around the world to convey important information (towing, not under command, motor sailing, vessel is anchored, etc.) Requirements for use of day shapes by sailors vary based on the size of the vessel, inland versus coastal or international waters, and the specific circumstances (such as anchoring in a remote area versus a congested waterway). It's important for sailors to know the basic shapes and when they are required to use them. Even when exemptions for use exist, sailors can always opt to use the appropriate day shapes as a courtesy to other boaters and for enhancing safety. Subscribe and follow @ColoradoSailing on YouTube for more original sailing videos, gear, boat maintenance, sailing tips and travel content as I sail my Precision 18 trailer sailer and Precision 16 sailing dinghy in Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Wyoming and South Dakota. #sailingchannel #coloradosailing #sailing #mountainsailing #learntosail #sailingtips