I would like to set up my O-22 to single-hand. Does anyone have any thoughts or ways they've brought the lines back to the cockpit?
Single-Handed Set-up
- Thread starter Journey6534
- Start date
- Status
Single handing
Perhaps I'm wrong about this subject, but I've heard guys equate singlehanding with leading the halyards back to the cockpit, and I see it as a misnomer. I've been singlehanding my O'Day 222 since I bought it new in 1986, and my halyards are all at my mast. Actually, I have a roller furler now and I can control it from the cockpit, but as far as hoisting the sail, or lowering it goes, you can do that yourself. Let's say for instance that you're at the dock with the bow facing into the wind. You raise your sail, untie your stern line first then untie your bow line, hop in and shove off. At the mooring, you'd raise your sail, release your mooring pendant line, and shove off. When you get to your favorite anchorage, you head her into the wind, let off the mainsheet, and let it coast to a stop and walk to the bow and lower your anchor. Then you can drop the sail, let off your outhaul, furl the sail, and cover it. At some point in time you're going to need to be at your mast to reef it, or shake out the reef. You may even have to go forward to unhook one of your Gennie sheets from your open hatch or some other obstacal. Okay so let's talk about what would really make it easy to single hand your O'Day 22. I just mentioned the roller furler and I know that they are expensive. I didn't buy mine until just recently and I got away without one for years, only because I discovered that I could handle my Gennie with the aid of an electronic autopilot. So this is what I recommend for singlehanding. You probably have the Gennie winches on the combing, so you're all set that way. My boat wasn't supposed to have them on the combing. I installed them there, myself. If you have a mooring, you should practice sailing up to it and try grabbing your pendant line with your boat pole. I use a 12' extendable boat pole and my pendant line has about five Styrofoam fish trap floats threaded on it, with a figure 8 knot tied at the end. I don't like pick-up sticks, but I can pick up my pendant line with my boat pole everytime, if I'm within reach of it. You should also have two 25' dock lines on your boat ready for use when you sail up to the "T" dock. Sailing up to a dock is great practice, so don't wait until you have an emergency to do this. Why not start doing it now. Your 22 is nice and low like my 222, and you won't need to worry about breaking your neck when you step off your boat to the dock. If you're sailing on a Port run for instance and you're going to need to steer to Port and make a U turn to head into the wind up to the dock, you're going to need to have Starboard bow line attached to your bow cleat and led back to the cockpit, on the outside of your lifeline stanchions. I sometimes tie a "Highwayman's Hitch" to my stern rail so that the bow line doesn't fall off the deck and into the water. Your Starboard stern line needs to be attached to the stern cleat, and the lines need to be where you can grab them as you step on to the dock. This maneuver isn't very easy on an O'Day 25, but it's down right simple on a 22 or a 222 because these boats can handle like a daysailer. Actually, our boats are considered daysailers anyway, even though I spent three days on my boat this week. I consider my boat a capable pocket cruiser. So these are my thoughts on singlehanding. If you feel that you need the halyards lead back to the cockpit, go for it, but my mainsail doesn't always drop all the way down when I let off the main halyard, and I sometime need to pull the sail down, but I'm at the mast anyway, so it's really not a problem.
Perhaps I'm wrong about this subject, but I've heard guys equate singlehanding with leading the halyards back to the cockpit, and I see it as a misnomer. I've been singlehanding my O'Day 222 since I bought it new in 1986, and my halyards are all at my mast. Actually, I have a roller furler now and I can control it from the cockpit, but as far as hoisting the sail, or lowering it goes, you can do that yourself. Let's say for instance that you're at the dock with the bow facing into the wind. You raise your sail, untie your stern line first then untie your bow line, hop in and shove off. At the mooring, you'd raise your sail, release your mooring pendant line, and shove off. When you get to your favorite anchorage, you head her into the wind, let off the mainsheet, and let it coast to a stop and walk to the bow and lower your anchor. Then you can drop the sail, let off your outhaul, furl the sail, and cover it. At some point in time you're going to need to be at your mast to reef it, or shake out the reef. You may even have to go forward to unhook one of your Gennie sheets from your open hatch or some other obstacal. Okay so let's talk about what would really make it easy to single hand your O'Day 22. I just mentioned the roller furler and I know that they are expensive. I didn't buy mine until just recently and I got away without one for years, only because I discovered that I could handle my Gennie with the aid of an electronic autopilot. So this is what I recommend for singlehanding. You probably have the Gennie winches on the combing, so you're all set that way. My boat wasn't supposed to have them on the combing. I installed them there, myself. If you have a mooring, you should practice sailing up to it and try grabbing your pendant line with your boat pole. I use a 12' extendable boat pole and my pendant line has about five Styrofoam fish trap floats threaded on it, with a figure 8 knot tied at the end. I don't like pick-up sticks, but I can pick up my pendant line with my boat pole everytime, if I'm within reach of it. You should also have two 25' dock lines on your boat ready for use when you sail up to the "T" dock. Sailing up to a dock is great practice, so don't wait until you have an emergency to do this. Why not start doing it now. Your 22 is nice and low like my 222, and you won't need to worry about breaking your neck when you step off your boat to the dock. If you're sailing on a Port run for instance and you're going to need to steer to Port and make a U turn to head into the wind up to the dock, you're going to need to have Starboard bow line attached to your bow cleat and led back to the cockpit, on the outside of your lifeline stanchions. I sometimes tie a "Highwayman's Hitch" to my stern rail so that the bow line doesn't fall off the deck and into the water. Your Starboard stern line needs to be attached to the stern cleat, and the lines need to be where you can grab them as you step on to the dock. This maneuver isn't very easy on an O'Day 25, but it's down right simple on a 22 or a 222 because these boats can handle like a daysailer. Actually, our boats are considered daysailers anyway, even though I spent three days on my boat this week. I consider my boat a capable pocket cruiser. So these are my thoughts on singlehanding. If you feel that you need the halyards lead back to the cockpit, go for it, but my mainsail doesn't always drop all the way down when I let off the main halyard, and I sometime need to pull the sail down, but I'm at the mast anyway, so it's really not a problem.
Salty advice
As always, Joe gives very pertinent advice. I'd considered running the halyards back to the cockpit on my 22 for single-handing ease as well, but didn't after I thought about it a bit longer. For one, there's just not much room on the cabin top to run the lines, mount organizers, winches and clutches. You could, and people certainly have, but it is cramped and this equipment is expensive (check out how much those Spinlock clutches are!). Also, there are times when you can't avoid going forward anyway (which is what I think Joe's rather longwinded point was... just kidding Joe!). My sail will also not usually drop when I ease the main halyard, then there's the business of anchoring. Also, perhaps my mast/boom setup isn't optimal, but when I raise my main I have to be at the mast to feed the sail slugs into the track anyway.
If money were no option, sure, you could re-rig everything and run it to the cockpit. Mount an external sail track with bearing cars, single-line reefing system, topping lift, nice clutches and winches, organizers, etc. You could even add a windlass and drop anchor from the cockpit. By then, you'd have spent about twice what the boat is worth and I'd bet you still have to leave the cockpit to get those gennie sheets off the damn forward hatch!
From a safety perspective, running the lines back would be great... if it worked, but as I mentioned I think some rather major changes would have to be made to be able to raise/lower the main from the cockpit successfully. A furling unit for the headsail would be the #1 best improvement for singlehanding, then probably some type of tillerpilot system. If you routinely go out when things are nasty then make some jacklines and get a harness (though if I were thinking about jacklines, I wouldn't want to be in my 22). If you can store your boat with the stick up and the sail on, then a single line reefing system would be my third priority.
Maybe someone else will offer a different perspective?
PS: just saw how longwinded I got... that'll teach me to poke fun at Joe
Fair winds,
As always, Joe gives very pertinent advice. I'd considered running the halyards back to the cockpit on my 22 for single-handing ease as well, but didn't after I thought about it a bit longer. For one, there's just not much room on the cabin top to run the lines, mount organizers, winches and clutches. You could, and people certainly have, but it is cramped and this equipment is expensive (check out how much those Spinlock clutches are!). Also, there are times when you can't avoid going forward anyway (which is what I think Joe's rather longwinded point was... just kidding Joe!). My sail will also not usually drop when I ease the main halyard, then there's the business of anchoring. Also, perhaps my mast/boom setup isn't optimal, but when I raise my main I have to be at the mast to feed the sail slugs into the track anyway.
If money were no option, sure, you could re-rig everything and run it to the cockpit. Mount an external sail track with bearing cars, single-line reefing system, topping lift, nice clutches and winches, organizers, etc. You could even add a windlass and drop anchor from the cockpit. By then, you'd have spent about twice what the boat is worth and I'd bet you still have to leave the cockpit to get those gennie sheets off the damn forward hatch!
From a safety perspective, running the lines back would be great... if it worked, but as I mentioned I think some rather major changes would have to be made to be able to raise/lower the main from the cockpit successfully. A furling unit for the headsail would be the #1 best improvement for singlehanding, then probably some type of tillerpilot system. If you routinely go out when things are nasty then make some jacklines and get a harness (though if I were thinking about jacklines, I wouldn't want to be in my 22). If you can store your boat with the stick up and the sail on, then a single line reefing system would be my third priority.
Maybe someone else will offer a different perspective?
PS: just saw how longwinded I got... that'll teach me to poke fun at Joe
Fair winds,
The perfect solution!
The perfect solution would be to buy an O'Day 272 LE. This boat has everything led back to the cockpit. You name it. It has the halyards, topping lift, reefing lines, and Main sheet lines all coming over the cabin on both sides of the companionway hatch. It has a wing keel and plenty of spacious room down below, wheel steering, inboard Diesel engine. It probably has a roller furler, so you only need the autopilot and your right in business. You're still going to need to raise and lower your anchor, cover and uncover your sail, and it might be a little difficult to dock single handed. I delivered a 272 up from the Cape last years. It wasn't the LE though. It had tiller steering and an outboard engine. My friend picked it up real cheap. One of our members has an O'Day 27 for sale. He's only asking about $2500.00 for it. He was out sailing it by himself last week and it can be singlehanded too. I promise not to be too windy on this subject Josh. Sailboats are a trade off. My advise is to use your boat a lot and become acquainted with it the way it is. Then slowly decide what you need to make it easier and faster to sail. Set your priorities first and take it from there.
Ahoy!
Joe
The perfect solution would be to buy an O'Day 272 LE. This boat has everything led back to the cockpit. You name it. It has the halyards, topping lift, reefing lines, and Main sheet lines all coming over the cabin on both sides of the companionway hatch. It has a wing keel and plenty of spacious room down below, wheel steering, inboard Diesel engine. It probably has a roller furler, so you only need the autopilot and your right in business. You're still going to need to raise and lower your anchor, cover and uncover your sail, and it might be a little difficult to dock single handed. I delivered a 272 up from the Cape last years. It wasn't the LE though. It had tiller steering and an outboard engine. My friend picked it up real cheap. One of our members has an O'Day 27 for sale. He's only asking about $2500.00 for it. He was out sailing it by himself last week and it can be singlehanded too. I promise not to be too windy on this subject Josh. Sailboats are a trade off. My advise is to use your boat a lot and become acquainted with it the way it is. Then slowly decide what you need to make it easier and faster to sail. Set your priorities first and take it from there.
Ahoy!
Joe
Some Further Thoughts
Josh/Joe-
Thanks for the time and insightful comments--very much appreciated.
As for bringing the halyards back to the cockpit, I'm actually not a fan. I've stared at my cabin top and tried to envision how it cold be done. Seems to me it would get very cluttered so it's encouraging to hear that someone else isn't high on the idea as well.
Maybe it's the way I've been thinking abut this. When I sailed Rhodes I would turn into the wind 1-2 boat lengths ahead and drift in. Now that I have the O-22 I like to motor in. One of my biggest challenges has been the keeping the boat in irons long enough to douse the jib or start the outboard. The main hasn't been a problem; it drops pretty quickly into the companionway. The 110-jib on the other seems to only want to drop about halfway down the forestay; still enough to turn the boat around. Maybe I should go back to the old days and drift in like I did on the R-19.
Single-handing seems to take a bit more planning. For example, if you're going to anchor it needs to be set up before you depart. Maybe what I'll do is have my son or wife come out with me but let me set up, sail, and moor as if I were alone.
Happy to hear anyone else's thoughts.
Josh: Your blog is great. I love what you did with the refurb; she looks great.
Josh/Joe-
Thanks for the time and insightful comments--very much appreciated.
As for bringing the halyards back to the cockpit, I'm actually not a fan. I've stared at my cabin top and tried to envision how it cold be done. Seems to me it would get very cluttered so it's encouraging to hear that someone else isn't high on the idea as well.
Maybe it's the way I've been thinking abut this. When I sailed Rhodes I would turn into the wind 1-2 boat lengths ahead and drift in. Now that I have the O-22 I like to motor in. One of my biggest challenges has been the keeping the boat in irons long enough to douse the jib or start the outboard. The main hasn't been a problem; it drops pretty quickly into the companionway. The 110-jib on the other seems to only want to drop about halfway down the forestay; still enough to turn the boat around. Maybe I should go back to the old days and drift in like I did on the R-19.
Single-handing seems to take a bit more planning. For example, if you're going to anchor it needs to be set up before you depart. Maybe what I'll do is have my son or wife come out with me but let me set up, sail, and moor as if I were alone.
Happy to hear anyone else's thoughts.
Josh: Your blog is great. I love what you did with the refurb; she looks great.
Single handing
Okay. So what you can use is an autopilot and a down haul for the Jib or Gennie. For anchoring, I suggest a bow roller. With the autopilot, you could get away without the Jib Down haul, because you could get the Gennie down and out of the way while she's sailing to the anchorage. Perhaps you can unhook the anchor holder and have it ready to roll off the roller once you get to the spot where you want to anchor. With the Gennie out of the way, (and I used to bag it to my fore stay), you can come up into the wind with your Main sheet let off and coast to a stop, walk to the bow and cast the anchor off. pay off enough line and she'll stay into the wind luffing. Then let your sail down. It's that easy. The real reason why I don't like halyards led back to the cockpit? You let your Main off, but it doesn't come all the way down. Now you have to get on the cabin a pull the main down the rest of the way but it gets stuck. You look at the rope clutch and it has a tangled kink in the halyard. So you straighten that out and what a pain in the butt that is! It was bad enough when my Jib halyard used to exit out the bottom of my mast over a small sheave and it would get caught every time I tried to get my Gennie down. Now it exits out of my mast near the main halyard. So here's a picture of my bow roller. I'm using an aluminum Fortress anchor for my main anchor that my late pal Walter gave me when he sold his Chris Craft 24. It's a great holding anchor and I love it.
Joe
Okay. So what you can use is an autopilot and a down haul for the Jib or Gennie. For anchoring, I suggest a bow roller. With the autopilot, you could get away without the Jib Down haul, because you could get the Gennie down and out of the way while she's sailing to the anchorage. Perhaps you can unhook the anchor holder and have it ready to roll off the roller once you get to the spot where you want to anchor. With the Gennie out of the way, (and I used to bag it to my fore stay), you can come up into the wind with your Main sheet let off and coast to a stop, walk to the bow and cast the anchor off. pay off enough line and she'll stay into the wind luffing. Then let your sail down. It's that easy. The real reason why I don't like halyards led back to the cockpit? You let your Main off, but it doesn't come all the way down. Now you have to get on the cabin a pull the main down the rest of the way but it gets stuck. You look at the rope clutch and it has a tangled kink in the halyard. So you straighten that out and what a pain in the butt that is! It was bad enough when my Jib halyard used to exit out the bottom of my mast over a small sheave and it would get caught every time I tried to get my Gennie down. Now it exits out of my mast near the main halyard. So here's a picture of my bow roller. I'm using an aluminum Fortress anchor for my main anchor that my late pal Walter gave me when he sold his Chris Craft 24. It's a great holding anchor and I love it.
Joe
Single handing reply
I think that I've come to the conclusion that the best way to single hand any sailboat of manageable size is to have a roller furler and an electronic autopilot. If a roller furler is out of the question right now, then the autopilot will suffice.
Joe
I think that I've come to the conclusion that the best way to single hand any sailboat of manageable size is to have a roller furler and an electronic autopilot. If a roller furler is out of the question right now, then the autopilot will suffice.
Joe
Furler furler furler
Journey,
Can't talk enough about how nice a roller furling headsail is. I can't imagine why your jib wouldn't drop all the way though. Do the hanks just catch on something? If so, maybe some type of durable teflon/silicon spray on the hanks and/or forestay would cure that ill. Perhaps the halyard itself succumbs to friction? In which case you might need to service or replace the sheaves at the masthead. In my experience a hanked on jib always come crashing to the deck when the halyard is released. Maybe your jib is just so new and crispy that it stands up by itself! Hahaha, don't we all wish.
Glad you enjoyed the blog. I'm afraid I've not been keeping up with it very much recently. I'm in grad school and there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day.
Fair winds,
Josh
Journey,
Can't talk enough about how nice a roller furling headsail is. I can't imagine why your jib wouldn't drop all the way though. Do the hanks just catch on something? If so, maybe some type of durable teflon/silicon spray on the hanks and/or forestay would cure that ill. Perhaps the halyard itself succumbs to friction? In which case you might need to service or replace the sheaves at the masthead. In my experience a hanked on jib always come crashing to the deck when the halyard is released. Maybe your jib is just so new and crispy that it stands up by itself! Hahaha, don't we all wish.
Glad you enjoyed the blog. I'm afraid I've not been keeping up with it very much recently. I'm in grad school and there just doesn't seem to be enough time in the day.
Fair winds,
Josh
- Status