What Is The Big Deal About Single Handling?

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

There is a fairly good argument that being alone on the ocean for a longer period of time than you can reasonably stay awake and alert is at least somewhat dangerous, and I would even agree with it.

But for less than that? A single overnight or a long day sail? Tell me you didn't mean that this would be "poor judgement and seamanship."

You only brag about doing dangerous and foolish things that most people wouldn't do. Daysailing alone isn't one of them.

"I was singlehanding my 14ft sailboat, when a big storm came up,
and I had to jump out and walk the boat back to shore. "

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

You only brag about doing dangerous and foolish things that most people wouldn't do. Daysailing alone isn't one of them.

Bragging has been shown to not be a part of it.

Now, being a pilot? Maybe....:bigg rin:

And even daysailing solo is beyond a huge majority of sailors I know. Of course, most of them also don't know they're actually singlehanding when their wife is on board and she doesn't know the difference between a wench and a winch. It may come in helpful when docking, but then they should start learning how to do that, too.

Too many people think they NEED crew, rather than having it as an option.

[highseas]

Thanks to modern technology singlehanding is not as dangerous as it once was.If you can't handle your boat by yourself you probably shouldn't be out there.

[rswanson]

Watch the movie "All Is Lost" with Robert Redford

[highseas]

Why?..

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by rswanson

Watch the movie "All Is Lost" with Robert Redford

You mean the comedy?

[Mendana]

Hi Saleen411,

It is a very personal thing to some. Nothing to do with bravado. I recently read The Long Way by Bernard Moitessier and I really understood his joy and desire to be alone with his boat and the elements...He entered the GGR in 1968 for the sailing and not to win the race...He commented "anyone who enters this race for the fame or the money will surely perish"....and some did

For me it is a personal challenge thing...I recently retired from a fairly full blast career and I need something to fill the gap. Each time I go out I push myself a little further and learn a little more about my boat's capabilities...One of my current challenges is sorting out sleep patterns on long passages.

I think you have to really love your own company and be in love with your boat to really enjoy single handing.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

You only brag about doing dangerous and foolish things that most people wouldn't do. Daysailing alone isn't one of them.

"I was singlehanding my 14ft sailboat, when a big storm came up,
and I had to jump out and walk the boat back to shore. "

I would not agree. One brags also about doing things which are not dangerous, and not foolish, but which are hard to do, and which not everyone would be capable of doing. But you did not answer the question.

[JPA Cate]

Saleen,
Here I am back with another comment. When it is a couple who are on long passages, the times when the skipper's off watch and the crew is on--well that has been my favorite part of the sailing, when it's my decisions that make the boat go. I take pride in comfortably covering as many as possible without waking Jim. It's like a weird game. And I'm a little like Tacoma Sailor, I am often into sail trim just changing things for my whole watch (we do a loose 6 on 6 off). At any rate it is like day sailing singlehanding, not long term passage making. Anyhow, my pleasure in sailing is why I encourage women to learn to sail without their SO around to change the experience. I think that if women have fun doing it, they are much more likely to turn into the kind of crew a sensible fellow would want.

You can be a loner and singlehand, but there are many different reasons for doing it, as has been shown in this thread. Maybe the best part is most of us can choose how much togetherness or separateness we want, and achieve a blend that works for us.

Ann

[cheoah]

I remember pulling into a marina once having been offshore for a few days on a short coastal passage. The old guy was amazed I was alone. "You sailed it here all alone?" Yes, and I told him my only real accomplishments were getting out of the other marina and tied up at his

Reminds me of the time I saw a friend of mine, a well known two or three time circumnavigator coming into the marina I was in for the winter. I barely got him tied up.... It was pretty ugly.

Personally I prefer an anchor or mooring. Getting out of a tight marina in wind or current is hard. That's the big deal about singlehanding for me. Um, and staying awake. You gotta be careful not to knock your teeth out on the wheel if you fall asleep hand steering. Another tick in the tiller column.

To each their own.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mserafi1]

Single handing...not handling. You have to do it with a sailboat to understand it. Contemplating ownership of a boat is not sailing one. Get or borrow one and you will answer your own question.

[softgoodsint]

Originally Posted by Jd1

Originally Posted by Saleen411 View Post
No....I don't HAVE to have someone with me......but I sure as hell enjoy life A LOT more with my smoking hot lady than I would "boating" alone of all things.

Some of us aren't blessed with smoking hot ladies (or even plain old ladies) and have no choice but to sail alone.

So did He ("Saleen411") say "Smoking HOT Lady" or "Smokes a LOT Lady"? (I really need to get that cataract surgery scheduled!). The closest I've gotten to anything "Smoking HOT" lately was the inboard engine where the skipper (I was only a crew) forgot to tighten the fan belt on the water pump - oh and the temp gauge was dead!
But more seriously, I'll comment that when I have been sailing, either with a charming lady friend or anyone else, and they don't happen to have a clue about sailing or any sort of boating, the skipper is still single handing, he/she just has someone else to talk to.
So there are two aspects to single handing, 1) having sailing help, someone with at least moderate skills, to take the helm, on a watch or even just to reef sails in a blow, or to help manage with docking; 2) just having companionship, for when the podcasts are all listened to.
And I am fond of solitude, when the occasion warrants, without seeking it exclusively. I also take walks out here in the desert - just me and the diamond backs (& they don't say much either). Anyone who implies that solitude or solo sailing implies "crazy" is, well ... IMHO, just rationalizing & attempting to normalize their own 'monophobia'.

[Mithril Bham]

Normally I try to stick to the point and read posts in order to learn about technical issues (very seldom post since I don't know enough) but, sometimes, I do enjoy the tangents.
Flying & Sailing. So many similarities.
My father flew off carriers for 28 years. Was a pilot on the old Enterprise. One of the 14 planes that got in the air at Pearl Harbor. Midway. All that stuff. Later flew spy missions for VQ1 out of Iwakuni, Japan. He seldom talked about it and when he did it was always some humorous anecdote.
I did a little flying in a Piper. Tell everyone about it whenever I can. LOL

[PuttingDoctor]

Saleen, you have certainly lit the fire with your OP. Your follow up is such that as a pilot myself am quick to do the math. I put your age at a minimum of 57.

Is your "Airline Pilot" label a form of braggadocio or is the "smoking hot" female? ( edit: wait forgot... Is your handle Saleen because you drive one?) For you singlehanders Saleen is a high performance redo of the Ford Mustang.

Knowing that you accumulated so many hours toward your ATP (airline transport pilot) let alone your commercial and likely CFI (Certificated Flight Instructor) ratings. I think you likely flew quite a few solo hours. Are you in any way proud of those long forgotten accomplishments?

The FAA won't let us fly single pilot commercial aircraft operations so that you are an Airline Pilot might be considered to some here a bit of a stretch relative to your sailing skill or expertise. Others I think have hit home runs as to the why "we" singlehanded so comment so.

For the record I am a singlehander, I also fly my pristine Cessna solo 90% of my flight hours. (I also shot the first 14 cover photos of Flight Training Magazine but that isn't important ... Just bragging )

I encourage you to take on the solo - singlehander understanding in a refresher course of - learn by doing.

See you out there.

[RTB]

I think it really takes a special kind of person to even want to single hand for long distances. I've know Ronnie Simpson since before he bought, and lost, his first boat. I was so doubtful that he'd ever get back on the horse after the rescue....but here he is today -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpYqCFX1i0c

Open Blue Horizon - Home

Pretty amazing kid in my opinion, considering how his first solo offshore passage went - http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ice-20095.html

Ralph