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Old 10-03-2016, 08:08   #16
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

No not shorter than my boat, I'm 6' - Hugo Vilhen crossed the Atlantic in 1968 in the April Fool with a LOA of 5' 11'' .
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:13   #17
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For a guide to size.. look at what the 'Famous' have lived on and sailed.. Mottessier, Taberly, Knox Johnson and others.. 36ft was regarded as the optimum size for storage, tankage, comfort at sea and handling.
If you are looking for 'Freedom' from land and a complicated lifestyle go to the $500/mth Thread.. most respondents here (many like DOJ have given up trying) will not be aware or capable of the 'Simpler ways of Yore' and insist on water makers for hot showers (where a 5L solar shower will suffice), which then need generators which need bigger fuel tanks blah blah blah..
Every extra bit of technology you carry increases ones need for ties to the mud..
What it boils down to is simple.. how many chains do you wish to hang on your keel.
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:22   #18
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

For a single hander I think a long-ish keel is important. You don't want a boat that's "busy" under sail, you want one that stays on track with ease.
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:24   #19
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

This forum is much more active than it was 3 yrs ago when I first joined. Good on you guys for taking time to sort the mess I'm making for myself.

On land things don't go right. On the sea, things always go right for me...

I've seen a kid cross the Atlantic with no supplies in an inflatable with a make shift sail just to prove a point that it can be done. Kid drank small amounts of sea water and fished his way across.

I'm no Robinson Caruso though ya know.
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:27   #20
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

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Originally Posted by Cheechako View Post
For a single hander I think a long-ish keel is important
Damn. Now I have to sell my boat .. (which stays on track nicely, unless horribly trimmed).
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:33   #21
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

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I'm a loner but I love people. Or rather, meeting people. Im a do it myself type. I want to be free from people and their issues after too long and experience a need to get back to nature. Trying to find a boat that will help me escape rather than tie me down to human necessity.

Are there particular designs for monohulls that make cruising the deep blue more reasonable with less crew or no crew? Something that's strong in high seas. If you could just share the terminology to search for, that would be greatly appreciated.
Its less about the boat and more about rule number 2. Stay on the boat. (Rule number one is keep the water on the outside)

As solo crew you want to reduce any risk that affects rule number two.

Consider being able to deploy, adjust and stow all sails from the cockpit. Self steering options, comfort to stay well rested etc.

What is the general condition of the boat? If its in good condition then one person can probably cope with the preventative maintenance. If its a junker then the corrective maintenance will overwhelm one person.

None of the above limit your choice of boat by make or type.

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Old 10-03-2016, 08:36   #22
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

I quit looking for 50 footers. High 30s, easy to sail not a chore to keep clean, safe enough. Cheechako and boatman61, you are spot on. I was thinking of others comforts while aboard. Which is sorta my problem on land. Others first for 37 years now...

The boat is for me! I've narrowed it down to: Swan, Islander, Pearson and Ericsson. All great 30 footers from what I gather.

I wish I could see these boats all in one place, first hand.
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:38   #23
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

Well said Leftbrain. What do you sail Lizzy?
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:39   #24
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

Depending upon your budget, the size of the boat you end up with, and if it comes with a tiller, or a wheel, I would suggest getting both an autopilot and a windvane. I think you will find that the autopilot is great for coastal sailing and motoring, but once offshore the windvane comes into its own. My experience with vanes in the trade winds was wonderful. A 26 foot boat with a Quartermaster vane and a 44 footer with an Aries. Dead down wind was no problem with either boat at anything above drifting speed, up to very strong winds. Other boats or other vanes may not work as well together. In the event of an electrical problem (not uncommon on boats) the vane will keep doing its job, where if you only have an autopilot, you will be hand steering into exhaustion. A question that comes up often on this forum is " Is my boat ready for a passage"? The advice I give is to take a boat out of the marina and just anchor for 2 or 3 days AND TURN OFF THE MAIN BATTERY SWITCH. You need to be able to function with no electricity. Can you get drinking water, can you still prepare hot meals, does the head still work (macerator type?) is there enough back up lighting below to function, do you have enough paper charts to navigate? A few days without electricity will tell you a lot about your boats preparation. I am not recommending a spartan boat, just that you have simple, workable backups for the essentials. Many boats have sailed around the world without an electrical problem, but many (probably more) boats have sat in harbors waiting for electrical repairs, or worse yet, become exhausted on a passage because the auto pilot packed up. You will find many differing opinions on this forum, so do lots of reading. Best of Luck. _____Grant.
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:40   #25
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

On thing I find important in the layout is to be able to see and reed all the instruments from the bunk, particularly radar and AIS (I also have mine linked to a light as well as a sounder). A quarter berth is often good for this but check the boat otherwise you will be unnecessarily climbing out of your bunk or spending a fortune on repeaters
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Old 10-03-2016, 08:44   #26
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

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What do you sail Lizzy?
Currently an Ohlson 29 (Swedish design).
Not to be confused with the Olson 29
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Old 10-03-2016, 09:02   #27
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

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...........but mostly I was doing the sailing. Competency from confidence.

I'm new to the wind vane world. It uses the apparent wind, without electricity, to steer the boat over the swells while holding a good line? That's preferred right?
Get a copy of Richard Henderson's Singlehanded Sailing book.

There's repeated references on this forum to a very good online book, too, name escapes me. But I'd bet you'll find it if you search this site on singlehanded.

Good luck.
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Old 10-03-2016, 09:20   #28
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

Few more random observations:

The size of the boat may depend on your strength and interest to wrestle with large sails.

You might prefer furled sails (that can be handled from the cockpit) to traditional ones.

For long passages you should have gear that can alert you also when you nap/sleep (AIS, radar).

You need more safety gear since there is no one else to pick you up if you happen to fall overboard to the sea.

You may consider having both wind vane and autopilot since it is not nice to steer manually 24/7 on long passages if one of your self steering systems fails. The model of the boat may matter here since some boats can be trimmed to sail alone (e.g. full keel boats can be easier) while it is more difficult for others (you may need some emergency steering arrangements to do that).
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Old 10-03-2016, 09:21   #29
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

Thanks very much Stu Roland and Grant. Lizzy I'm looking into the Ohlson not to be confused with an Olson.
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Old 10-03-2016, 09:23   #30
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Re: Solo cruising vs crew cruising

Juho I'm definitely interested in good wind vanes.
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