Single Handed on a 36 footer?

[Stephanh]

Hi,

I'm searching for a live-aboard boat which I will sail mostly single-handed.
I want to sail from Europe across the atlantic next year and maybe further on.
I'm 50 and sail for about 20 years, mainly in the baltic sea on my 28 ft. Dufour, which is not really made for off-shore use.

I'm currently looking at a reasonably priced Westerly Oceanlord but it is rather big with 36 ft.

Do you think I can handled it in bad weather or should continue searching for a 30 footer?

Thanks for you help,

Stephan

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Stephanh

Hi,

I'm searching for a live-aboard boat which I will sail mostly single-handed.
I want to sail from Europe across the atlantic next year and maybe further on.
I'm 50 and sail for about 20 years, mainly in the baltic sea on my 28 ft. Dufour, which is not really made for off-shore use.

I'm currently looking at a reasonably priced Westerly Oceanlord but it is rather big with 36 ft.

Do you think I can handled it in bad weather or should continue searching for a 30 footer?

Thanks for you help,

Stephan

I don't know the Westerly Overloard, looked on the net but only found 41 footers. I don't seewhy you shouldn't be able to handle a 36. Just rig it for single-handing.

If you are used to sailing the Baltic, you should have a pretty good handle on bad weather (lots of gales up this way)

I have a 40 footer I single-hand - may wife also single-hands it on occassion.

Rig for single hand and make a lot of practice runs in the Baltic gales - you'll get the hang of it.

Fair winds

[Stephanh]

Hi,
I have to correct the boat model, it is a Westerly Oceanquest!
Thanks,
Stephan

[GILow]

I regularly sail our 42 footer on my own, and find it easier than our old 20 footer.

I think it comes down to how it is rigged as CarstenB suggests. Ours was setup for a solo liveaboard who sailed it that way for the better part of 20 years, so things are laid out well.

I make use of the autopilot from time to time, but have practiced heaving to or balancing the helm so that I can comfortably go forward to sort out problems if (when) they occur. Also, I find the larger boat is more directionally stable, so leaving the helm unattended for a moment is less of a problem than on a smaller boat, which frees your hands up for sail trimming and freeing jammed sheets etc.

I keep a good supply of short lengths of line of various sizes handy in the cockpit, which I use to lash the wheel, tie down doused sails and generally act as a spare pair of hands when needed.

The Westerly Oceanquest seems to have nice clear side decks from the photos I could find, so I imagine it would be rather easy to move around, which I feel is probably one of the most important assets on a solo sailing boat.

Matt

[carstenb]

I looked at the pictures and as GILow suggests, I can't see why you can't single-hand this. Just take the time to make sure it is rigged correctly and then practice, practice, practice