Single handed encouragement needed

[Normanskier]

My former wife was next to useless on my Sabre 36. But the love of sailing did not deter me from continuing on with week long cruises, etc.

Keeping things simple helped immeasurably.

1-A good auto pilot preferably linked to the quadrant as opposed to wheel mounted.
2-A windlass with operation from the cockpit.
3-I had a stow a way mast which made reefing or taking down the main a snap. The current main furling seems to be a stow a way boom. Very expensive. Consider lazy jacks, stack pack or dutchman system. Anything to keep you in the cockpit.
4-A high powered cordless drill (28 volts) with a cranker winch bit used to raise the main and trim the sails.

Many years ago there was a company named Survival Technologies which had bean bags that made sitting anywhere in the cockpit comfortable. Unfortunately that company no longer exists but I saw some bean bags in west Marine some time ago. The ones I had were pretty bag; about three feet tall, 9" deep and three feet wide. They would probably help to position your wife in a comfortable position.

That old adage, Reef when you first think about it, applies in spades.

Picking up a mooring is relatively simple; practice makes perfect. When pulling into a strange dock get advance information as to what side your dock lines should be set on.

Learn the art of warping into our out of difficult dock situations. Makes seemingly impossible dock or slips exit or entrance pretty simple.

Thinking ahead and planning will take care of you.

Asking your wife for input will keep her involved.

Good Luck! And good for you trying to prevail over difficult situations.

Norman

[MarAzul]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

When we bought our Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 37 two years ago my wife and I were planning to be sailing together. She was new to sailing and I was returning. After two years our proficiency is going up; we even feel comfortable leaving and returning to the slip.



Early this year my wife has been afflicted with some physical issues. She will likely overcome them, but not for some time. She told me after the last time out she was in pain most of the time. No more sailing for her until she is well, though she can sit in the cockpit and enjoy the time on the water.


That leaves me to single hand the boat. I've done that with smaller boats, ones easier to handle by myself. My reaction was to put the boat up for sale with the plan to purchase a boat more suitable to single handing. But we like this boat so much!



I need encouragement to help me get over the barrier and comfortable sailing on my own.

I singlehand this 59' Ketch on the West Coast. I usually hank on the sails I need for the trip before leaving dock and use that set for the voyage.
I just returned to the Columbia River from SoCal last month. So I now have done the entire West Coast and all the rivers you can navigate SingleHanded with this boat. I do not reef sail, I bring them down with all halyard in the cockpit. I can anchor by going to the foredeck inside the boat and work standing in the hatch about waist high to the deck, right at the windlass.

Perhaps the biggest challenge singlehanded is docking. Having the tackle on board to handle various docks and buoys is a must. That and having cleats in the right place to handle controlling the boat with one line on the dock until you can set the rest in winds and current.

[my1972ih]

any non-race boat should be set up for single handing. what if you are on watch by yourself? What if she was hurt and unable to help? What if you were unable to help her or other crew? what if....

[dreuge]

Lots of good advise already. I'll just pass along the singlehanded advise I received many years ago when I moved up from my C&C 29 to a C&C Landfall 38.

Never approach the dock faster than you are willing to hit it.

Come in slow and look like a Pro, come in fast and look like an Ass.

[Over Budget]

All the above is good advice. For over 25 years I’ve sailed single-handed, from Lightnings, to J-24s to my current Newport 28II. Though none of my boats have been/are as big as yours, I’ve often considered upgrading to a 36-footer without the increase in length bothering me at all. What makes sailing single-handed easier for me is I always sail with anticipation thereby being mentally prepared for just about anything. Mooring, anchoring, docking, reefing, tacking, heaving to, whatever. I also practice a lot out there too (and often look pretty silly, I’m sure), but it works. Once my roller furling quit on me in 24 kt winds and I had to go forward to take it down, but having thought in advance about the “What if...” made it work.

I’m sorry to hear of your wife’s misfortune, but if she can accompany you as “emotional crew” support until she’s well again, I’m sure that will lend encouragement to your efforts...and her recovery. Good luck!

[Over Budget]

P.S. There’s a Single Handed Sailing group on Face Book. Lots of good info, encouragement, etc.

[lewisa]

I am 76 years old and still regularly singlehand my Gulfstar 41. The key is to have a vessel that you can sail from the cockpit (mainsheet and jib sheets) - not necessarily main halyard as that can be handled near the mast. Larger vessels are more stable and, as long as the sails are manageable (primarily furling), the rest is easy. Of course, you need to pick your weather and know how to handle your boat in close quarters. When all else fails, drop the sails and become a powerboat - anyone can handle a powerboat alone.

Preparation is key to singlehanding. Everything must be thought out beforehand and rigged so you can manage. Not all vessels are designed or set up for singlehanding and will never be suitable for such. Only you can make that judgement.

[valvanuz]

As many readers have said, practice is what is needed. I once had the pleasure of taking Commander Errol Bruce (1913 to 2004) for a local sail. Bruce had been a famous UK sailor after WW2 and wrote several books on deep water sailing.
At that time he was over 90 and still sailing regularly from the south coast of England, in tricky tidal waters, on his own. He told me that his doctor, seeing him one day in the highstreet, told him that there, in the busy street, he looked like an elderly and somewhat bewildered grandfather but that he regulary saw Erroll Bruce sail out of the Solent single handed and in total control of his little craft.
It was an inspiration to me. I am 77 and glad to sail on my own, with family members or friends.

[swellskimmer]

I single handed on the West Coast for a number of years and readily admit that my sailing skills are rudimentary.
I do not have the experience reflected by many of the knowledgeable people who posted their excellent advice above,so have relied on a few books to modify my 35 foot coastal cruiser for single-handed sailing in retirement. ( I am 67)
A personal and by no means exhaustive list of books whose indices will yield relevant topics:
Sailing into Retirement by Jim Trefby John Vigor ( International Marine)
Outfitting the Offshore Cruising Boat by Peter Berman (Paradise Cay Publications)
100 Fast and Easy Boat Improvements by Don Casey (International Marine)
Spurr's Guide to Upgrading Your Cruising Sailboat - Daniel Spurr (International Marine)
The Voyager's Handbook by Beth Leonard ( McGraw Hill)
Cheers

[aquapore]

In am 73 years old and sail a Bavaria 41.

I would echo the advice above but only add one thing. - Make sure your prop is large enough to give rapid "bite" forwards and reverse. Very comforating in close quater manoevering.

My boat has electric sheet winches. Halyard winch would be good.

Best of luck


Robert Wechsler

[pkempthorne]

I have a Sun Odyssey 379. My wife died and I sail single handed most of the time. Arriving in the berth or slip is the tricky bit. I have lines all set up on the dock and are all fixed length. Spring first, stern line second and I never leave the boat until these two are done. I have a bow thruster for those times when the wind just is not cooperating. I agree with the others, practice helps a lot.

I agree with shoes rather than bare feet. The rule is don't go overboard but I always wear a life jacket if I am on my own regardless of the weather. It has a PLB and MOB device in the pouch. If the weather is bad I also add a floating portable VHF in my wet weather jacket. If you go overboard without means of communication it is unlikely you will survive. I cannot think of anything worse for your wife than being helpless in that situation.

My crew member is an auto pilot. It takes the helm when I need to do a task that takes me away from the wheel. It makes life much more pleasant.

I have a B&G V50 VHF and I have the H50 remote handset for it. This means I can use the best VHF from the cockpit and not have to rely on the portable with its lower range.

I cruise in the Marlborough Sounds in New Zealand which are very deep and anchoring is not always possible. There are lots of club moorings to use and picking them up is easy with the right technique. I attach a line to the bow cleat, pass it over the fairlead and back outside the lines to the lifeline about amidships.This line should be floating and not long enough to reach the propellor. Bring the boat up to the buoy somewhere along the bow quarter and stop. Walk up and pick up the eye on the buoy with a boat hook and pass the line through the eye. Take it forward and over the fairlead alongside the bitter end and pull in the mooring line. An 18mm line is better than a thin one. It helps prevent a big step in diameter which then gets caught on the fairlead edge. A bonus is it gives you one purchase which helps. If at any time a gust threatens to overpower you, make the pulling line fast to a cleat and wait till it passes. Then attach to the mooring line in your usual manner.

I dont think changing boats will make life easier. My SO 379 is pretty much perfect for me on my own.

Good luck to you both.

Peter

[videorov]

Originally Posted by Roniszoro

You can do it!

On my previously owner Wauguiez Pretorien 35 I did the following:

-located primary winches near the wheel so I could tack and jibe and handle the head sail easily
-sailed with a head sail of 120% or preferably smaller for ease of handling

For off shore or longer trips:
-a good below decks autopilot
-I had all reefing at the mast so no chance of lines fouling


For picking up your mooring, a good mooring buoy pick up stick on the mooring lines


For a slip a catching bridle: see photo. Just motor in and stop the boat when you a 1/2 the way into the slip & then put the boat in forward at idle speed. The bridle will stop the boat before it hits the dock. Calmly walk forward and attach your bow lines but a bit looser than normal. Put the boat in reverse at idle and it will slowly go backwards until the bow lines stop it. Calmly attach your stern lines. Put engine in neutral or shut it off. Go forward and adjust your bow lines to where you want them. (Cleating locations on your lines should be marked.) I docked single handed in 20+ knots with this method without effort.


As to age, I've done this all with ease and I'm in my 70s

That is a idea I have not seen before. Looks like it would great.

[Dave Isom]

I recently completed a global circumnavigation mostly solo on an Adams 40 which weighs about 14 tonnes. I met a guywho sailed a 55 foot steel boat around Cape Horn, solo. Jon Sanders from Australia has done 10 solo circumnavigations and his current boat is 39 feet. For coastal work (at 69 years) I now like to mostly have crew ...but offshore is easier so solo is fine. Have all lines back to the cockpit, keep a reef in your main especially at night , use a very conservative rig and go a bit slower, it's less stressful and above all stay clipped on to your boat with a short harness at ALL TIMES. You've received much good advice from this forum.....I would not go for a smaller boat nor a bowthruster, just learn to handle your boat and use "prop walk" for mooring.learn to do 360's ...in a tight space , practise in calm water where no one is watching ! Start with short trips to build up confidence ....and have an AIS transponder ! Good luck mate !

[legacy501]

Wow you have a lot of great advice here. I hope you keep the Jenneau 37, They are great boats. I sold my boat a few years ago and miss it greatly. I still often go with friends Chesepeake Bay and up and down the east coast many times. Also Florida and Bahamas. PM me anytime if you need more encouragement or advice. Good luck.

[wedivebc]

Ive learned a lot from this thread as I have recently upgraded from a 26 Columbia MkII to a 35 Hallberg Rassey. I am finding a big learning curve to get used to the bigger boat but will certainly retain some of the tips found in this thread.