Hi Bill and Elaine,
Single handing a ketch is easy. The mizzen is in the cockpit, the main is same as a sloop, jib on a furler. So ketches are no harder to single hand than a similar size sloop. 2 dogs, cats, chooks, a goose, a sheep... my sons pigeons... his snake and lizards... We are taking one dog (Alaskan Malemute) the rest stay! Chippendale, nice for Sydney (sorry) lived in Drummoyne then Ashfield worked at Kingsford Smith, late 70s to mid 80s. Was back briefly couple years back, thought it was expensive concrete jungle. We have a 4br house on almost half an acre, duct ac, dble carport, steel shed, with concrete floor, water, sink, power, toilet plus another carport, & smaller shed, rear access from a lane WE OWN.
Got it four years ago for $190k. Sydney probably upwards of $700k... Small town, 16,000ish, big enough for amenities, small enough so it's ten minutes, end to end.

Plan to head for Sydney after new years. Love to catch up.
Cheers

Geoff and Julie

Hi, Geoff, Best wishes for a speedy and positive result on the medical front. Rather favour the ketch rig. Can it be successfully set up for solo sailing? We are currently in country Victoria, house sitting and looking after 3 horses, a donkey, 7 chooks, a dog and a cat. All beautiful animals. It's all kind of rural and fun. Not like our home in Chippendale, Sydney. We'll be back home mid Dec.
Regards,
Bill & Elaine

Hi Bill,
Well, it's still afloat somewhere on Pittwater. I'm stuck in SA with a medical issue dammit. Suspect we'll be down there just after New Years now.

The mizzen is a great way to keep the boat hove to in a heavy sea, with a drogue it will keep the head into the wind reliably.
It also allows for a balance of thrust in strong winds, with jib and mizzen and no main, with little risk of gust knockdowns.

A steel hull is STRONG, (recommend a plasma cutter for relatively portable, fast and QUIET cutting of steel plate) and MIG weld (worth it).

If you find a boat you like, don't let a ketch rig put you off. It may not sail as close or fast as most sloops, but the ability to use the mizzen to unload the helm, and ease of getting her wind rode give an edge of safety.

Hope we can meet you when we finally get to Sydney.Be there around a week before we head for home, hoping to catch up with a few people before we go.

Regards

Geoff and Julie

Hi, Geoff, how are you going with your ketch? My wife and I have yet to buy our first boat and we thinking that a ketch would be good - smaller sails and easier to control. An article in Cruisingworld.com by Geoff Payne has also pointed us to a steel hull. We are based in Sydney. Regards, Bill