A "Single Hander"?
- Thread starter Coastie
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Stu, many, many thanks. The "links" were excellent. Thank you for taking your time to help me.
Coastie
Coastie
Justsomeguy, many, many thanks. A great link and download. I really can't thank you enough. I have also bookmarked to page so that I can learn about the society.
Les, I really can't thank you enough. Good suggestions, from an experienced sailor, are like gold nuggets. Many, many thanks. Bright Blessings to you and yours.
Re: Your abilities
Thank you, Nice N Easy. I will take your advice and insure an AP is on my new boat (new to me, if you will). I also appreciate the advice on finding what is right for me.
Thank you, Nice N Easy. I will take your advice and insure an AP is on my new boat (new to me, if you will). I also appreciate the advice on finding what is right for me.
It does?
4000 miles of Maine and a bit of Canada in the last two seasons, 90% of it singlehanded, and I don't have any of those things.
This boat is a great singlehander.
Hunter Vision 32 or Freedom
I had a Hunter Vision 32 (free-standing mast) and it was by far the easiest boat to single hand. I had a 26' Thunderbird sloop, a 27 O'Day and a 28 Columbia before it and it was easier than all of them, except for the dinghies. as everyone said, a good AP is important. I do singlehand my Hunter 40.5, but I'm at your same age and my wife gets a bit antsy when I do.
I had a Hunter Vision 32 (free-standing mast) and it was by far the easiest boat to single hand. I had a 26' Thunderbird sloop, a 27 O'Day and a 28 Columbia before it and it was easier than all of them, except for the dinghies. as everyone said, a good AP is important. I do singlehand my Hunter 40.5, but I'm at your same age and my wife gets a bit antsy when I do.
Coastie - you need to find your confort level. I am a 59 year old woman. I boughr a seafarer 26 i am very happy with. Everything comes to the cockpit and it does have a deisel inboard and wheel steering. It also has an autohelm 3000. Docking seems pretty easy for me but i get lots of practice. Best advice for docking is go slow. While i agree that an autopilot is great i have also considered the risks of going overboard while the boat sails on. I wear a auto inflate. I have also tried anchoring successfully. I bought a fortress fx11. It put a smile on my face to raise the anchor and then pull the main up quickly to sail off. No engine.Coastie said:
I am just going to keep it up as long as i can. All the best.
I recently sold my Hunter 340 (fiberglass arch vintage), which I used to sail solo almost as much as with crew. It was very easy to sail, with roller furling headsail (110% only), all lines lead to cockpit, traveler on the arch (can't get hit by the boom unless you work at it), auto helm on the wheel steering, VHF in the cockpit (plus a waterproof handheld in a waterproof bag on my belt, for backup), and even the 22 lb bruce anchor was easy to handle myself with chain and three-strand rode.
Self-tailing winches, though I usually just tailed with one hand while cranking with the other. Diesel inboard. Can't think of what else made it easy. Always wore an auto inflatable PFD when solo, and had the vhf on my belt in it's waterproof bag, and never used the autohelm when out of the cockpit. I didn't want the boat sailing or motoring itself to Canada.
The downside was that the main was very large for the boat size, with the B&R rig (no backstay) and a small head sail. 2+2 battens and a big roach. It was a chore to crank that big main up, especially when I was tired. Lazy jacks helped in taking it down, but they can get in the way when hoisting, so I'd tie them back first. But if I could improve just one thing on that boat, it would have been in-mast main furling. It was an option on that boat, buy mine didn't have it. In fact, the seller sold it primarily because she couldn't manage the main, or so she said.
Just some things to think about. Oh, and I'm in my mid-50's. Got a trailer boat this season so I can try some of the finger lakes and the Erie Canal. Miss the bigger boat already. <sigh>
This was my baby. Full cockpit canvas, too. :neutral:
I don't much care for the 'european' look of it (Roger Long's Endeavour a few posts up is one of the best looking boats ever made, on the other hand), but for sailing solo, it was pretty easy, even in some weather.
Self-tailing winches, though I usually just tailed with one hand while cranking with the other. Diesel inboard. Can't think of what else made it easy. Always wore an auto inflatable PFD when solo, and had the vhf on my belt in it's waterproof bag, and never used the autohelm when out of the cockpit. I didn't want the boat sailing or motoring itself to Canada.
The downside was that the main was very large for the boat size, with the B&R rig (no backstay) and a small head sail. 2+2 battens and a big roach. It was a chore to crank that big main up, especially when I was tired. Lazy jacks helped in taking it down, but they can get in the way when hoisting, so I'd tie them back first. But if I could improve just one thing on that boat, it would have been in-mast main furling. It was an option on that boat, buy mine didn't have it. In fact, the seller sold it primarily because she couldn't manage the main, or so she said.
Just some things to think about. Oh, and I'm in my mid-50's. Got a trailer boat this season so I can try some of the finger lakes and the Erie Canal. Miss the bigger boat already. <sigh>
This was my baby. Full cockpit canvas, too. :neutral:
I don't much care for the 'european' look of it (Roger Long's Endeavour a few posts up is one of the best looking boats ever made, on the other hand), but for sailing solo, it was pretty easy, even in some weather.
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Yeah it just seems over kill for a day sailor in the bay to have jack lines and tether. But i will be more careful with the auto pilot.Joe said:
Here's another docking link for you: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6379.0.html
Bringing up the anchor in windy conditions:
1. Get up earlier before the wind does :dance:
2. If windy, I've used the engine to simply motor over the anchor to free it and then bring it up. We have a somewhat cut back bow (see our avatar picture) so don't have any hassle with chain on the bow, but if you have a plumb bow it could be an issue - a friend says he pulls up as much rode as he can and then backs the anchor out. Your boat, your choice.
All the best, enjoy...
Bringing up the anchor in windy conditions:
1. Get up earlier before the wind does :dance:
2. If windy, I've used the engine to simply motor over the anchor to free it and then bring it up. We have a somewhat cut back bow (see our avatar picture) so don't have any hassle with chain on the bow, but if you have a plumb bow it could be an issue - a friend says he pulls up as much rode as he can and then backs the anchor out. Your boat, your choice.
All the best, enjoy...
Someone once told me I should have a foot of boat for every year of age... I have a 50foot boat a couple of years early but only because it was the boat I could afford when I was 45! Isn't it strange how a 50 footer could be cheeper that a 45?
With it I got a boat I can sail single handed in almost all situations, little to much freeboard to pick up a mooring in the river sometimes but I will just drop the hook if it's to much like hard work.
The big compromise is where I can sail with 7 foot draft!
My tips; autopilot, electric windlass, electric head sail furled, main and mizzen in mast furling, two big self tailing winches, safe cockpit, wheel steering on the back of the doghouse so the winches and mizzen are behind me, all sheets and furling lines lead back to the cockpit, good instruments, reliable engine, bow thruster, sensible choice of sail sizes so I don't have to change the to often.
After six years of living with her (and on her) the only thing I plan on doing to improve life is an inner forester with a self tacking jib later this year as that will make sailing up and down rivers easier!
With it I got a boat I can sail single handed in almost all situations, little to much freeboard to pick up a mooring in the river sometimes but I will just drop the hook if it's to much like hard work.
The big compromise is where I can sail with 7 foot draft!
My tips; autopilot, electric windlass, electric head sail furled, main and mizzen in mast furling, two big self tailing winches, safe cockpit, wheel steering on the back of the doghouse so the winches and mizzen are behind me, all sheets and furling lines lead back to the cockpit, good instruments, reliable engine, bow thruster, sensible choice of sail sizes so I don't have to change the to often.
After six years of living with her (and on her) the only thing I plan on doing to improve life is an inner forester with a self tacking jib later this year as that will make sailing up and down rivers easier!
dang -- with only 41 ft i am a lil beeehind.....i best get working on my loa......but i like wide decks and ease in handling-- i got that!!!!!!! with the big size, hydraulic autopilot and manual windlass(electric fail in pinches) i am good----have fun and enjoy!!!!
Anchor Up
Getting the anchor up is not a real big deal, unless the wind is whipping pretty good. Then it may be the best thing to just stay put. One thing you can do if you need to get out when the wind is blowing pretty good, is to very carefully motor in a big circle around the anchor, till your upwind of it. Then use the wind to drift you back towards the anchor, pulling in the rode as you drift. I sit on the aft end of the anchor locker, using my legs as much as possible, to pull in the rode. Don't get in a hurry, just exert enough effort to maintain momentum. You ain't gonna bring it in fast, no matter what you do. When the boat is over the anchor, cleat it off and use the engine to break it out. I usually drag the anchor a ways to wash it off, as most areas here are pretty much soft mud. Also, you can drag the anchor to clear other boats if in a crowded anchorage, or to avoid grouding if the wind is blowing towards a shoreline or shallow.
Getting the anchor up is not a real big deal, unless the wind is whipping pretty good. Then it may be the best thing to just stay put. One thing you can do if you need to get out when the wind is blowing pretty good, is to very carefully motor in a big circle around the anchor, till your upwind of it. Then use the wind to drift you back towards the anchor, pulling in the rode as you drift. I sit on the aft end of the anchor locker, using my legs as much as possible, to pull in the rode. Don't get in a hurry, just exert enough effort to maintain momentum. You ain't gonna bring it in fast, no matter what you do. When the boat is over the anchor, cleat it off and use the engine to break it out. I usually drag the anchor a ways to wash it off, as most areas here are pretty much soft mud. Also, you can drag the anchor to clear other boats if in a crowded anchorage, or to avoid grouding if the wind is blowing towards a shoreline or shallow.
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