How easy is your boat to single hand and what have you done to improve it? I have a 23.5 that was hard to single hand in the begining but it is becoming easier as I change the gear. What have you done to make your boat easier to handle?
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Ray Bowles
Frank, On my 95 H26 the main halyard was led
aft and I have a roller furling jib. I have the stern rail seats with the tiller extension. I normally sit here and run the boat. The main item I needed was more cleats in the seat area. I made a plate that I bolted into both the rear coaming rails where the standard rope cleat mounted. This plate has 1 cleat on each side, inboard and outboard, and it is bolted on the old cleat mount. The new plate is only 6 inchs wide and allows me to tie off both the main sheet and a jib sheet and makes tacking and jibing something I can do in a clean cockpit area by myself. My main halyard is locked in the line clutch lock and left alone unless I lower the main for very small wind adjustments or to reef. The only other items are a series of short jacklines that I hook my harness to. I also built a tiller lock system that uses the cockpit table leg mount to hold secure the tiller/rudder in a straight ahead direction. This allows me to make adjustments anywhere on the boat that's necessary, if it can be done within about 1 minute. More that that and you do it in 2 or 3 trips. I have also built/put together a number of caribiner/block set-ups that I use to move my jib sheets fore/aft (by as much as 6 feet) and inboard/outboard to match different wind conditions as the 26 came very limited jib sheet options. Couldn't afford the WM prices so I used Ace Hardware items and it made the boat go a heck of a lot faster. I think the quote was "when riding a horse past her I don't think they'll see it". Ray S/V Speedy PS. May the "Best Be With You and Your Family" this season and always.
aft and I have a roller furling jib. I have the stern rail seats with the tiller extension. I normally sit here and run the boat. The main item I needed was more cleats in the seat area. I made a plate that I bolted into both the rear coaming rails where the standard rope cleat mounted. This plate has 1 cleat on each side, inboard and outboard, and it is bolted on the old cleat mount. The new plate is only 6 inchs wide and allows me to tie off both the main sheet and a jib sheet and makes tacking and jibing something I can do in a clean cockpit area by myself. My main halyard is locked in the line clutch lock and left alone unless I lower the main for very small wind adjustments or to reef. The only other items are a series of short jacklines that I hook my harness to. I also built a tiller lock system that uses the cockpit table leg mount to hold secure the tiller/rudder in a straight ahead direction. This allows me to make adjustments anywhere on the boat that's necessary, if it can be done within about 1 minute. More that that and you do it in 2 or 3 trips. I have also built/put together a number of caribiner/block set-ups that I use to move my jib sheets fore/aft (by as much as 6 feet) and inboard/outboard to match different wind conditions as the 26 came very limited jib sheet options. Couldn't afford the WM prices so I used Ace Hardware items and it made the boat go a heck of a lot faster. I think the quote was "when riding a horse past her I don't think they'll see it". Ray S/V Speedy PS. May the "Best Be With You and Your Family" this season and always.
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John Revenboer
My H26 Single Handed
From previous experience at sigle handed sailing, the first option that I had installed on my 2001 H260 was roller furling to allow me to stay in the aft without going forward in rough conditions to tend to the jib. Then the second most important thing was to spend the time to properly rig the standing rigging. It is amazing at how well the H260 sails when the rigging is correct and how poorly it single handed sails when it is not.
From previous experience at sigle handed sailing, the first option that I had installed on my 2001 H260 was roller furling to allow me to stay in the aft without going forward in rough conditions to tend to the jib. Then the second most important thing was to spend the time to properly rig the standing rigging. It is amazing at how well the H260 sails when the rigging is correct and how poorly it single handed sails when it is not.
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Ken Shubert
Where's the jib sheets?
I have a problem reaching the jib-sheets on the H23.5 while holding on to the tiller. The aft cleats are really too far back and then the winches are unusable. Catalina seems to have rigged the C25 much better. My autopilot makes it possible to change the hanked on jib singlehanded and replacing the jam-cleats with spinlocks is a necessity for both halyards. Don't forget your PFD! Ken S/V WouffHong
I have a problem reaching the jib-sheets on the H23.5 while holding on to the tiller. The aft cleats are really too far back and then the winches are unusable. Catalina seems to have rigged the C25 much better. My autopilot makes it possible to change the hanked on jib singlehanded and replacing the jam-cleats with spinlocks is a necessity for both halyards. Don't forget your PFD! Ken S/V WouffHong
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Tom Wootton
Ray, any chance for pics of....
your tandem cleats and jibsheet adjustment rigging? Thanks in advance Tom
your tandem cleats and jibsheet adjustment rigging? Thanks in advance Tom
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Bill Jones
Sailing Alone
The only thing I added to my 23.5 to make her easier to handle alone is a "tiller tamer". The tiller is so tender that I found it necessary to add the "tamer". Sometimes I use the aft cleats to tie off jib sheets rather than the ones located by the winches. I rarely need the winches to secure the jib. Enjoy! Bill Jones s/v Wind Dancer
The only thing I added to my 23.5 to make her easier to handle alone is a "tiller tamer". The tiller is so tender that I found it necessary to add the "tamer". Sometimes I use the aft cleats to tie off jib sheets rather than the ones located by the winches. I rarely need the winches to secure the jib. Enjoy! Bill Jones s/v Wind Dancer
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Mike Pajewski
Get an Autopilot
I single hand my 26, and the biggest improvement was installing a Raytheon ST2000 Tillerpilot. The tillerpilot holds the boat on course while raising and lowering sails, has an auto-tack feature so you can manipulate the sails while it steers the boat through the turn. My rigging, with the exception of adding a furler and lazy jacks, is all Hunter original. The tiller pilot allows you to eat a sandwich, get a drink and get rid of the waste later and still sail safely. On our Summer trip to Door County, I hand steered for maybe 10% of the trip. It was a little pricey to install (about $700) because I had to install an extra power panel, although you could get by with fusing it right off the battery. There are pictures of the installation in the Photo Forum. I also wear an inflatable PFD/harness and install a jackline to tie off to. Mike Pajewski H26 "Loon"
I single hand my 26, and the biggest improvement was installing a Raytheon ST2000 Tillerpilot. The tillerpilot holds the boat on course while raising and lowering sails, has an auto-tack feature so you can manipulate the sails while it steers the boat through the turn. My rigging, with the exception of adding a furler and lazy jacks, is all Hunter original. The tiller pilot allows you to eat a sandwich, get a drink and get rid of the waste later and still sail safely. On our Summer trip to Door County, I hand steered for maybe 10% of the trip. It was a little pricey to install (about $700) because I had to install an extra power panel, although you could get by with fusing it right off the battery. There are pictures of the installation in the Photo Forum. I also wear an inflatable PFD/harness and install a jackline to tie off to. Mike Pajewski H26 "Loon"
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brian
sans electric auto...
tiller control is still the 1st key. (if funds r no issue, i'd get the raytheon quick - wud love to have full auto by wind, tiller and GPS chart controls - and agreed: safety first on every single hand trip). i mfg'd a shortened tiller of walnut and up'd to an adjustable 48" max tiller extension. When on motor, my rudder-motor link is in place
tiller control is still the 1st key. (if funds r no issue, i'd get the raytheon quick - wud love to have full auto by wind, tiller and GPS chart controls - and agreed: safety first on every single hand trip). i mfg'd a shortened tiller of walnut and up'd to an adjustable 48" max tiller extension. When on motor, my rudder-motor link is in place
F
Frank
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