Single Handling my 25

[Ward H]

I single handed my N17 a couple of times. That was small enough that the jib and main halyards could be reached from the cockpit.

With the season getting close to the end and the 25 being new to me, I don't want to take the time to run the halyards back to the cockpit. I want to sail. I will run the lines back this winter or spring before launch.

In the meantime, I have a tiller tamer and roller furling for the jib. However I am wondering about the wisdom of climbing up on the deck to get to the main halyard while trusting the tiller tamer to hold the boat steady into the wind.
Am I being too cautious? Prudent? Foolish to consider it?
Will the tiller tamer hold a 25 steady?
It wouldn't hold my N17. Wind and waves would take over.
Autohelm is on the wishlist but that is in the future.

When I am ready,
What lines do I run back to the cockpit? Main halyard and Reefing line? With roller furling jib I don't think the jib halyard needs to come back.
Suggestions?

 

[kpgraci]

I used a tiller tamer for a season. I sail single handed most of the time. I would go forward and more than once I questioned the wisdom of it. The answer is that the only safe way is to stay in the cockpit, which means running the lines back (which I have yet to do). Since then I have added a auto tiller, which is much better than a tamer, but the basic problem remains. On my 22 I can operate the halyards from the cabin by standing on the seats and I ran a jib downhaul back to the cockpit which allows me to douse the jib without going forward. This setup is safe and works for me. A tamer will not hold a boat steady, its purpose is to take away some of the effort while you hold the tiller. Look into auto tillers - it was the best addition I have made.

 

[Indysailor]

I prefer to unfurl the genoa and sail under that alone until I reach a place to heave-to, which is when I then raise the main. It feels more under control that way.

 

[HukilauMike]

When I single-hand, I use a tiller tamer to control my Oday 23 when I go forward to raise the main. If the wind is strong, the tamer does not hold the boat directly into the wind for long. But this is not the end of the world. Raising the main single handed becomes a multi-step process, but with prep, I find it to be completely safe. First, I point into the wind and set the tamer. Then I set the engine throttle high enough so that wind and waves don't push me off course immediately. I am ready with my winch handle and the path to the mast cleared. All but one sail tie (the one I can't reach from the cockpit) off already, and the bungee cord that keeps the halyard from slapping removed. Main sheet tightened so the boom doesn't swing around. Then quickly (but safely!) to the mast, remove the last sail tie and hoist the sail as high as I can with the main sheet still tight. Then back to the cockpit to readjust course, this time picking a course that pushes the boom to one side. I want to get directly out of the eye of the wind because I have to release the main sheet to allow the sail to raise completely, and I don't want that thing slinging around from side to side when I am moving back to the mast. Once I release the main, I go back to the mast and raise the sail the rest of the way. With the sail mostly raised, it doesn't take much effort to raise it the rest of the way, even with a little pressure from the wind. Then back to the cockpit to unroll the genny. I looked into running the halyard back to the cockpit, but there is little room on the coach roof of my boat, and I frankly didn't want to the work. My "system" works fine for me. If the wind is really too strong for it to work, I sail with the genny only, or I sit at the dock.

 

[kpgraci]

HukilauMike, that is an exact description of how I used to do it. Now with the auto tiller it's like having a reliable helmsman - boat stays on course in all but the highest winds - but fancy gadgets will break, so I think I'll try the jib only heave to next time I'm out, sounds like an excellent technique for use without an auto pilot on in heavier weather when the auto pilot is useless.

 

[caguy]

On the Mac 25 I had a down haul for the jib that was helpful in getting the sail down from the cockpit. I used a tiller tamer until I got the Tiller pilot, you have to be fast and drop the main quickly. Having a topping lift also allowed me to drop the main without having to hang the boom from the backstay, which in windy conditions it can be really problematic. This allows the boom to swing a little as the boat goes off course without binding the slugs (that is if you have slugs), it gives you a little more time.
Adding an autopilot should be the first mod that you do if your going to sail solo. I use it even when I'm with another person because it is more reliable.

 

[HukilauMike]

I am curious to know if the Oday 23 or 25 will heave to with just a genny or jib. My boat heaves to just fine, but I've only tried it with a 100% jib and the full main. My boat's out of the water for the season, so if anyone out there tries it, please let us know how it works.

 

[Indysailor]

I am curious to know if the Oday 23 or 25 will heave to with just a genny or jib. My boat heaves to just fine, but I've only tried it with a 100% jib and the full main. My boat's out of the water for the season, so if anyone out there tries it, please let us know how it works.

I have a 135% Genoa. It can take a little playing to get the boat to settle in, but otherwise I heave-to with just the headsail or I let the mainsail weathervane.

 

[Joe11688]

I single handed my N17 a couple of times. That was small enough that the jib and main halyards could be reached from the cockpit. You probably wouldn't want to stand at the mast on an N17 any more than I would want to do that on a Sturdee catboat I once owned. Believe me. That boat wasn't too sturdy with me standing on the bow because I tried it.

With the season getting close to the end and the 25 being new to me, I don't want to take the time to run the halyards back to the cockpit. I want to sail. I will run the lines back this winter or spring before launch. Before you go to the time and expense of making this change to your boat, try getting used to walking to the mast or to the bow while the boat is under sail or power. An Autohelm would allow you to do this with no problem.

In the meantime, I have a tiller tamer and roller furling for the jib. However I am wondering about the wisdom of climbing up on the deck to get to the main halyard while trusting the tiller tamer to hold the boat steady into the wind. I've never used a tiller tamer to tell you the truth. I get my mainsail up before leaving the dock with my bow pointed into the wind. At anchor when I'm ready to hoist and leave, I get my mainsail up. Then I hoist the anchor and walk back to the tiller and off we go.

Sometimes I get the outboard going forward and have the autopilot steering the boat into the wind. This gives me ample time to get the main up.
Am I being too cautious? Prudent? Foolish to consider it? One can never be too cautious on a boat. One slip can get you overboard and that's for sure but at some point you're going to need to have enough confidence in yourself to be able to go forward to un-snag a Gennie sheet or get your anchor ready to do drop.
I walk all over my boat while she's sailing under autopilot. I use my whisker pole quite a bit and there is no way for one guy to set a whisker pole by himself unless the boat is being steered by someone or something.

I would just get used to walking on the boat. Keep your body low and hang on to whatever you can. There's an old saying that goes, "Keep one hand for the ship and one hand for yourself."
Will the tiller tamer hold a 25 steady? Myself, I wouldn't use the tiller tamer to hold her into the wind. I would just head her up into the wind and leave the mainsheet slack and let the tiller go.
It wouldn't hold my N17. Wind and waves would take over.
Autohelm is on the wishlist but that is in the future. The autohelm should be the first thing on your list.

I'm not sure how your boat is set up for reefing but on my boat, all the reefing is done right at the mast. This includes the topping lift control which exits out the goose neck via cams. I need to drop the last sail slide out of my mast track before reefing my main or it's going to bind when I pull on my reefing line. Try reefing your mainsail with the sail down and then hoist your Mainsail up. Does the last sail slide hang up in the track as you are pulling on the Main halyard. If it does, you may need to drop the slide out of your mast track. What I'm saying here is, all the luff tension near the foot of sail should be on that Ram's Horn not on a sail slide. This is something you need to keep in mind if you plan to run halyard back to the cockpit.

Can a sloop be reefed from the cockpit? Yes with the proper equipment. The O'Day 272 has provisions for reefing the main from the cockpit. There's a thin line on these mainsails at the bottom of the sail that throws enough slack in the sail slides to allow you to reef from the cockpit. There's a name for this set up which escapes me at the moment but it's designed to ease up on the sail slides at the bottom of the mast for reefing purposes.
Myself, I prefer to do everything at the mast. I've been doing it for years and I've become quite used to it. At some point in time you're going to need to walk to the bow and drop your anchor or use your boat hook to fend off something that your boat may be drifting toward.

When I am ready, You could rig your main halyard back to the cockpit temporarily somehow to try it out. If you favor this set up after you've tried it out, make it up permanent.
What lines do I run back to the cockpit? Main halyard and Reefing line? With roller furling jib I don't think the jib halyard needs to come back.
Suggestions

 

[Ward H]

Alot of good advice. I will try HMike's method and work on getting a Tiller Pilot.
I thought the first step would be moving the lines but I see I have other things to work on. Moving about the boat is not a problem, I just want to make sure I am giving it enough respect. Sounds like I am.
As far as reefing, I figured I could use a reefing line on the tack and run it through blocks to take it to the cockpit. Sounds like the rams horn is a better way to reef the tack. Is this due to being a bigger boat?
I've got to stop overthinking this thing and get sailing. I love to tinker and easily forget this boat was sailed for 32 years before I came along.
Weather looking real good for this weekend, told admiral to get ready. Sails up 10am Sat.

 

[Joe11688]

I've never tried heaving too on my boat but I think it's well worth a shot. I've reefed my mainsail out on the bay while she was sailing under the Main and steered with the autopilot. I was luck enough to sail into an area that was protected by a high point of land. All I did was let off on the mainsheet enough to keep "way on" and then do my reefing. I think that heaving too would be a lot easier though.
I would try everything Ward. See what works and what doesn't. My boat doesn't carry as much canvas as a 25 and I can get away with a lot of unorthodox things like raising my sail with the wind coming from aft or pulling my mainsail up tight in order to cut my speed down on a run. Why would I do that last one? I might be trolling for Blue Fish and I need to keep my speed down to 4 knots, or I may be approaching a drawbridge too fast with the wind aft and I don't want to get there before he finally gets around to opening it.
Have a great time on Saturday Ward!
Joe

 

[kpgraci]

Heaving to is a gift from the gods. It really is an amazing thing to do to a sailboat.

 

[SchwarckT]

Here's what I do. First, shut off and raise the outboard after clearing the dock. Unfurl/raise the jib and get the boat sailing on a close reach. Then lash the tiller in place with a bungee cord to hold the boat on course. Cast off the mainsheet and go to the mast and raise the main as it luffs. This way the boat is sailing itself while you are away from the helm and you can take your time getting the main up.

 

[Joe11688]

If he's at the dock pointing into the wind, he's better off getting the Mainsail up first and sailing off the dock as soon as he lets go of the dock lines. Some boats including mine, maneuver better under the Mainsail than with just the Genoa. Where he and I both have roller furlers on our boat, we can get than Gennie up without having to leave the cockpit.
The only problem that one can encounter is trying to get on board without tripping. The O'Day 25s have a lot of freeboard which could make boarding them in a hurry a little hazardous. I almost broke my neck trying to get off a Mac 26 several years ago. These boat are high off the dock too.

 

[Indysailor]

Heaving to is a gift from the gods. It really is an amazing thing to do to a sailboat.

+1
I heave-to quite a lot, to take a break so I can go below to the head, or to stop so the kids can jump off and swim for a while (they just have to make sure to follow the boat!), to put in or take out a reef, have lunch, etc. I prefer it to dropping anchor if I have a little room to leeward.

 

[Ward H]

I'm in a south facing slip, facing into the prevalent winds. I watched my slip neighbor raise his main, push himself back out of the slip and sail away but he has a Mac with swing keel and was able to cross the shoals to get to the bay. I have to motor about 5 minutes through a channel to get to the bay. Then it's sails up.
I'll try the different things mentioned here. I like the idea of try raising the jib, get up some speed and then raise the main.

 

[Joe11688]

If you're in a slip you definitely don't want to try sailing out of there. You're better off motoring out and once you get into a clear area for sailing, motor her into the wind with your pilot steering and then get your Mainsail up.