Crewless

[Sherry]

In the Get Crewed discussion, many have mentioned that finding good, reliable crew is difficult to impossible, so they just go it alone. Give us your tips - both hardware and techniques - for solo sailing larger boats. Obviously auto-pilot would be tremendously helpful, but how do you manage without it? How do you stay head to wind to raise the main? How do you douse the main? I have a Hunter 30, and the wheel is large enough that getting around it to release the jib and re-winch it on the other side while steering would probably be a challenge - havent' tried it yet. Are most who sail solo those who are on larger bodies of water which allow longer runs without tacks/jibes? How do you manage lines at the dock? What if you need to go below for a drink or break? Inquiring minds want to know

 

[Phil R]

I just learned how to heave to

I have a Catalina 270 with auto pilot and I'm new to sailing. I do a lot of singlehanding and am trying to become less dependant on my auto pilot. One technique that I have learned is to "heave to". While close reaching, I center the boom and sheet in the mainsail. I then tack while keeping the genoa on the windward side, turn the wheel to windward and lock it at max. turn. My boat settles in at about 45 deg. off the wind and drifts gently to leeward with no heeling or pitching. Instant calm! Nice for trips to the cabin, lunch break etc. Next time out, I'm going to try dropping the main while heaving to. This technique is probably "old hat" to all you veterans, but a wonderful discovery for me.

 

[Big Windy]

Solo

95% of the time I sail my C320 solo...this year I have been out almost every week and have had crew (in name only) on two occasions. It is very easy, and I actually prefer to sail alone. To answer your questions:- Don't have an auto pilot...don't want or need one. To come about, I move in front of the wheel (after applying some friction to it), slowly turn into the wind, release the lee sheet, move the traveller/main sheet, secure the new lee sheet...all the while controling the rate of turn by reaching around to the wheel. From my position in front of the wheel, I can reach all the lines and the wheel. Most important is to have all lines led aft, therefore, there is no reason to leave the cockpit.- I remain pointed into the wind when raising the main by applying friction to the wheel and keeping enough engine rpm to maintain headway.- Dousing the main (I have a Dutchman flaking system) is normally done by getting out of the wind by getting on the lee side of an island. If that is not possible, I douse it by the reverse method used to raise it.- I sail on a lake that runs north south, with the wind usually out of the south. I do lots of tacking!- If I need to go below for any reason, once again, I friction the wheel...and while below, keep an eye out to be sure I am maintaining a relatively straight course. If not, I go back up and move the wheel accordingly.- When docking...I have a slip with fingers on each side...I come in VERY slowly, cheating a bit to port. To disapate what forward movement is remaining, I put it in reverse, which results in prop walk which pulls the stern to the finger on the port side. I step out and secure my lines...all eight of them.All you can do is get out and play with your boat and try various things...and have fun!

 

[OldCat]

Lines at the Dock

I almost always have crew - but when it is just me and my smallest one, basically it is single handing.To dock: 1. Rig a spring line from amidships (to a good sized winch or cleat), this line will be used as a forward spring. 2. Tie a doubled figure 8 in it to form a loop and lead the remaining end back to the stern cleat. A double figure 8 holds an open loop better than a bowline. This forms a combo spring and stern line. 3. Use a boathook to drop the loop on the dock cleat, the spring stops the boat. If there is any wind or chop - the boat can go back in gear at idle and she will just lay against the dock due to the effect of the spring line. 4. Take the slop out of the stern part of the line. 5. Now get the bow line on, which I pre-setup on the bow cleat, lead outside the stanchions and tie up to a shroud or similar convenient place where I can take it with me as I step off the boat.6. Rig long term docking lines at leisure with proper cleat hitches, repositioning the boat with the lines as needed.Remember to use fenders to keep the beam off the dock.The trick is to get the lengths of the lines correct so the spring stops you before you hit the dock end, and to come in slow enough that you barely have steerage. Use nylon 3 strand so it absorbs shock by stretching - keeping shock loads down on boat and dock cleats.I do this on a J22, but I think it will work on a larger boat as well.

 

[william]

Single-handed sailing

Crewing alone I find much easier, it's really a hassel to go with non-sailors, you create more work for yourself. I have auto pilot on a Cal 33, I run the engine and auto-pilot to hoist sails and for lunch breaks, make it easy on yourself, before you leave have food, snacks, water, close at hand, I also piss off the back of the boat, very refreshing. Plan your meals before you go,

 

[Alan]

Thinking about.....

...a Wyliecat 30. Here's a boat that goes to weather like a sled and downwind without a spinnaker. A true one-man boat that can race in the spinnaker class without a spinnaker, and WIN! This boat can do it all and "no crew needed".

 

[Tereza]

Heave to in shifty winds?

Phil R - I too learned heaving to this season. When single-handing, I can go forward to clean up the main halyard line, stow gear, pull seaweed off the prop, rudder, centerboard.BUT...I sail on a lake, with VERY shifty winds. The last few times I went out, the wind was pretty strong, and being alone, didn't have enough confidence in the stability.I know that the heave to works because the helm is balanced against the back-sheeted jib, but how forgiving is it when hit by a significant gust and / or shift?BTW, here is a video on heaving to.

 

[OldCat]

Heave To on a Lake

Tereza: You are right about the problems re heaving to on a lake - normally I can get the J22 to heave to nicely - but if your hove to 45 degrees off the wind and get hit by a quick 90+ deg header - the boat will tack FAST all on its own. Allowing the boat to lie more off the wind can help - but as you have noticed - enough of a wind shift can still tack the boat. I find that the boat will follow a slow or clocking shift and stay hove too - but not follow large sudden shifts.My view is heaving to is quite safe against gusts - but you need to be able to get back to the helm FAST for the giant wind shifts.If it is too gusty - reef.I hope that helps?

 

[Roger1250]

novice crew comment

A buddy and I were hove to for lunch this summer, moving at about a knot. When lunch was finsihed, I uncleated the jib, hauled in the main and centered the tiller, and within a few seconds we were moving at four knots. My buddy commented that it was just like we had put it into gear from neutral. I thought that was a fitting analogy.Hove to is such an easy configuration to get into as well. Just tack without uncleating the jib, then align the tiller at the same angle as the jib (downwind), and you are hove to.

 

[Rich]

advance preparation for most maneuvers

Sailing writer David Shaw described his secret of singlehanding as preparing every operation in advance. I've found that to be very true, and practice it when I go out. For instance, when coming back to port for the night it makes sense for a singlehander to get the mainsail down and fenders over the side when you're away from the traffic in open water, not while you're maneuvering up the aisles in the marina. Forget the snob talk about real sailors not going around with their fenders over the side; the singlehander is exempted from all of that.The singlehander also needs to modify equipment if it's not working for their process. Lazyjacks for safely dropping the main and extra cleats back at the helm part of the coaming are examples.And for daysailing singlehanded I keep a cooler with all the goodies up at my feet in the cockpit, because finding a way to go below is problematic. The cabin is the lounge you get to sit in at the end of the day, not a part of the boat you can use if you're alone. Still, I wouldn't recommend the pissing over the rail idea for anyone but gentlemen from Cape Cod who are far enough from land...

 

[Sherry]

All helpful except . . .

All helpful advice except the what to do off the rail portion Much harder for ladies than guys

 

[OldCat]

Tereza:

Tereza: I should modify my response a bit given as you have a centerboard boat and not a keel. You ALWAYS need to be wary against capsize - crew weight position and sheeting always need to be watched. Still - experimenting with heaving to is a good thing to do - you will find out with experience how resistant your boat is to going over.I learned how to sail on Lasers in Southern California - in the summer a capsize into cool water was just part of the fun. A small boat sailor will capsize eventually - so know how to right it.If cold water capsize is a hypothermia issue - consider a wetsuit (dry suit is supposed to be better, but big bux). A 3mm waterski suit works well for sailing.Best o' Luck,OldCat

 

[Tereza]

Need a good dunking

OldCat - 100% agree - I plan on dunking her (and me) next season. Have not righted a boat larger than a sunfish.2 days ago, a backing gust on an already very windy day heeled me over so far that the seat rail scooped water in as she flattened back out. While that is not my preferred sailing style, I was thrilled that she did not go over. I should've had either passengers - read 'ballast' (I'm glad to say that I do not provide enough ballast on my own), or a reef for that wind.I always wear my inflatable pfd, and the water temp is still warm. Thanks for the helpful words! I've been learning and re-learning lots from these forums.Cheers.

 

[Roger1250]

drownings

Ask the police or coast guard about how many drowning victims they find with their pants down around their ankles. Pissing over the rail is dangerous enough for us guys; I cannot imagine dangling my derrier over the rail to do my business, ladies. That is why I have a small bucket on board. I actually cut the top off of one of those plastic Tide detergent jugs. It sits at the back of the cockpit as a bailer, but doubles as my single hander john. I feel much safer and in more than one respect, much less exposed.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Urban legend...

There have been a FEW men found with their flies open...none with their pants down. All had been alone on small open fishing boats on inland waters. All had a high blood alcohol count...none were wearing PFDs. They became part of USCG stats because all boating fatalities are included in USCG stats.From this few has grown a legend of all of kinds of people who've supposedly fallen off everything from from a Sunfish to the QE II with their flies open. However, by adding a "pants down" element, you seem to have taken the urban legend to a whole new level...'cuz although I've heard the "fly open" version for decades, you're the first to claim that any were found with pants down.