I am considering the purchase of a hunter 36 and am wondering how difficult it is to single hand. I would be saililing out of the Atlantic Highlands in New jersey.
singlehanding the hunter 36
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If you prep the boat well, and have an autopilot or steering lock - should be doable. I have found that the length does not bother me as much as predicting the weather and currents and whether I have things prepped well enough to match.
To dock, I do not get in a hurry, I use the throttles/fwd-rev carefully, and use a midships spring line as well as three boat hooks one each port and starboard aft, one at the bow. I also have line of last resort and fenders available prior to entering traffic or marina. Reverse most of that to leave the slip. I seldom slip the spring line, until I am 100% sure I am on the way out of the slip.
That being said you never know what will come up, and the old adage of "never approach faster than you want to hit" applies. One of my worst days was, unbeknown to me, when my neutral gear, wasn't it was actually reversing. Made it in to the slip fine, got my midships spring line around the center most pile, dropped in neutral, walked to the opposite side and was preparing to drop the next line, when I felt the bow pull and we walked reverse to now be cockeyed in the slip, but did have two lines.
Now, everytime whether single hand or not, I always shut down the engine as soon as I get one line secured, unless I am reversing to hold against that line in current.
Once out in the river, I lock the steering into the heading I feel most safe in to the wind with and pull up the main, (all my lines lead to the cockpit), once she pulls, I release the lock and let her go, once settled with the main, rollout the jib and OK.
Prep, Practice, and more practice and be ready with plan b is the key
To dock, I do not get in a hurry, I use the throttles/fwd-rev carefully, and use a midships spring line as well as three boat hooks one each port and starboard aft, one at the bow. I also have line of last resort and fenders available prior to entering traffic or marina. Reverse most of that to leave the slip. I seldom slip the spring line, until I am 100% sure I am on the way out of the slip.
That being said you never know what will come up, and the old adage of "never approach faster than you want to hit" applies. One of my worst days was, unbeknown to me, when my neutral gear, wasn't it was actually reversing. Made it in to the slip fine, got my midships spring line around the center most pile, dropped in neutral, walked to the opposite side and was preparing to drop the next line, when I felt the bow pull and we walked reverse to now be cockeyed in the slip, but did have two lines.
Now, everytime whether single hand or not, I always shut down the engine as soon as I get one line secured, unless I am reversing to hold against that line in current.
Once out in the river, I lock the steering into the heading I feel most safe in to the wind with and pull up the main, (all my lines lead to the cockpit), once she pulls, I release the lock and let her go, once settled with the main, rollout the jib and OK.
Prep, Practice, and more practice and be ready with plan b is the key
I have a 2003 356 and my wife seldom assists except when we dock and she puts on the first lines that we leave at the dock. I essentially single hand everytime I go out. I have an autopilot and in mast furling so it is pretty easy. Without the autopilot, I think it would be difficult, but with it is no problem.
I single-hand my H36 most of the time without any problems. Auto pilot of course helps. The only hard part is backing into the slip. it usually works pretty well except when there's sidewind. Doesn't always look very graceful but who cares. My advices is to have good boat shoes because you will run around the boat quite a bit but you won't have any problems single-handing that boat.
Go for it. I also have a 2003 356 and single-hand frequently out of a slip. I believe the 36 should be even easier because the jib winches are at the helm. Jerry and I have to walk a couple steps forward to trim/tack. As Jerry says, the autopilot makes all the difference. You don't necessarily need it that often, but I'm not sure how I'd single-hand without it. I also use the autopilot to tack, with teh 90-degree-turn feature. It works very well. I have a full main, not furling, and no particular issues. When I go out by myself, I rig some extra lines in the slip, from a ring in the center of the front wall to the rear springs, pulled tight. This makes a V that helps hold the boat while I cast off or pick up. Again, no particular issues. Enjoy the boat, it's a beauty.
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