Best sailboat for singlehanded sailing?Cat,Tri mono

[grebush1773]

Originally Posted by Chotu

A trimaran sure sounds ideal to me for solo. Especially one where the ammas can be removed or retracted as needed to allow for marina access.

I’m in a cat solo and it’s great, BUT, finding places to haul out is pretty much a nightmare. when they hear the beam they double the price

I love my trimaran. I can take it anywhere and do just about anything I want with it. When I need a break from sailing, the boat lives on its trailer in the backyard for free. Coast to coast travel is super easy, convenient, and fast too.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by grebush1773

I love my trimaran. I can take it anywhere and do just about anything I want with it. When I need a break from sailing, the boat lives on its trailer in the backyard for free. Coast to coast travel is super easy, convenient, and fast too.

someday, when I swallow the anchor, I would absolutely love a boat like yours for the pure fun

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by videorov

Im trying to decide what model of boat is best for singlehanded. Mono or Tri or cat. Best for shallow water while singlehanded. Lifting keels might be more work and cost to keep that working?
Cat ketch rig or single mast.
Also Im on the west coast of Florida and where to people go to get away from
the hurricaines while they are cruising.
What size is a good size for living on for one to two people and easy to handle?
Look forward to hearing from people.

Anyone with any experience sailing would pretty much know based simply on looking around the cockpit and hull design.

[grebush1773]

Originally Posted by Chotu

someday, when I swallow the anchor, I would absolutely love a boat like yours for the pure fun

Well since you likely have tons more experience than me and I'm still very much a greenhorn, we should just get together and go sailing. I'll have a towing vehicle if not by the end of this year, then early 2026. My goal is to be able to sail all over the US and Canada and meet folks along the way.

[thomm225]

Some older inexpensive boat say between 26' and 30' as was sort of mentioned above.

Since you are asking, it appears you don't have a ton of experience at this.

So it's best not to waste a lot of money on a boat until you try it first.

You can get boats similar to mine for $2,000 - $8,000.

I've single handed my Bristol 27 since I bought it in 2011 for $2,000.

I had 4 beach cats I raced for about 14 years before that and the last one was designed as a single handed racing boat. I sailed all of them single handed though when not racing.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by grebush1773

Well since you likely have tons more experience than me and I'm still very much a greenhorn, we should just get together and go sailing. I'll have a towing vehicle if not by the end of this year, then early 2026. My goal is to be able to sail all over the US and Canada and meet folks along the way.

come on through when you are on the East Coast. I should be in the north east USA for about a year

[MicHughV]

I've always had a not-so-secret crush on Wharram cats.
I simply must do something about it.

[captstu]

I single handed my Gemini 3400 for years. Took some re-working to lead all the lines back to the cockpit - maybe $200 worth - but everything, including reefing, was done without leaving the cockpit.

I did not alter the dagger board setup - so I briefly went below to lower or raise the boards - generally, I ran with 1/4 board for a good compromise of maneuverability and ease.

I set the boards fully - one windward board - on long trips of 50 miles or more with consistent wind.

Nice boat, took a fair amount of inexpensive maintenance but I fitted a 15 hp mercury long shaft and made trips up and down the ICW. across the Okeechobee Waterway and to/from Bahamas if good comfort.

[twofingerpoi]

I occasionally single-hand a 2003 Beneteau 361 at Port Canaveral Florida.

It would be easier if I had in-mast furling main. Self-tacking jibs would also make single-handed much easier. Auto-pilot is almost essential, to leave the helm periodically. Remote control, wireless, anchor winch. Some may want electric winches but there are pros/cons.

Gemini Legacy 35 or 105MC are good for shallow draft, modest beam and low air draft for ICW bridges. My next sailboat may be a Legacy 35.

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/gemini-legacy-35/

[pjmrichard]

Hello, No reply contemplate boats fitted with aerorig ( balestron rig). An example is the former named Monalisa sailsboat.What do you think about it?

[Slainte1]

Trimaran. I have sailed my Newick 3C’s for more than 30 years and thousands of miles, much of it singlehanded and accompanied by my dogs. It is fast,seakindly and draws only 2ft with board and rudder raised. All lines lead back to the cockpit. It is time to downsize as I approach 80 so am building a W17 trimaran

[Rnothard]

We purchased a Freedom 40 8 years ago (cheap) and in addition to tidying her up on the inside we spent 10k (then) building a junk rig for her. Since she was designed with a beneath floor swing down centreboard (9 foot) raised by a winch. The sails are vast and the flock and tackle design of her halyards allowed us to use a small runabout cray (lobster) pot electric winch to raise both sails. The nature of a junk coupled with the simple cray winch allows reefing single handed, both sails reefed (or raised) one handed holding a cup of coffee …. In around 2 minutes.

[COOGOR]

Depends on what you want to do.
I do a lot single handed and live aboard, so my Trimaran was a good choice. Lots of space and a draft of 1,5m. folding Amas would not offer this.
it's more safe than a Mono, as the boom is far away from me and it sails with less heel-overs. I can manage all sails - except Parasailor and gennaker - from the cockpit
if you need less draft, go for a cat with daggerboards

[Dr. D]

My boat is fine for solo sailing as I do that frequently. Easy access to the helms and winches, a few steps to the coachroof controls. Docking is quite leisurely.

[geozeck]

Ive owned 2 sloops, one cat but no tris. My answer is that it depends more on how you rig it than the design of the boat.