Single handed encouragement needed

[Exile]

"you go numb after the 1st week"


Gee, that's encouraging!

[Peeew]

Thank you all for donating your advice to this thread. Although I have a fair amount of sailing experience racing and chartering, this year I bought my first boat. A Jeanneau 46 ft sun Odyssey 469 and I have learned to sail solo gradually over a few months. First always with help in various conditions. Then asking help to stand by and do nothing. Then solo in easy weather. Then after watching lots of YouTube videos I started to take on more challenging conditions. Once I called ahead for dock help, well worth the tip. Now I am pretty comfortable in the challenges I can meet. I also agree with the safety advice. Things that rarely go wrong are what must be planned for, not only the likely problems.

[Capt.Tom]

I agree an AP is a great thing...... but..... why do i always hear...
" I had to hand steer the whole way because the auto pilot broke ?"
Unless you are sailing down wind or have light air.
I never hear ... . "I balanced the sails and didn't have to touch the wheel for days..... no AP....

It's much easier to balance a sailboat if you are close halled but out to a beam reach it can be done.... as long as you don't have to much or to little wind. Not that every boat can do It but I've done it in every multi hull I've sailed.

My crew and i sailed a Beneteau 43.3 from Bermuda to NYC with out touching the wheel... after the set up of course . You all know that wasnt a calm ride. We had a big low pressure area over NY heading east north east and as it passed, north of us, the boat automatically rounded up around the storm. It was a beautiful thing....
That's the longest transit I've made doing this but not the only one.....
As a many time single hander and most time on my own Hunter 40..... I find this method the best way to sail long distance, w/o an auto pilot, in medium to heavy up wind...

Let's hear more stories about that...

[markpierce]

I don't understand single sailors boating multiple days/months when I'm unhappy without human contact for more than two days, even though I'm my favorite person.

[Capt.Tom]

Originally Posted by Exile

This has been a helpful & encouraging thread. I have gotten some flack for singlehanding my 47' on occasion so it was nice to read others with larger boats echo what I've always observed, namely that some size & heft can actually be more forgiving. It seems it's more about how the boat is rigged than anything else. With an in-mast furling main & roller furling headsail (both controlled from the cockpit), an excellent below-decks AP and helm-mounted nav instruments, I find the sailing very manageable.

Even docking becomes quite doable with practice. No bow thrusters on my boat but you learn to use prop walk to your advantage, and spring lines become trusted friends. In fact, there have been times when docking singlehanded has been easier than with crew since it forces you to choreograph the entire procedure in advance. Hardest part for me thus far has been getting that first (usually) spring line affixed since it usually requires stepping off the boat. I've been looking into a device called a "docking stick" (Patrick Laine has a youTube) that looks promising.

As others have said, single handing requires you to think through your backup systems & procedures to anticipate when (not if) things inevitably fail. My greatest concern, and one which I don't yet have a viable remedy, is the potential loss of the AP on a long passage. Locking the helm & balancing sails only goes so far on my boat. It does heave-to quite easily so there's always that. As for backup systems one could carry spares, and/or a backup standalone wheel pilot such as the CPT or wind vane, but I haven't yet taken the ($$) plunge either way. What do other long-distance singlehanders do in this regard?

My hat is off to you sailing a 47 single handed.... I've done a Lacoste 42 with no AP and only a furling head sail.... coming in almost late for a Wednesday night race under full sail and power..... it was a stretch having to reif the main down while coming in and rounding up was tough. Then the wind died as I cross the line and had to un-reef.... All with no autopilot.

I've sailed a 52 foot Irwin many times but can't imagine doing it single-handed. It only had ferling headsails and the main dropped into lazy Jack's. That was one huge Mainsail.

No matter what systems you have, eventually something will fail or the situation will become more complicated with other boats entering.... unaware of your limitations or some current or weather change. Best not get into really tight quarters, when you're alone, that's when you usually have one chance before the wind and current take you into a bulkhead or other boats.

Good luck, sail safe...

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by markpierce

I don't understand single sailors boating multiple days/months when I'm unhappy without human contact for more than two days, even though I'm my favorite person.

I do understand that.

It is a human diet, detox thing. It helps you to sort out your own opinions, ideas and priorities from all the compromises you have been forced in, in all the believes and restrictions imposed by the society and people around you, all the PC stuff, politics and brain wash from the media.

This is a kind of askese and meditation combined with physical exhaustion due to very little sleep that adjusts your point of view and focuses on the real important things for you.

It makes you stronger and more self confident, it proves that you personaly do not need anyone to overcome any odds along your way, and creates room in your brain for new ideas. In our busy world you create your personal oasis / island where you can dream, dwell, enjoy yourself and the beauty of the universe, read without being disturbed by family, media, communications, without being questioned and pushed around by the society arond you.

It opens your eyes and shows you how addicted and entangled you had been in the past to people and institutions around you, that had lead to a comfortable, easy but locked down narrow life. Leaving the box sets new priorities, either you break down, surrender and appreciate your old life accepting all odds - or you come out stronger and start something new and unconventional.

It is your quality time with the most important person in your life.


Encouraging enough?

[Capt.Tom]

Boatman61,
I've had some experience with Simrad autopilots failing.... Mine failed 4 times before I figured out why.... It's not the autopilot.... I would be willing to bet you are getting low voltage and current to the pilot and are burning it out.... you need a big power cable going to it... 12 or even 10 Guage directly from the battery's through a breaker.... no bus bars in the line... You can't run this off the normal electrical system in your breaker pannel. If you havent done this already, try it...

Simrad autopilot have voltage regulators but if enough current can't get to the regulator it's not going to be able to regulate the voltage and the pilot burns up. Perhaps this is not the way it should happen, I would rather have the pilot shut down then burn up. So in that sense it is a problem with the autopilot but only I guess cause and effect.

[Peregrine1983]

I have sailed with raymarine wheel pilots and raymarine linear drive autopilots. Neither steer downwind very well IMHO, but my current boat has linear drive and I find it to be so much stronger than my old wheel pilot. The wheel pilot was easily overpowered and slipped in certain conditions.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Capt.Tom

Boatman61,
I've had some experience with Simrad autopilots failing.... Mine failed 4 times before I figured out why.... It's not the autopilot.... I would be willing to bet you are getting low voltage and current to the pilot and are burning it out.... you need a big power cable going to it... 12 or even 10 Guage directly from the battery's through a breaker.... no bus bars in the line... You can't run this off the normal electrical system in your breaker pannel. If you havent done this already, try it...

Simrad autopilot have voltage regulators but if enough current can't get to the regulator it's not going to be able to regulate the voltage and the pilot burns up. Perhaps this is not the way it should happen, I would rather have the pilot shut down then burn up. So in that sense it is a problem with the autopilot but only I guess cause and effect.

It was poor quality drive belts.. great for the weekends and annual fortnight but not up to 24/7,2000+nm passages..
Best TP I ever had was a Plastimo.. brilliant response in all conditions and directions.. then Raymarine bought them out and that was that.
As for 'sailing' her.. tried that but the best she would do was maybe 20mins.. time enough for the head, make a sarnie and coffee.. or just stretch and take a walk round the fence.

[CatNewBee]

Mine has a Raymarine hydraulic autopilot.

Too reactive to my taste, I regularly have to decrease the sensitivity to stop it turning nervously the wheel all the time. I also like somewhat the wind vane mode simulation if the sea state is not too choppy.

It acts directly on the rudder quadrant, so if the cables to the helm break, it could be an alternative that helps out without using the emergency tiller - witch is a nightmare.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by Capt.Tom

My hat is off to you sailing a 47 single handed.... I've done a Lacoste 42 with no AP and only a furling head sail.... coming in almost late for a Wednesday night race under full sail and power..... it was a stretch having to reif the main down while coming in and rounding up was tough. Then the wind died as I cross the line and had to un-reef.... All with no autopilot.

I've sailed a 52 foot Irwin many times but can't imagine doing it single-handed. It only had ferling headsails and the main dropped into lazy Jack's. That was one huge Mainsail.

No matter what systems you have, eventually something will fail or the situation will become more complicated with other boats entering.... unaware of your limitations or some current or weather change. Best not get into really tight quarters, when you're alone, that's when you usually have one chance before the wind and current take you into a bulkhead or other boats.

Good luck, sail safe...

Truth be told . . . both my main & headsail have electric roller furling. I know, I know, there goes any shred of credibility. I was dubious when I first bought the boat, but after 11 years I must say both systems have been extraordinarily reliable. They also have manual backups which I've thus far only had to use for testing at the dock.

As for tight docking scenarios -- and I've had plenty -- you learn to have everything ready, often call ahead to a marina to let them know you're coming in solo, but then assume nobody will be on the dock to help. This is another reason I greatly prefer anchoring out whenever possible. Thus far, having add'l crew members onboard hasn't really been a deciding factor, with the exception previously mentioned of securing that first spring line w/o having to leave the helm. As also mentioned, the fact that my boat weighs 20T is helpful I believe, in that it slows everything down. Solo docking/undocking by necessity teaches you good seamanship. You learn how to use your lines to maneuver, you're always mindful of tides & currents, you learn the value of clean decks & reduced windage, and you develop instincts to always be prepared to abort or respond with another plan. These are the sorts of things that are difficult to prepare any crew other than very experienced ones who may be onboard.

Now that I've had some experience, I'm no longer that convinced that bigger is not often better when it comes to single handing, either around the docks or at sea. At some point, however, I'm sure I'll get bit.

[Exile]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

I do understand that.

It is a human diet, detox thing. It helps you to sort out your own opinions, ideas and priorities from all the compromises you have been forced in, in all the believes and restrictions imposed by the society and people around you, all the PC stuff, politics and brain wash from the media.

This is a kind of askese and meditation combined with physical exhaustion due to very little sleep that adjusts your point of view and focuses on the real important things for you.

It makes you stronger and more self confident, it proves that you personaly do not need anyone to overcome any odds along your way, and creates room in your brain for new ideas. In our busy world you create your personal oasis / island where you can dream, dwell, enjoy yourself and the beauty of the universe, read without being disturbed by family, media, communications, without being questioned and pushed around by the society arond you.

It opens your eyes and shows you how addicted and entangled you had been in the past to people and institutions around you, that had lead to a comfortable, easy but locked down narrow life. Leaving the box sets new priorities, either you break down, surrender and appreciate your old life accepting all odds - or you come out stronger and start something new and unconventional.

It is your quality time with the most important person in your life.


Encouraging enough?

Yes! I think what you might be trying to say is that it puts you in the moment and gets you out of your own (land-locked) head!

[Dr. D]

Thanks to all for your input in this thread. You rock!


As it turns out, we will be selling this boat and purchasing another. While thinking through solo sailing our boat, we looked at several others. We found one that my wife -- even with her current ailments -- is comfortable aboard and she can get around the boat with minimal difficulty. We went out on a test sail and she was able to enjoy being out on the water. The new boat isn't much smaller, a Beneteau Oceanis 35.1, but it will be easier to sail solo and my wife will be going out on the water more often.



Now, the new boat does have sail drive and twin rudders.....

[Suijin]

Originally Posted by Dr. D

Now, the new boat does have sail drive and twin rudders.....

If nothing else it will be wicked maneuverable around the dock. Saildrives have almost nonexistent prop walk and dual spade rudders will make it feel like a sports car. Have fun!

[vwmarshall]

Eventually you’ll encounter a different problem; you go out sailing with others and you do everything yourself and it’s just easier than explaining to someone how to do it lol.[/QUOTE]

I sail a Jeanneau 389 with a bow thruster and find it is easier to do everything myself. Not because I'm a control nut but because I have a system of what needs to be done and when.

When someone "helps," this interrupts my usual checklist sequence and throws me off. I have left the dock only to find a line still attached that someone told me they had tossed off. Not a big deal, however I've never had that occur while solo. Since every task has to be "double checked" I find it easier and faster to do it myself.


When folks come aboard and want to do something, I station them at the bow to watch for traffic as we come out of the slip. This gives them something to do and also keeps them out of the way.

Big picture wise, if you are able to single hand, it offers a tremendous amount of freedom. You can take passengers but don't need to rely on their help.