Single Handling a cat ...

[ohdrinkboy]

Originally Posted by mikereed100

I have an autopilot but haven't got around to hooking it up yet. I find that the boat tracks so well that I just leave the wheel to reef. If I'm too slow and the boat starts to get off course I just reach over and give the wheel a nudge. I usually keep the jib drawing on a close reach while reefing which helps.

I haven't had to dock singlehanded as yet but my plan is to nose up to the dock, leave the helm and, as nonchalantly as possible, make my way to the bow, drop a line around a cleat with the boat pole then, slightly less nonchalantly now, make my way back to the helm and engage the dock-side engine in forward. This will bring the boat alongside.

Others on here have more experience than I, but I always get the stern side hull in first. It's closer to the helm for me to run back and forth. Then I use that one line as a spring to bring the bow in with help of the engine. Of course wind and current can change the situation quickly.

[Mr B]

I have an Autopilot, 10 years old,

I took 3 weeks in Fiji learning how to use it, That includes turning it on for the first time,
Sailing or motoring, Worked perfectly every time, Upwind or down wind,

Then it worked full time for 6 weeks as I crossed to Australia from Fiji,

I would not have done it, Or even considered it, with out the GPS and Autopilot connected,

The power consumption was negligable,
I also have wind, Solar and diesel power generation, So no power problems,

About 3 or 4 times it dropped out in this time due to conditions,

8 knots forward, 6 knots sideways, The GPS would have a Hissy fit and drop out,
It would read 1.5 knots forward, and the GPS would go around in circles, I just reset it and it worked perfect again.

Not fun when your half asleep and the boat turns beam on, No steering,

With mooring, you just take it very easy, Come up on the ball, Have your lines allready laid out on both sides, Just in case you drift sideways,

Centre on the ball, slowly move forward and then put your motor into neutral about 15 feet before you get to the ball, Or how ever long it takes you to get to the bow, Then as you slowly go over the ball. grab it with your hook and tie it on,
If you miss, just take it around again,
Tie it to any thing handy, Once your connected, You can retie it at your leisure as you are not going anywhere, even drop the dinghy in and tie it up properly using the dinghy,
Then you can also put your Bridle on both Bows to the ball.

Word of warning, Do all this with out any rush or speed, If you rush it, you will lose the plot, Hahaha

Mooring at a Marina, Use the wind to blow you sideways to the dock, Very easy, But do it slowly,
Fast and you can lose control, Or hit some thing,
Put your fenders out on both sides, Just in case you drift to the wrong side, It does happen,
Have every thing ready before you get there,

All this was done single handed by me,

Cheers,
Brian,