I like to single hand but do NOT like to leave the cockpit and tiller while trying to bring down the main sail in heavy wind. I rigged a "downhaul" using a 1/4 inch line and a block to bring down my hanked-on jib. Is there a way I can do the same for the main sail?
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bat cars and a dutchman system...
...and the main will flake itself via gravity power the moment you blow the halyard.
...and the main will flake itself via gravity power the moment you blow the halyard.
Dutchman
My experience with the Dutchman system is that one still needs to go to the mast and pull the main down even after blowing the halyard. Dutchman certainly makes gathering/stacking he main much easier, but one must still go on deck to pull the main down.
My experience with the Dutchman system is that one still needs to go to the mast and pull the main down even after blowing the halyard. Dutchman certainly makes gathering/stacking he main much easier, but one must still go on deck to pull the main down.
Dutchman and Battcars
As John said, if you have cars on the main battens, the sail will fall like a brick and the Dutchman will gather it up. No muss, no fuss.
As John said, if you have cars on the main battens, the sail will fall like a brick and the Dutchman will gather it up. No muss, no fuss.
Thanks
Thanks all for the quick response and great solution! Time to get rid of those sail slugs...
Thanks all for the quick response and great solution! Time to get rid of those sail slugs...
Before you invest in adding battcars
to your mainsail consider cleaning the track, lubricating the slugs and reducing halyard weight and friction by downsizing the halyard. In some of the big Hunters them mainsails will drop hard by themselves as they are very heavy but your mainsail is quite light and much more subject to friction and wind pressure. Lazy jacks or a dutchman system will help containing the dropped sail.
to your mainsail consider cleaning the track, lubricating the slugs and reducing halyard weight and friction by downsizing the halyard. In some of the big Hunters them mainsails will drop hard by themselves as they are very heavy but your mainsail is quite light and much more subject to friction and wind pressure. Lazy jacks or a dutchman system will help containing the dropped sail.
I use dry lube (Sail Kote, I think) from WM...
on the sail slugs each season to help lubricate the sail track. I normally use halyard hand control as the main drops, otherwise she drops like a rock. The Dutchman system helps contain the main, but because of its size some hand work is still needed to properly flake. Terry
on the sail slugs each season to help lubricate the sail track. I normally use halyard hand control as the main drops, otherwise she drops like a rock. The Dutchman system helps contain the main, but because of its size some hand work is still needed to properly flake. Terry
Heave to - Mainsail first
My halyards aren't led aft to the cockpit. I hoist and drop the sails on my H23 from the cabin top. When I bought her I planned on running the lines aft and may still do so some day but I've gotten pretty used to it now and it is manageable, even when single handling her in winds that turn more robust than I expected when I left the mooring ball. When bringing down your main, or reefing it for that matter, a tiller lock is a must have. Practice the heave to maneuver. Bring your bow across the wind slowly without releasing your jib sheet. Slowly is the key. As the jib starts to back fill release your main sheet and let the main luff. Let the jib continue to backfill and once it does push your tiller hard over to try and make her turn back towards the wind. Lock the tiller there. With the main sheet released she should be more or less parked in position. You can then safely scamper up on the desk/roof to reef or haul down your main. Then, back in the cockpit safe and sound, release the tiller lock and the jib sheet and let the jib come across. Trim your main if you just reefed her and you're sailing again. Else, sailing on the jib alone is doable until you feel like hauling her down too. The down haul on your jib is a great move. I did that too. It is easy to point her high and drop her safely.
My halyards aren't led aft to the cockpit. I hoist and drop the sails on my H23 from the cabin top. When I bought her I planned on running the lines aft and may still do so some day but I've gotten pretty used to it now and it is manageable, even when single handling her in winds that turn more robust than I expected when I left the mooring ball. When bringing down your main, or reefing it for that matter, a tiller lock is a must have. Practice the heave to maneuver. Bring your bow across the wind slowly without releasing your jib sheet. Slowly is the key. As the jib starts to back fill release your main sheet and let the main luff. Let the jib continue to backfill and once it does push your tiller hard over to try and make her turn back towards the wind. Lock the tiller there. With the main sheet released she should be more or less parked in position. You can then safely scamper up on the desk/roof to reef or haul down your main. Then, back in the cockpit safe and sound, release the tiller lock and the jib sheet and let the jib come across. Trim your main if you just reefed her and you're sailing again. Else, sailing on the jib alone is doable until you feel like hauling her down too. The down haul on your jib is a great move. I did that too. It is easy to point her high and drop her safely.
Auto helm
An autohelm is a fabulous thing for the singlehander. Point her into the wind, slow, and take your time. If there are waves, the rudder angle may be more than it will deliver, and autohelms are generally not stable straight into the wind anyway (first one way, then the other); steer ~10 deg to one side, cock the outboard a bit to one side to compensate for waves, and life is easy. And, as others have pointed out, lube it, get it down fast, and get a bungee over it. And wear a safety harness.
An autohelm is a fabulous thing for the singlehander. Point her into the wind, slow, and take your time. If there are waves, the rudder angle may be more than it will deliver, and autohelms are generally not stable straight into the wind anyway (first one way, then the other); steer ~10 deg to one side, cock the outboard a bit to one side to compensate for waves, and life is easy. And, as others have pointed out, lube it, get it down fast, and get a bungee over it. And wear a safety harness.
A tiller lock can help
A tiller lock can help keep a heading for a while, but moving around even a 25 footer will change the balance of the boat perhaps enough to alter course. I used to use a down haul on my older O'day knock-off jib, but the main was reachable from the cockpit. my current boat has slides that I use dry lube on at the beginning of the season(and carry with me each time I sail)and the main drops most of the way without help. The sheets are run back through 2 turning blocks that I also sometimes use the dry lube on and I step into the cabin hatchway to reach up for the last bit of sail before running a quick wrap on the largest portion of the sail before coming back to the cockpit.
A tiller lock can help keep a heading for a while, but moving around even a 25 footer will change the balance of the boat perhaps enough to alter course. I used to use a down haul on my older O'day knock-off jib, but the main was reachable from the cockpit. my current boat has slides that I use dry lube on at the beginning of the season(and carry with me each time I sail)and the main drops most of the way without help. The sheets are run back through 2 turning blocks that I also sometimes use the dry lube on and I step into the cabin hatchway to reach up for the last bit of sail before running a quick wrap on the largest portion of the sail before coming back to the cockpit.
Autohelm essential for me
I sailed single handed twice this past weekend. Sunday was shore to shore whitecaps. I could not have raised and lowered the mainsail without the auto-pilot. I need lazy jacks to make lowering easier. The autopilot helps when I need to go below etc also. On my last boat I tried tying the tiller etc and this works briefly in some conditions. But now I would not consider single handed sailing without an autopilot. Sometimes you need to do stuff!!!! I didn't use the autopilot all of the time but even simple things like moving the traveler or winching in a sail where you need both hands is more complicated without an autopilot. My boat will hold a heading fairly well going into the wind but off the wind it needs constant attention.
I sailed single handed twice this past weekend. Sunday was shore to shore whitecaps. I could not have raised and lowered the mainsail without the auto-pilot. I need lazy jacks to make lowering easier. The autopilot helps when I need to go below etc also. On my last boat I tried tying the tiller etc and this works briefly in some conditions. But now I would not consider single handed sailing without an autopilot. Sometimes you need to do stuff!!!! I didn't use the autopilot all of the time but even simple things like moving the traveler or winching in a sail where you need both hands is more complicated without an autopilot. My boat will hold a heading fairly well going into the wind but off the wind it needs constant attention.
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