Singlehanding

[PotomacDaysailer]

I recently bought a Pearson 26 and have had her out several times. Generally speaking I go out alone; if I do have my wife and granddaughter or other guests along, they are novices.

I have been thinking about safety, my own and other's, if I should happen to go overboard. I have visions of surfacing and watching as my beautiful boat sails away and piles up on the rocks, while I bob about barely visible to the fishers and skiers and tubers blasting around the lake at high speed. To tell the truth, I don't wear my life jacket - by way of excuse, I'm a pretty good swimmer and it is no more than a mile to shore, which I could do easily enough, even though I'm not in the greatest shape. I am more concerned about being seen than staying afloat; and getting the boat to stop so I can get back to it; and getting back aboard - with 3 feet of freeboard and at my age, weight and condition, getting back on without a boarding ladder would be a challenge, to say the least. I have a boarding ladder but it is not a permanently mounted, folding type and can't be deployed except from on board.

I have my sheets and halyards all led aft to the cockpit, but no self-tailing on the winches and no roller-furling. I've looked into self-tailing winches, and discovered that unless I hit the lottery (even more unlikely than usual, since I never buy tickets) or inherit from a long lost, fabulously wealthy uncle, then I'll have to make do without.

To take down the jib I usually put her on the motor with the tiller lashed to keep her headed into the wind - I then let go the halyard and let the sail come down under its own weight as far as possible, then go forward to get it all the way down on deck - that is probably when I am most vulnerable. Is there such a thing as a remote kill switch for the motor? It's a 35-year-old 9.9 hp Evinrude.

So I'm looking for advice from more experienced single-handers. Should I wear a tether of some sort? Wouldn't it get in the way and possibly drag me under? (Well, I carry a knife, so I could probably cut myself loose in an emergency.) Do I need to bite the bullet and just get used to wearing a life jacket at all times? What are some good tips for sail handling and steering all at once? I usually steer with my knees or foot while hauling in the sheets or what have you; I heave to or go on the motor dead slow to run down and use the head.

All replies appreciated!

 

[justsomeguy]

What happens to your boat when you simply let go of the tiller? Does she round up?

Everyone on board should at least know how to stop the boat, i.e. let loose the sheets.

Here's an excellent publication on singlehanding for you to download. A veritable boatload of information.

http://sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition.pdf

 

[Bad Obsession]

I have a fair bit of experience single handing boats.

When I was younger I didn't think much about safety. As I grow more weary, I do make more precautions.

Generally, in good weather, I do not wear a life jacket. If I have a suspicion that it might get bad I will run jacklines. It is easier to do these things before it gets bad and not after it gets bad.

If it starts getting bad the harness comes on. If I go forward I will be in a harness with a tether.

I am not sure what part of the Potomac you are sailing on but I spend a lot of time in the wide part of the river. In that section the waves can get outright nasty and when they go against the current they are really steep.

Try to make ways you can avoid going forward. Having roller furling has been a game changer for me in bad weather. I don't have to change jib sizes, just roll some in. If it is bad I can just roll it up.

If you need to reef, reef early. Assume it is coming if you are getting near the edge. Again, this is a good time to have jacklines and harness deployed.

The last bit of advise is to get a good autopilot. Those things are as useful as another crew member. If you are worried about going over get a remote for the autopilot (that way you can turn it into the wind and stall the boat.

If you start doing the bay consider a waterproof handheld VHF. Have it attached to your jackline harness in a way that it won't come out easily. Also carry a rigging knife with you just in case.

 

[woodster]

bite the bullet and just get used to wearing a life jacket at all times...you could knock yourself out going over board ...then all that expertise will be of no use till you come too ...you may want to have a theater as well with a snap hook of some sort so you can move around when needed

 

[Bad Obsession]

A lifejacket is nice......but having a lifejacket with a harness and being tethered to the boat with a remote to control the autopilot would be priceless!

 

[PotomacDaysailer]

What happens to your boat when you simply let go of the tiller? Does she round up?

Yes, she has just a touch of weather helm.

Everyone on board should at least know how to stop the boat, i.e. let loose the sheets.

Good point, I'll be sure to point that out from now on.

Here's an excellent publication on singlehanding for you to download. A veritable boatload of information.

http://sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition.pdf

Thanks!

 

[Charlie Jones s/v Tehani]

Year before last I single handed from the Chesapeake, around to the Texas coast. Part inshore, part offshore.

I ALWAYS have a harness and tether, unless just simply motoring in the ditch. Offsore I also add jack lines to the bow.

Silly to not do so.

Edited to add- never could have done it, at least not as well, without the tiller pilot.

 

[PotomacDaysailer]

...

I am not sure what part of the Potomac you are sailing on but I spend a lot of time in the wide part of the river. In that section the waves can get outright nasty and when they go against the current they are really steep.

Well I did sail on the Potomac, out of Leesylvania State Park about 30 miles downstream from DC, back when I registered and coined my alias. I was working on a contract in DC at the time.

Now I sail on Ft. Gibson Lake, near Tulsa, OK. One of the prettiest lakes in NE Oklahoma (no offense to you folks at Windycrest on the milk-chocolate colored muddy Keystone Lake).

One thing about lake sailing - no tides! There were a few times on the Potomac I was making 1.5 kn towards the marina but the tide was carrying me away at 2 kn.

Try to make ways you can avoid going forward. Having roller furling has been a game changer for me in bad weather. I don't have to change jib sizes, just roll some in. If it is bad I can just roll it up.

If you need to reef, reef early. Assume it is coming if you are getting near the edge. Again, this is a good time to have jacklines and harness deployed.

Yes, I am thinking about going to roller-furling one of these days. On the other hand I got a fantastic headsail inventory with the boat, working jib, 3 genoas, and spinnaker, all in good condition, but all with traditional hanks and halyard.

The last bit of advise is to get a good autopilot. Those things are as useful as another crew member. If you are worried about going over get a remote for the autopilot (that way you can turn it into the wind and stall the boat.

When I win the lottery and get those self-tailing winches I'll get that auto pilot too.

 

[justsomeguy]

What's the effective range on those remote tiller pilots?

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I sail on a very similar body of water as Ft. Gibson Lake and singlehand frequently. I never wear a life vest on the boat and I walk on deck frequently. I think that a life vest is a nuisance in the water and is a hindrance if I'm swimming. I figure that my daily commute to work and some of my work activities are more dangerous by a magnitude of thousands. So, no, I don't worry about it. I do hope that the boat would turn into the wind before bumping into somebody's boat on the dock. I do take precautions by wearing protective clothing when the water is cold enough for rapid hypothermia, but that is going to be a danger for the months of April or November on our lake. The boat is in storage from late Nov to early April so the window for rapid hypothermia is pretty slim. During the shoulder seasons of May and October, I'm certain that I can make a 1/4 mile swim (or a swim to the stern ladder) before hypothermia is a factor in water that is 50 or warmer.

My attitude is based completely on the experience I have on my small lake. I think that precautions must be based on your specific weather or climate conditions, locality, and physical strength. I've never been a proponent of a one-size-fits-all safety protocol. What makes sense for others may be over-blown for you or me. Your lake sailing experience appears that it would be very similar to mine. In my opinion, the risk in my environment doesn't measure up to the precaution that might be necessary in another environment.

 

[31seahorse]

Generally speaking I go out alone;
To tell the truth, I don't wear my life jacket - by way of excuse, I'm a pretty good swimmer and it is no more than a mile to shore, which I could do easily enough, even though I'm not in the greatest shape.

Hello PatomacDaysailer,

Your words quoted above caught my attention. Many of us are less fit than we would like to admit. Swimming that distance (less than a mile) to shore might prove much more difficult than we might think. Wear the lifejacket of your choice. "Lifejackets Float, People Don't" is a simple phrase to remind us of a hard truth.

We had an experience years ago in the early spring on the Northeast River, MD. As we sailed on a light wind day we noticed a man in an inflatable dinghy that was tied to the side of his boat as the boat sailed leisurely down the river toward Turkey Point. He was actually scrubbing the side of the hull. A lady (girlfriend?) was sitting in the cockpit watching him. I must assume that sheets were cleated and tiller lashed because she was not attending to them.

After watching this "accident waiting to happen" for a few minutes it did happen. He rolled out of the dinghy and the boat continued on its way. Admittedly, both of those people remained calm, but the lady did not know how to stop the boat or head it back to the swimmer. We sailed in their direction and threw the swimmer a float cushion until we could position ourselves to bring him aboard. After being in the water for les than 10 minutes he was pretty cold and shivering. We sailed toward her as the cold swimmer told her what to do with the sheets and tiller. As we came along side he was able to transfer back to his boat.

I have no doubt that a drowning would have occurred if we had not gone sailing that day.

 

[shemandr]

I've got to say that even good swimmers can get conked on the head or injured and end up in the water unable to swim.
My wife was once hit by a F'ing cormorant who dove at her from the spreader where he was perched. She didn't go in the water but could have. She was woozy and disoriented for minutes after. If she went in the water I don't know that I could have recovered her, particular if she was underwater. We wear jackets more often now.

 

[Scotty C-M]

An additional comment about life jackets. I find them quite comfortable. A nice cushion for my back when I'm leaning against something. Modern vests don't restrict my movements. I wear one all the time. You can also go to the inflatable type for more comfort. Try it for a while and get used to it. You might choose to wear it all the time, or during specific circumstances. I sail in cold ocean water, so my needs are different, however even in warmer lakes, a life jacket can make a significant difference if you go in.

For your jib, perhaps you might consider using a downhaul. There are several ways to rig one (look for them on this or other forums), but basically think of a line from the head of the jib - to the tack - to the cockpit. You can take the jib down from the cockpit. Heck, you can rig lazy jacks in such a way that you can reef or set the mainsail from the cockpit too. Easy-peasy - although that might be a bit of over-kill on your size boat. Not leaving the cockpit makes things very much safer, in my opinion.

I agree with Scott T-Bird that you have to tailor your safety plan to your conditions and needs. While I use a teather on my 40 footer, in a smaller boat they tend to get in my way. One thing that you might consider is a permanently mounted ladder on your stern. There are several ways to do this, from rope ladders, to the metal type with a single hinge on the transom, to telescoping ladders ready to deploy. I put one of the latter ladders (little joke) on my stern. It's held in the undeployed position my a line, and can telescope down into the water easily if I am swimming (yes, I tried it).

The most important part of you plan you have already started. You are thinking of your safety and taking steps to prepair for different circumstances. Well done, Skipper.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Get an autopilot, like microwave ovens, you'll wonder how you ever got along without it. Consider it an extra hand and a safety item, really.

 

[sailaway78]

Unless

Unless you are an olympic quality athlete, you will not get back into the boat if tied to a tether. You sill just get drug. I have roller furling so don't have to go up on the foredeck. When I am offshore by myself, and it gets nasty, I use a double tether. Tied to a cleat on both sides of the boat, and not enough slack to let me go over the side.

 

[patrickfarley]

I almost always singlehand.

I always wear a life jacket. I am a very strong swimmer and sail in warm water. I bought an auto inflating life jacket and don't even notice it.

I tie my boarding ladder to the lifeline on the side of my cockpit where I could reach it if I could get to the boat. I have locking clips on the side of the cockpit.

I used to drag a floating line behind in the hopes of being able to catch it if I fell over. I never fell over and have just stopped doing it.

I have only gone off shore out of sight of land once. If I plan to go off shore again I will get a harness and jacklines. I really don't want to watch my boat leave without me. I would like to have a way to shut off the outboard if I fell out but without a remote I don't know how it would be done.

I run a line up the hanks on the jib and can pull the jib down without going on deck. The main will come down without me going on deck but then it makes a mess. If big wind and waves are hitting me it will just sit there in a mess until I am ready to take care of it. I strap some bungees around it and let it sit until I can flake it at ease.

My favorite safety equipment is a good anchor. I like to be able to throw out and anchor calm down and take care of anything on my own time. I have a small boat and stay near the coast. I have only been on lakes and the Gulf of Mexico. Did some windsurfing on the Pacific but that is off topic.

 

[BigEasy]

I always wear my inflatable vest when outside the cockpit, even in good weather. Use jacklines & teather to my vest in foul weather when sailing single handed. The risk is always there, so why take a chance. I have a roller furling jib & main, so most of the work is done from the cockpit. Now & then a sheet will hang up or I may get an override on the furler and have to go on deck to clear it, so I put the vest on. All of the previous recommendations are well founded in reducing your work on deck and minimizing your exposure to the risk of going overboard.

 

[Roadking Larry]

Hello from another Oklahoma lake sailor!

I single hand most of the time. My "new" boat isn't set up with halyards aft yet and I have to go to the mast to raise sails. When I'm out alone I wear a life jacket. I have an auto inflatable and find it tolerable even in our Okie summer heat. Once the sails are up I might take it off as long as I'm not leaving the cockpit but if I have to go on deck it goes back on. I've also drilled my wife and the few other nonsailors thatgo out with me on the basics of stopping the boat, both engine and sail.

 

[Joe]

When I single hand, I always:

Stay clipped on.... a tether and harness are more important than a life vest. IMHO. But I do wear an inflatable pfd because I own one. If you own a tether/harness and a life vest and don't wear them... well, besides wasting money, you're not very smart.

Remember....... the most important thing ever... is to stay attached to the boat.

Rig a "jib downhaul".... it is very inexpensive to set one up and it will make your heasail handling a snap. Besides controlling the drop from the cockpit, the jib downhaul will keep your sail secure on the foredeck .... a great modification... there are articles in the archives.

Invest $500 in a tiller pilot... again...it will change your single handing life. Plus with a tiller pilot, there is absolutely no need for self tailing winches.

Always have a boat hook handy.

When sailing by yourself.... use the headsail that offers good visibility and ease of handling... on my boat I rarely set the #1 deck sweeper genoa... even though it has a big window... it's still hard to see anything to leeward and it can be a handful under less than perfect conditions. I use my #3 blade... 110 working jib, with a high cut clew. Visibility under the foot is comforting and the sail is much easier to handle.

Learn to straddle the tiller and steer with your knees, leaving both hands free for other chores. This technique is very natural and quite useful when turning or maneuvering near the dock.

Finally, keep your horn and waterproof handheld vhf radio close at hand.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

While I applaud the safety concerns that many express, I'll remind everybody that the poster singlehands on a small lake. The thought of harnesses and tethers while sailing on a lake that measures approx. 4 miles long by a mile wide is just plain silly. It reminds me of the cartoon about a guy who coats his entire body in latex to practice safe sex! It's just going a bit overboard don't you think? Sure, a life jacket is nice to have on if it provides that sense of security if that is necessary. Sure, make sure that you have a hand on or ready to grab the hand holds. It's great to be conscience about safety and taking the prudent steps but a sense of proportion is also appropriate.