Solo cruising vs crew cruising

[alctel]

I sail by myself a lot, though I have a friend who LOVES to sail so I take her along sometimes. Both are fun in different ways.

For me, my 36' boat is basically the upper limit of size as a solo liveaboard, 37' would be the max I think, no way I'd go bigger than that. Even with the generally narrower design of the older boats.

I could go smaller I think with little problem, and sometimes I wish I had a 30' or 33'. Though tool space would become a problem, and the extra bit of room of the 36' is nice in the long, cold, damp winters.

There is a NEWER version of the free singlehanded book available here:
http://sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/Sin...rdEdition2.pdf

This has lots of great stuff and you can buy the hard copy on amazon here. Great to flip through on long trips.

https://www.amazon.ca/Singlehanded-S...=1&*entries*=0

[Deep Blue Blues]

One might think that some mad sailor would have designed a boat with a single live aboard in mind by now.

I can imagine a full length galley running the length of the main cabin. Table and seating across from it. No need for the extra seating..I might modify my own if I can't find one.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue Blues

I can imagine a full length galley running the length of the main cabin.

If you're sure that's what you want, there are boats that have a galley like that.
Lot's of fun to use when seas are rough

Personally, I think that galley design was made with marinas in mind. But I am sure others will feel otherwise

My galley may be small, but at least I can actually cook something when the boat is rockin' & rollin'. Have never even used the strap-thingy to keep myself in place (yet).

Originally Posted by Deep Blue Blues

Table and seating across from it

I think you mean a dinette seat?

[Deep Blue Blues]

Yes dinette seat. And I can see how you could brace yourself in a tight galley. Is it hard to find fuel for the burners? Are electric stove tops too consuming?

Y'all sure are "swell" to be answering these queries of mine, thanks.

[markpierce]

Have yet to meet a person that prefers solitary confinement. Isn't that a torture technique?

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Have yet to meet a person that prefers solitary confinement. Isn't that a torture technique?

No.. a compulsive talker who likes Rap is

[SaltyMonkey]

I wouldn't say it's lonely solo sailing. I was too busy. When you get to shore, then it's lonely. Horrible lonely. Lonelier in a crowd than alone in your thoughts. I don't enjoy crewing anymore. Actually, I hate it. It's like having another bunch of posturing and pretentious boss-heads around and it's distracting from the wonderful world you experience.

Boat sizes - 30 -34 in my opinion ideal. You need the stowage. Less of course possible. Had a 24 and 26 but we were down over the LWL. Avoid the extra bowsprit! And oh, have no agenda or timeline.

[SaltyMonkey]

Originally Posted by markpierce

Have yet to meet a person that prefers solitary confinement. Isn't that a torture technique?

/~\
C oo
_( ^)
/ ~\
SaltyMonkey, that's me.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue Blues

I think you're on to something. Smaller is certainly less work but perhaps a little less trust worthy in the rough? I'm torn between 26 - 37ft. How does one choose?!

Off course, I did not even try too hard to conceal it. In my book, big (relative) and heavy (meaning plenty of displacement per LWL) is BAD (in the narrower aspect of solo).

Now your question. How does one choose. I think many choose by the budget others choose by the purpose still others will have their own kinky criteria.

I am not sure which Ohlson was discussed but I know that the 38 is 37. So here you have your upper limit and it is manageable. This boat has plenty of shortcomings and so if I were given one I would likely keep it, adjust it and sail it happily ever after.

An IF is 26. And so here you have your lower limit. Again, they got married and lived happily ever after.

Size is not where trust worthy is. But trust worthy is, like many other things in life, scalable. Fantasi 37 is a 37' IF. Now if you ask if a Fantasi can be more trust worthy in the rough than an IF, all other things equal, then I would agree to agree. You see, boats do not sail by themselves. We sail them. In the rough, YOU will be tossed and thrown around and about, to the point where you no longer can. This point may come sooner if you are in an IF.

And all of the above are moderately heavy boats. And all are IMHO manageable and solo'able. And there are many other ways to do it. Webb Chiles is cruising and sailing long distances in a Moore 24. A friend of ours came to NZ in a Bull 9 and our other friends sailed into Auckland (from SF, I think) in a J-35. In many ways a light boat is better for a solo sailor than a heavy one. In some other ways, it is not. Depends on your sailing/cruising ratio.

I do not know you that well but I can tell you it makes plenty of sense to have a long good look at oneself and try to find a boat that matches your character, your style, your own balance between speed and simplicity and ballast and reverse stability. I am happiest traveling on foot with just a rucksack but I have seen people coming to their boats with two heavy cases full of somethings. Look for a boat that will fit your life-style like a glove - be it a lace or a boxing one.

Ohlson 38 are good boats and low budget, but it is difficult to get a sound and neat one. Rivals 38 are also nice, somewhat easier to get and they have the better cockpit. I have seen some with staysail rig too. There is a very nice 40'er on the market right now (roaring forty) but she looks too inexpensive - possibly there was some kind of crash(?) to her. Boats like this are actually best for solo sailing because they were designed for just that.

Then again, many boats that feel not perfect at the start seem to grow on you somewhere like half way into your first rtw. You learn the idiosyncrasies and become aware that there are no perfect boats and that you are better off in the less perfect one that you know well than in that perfect one that we do not own.

Amen.

That was a long sermon but our sins were many. Life is good for you and so is Shrubb Creole. I give you a 9/10 chance of being happy, provided you take off.

Cheers,
b.

[jwcolby54]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

Haha!
Steep competition: if you want to know where there's a female solo sailor, just look for a bunch of male singlehanders anchored in a 'cluster'

And carry a big stick.

[jwcolby54]

Originally Posted by Lizzy Belle

So married sailors have divorce as their ultimate goal?

Seriously tho, if I ever fall for a landlubber who's willing to live on a boat and go cruising, I'd be more then fine with that.

Thing is, landlubbers usually aren't (been there, done that, doesn't work), and I don't want to go back to land, so I opted for single handing.

I rarely sail with crew unless short afternoon sails (or 'floats', to avoid heeling etc...) with landlubber friends. Sailing with male sailors usually means ending up with 2 captains on a boat, and that never ends well

LOL you could be my captain.

[Deep Blue Blues]

Thanks Barnakiel.

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue Blues

One might think that some mad sailor would have designed a boat with a single live aboard in mind by now.

I can imagine a full length galley running the length of the main cabin. Table and seating across from it. No need for the extra seating..I might modify my own if I can't find one.

Something like these?

These are common in newish boats meant for charter but sometimes could be seen as an option in older UK boats too.

b.

[Lizzy Belle]

Originally Posted by Deep Blue Blues

Yes dinette seat. And I can see how you could brace yourself in a tight galley. Is it hard to find fuel for the burners? Are electric stove tops too consuming?

Not so much a tight galley as an U or L shaped one.
I buy the fuel (alcohol) at the grocery store; very cheap and sold everywhere

Personally prefer a gas stove, but alas, she came with an alcohol stove.
Does give me a nice discount on my insurance - tho I think in the US, it's just the other way around.

[barnakiel]

And then where do you sleep underway.

I like to sleep in the lee bunk in the salon.

Perhaps when the nav is on the opposite side, one can sleep on the nav seat/bunk too.

Then again, nav is such a waste of space. I am going to get rid of ours for our next adventure.

b.