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Bill O'Donovan
Trouble is...
...they would be heroic adventures of blue-water sailing around the world by 17-year-olds. I gather you're looking for something more along the day-trip cruising. Suggest you chat up any old salts for top 10 tips, such as... 1. run all lines to the wheel. 2. run a flat teather line from stem to stern. 3. buy a quality harness and short teather. 4. buy a portable IBRB just in case. 5. dress warmly. 6. practice raising the main yourself. 7. consider auto pilot for No. 6. 8. avoid No. 7 by putting jam cleat on mast. 9. tell the marina or ship's store you're alone. 10. don't do anything up front, like raising the main, until you're fairly close to another boat so you can yell for help. Unlikely, but reassuring nonetheless. You'll savor the experience. The solitude is simply priceless and the experience engerizing. Do remember to come back by dark.
...they would be heroic adventures of blue-water sailing around the world by 17-year-olds. I gather you're looking for something more along the day-trip cruising. Suggest you chat up any old salts for top 10 tips, such as... 1. run all lines to the wheel. 2. run a flat teather line from stem to stern. 3. buy a quality harness and short teather. 4. buy a portable IBRB just in case. 5. dress warmly. 6. practice raising the main yourself. 7. consider auto pilot for No. 6. 8. avoid No. 7 by putting jam cleat on mast. 9. tell the marina or ship's store you're alone. 10. don't do anything up front, like raising the main, until you're fairly close to another boat so you can yell for help. Unlikely, but reassuring nonetheless. You'll savor the experience. The solitude is simply priceless and the experience engerizing. Do remember to come back by dark.
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RonD
Not yet an Old Salt, but
I'd add to the above: a. Practice all the techniques with someone else on board before attempting to go it alone. The real crunch generally comes when you're in close proximity to other boats -- like a dock or mooring b. Learn how to Heave-to in a hurry. It can give you time to think, rest, plan the next move, etc. c. Learn to anticipate the next half-dozen chain-of-events as you're going along, and formulate a plan to cope with each. d. Wear a PFD and signalling device at all times. e. Have a good self-flaking system on the main (e.g., Lazy Jacks, Dutchman). Consider adding a downhaul on your main to assist dropping it in a hurry. f. Don't be too proud to use your engine if needed. It can help you keep the nose to the wind while getting sails secured, or to tack through the wind, or whatever. And, it is probably better for docking & mooring while single-handed. g. Learn to respect Cap'n Murphy! (see a. to f. above) That said, it is a great feeling when you can do it (especially when others are watching & thinking "There's an Old Salt!") --Ron
I'd add to the above: a. Practice all the techniques with someone else on board before attempting to go it alone. The real crunch generally comes when you're in close proximity to other boats -- like a dock or mooring b. Learn how to Heave-to in a hurry. It can give you time to think, rest, plan the next move, etc. c. Learn to anticipate the next half-dozen chain-of-events as you're going along, and formulate a plan to cope with each. d. Wear a PFD and signalling device at all times. e. Have a good self-flaking system on the main (e.g., Lazy Jacks, Dutchman). Consider adding a downhaul on your main to assist dropping it in a hurry. f. Don't be too proud to use your engine if needed. It can help you keep the nose to the wind while getting sails secured, or to tack through the wind, or whatever. And, it is probably better for docking & mooring while single-handed. g. Learn to respect Cap'n Murphy! (see a. to f. above) That said, it is a great feeling when you can do it (especially when others are watching & thinking "There's an Old Salt!") --Ron
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Rick
Single-handed
A pretty good reference is 'Single-handed Sailing' by Frank Mulville, Seafarer Books, London.
A pretty good reference is 'Single-handed Sailing' by Frank Mulville, Seafarer Books, London.
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David Foster
2 great lists - Learn to Heave to
Single handing is great training for a skipper - you have to think through each move, and can repeat it til you are comfortable. Heaving to is critical. For reefing, resetting rigging, stopping to think things through, or just relaxing at ease, it's the answer! Also a great tactic for cruising with the Admiral, or others - clams the boat and crew down right away. David Lady Lillie
Single handing is great training for a skipper - you have to think through each move, and can repeat it til you are comfortable. Heaving to is critical. For reefing, resetting rigging, stopping to think things through, or just relaxing at ease, it's the answer! Also a great tactic for cruising with the Admiral, or others - clams the boat and crew down right away. David Lady Lillie
Singlehanding
I've been singlehanding for a while and I agree with most of the comments posted previously. Here's my two cents worth, for daysailing and coastal cruising... 1) Practice, practice, practice. Reefing and heaving-to should be instinctive. You should also be comfortable docking and anchoring alone. Practice in an area with lots of room (and no spectators). 2) Know your boat. You must know how your boat responds/behaves when you leave the helm, e.g. to drop anchor or reef/drop the main. That way you won't be surprised when you're not in a position to react immediately. 3) Set the boat up in your favor. Lead lines aft to the cockpit, install a tillerpilot if you can afford one 4) Stay connected to the boat at all times; you probably won't be able to swim after it if you fall overboard. Get quality safety gear (PFD, harness and tether). It's probably a good idea to have some way to climb back aboard unassisted from the water. It may be as simple as a folding step through-bolted to the rudder. 5) Be consistent. Stow your stuff in the same place every time. In an emergency you don't want to be running around trying to find the airhorn or spotlight. This is critical if you sail at night. 6) Plan ahead. Think maneuvers through and have a backup/escape plan just in case things don't work out quite the way you expected 7) It's better to be safe than embarassed. If your approach to the dock isn't going well, bail out early and go around again rather than committing and getting into trouble. You don't have a crew to blame/yell at. 8) Have fun. Peter H23 "Raven"
I've been singlehanding for a while and I agree with most of the comments posted previously. Here's my two cents worth, for daysailing and coastal cruising... 1) Practice, practice, practice. Reefing and heaving-to should be instinctive. You should also be comfortable docking and anchoring alone. Practice in an area with lots of room (and no spectators). 2) Know your boat. You must know how your boat responds/behaves when you leave the helm, e.g. to drop anchor or reef/drop the main. That way you won't be surprised when you're not in a position to react immediately. 3) Set the boat up in your favor. Lead lines aft to the cockpit, install a tillerpilot if you can afford one 4) Stay connected to the boat at all times; you probably won't be able to swim after it if you fall overboard. Get quality safety gear (PFD, harness and tether). It's probably a good idea to have some way to climb back aboard unassisted from the water. It may be as simple as a folding step through-bolted to the rudder. 5) Be consistent. Stow your stuff in the same place every time. In an emergency you don't want to be running around trying to find the airhorn or spotlight. This is critical if you sail at night. 6) Plan ahead. Think maneuvers through and have a backup/escape plan just in case things don't work out quite the way you expected 7) It's better to be safe than embarassed. If your approach to the dock isn't going well, bail out early and go around again rather than committing and getting into trouble. You don't have a crew to blame/yell at. 8) Have fun. Peter H23 "Raven"
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Bob
great advice, guys, and
I'd amend Peter's "be consistent" to include fastening techniques - always tie things off the same way, insert pins from the same side, if possible, etc. That way, in an emergency, you don't waste time fignting something that's fastened backwards. And come on, Bill, some of my best sailing has been at night, alone, waiting for the sunrise. If you've never done it, you've missed one of the definitions of 'magic.'
I'd amend Peter's "be consistent" to include fastening techniques - always tie things off the same way, insert pins from the same side, if possible, etc. That way, in an emergency, you don't waste time fignting something that's fastened backwards. And come on, Bill, some of my best sailing has been at night, alone, waiting for the sunrise. If you've never done it, you've missed one of the definitions of 'magic.'
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RonD
Add two more...
to my list & the others: (h) Reef-in early! Don't wait until things get really difficult when wind & wave kick up. The physical & emotional loads build very quickly -- and that's when you make the little mistakes that can escalate into big troubles. (i) Have a quick way to de-power the main availabl at the helm. One great suggestion I saw elsewhere was to run your traveler lines back to the helm. A quick jerk of the windward line can release the main to leeward & instantly de-power the boat. That's important sailing close hauled if a gust suddenly heels you over & you begin losing control. Keeping things under control is the key! Sailing single-handed is not the time to let things go out to the ragged edge. --Ron
to my list & the others: (h) Reef-in early! Don't wait until things get really difficult when wind & wave kick up. The physical & emotional loads build very quickly -- and that's when you make the little mistakes that can escalate into big troubles. (i) Have a quick way to de-power the main availabl at the helm. One great suggestion I saw elsewhere was to run your traveler lines back to the helm. A quick jerk of the windward line can release the main to leeward & instantly de-power the boat. That's important sailing close hauled if a gust suddenly heels you over & you begin losing control. Keeping things under control is the key! Sailing single-handed is not the time to let things go out to the ragged edge. --Ron
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Frank Ladd
Get a smaller boat!
I find that the smaller a boat is the easier it is to single hand. I know with the right auto pilot and rigging you can single hand alamost anything, but smaller is easier. For me the practicle limit is about 30 feet. After that the sails just get to be too big to mive around as quicky as I'd like. Books I like: Self Steering for Sailing Craft - Letcher A Manual of Single Handed Sailing - Meisel Cost Conscious Cruiser - Pardey Everyone singlehands their boat some of the time, but learning to do it really well gives some purpose to my normal Sunday daysailing. Even with my wife aboard I try to do absolutly everything unless she is skipper, then she does most everything.
I find that the smaller a boat is the easier it is to single hand. I know with the right auto pilot and rigging you can single hand alamost anything, but smaller is easier. For me the practicle limit is about 30 feet. After that the sails just get to be too big to mive around as quicky as I'd like. Books I like: Self Steering for Sailing Craft - Letcher A Manual of Single Handed Sailing - Meisel Cost Conscious Cruiser - Pardey Everyone singlehands their boat some of the time, but learning to do it really well gives some purpose to my normal Sunday daysailing. Even with my wife aboard I try to do absolutly everything unless she is skipper, then she does most everything.
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