What Is The Big Deal About Single Handling?

[dbeausoleil]

People talk about single handed sailing because if you don't plan extensively for that situation, it's just too late when you must. It's that simple. Someone who relies on 'crew' to do all the little details, then goes out w/a single crew member, who manages to get knocked overboard, is now on the ropes to try to maneuver a sailing vessel back to the victim alone.

You constantly plan to sail alone because there will come a time you have to act that way. The analogy to motorcyclists continues; there are those who have fallen, and those that will.

A calm sunny day with your date aboard turns into seconds from a shipwreck when you discover your 'date,' who took the helm for just a few minutes while you went below to make a sandwich, has decided to head to weather of a hazard to navigation and you arise from the cabin and assess you aren't going to make it. Regardless of who else is on board, you don't have time to direct others to take immediate actions requiring split seconds of time you just don't have. This can happen any time or routinely in marina/mooring situations.

Otherwise, sometimes sailors go out solo to get away from the clueless of the world and to get respite from the amateurs who are typically more concerned with the cut of a girls bikini than the shape of the sails foiling against the wind.

[Jd1]

Originally Posted by dbeausoleil

Otherwise, sometimes sailors go out solo to get away from the clueless of the world and to get respite from the amateurs who are typically more concerned with the cut of a girls bikini than the shape of the sails foiling against the wind.

Hey hey hey, let's not get into name calling here !

[monte]

Sorry for the thread drift, maybe it's appropriate for a new thread or maybe there's an old one but...regarding the Jessica Watson report posted earlier. I find it staggering that she was not maintaining a visual watch 15M off the coast in a busy shipping area. The report showed three ships within 10M of her position. She checked the radar but didn't see a ship visually when it was 1M away with good visibility!?
My assumption from that report are
The AIS was installed and receiving, but MMSI # wasn't input so it wasn't transmitting. It should have been if it was checked properly by the installer, but I guess there was a rush to get underway as there usually is with this kind of event.
Her use of the radar was inadequate with range rings at 1M and 4M. 4M would only give her a 10 minute warning of an approaching ship. She somehow missed a ships radar image at 1M!? I assume she wasn't familiar with radar at all and maybe had North up display and course up on her plotter and couldn't reconcile the two.
She didn't bother to poke her head out of the hatch and have a quick horizon scan between catnaps.
She's lucky to be alive!
I'm all for solo sailors sailing as far and wide as they desire, especially when they do it safely. But really, if you have the equipment on board and you are relying on it, at least learn how to use it effectively!
Surprising also that the lack of VHF use prior to the collision was mentioned, considering VHF isn't recommended for collision avoidance.

[nigel1]

Sometimes, solo sailing becomes unavoidable.
People find out that your a mod on a sailing forum, and all of a sudden, no one wants to go sailing with you.

Billy no mates.

[monte]

^^^ haha

[Strait Shooter]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Sometimes, solo sailing becomes unavoidable.
People find out that your a mod on a sailing forum, and all of a sudden, no one wants to go sailing with you.

Billy no mates.

Which once again demonstrates the superior intellect, and quick thinking that most sailors exhibit.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by nigel1

Sometimes, solo sailing becomes unavoidable.
People find out that your a mod on a sailing forum, and all of a sudden, no one wants to go sailing with you.

Billy no mates.

I think Billy, its being a mod and only having one hull.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

Or her radar guard zones. Jessica screwed the pooch a bit on that one.

It is an endless debate whether long-distance single handing violates the COLREGS watchkeeping requirement or not. Peace to all the single handers on here, but I tend to think that it does.

But that should be kept in perspective. I think very few pleasure boats on multi-day passages keep a constant staring out over the bow watch. Double or even triple handed is only incrementally better than single handed, where watchkeeping is concerned. The most you can say, in most cases, is that at least someone is awake most of the time

So for both single handers and typically short crewed pleasure boats, the electronic watchkeeping aids are really key. Radar guard zones even more than AIS, since they pick up many objects (and land features ) besides ships. Team Vestas would have been saved by a properly set radar guard zone. Or even a properly set depth alarm. We were discussing that recently.

I have to disagree on how adding crew improves the ability to keep watch. The jump from 1 to 2 crew is a massive improvement. Realistically a solo sailor on a long passage will not be keeping watch for 25-35% of each day because they are asleep. With 2 crew, you should be able to reduce that to zero. In addition, ability of the off crew to relax and get uninterupted sleep should result in a fresher crew less prone to mistakes
(as opposed to the "egg timer" approach where they try to just power thru and never get a good nights sleep).

3 crew is even better. If you need to do sail change or other on deck activity, you can let the sleeper stay asleep while having backup further reducing strain by allowing uninterupted sleep. After that, you start getting into the laws of dimiishing returns after that.

[boatman61]

[QUOTEs;1843400]I think Billy, its being a mod and only having one hull. [/QUOTE]

Most folk grow outa stabilisers around 3 or 4 yrs old..
Sadly.. some never do..

[nimblemotors]

.. sailing alone is the apex of the sport.

This is what I disagree about...
Racing and winning is the apex of sailing and single handing is not how you win.
If you are cruising, arriving safely is the 'apex' and that is advanced by having crew.

Here ya go, let's hold hands and sing along, one of my favorites.
The single handers can use both hands.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7khQNR7s1Ho

[boatman61]

Typical Cat sailor..
I can't.. so its not possible.. therefore unsafe..
Another guy who needs stabilisers..

[Caribicjewel]

I have sailed on a few boats and all of my Captains were able to 'single hand' their vessel. Some of them have been 'single hander' for long time and enjoyed the company but they didn't NEED me to operate the boat.
Most appreciate have been the shared night watches and taking over the galley baking bread, cookies and other Goodies

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

This is what I disagree about...
Racing and winning is the apex of sailing and single handing is not how you win.

My last racing sailboat was a unirig singehand Nacra F-17 sailboat with a spinnaker. I won lots of races on it.

Ft Walton Beach Race Last Weekend - Aquarius Sail Owners

[weavis]

Originally Posted by boatman61

[QUOTEs;1843400]I think Billy, its being a mod and only having one hull.

Most folk grow outa stabilisers around 3 or 4 yrs old..
Sadly.. some never do..

You know some of the most pleasant deliveries made were on Cats.
ITs Ok.......... we will keep it a secret.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by weavis

Yer anatomy is a bit off there mate.

I like sailing alone. I live alone. I travel to work alone, I fly alone. Sometimes I have company. Its fun but not essential. I like flying. I go to fly. I like driving, so I drive. I like sailing and so.............

You wanna come along? Sure, but its my timetable and my choices unless today is all about you, and its your day to choose. It would be nice to share with someone, yet so hard to find a woman who loves sailing-there was Baabs for a while but she didnt like Spanish food.

Circumstances change like the seasons and people come and go in our lives, yet the sailing lives on with or without others.

Baabs probably didn't like your Spanish methane in the cabin.