Singlehanding

Status
Not open for further replies.
S

Scott Mathey

the fun of it

Several times I have been sailing solo as my wife at times has differant days off than I. In the summer I use vacation days in conjunction with weekend days for several 4 day weekends, I go Thursday morning and Kathy will meet me on the dock Friday night. I enjoy this as when out alone I sail more agressive than with crew. I have learned the limitations of the boat without scaring the passengers. Also when the wind picks up with passengers, I am more confident as I know what to expect and how the boat will preform.
 
B

Bob

Fast way to learn

Sailing is especially fun when shared with someone else, but singlehanding presents unique problems, and what is sailing if not constant problem solving? For me, the current challenge is to work out ways to singlehand my spinnaker (yeah, the boat is a dinky 18 footer, so the spinnaker isn't that big. But the principles are the same, so I can learn something new just about every time out and apply it sometimes to the boat I crew on in races.) And if I screw up, the sail only cost about $100 used. I've learned a lot about setting, trimming, and dropping the chute with a total expenditure of about 200 bucks (the boat wasn't set up for spinnaker originally.) Night sailing alone is incredible - the whole lake is mine. If someone else would pay the bills I'd do it forever.
 
B

Bill Sedgwick

Solo sail but not race

I enjoy a casual sail but I tried to race my Catalina 34 alone once and a leeward boat on the starting line forced me to trim in much faster than I could handle single handed. Had to luff up and lost my good start. Got to keep plenty of space around the boat when single handing. I'll probably do an offshore day race but not the bouys again. I like fighting for a good start but not single handed.
 
J

John Lemke

solo!

I believe sailing solo makes me a better sailor. Each task needs to be carefully thought out and planned when you are saiing alone. If you are on the foredeck, it is too late to think of something in the cockpit that needs to be done first, and no one is back aft to do what you forgot. Mr. Vandiver seems to feel that all solo sailors are hazards. I would rather be surrounded on the water by sailors who are skillfull enough to singlehand. Spare me from those who expect others to help them handle their boats.
 
D

David Guthridge

Mid-week sailor.

I'm in retail so I work on the weekends and take a few days off during the week.Finding other folks to join me is sometimes difficult. When I was looking for a boat I knew I wanted one that my wife and I and another couple could be comefortable on but one I could also handle myself. After a year of looking I found a Pearson 26 up on the Rhode River that the previous owner had raced. It was fully riged for racing. Came with 10 sails and easly run from the cockpit. My wife often comes along because she loves it to. I single hand about one week a month. I've had as many as 6 guests on board to for a day sail to. Still love to go alone though!
 
J

J. Attard

What is a bridle?

What is a bridle? I haven't been sailing for very long, but I like single-handed sailing best. The main advantage is in my opinion that without a crew, one can just drop the lines overboard and leave. Single-handling and no need of a crew make life easier, I think. My boat is quite small, only 20ft, a Hunter Medina and with the help of a tiller auto pilot and an outboard, I manage quite easily. Regards.
 
M

Mike Dobson

Alone and a stiff breeze

Since our little angel has been about 1 year old my wife does not maintain the same ambition as I to ride the breezes of the Cheasapeake. I would frequently find my self without a sailing partner and a strong desire to be my own captain, for just a little while on a Saturday or Sunday. Fortunatly she was just an hour from the house rocking gently in her slip as I would spot her from a distance. I will always remember her waiting for me to loosen her bonds to that dock and free her for just a little while with me guiding her on another adventure, for just a little while!
 
F

Frank Arndorfer

Good time single-handing

I find myself single-handing about 60% of the time. Sometimes because my sailing mate's schedule and mine doesn't click, but many times simply because I enjoy it solo. I'm constantly trying to adjust this, trim that, etc. to see how differently I can make the boat sail. I find myself trying things that I might not do with her on board. It's all part of the learning experience. I sail a 2001 H340 and have made some mods to make the boat a snap to single-hand. 1. Batcar system and full batten main. 2. Maxprop 3 blade feathering. 3. Replaced all sheaves, pulleys, turning blocks, etc. with Harken ball bearing units. 4. A good autopilot. Frank Arndorfer S/V At Ease
 
J

John Gajdos

RE: Mr Vandiver, A man has to know his limits. Having said that, I singlehand day sail most of the time. I've found that the time alone on your boat on a good day, heck, even a bad day, is time well spent. I've had a few tense moments docking in my downwind slip, but will ease that when I buy the magic device I saw a friend use for his Westsail 28. It was a right triangle of 2" steel pipe bolted to the head of the slip. He used a solid rubber bicycle innertube to keep the line nice and round. He cleated the bitter end to a mid ship cleat and as he comes along side, he'd idle the engine as slow as she would turn, lasso the triangle, licked in a little rudder and came to a dead stop tight to the pier. The slight forward push from the turning prop keeps the boat tight to the dock while he makes other lines fast. Looks and works very easy. John Gajdos C-30 "Chiara Mia" Morro Bay, CA.
 
B

Bob Bell

Enjoy my own company

I sail solo in the San Juan islands off of the coast of Washington State for 6 to 8 weeks each year. I have all lines back to the cockpit on my Catalina 27, furling jib and autohelm for my tiller. Enjoy the solitude, the planning and the daily challenges. Good music, whale watching, crabbing, fishing and cooking good food, a good book and a glass of wine at the end of the day. I'm a retired senior and these days are limited. I'm grateful for each day. Wear a vest every day, no harness yet,but plan to add this Spring.
 
B

Bob

Not on the bigger boat

For years I loved to sail our Catalina 22 singlehanded in the home reservoir. Even in 15 kt winds under reef she was easy to sail, control, dock, etc. We moved up to a Catalina 310 last year and I have yet to singlehand. Once out of the dock, the 31 is as easy to sail singlehanded if not easier than the 22. Reefing is easier, sail control is a snap, engine control is much easier, mainsail furling with the Dutchman is a snap, and the 31 is a lot more stable. That said, I can't imagine trying to dock without crew. Maybe a floating dock with no cross wind, but at 12,000 lbs wet, I can't hold on and tie up like I did with the 22. Maybe that's why we kept the 22 also.
 
M

Mike D

Love to!

Love to do it! Love to do it well. Luckily, our marina is pretty well protected. Docking is a little of a challenge with a tight slip. The tight slip can also be a help in single handing. The furling main is very conducive to single handing also. Mike D s/v Serenity H376 Tolchester, MD
 
J

Jim Farley

Single-Handling

I enjoy the challenge and the exhilaration of catching a fresh breeze.
 
T

Tom Patik

A time for myself...

On occasion, I enjoy singlehand sailing. A simple day trip, or a Catalina Island over-nighter, it's fun to enjoy the sea alone. My Cataline 380 is kind and very easy to pilot alone... or I'm just a darn good sailor...no, it must be the boat! To assure my own peace of mind, (and my wife's as well), I always tether myself to a jackline. I do this from the minute I depart to my final destination. I'll never be a missing sailer statistic! Good sailing!
 
J

John Walsh

Docking is the hardest part...

I single-hand most of the time. I find the hardest part leaving
 
B

Bob Luk

Single handed Sailing

I feel the best part of single handed sailing is the solitude and satisfaction of knowing that I can handle the boat and the challenges that the weather poses to me.
 
J

Jane

Females go solo, too

I single hand a 29.5 in the Chesapeake Bay. Mostly cause I can't always find crew, but I also wanted to know/prove that I could do it by myself. And I just can't stand sitting in the slip watching everybody else go out.
 
A

Alan Barone

Dusabled Singlehandler

I've sailer for many years and even with crew That were inexperianced I handled most of the decisions and now since I have a back injury I need to get out there to find peace and the love of sailing that keeps me alive and overlooking the pain It's the only way to be at one. Most difficult part is reefing the main sail it's best to reef before it becomes necessary.
 
J

Jim WIllis

Single handed ocean sailing,hanesses etc.

I used to work at a high stress highly polical (backstabbing etc) Biotech company in Alamded that eventuall self-distructed (after I had left with a severance!). Becuase of extreme work hours and stress I got into sailboating on the SF Bay. Becuase of the "too many captains" syndrome I ended up single handing my boat (Gulf 32) even going out many nights for a sail to the golden gate and back. After a trip to Half Moon Bay, I became totally hooked on ocean sailing, also realizing that the boat could sort of handle itself! When I left, I wanted to do something really life-changing so told everyone that I was going to single hand to Hawaii so I had to do it! I was very fortunate with the advise I got from many quarters but most of all from a guy I met on a business trip to Atlanta GA who had single handed the Atlantic. He told me use a harness so that you always "fall inwards". Trailing lines, harness, jack lines are all useless if you fall overboard without crew. The drag of the boat and heavy we clothes will make it impossible for you climb back in. I took his advise and made a taugth double nylon webbing jackline down the center of the boat (not the usual high and lo side idea) so that I could "plug in" even before coming out the companionway. On the fordeck, the nice thing was that the harness "pulled you down" onto the deck so that youcould not lose your footing while using poles etc. Usually I also put a second part of the harness lanyard onto a mast step of some other place. The harness was also useful when going aloft. I got a severe main halyard tangle up high on the mast and climbed the mast to free it. The harness kept me fastened so that I could not fall and could use my hands more easily. I still use the harness for this, even when going aloft for changing light bulbs etc (as I have to this week). I learned a lot from this trip and its preparation, including value of weatherfax, emergency rudders etc. If I get to the stage when I can hand off Island Girl to someone I still want to go to the S. Pacific, as I now have contacts in the Marshall Islands. By the way (as a sort of advert!). I had to do an epoxy repair enroute and got gobs of epoxy on the interior and carried no solvents etc. - could have done with some IG pink! Thanks Jim W
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top Bottom