Singlehanding Big Boats

[Buck Harrison]

Gary,

Couldn't agree with you more... wuss indeed....I have a full enclosure on my 420... wouldn't leave home without it. It gives me great enjoyment to sail (or motor) by an open cockpit boat when the weather is nasty, cold, miserable, etc.,.... hold a beer up to the "hardy" sailors in all their foul weather gear, and toast them (in my dry tee-shirt and shorts).... But more seriously, keeping the elements off the crew, especially on longer passages, is not only vastly more comfortable, but much safer since the crew can pilot the boat without having to be hampered as much by dealing with the elements.... At anchor, the enclosure affords great comfort from the wind, rain, etc... What hardy sailor would ride in the back of an open pick-up truck at 7 miles per hour all day long to go 50 miles in the rain and wind??????

 

[John Nantz]

Pilot House Thoughts

Rain is getting to be a drag. Everyday the weather news 10-day outlook shows rain. Light rain, heavy rain, occasional rain, etc. No matter how they dress it up it's still "rain". Fortunately it's not Alaska SE. There they get something like 280 inches a year, give or take, and you just have to learn to live with it. On our return at the end of August the first real warmth we got was when we got to Campbell River - and this was after 2-1/2 months! The number of days I had a T-shirt on you could count on the fingers of one hand. For long term cruising up north an enclosed cockpit would make a lot of sense. For that matter, even down here.There are a lot of pilothouse boats around but they all seem to be a compromise. The traditional Nauticats have one of the better designs from the standpoint of being able to look over the bow. There is a lot of driftwood floating around and you don't want to get it in the prop so being able to look over the bow is important. Another important item is being able to see your sail trim. Unfortunately, most pilothouse designs have the interior helm just a few feet behind the mast. It would be nice to have the helm further aft but then it would be more difficult to look over the bow.While not as robust, the fully enclosed dodgers provide better visability of sail trim and view over the bow than pilothouse designs but the plexiglass distorts the vision.For the past several years I've been taking pictures and collecting information on pilothouse boats. One of the most interesting models I've come across was one I saw at the Royal Vic YC and it was a new Nauticat design. There were a LOT of really neat design inovations which I took numerous pictures of. Those Finns really know how to think out-of-the-box.This morning as I can hear the downspouts rattle with the falling water a fully enclosed pilothouse with a heater inside looks really good.For that matter, when the sun is out it would be good to have something with UV-protective glass so one doesn't get radiated by the sun. This would be good for both skin and eye protection.

 

[Terry]

Hi Gary, more power to you. I hope the...

Nauticat plans work out for you. Sounds like a neat boat and very capable of meeting your cruising plans. The navy blue hull looks especially grand.Terry

 

[Victor Robert]

Comfort and safety

I agree that comfort and safety go hand in hand. Although its exhilarating to experience the elements for the first hour or two, the next eight hours, not to mention the next twenty days of cold wind and rain can really wear down the crew. I prefer a crew that is happy and alert when living in a confined space and dodging deadheads up there or lobster pots down here. Although a few are out there to prove a point - you see them mostly in kayaks - the rest of us are out to enjoy the sea, the scenery and the isolation from our daily city routine. Nothing wrong with comfort. Just last week we were down the dock trying out our friends' new dual Lazy-Boy recliner on their trawler. Wuss ? You betcha ! Its the only way to go.All this talk of rain, cold, foulies and Alaska has stopped me from complaining about our upper 80's temperatures and lack of rain for a month. Thanks, guys. Anyone up for a crossing to the Bahamas ??

 

[Larry Templeton]

Slip direction can matter

If you're going to be returning to the same slip or have a choice of slip direction, this can be a big issue in singlehanding. We have a predominately cross-wind slip for out 450 and it can be a real handful in a 30 kt crosswind, which isn't all that unusual on a Sausalito summer afternoon. Keeping plenty of headway is crucial. On the other hand, docking upwind is usually straightforward. So, get an upwind slip at your home base and try to get them when you're out cruising. Won't solve all problems, but can reduce the incidence. Also, a bow thruster can make a big difference, particularly in tigh quarters.