I spend the sailing season cancelling my sailing plans because those who say they want to go sailing cancel. I need to rig my Hunter 26 for solo sailing. I would appreciate all photos, references, ideas, suggestions, etc. for what you have done to rig for solo.
Solo Sailing the Hunter 26
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I don't know if I'll be of any help but I'll try. I have a Hunter 27 and I like to sail by myself....great time to think and relax. What I did was sit down and list possible problems like docking (fenders, dock lines, etc), setting sail (getting main out, then jib), being able to manage mainsheet, outhaul, jib sheet, and wheel at the same time (autopilot). Once I had the problems, I looked for solutions.
Some of my solutions were...I lined my slip with Nomar Bumpers so I can come in and hit the dock if I make an error in judgement. No harm done. I bought a WinchRite (this web site) so I can get the sail unfurled-furled easily without tiring (I'm seventy eight). I made sure all lines came back to the cockpit. My autopilot helps a lot for me to work the lines. Actually, the autopilot is sorta fun--hit two buttons and it does a perfect tack while I attend to the jib and the main. We're quite a team.
Problems to yet solve...I want to be able to have my dock lines coiled and ready to deploy when I hit the dock. My bow and stern line has to be ready for me to grab. I have thought about Dock Line Caddies but have rejected them as not feasible in my slip--might work for you though.
My other suggestion is on a really calm day, go out and practice, leaving the dock, setting sails, bring the sails in, and returning to the dock. I did that several times when the wind wasn't blowing and it gave me some confidence.
By the way, I actually like going out by myself now and find it very soothing. At my age, I can use all the soothing I can get.
Hope all this helps. Good luck.
Some of my solutions were...I lined my slip with Nomar Bumpers so I can come in and hit the dock if I make an error in judgement. No harm done. I bought a WinchRite (this web site) so I can get the sail unfurled-furled easily without tiring (I'm seventy eight). I made sure all lines came back to the cockpit. My autopilot helps a lot for me to work the lines. Actually, the autopilot is sorta fun--hit two buttons and it does a perfect tack while I attend to the jib and the main. We're quite a team.
Problems to yet solve...I want to be able to have my dock lines coiled and ready to deploy when I hit the dock. My bow and stern line has to be ready for me to grab. I have thought about Dock Line Caddies but have rejected them as not feasible in my slip--might work for you though.
My other suggestion is on a really calm day, go out and practice, leaving the dock, setting sails, bring the sails in, and returning to the dock. I did that several times when the wind wasn't blowing and it gave me some confidence.
By the way, I actually like going out by myself now and find it very soothing. At my age, I can use all the soothing I can get.
Hope all this helps. Good luck.
Les has some great tips. As for us we've had our 260 for about 5yrs, cruise offshore frequently and the main upgrades for solo sailing in order of preference for me with a 26/260 would be adding an auto pilot, roller furling on the jib, single line reefing for the main, self tailing winches, engine controls at the helm w/engine tied to the rudder, VHF radio at the helm, and for safety's sake training this old dog to wear a pfd w/leash and try to stay off the fwd deck when offshore solo.
Not sure if it's your problem but if your boat is at a dock in the season it's easier to be spontaneous and much less work, but if you trailer each session it'll be a chore to find recruits. I have made a host of trailer-to-launch mods that simplify the whole process but eventually found a dock space in paradise that I could afford and we sail much more often.
Maybe there's a sailing club/marina/trailersailor group you could become involved with where people have similar interests in sailing. We searched the net for trailer sailing groups/clubs within a couple hundred miles and made many new sailing friends whom we get together with often. Either way have a great Summer, be safe and go sailing any way you can.
Mike
Not sure if it's your problem but if your boat is at a dock in the season it's easier to be spontaneous and much less work, but if you trailer each session it'll be a chore to find recruits. I have made a host of trailer-to-launch mods that simplify the whole process but eventually found a dock space in paradise that I could afford and we sail much more often.
Maybe there's a sailing club/marina/trailersailor group you could become involved with where people have similar interests in sailing. We searched the net for trailer sailing groups/clubs within a couple hundred miles and made many new sailing friends whom we get together with often. Either way have a great Summer, be safe and go sailing any way you can.
Mike
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I single hand my 37 with auto pilot. Jib furles but have to go to the mast to raise/lower main and reef main and go to mast raise/lower stay sail and don't have any sort of main sail containment system - it just drops all over the deck. With the auto pilot and some sea room I am comfortable roaming around the boat taking care of business. If I need to go below for more than 30 seconds, I just heave to. Docking is not challenging, because of the slip set up, not becuase of my ability.
I single hand my 260 all the time. Spent a month cruising Ontario once and was single handed 3 weeks of that. I have roller furling which make things much easier. I rigged up a tillertamer type set up for a wheel, which was really easy. Just a small line with a clip at the end and then route it to a jam cleat on the helm seat. I'll get a picture tomorrow for you. On the 260 all the important lines lead aft, which should be done if by chance its not already. Other than that, just practice your timing because the tillertamer thing works but only for a few minutes at a time.
Oh and to the 78 year old who not only sails but single hands.... Rock on dude!
Brad
s/v Kivalo
Oh and to the 78 year old who not only sails but single hands.... Rock on dude!
Brad
s/v Kivalo
I don't know if your boat has a tiller or not. My previous boat had a tiller and to lower or raise the mainsail I would hook a bungee between the end of the boom and the tiller so the boat would always point into the wind while doing this job.
On my 260 I have all the lines are run under the bottom of the boom so they are easily reach from the cockpit. I also turned my vang around so the cleat is under the boom and now can easily be released from the cockpit.
I always leave all my dock lines on the dock set at the right length with the loop end toward the boat, when I come in just hook the loops on to the cleats.
In general my feeling is the real challenge with single handing comes up when it becomes very windy after you go out and then you have to dock the boat alone. If you have the option to call a freind in these situations to catch you as you come into the dock it would make life less stressful.
Good luck, enjoy your boat, Bob
Les ! I have a new role model !!
On my 260 I have all the lines are run under the bottom of the boom so they are easily reach from the cockpit. I also turned my vang around so the cleat is under the boom and now can easily be released from the cockpit.
I always leave all my dock lines on the dock set at the right length with the loop end toward the boat, when I come in just hook the loops on to the cleats.
In general my feeling is the real challenge with single handing comes up when it becomes very windy after you go out and then you have to dock the boat alone. If you have the option to call a freind in these situations to catch you as you come into the dock it would make life less stressful.
Good luck, enjoy your boat, Bob
Les ! I have a new role model !!
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The Admirial and I (both 73) sailed our Hunter 260 (wheel steering) without our second mate (40) for the first time last Sunday. Handling the jib sheets proved to be the most difficult. i am going to install spinlock swivel base camcleats and longer jib sheets so I can control the jib while at the helm. i just installed a DIY lazyjack system. Google, "diy lazyjacks", and click on link to, "skip's lazyjack". I bought 100' of 1/4" stayset clone on ebay for $30.00. I looked at several lazyjack rigs and liked this the best. I have to tweak the rig as the eyestraps under the boom are too far aft. I also strongly recommend Jack Klang's DVD on single handed sailing and docking/ undocking.
H260 solo
I sail mine solo frequently.
I use very long jib sheets. I lock the rudder in place before the tack and step to the winches to prepare for the tack. I wrap the windward sheet around the winch and release the lee sheet. Keeping tension on the lee sheet, I move back to the rudder with both sheets.
I release the rudder lock, tack, and cut the jib over. I keep tension on the new lee sheet until I'm stable on the new course and can lock the rudder to step forward and cleat the sheet.
I use rudder because I've done this with both tiller and helm. The key is to have some way to prevent rudder movement when you need to work the jib sheets, go below.
I also am now wearing a self inflating vest when I'm alone.
I sail mine solo frequently.
I use very long jib sheets. I lock the rudder in place before the tack and step to the winches to prepare for the tack. I wrap the windward sheet around the winch and release the lee sheet. Keeping tension on the lee sheet, I move back to the rudder with both sheets.
I release the rudder lock, tack, and cut the jib over. I keep tension on the new lee sheet until I'm stable on the new course and can lock the rudder to step forward and cleat the sheet.
I use rudder because I've done this with both tiller and helm. The key is to have some way to prevent rudder movement when you need to work the jib sheets, go below.
I also am now wearing a self inflating vest when I'm alone.
I think the 26 is a great boat to single hand if you set it up properly. I even race it solo.
First thing I added was roller furling for the jib. Second best thing was to run the sheets through spinlock camcleats, which can be set or released by just flicking the sheet up or down. I installed them in place of the cleats on the aft cabin top. I never felt the need to use the winches to adjust the jib sheets.
I have tiller steering, and have a tiller tamer device that adds tension as you pull the tiller up a bit. Also have an adjustable tiller extension that can locked in a recess on the starboard seat back.
I use a short length of line with bowlines on each end to raise the main sheet block off the deck about 18 inches. Makes it easier to realease the cam.
Another valuable piece of gear is a boom kicker. It keeps the boom up and out of the way. I never liked topping lifts very much, especially the way Hunter rigged it.
I added a block to the base of the mast, and lead the line from the boom vang through an organizer back to a clutch on the port side of the cabin top, near the jib cam cleats.
For reefing the main, I use a two line system. I have light blocks on the sail at the reef point for smooth operation. The luff reef line goes up from the goose neck, through the block on the sail, down to a block at the mast base, then through an organizer to a clutch on the starboard cabin top.
The leech reef line starts on the boom, up through a bllock, and then through the boom using one of the sheaves in the end of the boom. Exiting the boom at the goose neck, the line goes through a block at the mast base, through the same organizer as the vang, and back to a clutch on the port cabin top.
Everything is neatly organized, and readily accesible from the cockpit. At 59, I prefer not to go to the mast or fore deck underway, especially sailing solo. I must admit that the gang at the yacht club get a laugh when I race solo. I usually stand it the cockpit, steering with the tiller between my legs, and have the jib and main sheets in my hands. I've been told that while short tacking, I look like Ben Hur in the chariot race, but whatever. It works for me, and have won on occasion.
First thing I added was roller furling for the jib. Second best thing was to run the sheets through spinlock camcleats, which can be set or released by just flicking the sheet up or down. I installed them in place of the cleats on the aft cabin top. I never felt the need to use the winches to adjust the jib sheets.
I have tiller steering, and have a tiller tamer device that adds tension as you pull the tiller up a bit. Also have an adjustable tiller extension that can locked in a recess on the starboard seat back.
I use a short length of line with bowlines on each end to raise the main sheet block off the deck about 18 inches. Makes it easier to realease the cam.
Another valuable piece of gear is a boom kicker. It keeps the boom up and out of the way. I never liked topping lifts very much, especially the way Hunter rigged it.
I added a block to the base of the mast, and lead the line from the boom vang through an organizer back to a clutch on the port side of the cabin top, near the jib cam cleats.
For reefing the main, I use a two line system. I have light blocks on the sail at the reef point for smooth operation. The luff reef line goes up from the goose neck, through the block on the sail, down to a block at the mast base, then through an organizer to a clutch on the starboard cabin top.
The leech reef line starts on the boom, up through a bllock, and then through the boom using one of the sheaves in the end of the boom. Exiting the boom at the goose neck, the line goes through a block at the mast base, through the same organizer as the vang, and back to a clutch on the port cabin top.
Everything is neatly organized, and readily accesible from the cockpit. At 59, I prefer not to go to the mast or fore deck underway, especially sailing solo. I must admit that the gang at the yacht club get a laugh when I race solo. I usually stand it the cockpit, steering with the tiller between my legs, and have the jib and main sheets in my hands. I've been told that while short tacking, I look like Ben Hur in the chariot race, but whatever. It works for me, and have won on occasion.
Bilgewater,
Just what I wanted to hear. Can I get some pictures? I have raised the main sheet block off the deck for this season for a lot more control. I too steer with the tiller between my legs after I learned to tighten down the rudder to get rid of the weather helm. I have raced to the fore deck several times, but would like to never again (age 66). going up over the cabin is not so bad, but coming down is a challenge. Thanks, I look forward to more details from you.
Al Woody
Just what I wanted to hear. Can I get some pictures? I have raised the main sheet block off the deck for this season for a lot more control. I too steer with the tiller between my legs after I learned to tighten down the rudder to get rid of the weather helm. I have raced to the fore deck several times, but would like to never again (age 66). going up over the cabin is not so bad, but coming down is a challenge. Thanks, I look forward to more details from you.
Al Woody
We owned our 26 for 15 years. Without a doubt, the best mod I did to enable single handing was the installation of a tiller pilot. I installed an Autohelm T1000 tiller pilot. The tiller pilot made it easy to set the course so I could raise and trim sails. The installation is included in the Hunter 26 mods section.
Along with the autopilot, I also installed lazy jacks and a CDI roller furler. These items really allowed me to sail single handed.
Do not ignore safety aspect of being alone. Every summer, we get a story of a boat found on Lake Michigan with out anyone on board. I rigged a jackline from bow to stern and a inflatable harness with a lanyard.
Along with the autopilot, I also installed lazy jacks and a CDI roller furler. These items really allowed me to sail single handed.
Do not ignore safety aspect of being alone. Every summer, we get a story of a boat found on Lake Michigan with out anyone on board. I rigged a jackline from bow to stern and a inflatable harness with a lanyard.
Juice6576;
Thanks for these suggestions. I installed lazy jacks before this season and I am very pleased with this addition. I will look into the Autohelm T100 tiller pilot and I need to know more about which roller furler.
I generally keep my 26 on a buoy mooring. I need some suggestions for rigging for sailing into or motoring into the mooring single handed. I currently use an 8 foot mast buoy attached to the mooring line and a crew member on the foredeck.
Thanks for these suggestions. I installed lazy jacks before this season and I am very pleased with this addition. I will look into the Autohelm T100 tiller pilot and I need to know more about which roller furler.
I generally keep my 26 on a buoy mooring. I need some suggestions for rigging for sailing into or motoring into the mooring single handed. I currently use an 8 foot mast buoy attached to the mooring line and a crew member on the foredeck.
Can anyone post up the spinlocks you're using that use the same holes as the horn cleats near the winches? I read an article which had numbers, but it looks as though they've been discontinued or use a different part number these days.
You can put lazy jacks on the mainsail so that you can drop it safely and keep it out of the way until you are moored. It's easier to motor than to sail to a mooring. Whan I'm alone, I catch the mooring line from the side, then carry it to the bow. This may be difficult in boisterous conditions.
If I think that I may need to reef later on, I reef before leaving.
I've tried the bungee chord from tiller to u bolt and it helps, but I image an auto pilot would be better(never used one)
If I think that I may need to reef later on, I reef before leaving.
I've tried the bungee chord from tiller to u bolt and it helps, but I image an auto pilot would be better(never used one)
Sublime,
I'd just through bolt those Spinlocks and seal the holes with some butyl tape. I have a real aversion to a threading a stainless bolt into an embedded aluminum plate. There is pretty easy access to those bolt locations from inside the cabin.
I pulled the main bow pulpits SS bolt last season only to discover that it was completely corroded in the embedded aluminum bow plate and barely held by the mfg caulking. As that bolt supports the fore stay and pulpit it would've been catastrophic when it would've eventually let go with no warning. Immediately and very easily replaced it with a through bolt that's there to stay.
Nicky, I love my AP and utilize it more than just about any other mod.
Have a great season, Mike
I'd just through bolt those Spinlocks and seal the holes with some butyl tape. I have a real aversion to a threading a stainless bolt into an embedded aluminum plate. There is pretty easy access to those bolt locations from inside the cabin.
I pulled the main bow pulpits SS bolt last season only to discover that it was completely corroded in the embedded aluminum bow plate and barely held by the mfg caulking. As that bolt supports the fore stay and pulpit it would've been catastrophic when it would've eventually let go with no warning. Immediately and very easily replaced it with a through bolt that's there to stay.
Nicky, I love my AP and utilize it more than just about any other mod.
Have a great season, Mike
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