singlehanding a 435 Beneteau first

[h34]

I am looking at buying a Beneteau first 435.
I sail by myself 95% of the time (I have a Hunter 34 now).
Can the 435 first be sailed single handed?
All the lines run to the cockpit but looking at it the winches are far from the wheel. On the H34 I can reach the winches while at the wheel.

Any thoughts are welcome.

Thanks,

 

[Jackdaw]

The F435 is a very decent sailing boat.

That being said, when single-handed a boat that size is 99% of the time driven by the autopilot. Make sure you have a GOOD one. As you note, you cannot sit by either the main-sheet winch or the genoa winch and drive. So don't try.

Oh the one I've was on did not have self-tailing winches; kinda before its day. Upgrading the winch farm to STs would cost $25k easily.

 

[Stu Jackson]

As you note, you cannot sit by either the main-sheet winch or the genoa winch and drive. So don't try.

Jack's right.

Don't be a slave behind the wheel.

I have heard and read of many skippers who "complain" about the location of the mainsheet (if they're "slaves behind the wheel") and that they can't "dump" it in puffs. Or their jib sheet winches are not easy to use when they're behind the wheel.

Get OUT from behind the wheel.

The only time I'm there is leaving and entering my slip.

Having sailed here on San Francisco Bay for a looong time, we get many puffs! My technique is simply to feather up into the wind and then back off, and reef early. And the traveler is a LOT better thing to dump than a mainsheet, and lots easier to readjust.

Since I'm forward of the wheel, it's easy to use the sail controls and the winches.

Think of it this way: if the winches were easy to use from behind the wheel, then when you have crew it would be HARDER to use them.

You might be interested in this, too

Single Handing 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5445.0.html

 

[NiceBeny]

The F435 is a very decent sailing boat. That being said, when single-handed a boat that size is 99% of the time driven by the autopilot. Make sure you have a GOOD one. As you note, you cannot sit by either the main-sheet winch or the genoa winch and drive. So don't try. Oh the one I've was on did not have self-tailing winches; kinda before its day. Upgrading the winch farm to STs would cost $25k easily.

The auto pilot is and will be your best friend and always clip into a jack line when leaving the cockpit, have everything you need ready and close by so you don't have to go below and not keep a good watch. Lots of fenders for the dock because you will be Behind the wheel and you won't have crew jumping off to hold and tie up lines

 

[Meriachee]

Being able to set the AP to steer to a selectable wind angle is a huge step up from normal heading control, and allows a smaller (read: non existent) crew to fly a lot of sail and stay in control.