Advice for a Solo Sailor?

kappykaplan · Apr 25, 2023

File a float plan so folks know where you're headed.

Dil · Apr 25, 2023

kappykaplan said:
File a float plan so folks know where you're headed.

most definitely single sailor or not if no one knows where and when you should be somewhere no one will ever look

kappykaplan · Apr 25, 2023

Dil said:
most definitely single sailor or not if no one knows where and when you should be somewhere no one will ever look

kappykaplan · Apr 25, 2023

Sorry, no recommendations.

smokey73 · Apr 25, 2023

I always wear an auto inflating life jacket when I am solo sailing, even in calm weather. I don't always use jacklines unless I am offshore but I do use them if bay sailing and the weather is brisk. Probably should use them every time. I follow an old Navy rule - one hand for the man, one hand for the ship.

I enjoy the peace of solo sailing.

Leeward Rail · Apr 25, 2023

Go the resources page on the Singlehanded Sailing Society website:

Singlehanded Sailing Society

www.sfbaysss.org

Andrew Evans is a member and an early version of his book is there.. along with other hard won advice from serious single handers.

dlochner · Apr 25, 2023

jviss said:
I'm thinking, for one, I'll rig jacklines and tether-on when I leave the cockpit while underway.

If you have the standard harness/PFD & Harness and go over while tethered, your life expectancy will see a rapid decrease.

And this:

Is it safe to use a tether? - Practical Boat Owner

Perceived wisdom is that if you fall overboard, staying tethered to the boat will keep you safe. But is that the case? PBO’s test team conduct some trials… with sobering results

www.pbo.co.uk

dLj · Apr 25, 2023

jviss said:
I've single handed my boats before, a Catalina 36, and now a Tartan 3800. But now I'm a solo sailor for the foreseeable future, and I would like to think I know what to do, but I'm not foolish enough to rush off without asking for the advice of experience solo sailors.

I'm thinking, for one, I'll rig jacklines and tether-on when I leave the cockpit while underway.

I was also thinking of a personal locator beacon, a satellite and gps based one.

Besides sailing and navigating there will be living - cooking, eating, recreating, sleeping.

Any and all advice is welcome!

Thanks!

jv

Where will you be sailing? Are you coastal cruising? Doing some passages? Sounds like you'll be living on the boat? Full time? Part time?

I've solo sailed for the majority of my sailing. Although currently I'm going to be picking up crew for offshore passage making. I'll install jack lines and be tethered in - all tethers will be set up to not permit anyone to go overboard. As @dlochner pointed out above, that is a formula for bad outcomes. On night watches especially tethered into the cockpit is also required. Again, the tethers will be set up so you can't fall off the boat at all.

Do you have an AIS transponder? Have you heard of polyphasic sleep?

dj

Davidasailor26 · Apr 25, 2023

I wear an inflatable PFD but I don’t routinely tether in. I’ve considered it, and if I did I’d make every effort to ensure the tether wasn’t long enough to leave me hanging over the side.

One key aspect of single handling is thinking ahead more. Even simple things like making sure to rewrap the lazy sheet on the winch after a tack help distribute the workload so you’re not in a crunch to multitask and rush.

smokey73 · Apr 25, 2023

Scary

. I use a short "double line" tether with the jackline down the center of the boat or as close to it as I can. With the double line I can "transfer" the attachment to the jackline around where it is attached along the centerline. The goal is to make sure the tether keeps you on the boat. If it's really rough I try not to go up to the bow or shorten it up even more if I absolutely have to go up there in brisk winds. If you go overboard solo you are probably better off without a tether as there is no one go get you aboard anyway. At that point if you aren't tethered you can at least drift free and hope for recovery or if you are close enough, make it to shore with your lifejacket on. If you are offshore you would do well to have some sort of "personal locator beacon" too.

Stu Jackson · Apr 25, 2023

KISS. Jut consider the edge of your boat a 500 foot cliff. If you go over, tied on or not, PFD or not, you're dead. It really is that simple. I've been doing this since I started sailing in the 1950s and owned my own boats since 1983. All the rest is BS, pure & simple.

Richard19068 · Apr 25, 2023

If not going to far offshore I like to have a GPS/DSC enabled handheld VHF clipped on to my life vest. I figure if I do go over I might be able to ping a local boat or, if not, have a decent chance of reaching the coast guard since their towers are usually pretty high for good line of sight transmission. I feel with that I would likely have faster response than with a PLB or AIS device.

Leeward Rail · Apr 26, 2023

smokey73 said:
If you are offshore you would do well to have some sort of "personal locator beacon" too.

Always good for possible body recovery. give some closure to your loved ones.

The odds of survival if you go over alone, are so small that as @Stu Jackson says.. you're basically done. The only solution is to not go overboard.

@jviss is that why you are sailing solo now ?.

"They were on deck when I went to take a nap"

dlochner · Apr 26, 2023

jviss said:
'm looking into a PLB and a small, waterproof VHF with GPS to clip on my vest/harness.

If you are going to be in near shore waters and in a crowded area, a PLB is not a good choice. The boat that will rescue you is the boat nearest you. Most (all) boats near you will not have the ability to receive the signal. A far better choice is the Ocean Signal MOB1 or their new PLB3. Both of these devices have AIS and DSC which will send out distress signals on VHF and AIS. The PLB3 includes a SARSAT distress signal.

RescueME MOB1

The Ocean Signal rescueME MOB1 AIS Man Overboard Beacon is the ultimate solution for marine safety, specifically designed to aid in SOS situations.

oceansignal.com

https://oceansignal.com/products/plb3/