I haven't sailed for quite a few years and I took my PMD out sailing for the first time a couple of days ago. Sailing the Passagemaker was super easy and fun, but I do have two dumb questions.
1) Where's the best place to sit while sailing her?
My son and I both took turns sitting on the stern bench, but the that complicates moving the tiller. So I'm curious if people are sitting on the floor or the middle bench, maybe with a tiller extender.
2) It there a trick to rowing with the sails down?
With the boom and the yard down, I could comfortable sit in the middle, with the sails to one side, but... my oars keep scraping against the yardarm, making it awkward to row easily. That said, I was doing this with the yardarm still tied to the mast, so that once we rowed away from the dock (or out of trouble), we could quickly raise the sails again.
I appreciate any advice and experience you all may have.
I knocked together a pair of "portable" side seats for my Passagemaker out of some bits of "dimensioned" wood from Home Depot with little rubber feet. Sitting on the bottom is probably better, but I'm getting old and slow and find it more difficult to spring about like a nimble deck ape these days. Having the feet below the hips helps to compensate. The seats can be positioned in or out as needed for trim. See photos here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z2bmcxkorovln3k/AABWkWDoMrEcAn0nSsyDQFExa?dl=0
I think I've described this before on this forum. I can ferret that out if you need more description.
Yes, you need to get the upper yard and boom (lower yard, technically) loose from the mast so they can lay down flat off to one side for rowing. I can usually muzzle the sail to where it will lie still and behave, but some times a couple of ties or shock cords help to keep the wind from trying to turn it into a kite if its really windy. Thus positioned, it does not interfere with the recovery stroke.
Hope that helps....
.....Michael
I made lazy jacks for my passagemaker dinghy. If you pull them up a bit before dropping the main sali, they will catch the sail along the boom and hold the boom up, like a topping lift. Tie the yard and boom (and sail) together. Tie the downhaul down, and pull up on the lazy jack halyards and the boom will go up out of your way. You can secure the main sheet to prevent it swinging. Then you can comfortably sit in the cockpit and row wiithout interference from the boom.
As to sitting, I find it easiest to sit in the floor. The SeaDek kit is helpful here as it gives a bit of cushion and keeps your rear out of any little bit of water that gets in the boat. I've sailed with two adults. It's a bit cramped for the person up front but it's ok.
I do like the idea of the side seats. I might have to try it.
   I had a similar experience first couple times out. For two we settled with each sitting facing eachother on the the hull bottom on either side of the center ‘seat’ that has the dagger board.
Rowing with the sails is also a challenge. If your solo I’d leave the mast up and rigged, stow the sail/spars to one side/under you best you can and ride from the center seat position.
If you have two or some kids the balance is better to row from the forward deck… Which means you can’t have mast stepped. Or row from the middle and just balance best you can.
I was frustrated by what seemed to be a decent size boat sailing so small.