The Wonders of Single Handing

[nimblemotors]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

Just pray Nimble doesn't find us

Your safe here hiding in the monohull forum.

[Hard Rock Candy]

I never thought much about sailing single-handedly. I had only done it for a day at a time. Finally, I set a date to be in Isla Majure to meet a lady on the 6th Of Jan. But the weather was tricky and I had interesting things to do so I never arranged to have a crew ready to go across the gulf. What the devil, it can't be too bad, just 4 days and nights alone. Well the first day and night was a breeze. the second day I was somewhat tired from breaking my sleep up in 15 minutes stretches. The third night out I had just gone back to bed and heard this distinctive sound of a base fiddle being strummed. I ran Up on the deck with my big spotlight to see what the noise was. Nothing in sight, But all of a sudden a great big bright light came on and lit my whole boat up. I could barely make it out, but it was a rusty old shrimper, with his drags out. One of the booms had hit my starboard spreader and ripped the rubber guard off the end. I couldn't make out a name or a number on the shrimp boat but it motored off quite rapidly. So now I am on edge, dead tired, scared to go back to sleep and starting to hallucinate from lack of sleep. The next day and the next night were pure horror. The last four hours I could see the lights of the town and the lighthouse light. 25 miles to the bar. and I could bairly keep my eyes open. I kept seeing my best friend sitting on the bow, but he was home in Oregon. That was my only long trip solo. Mac

[Cap Erict3]

Originally Posted by Hard Rock Candy

I never thought much about sailing single-handedly. I had only done it for a day at a time. Finally, I set a date to be in Isla Majure to meet a lady on the 6th Of Jan. But the weather was tricky and I had interesting things to do so I never arranged to have a crew ready to go across the gulf. What the devil, it can't be too bad, just 4 days and nights alone. Well the first day and night was a breeze. the second day I was somewhat tired from breaking my sleep up in 15 minutes stretches. The third night out I had just gone back to bed and heard this distinctive sound of a base fiddle being strummed. I ran Up on the deck with my big spotlight to see what the noise was. Nothing in sight, But all of a sudden a great big bright light came on and lit my whole boat up. I could barely make it out, but it was a rusty old shrimper, with his drags out. One of the booms had hit my starboard spreader and ripped the rubber guard off the end. I couldn't make out a name or a number on the shrimp boat but it motored off quite rapidly. So now I am on edge, dead tired, scared to go back to sleep and starting to hallucinate from lack of sleep. The next day and the next night were pure horror. The last four hours I could see the lights of the town and the lighthouse light. 25 miles to the bar. and I could bairly keep my eyes open. I kept seeing my best friend sitting on the bow, but he was home in Oregon. That was my only long trip solo. Mac

I spent a lot of time and effort setting up my boat so that I could comfortably sail it alone. My my first long solo passage was across the Gulf of Mexico. While I did it in a series of fairly comfortable hops, the leg from Grand Isle, La to Galveston was tough. Although I stole a couple of cat naps in the cockpit by the time I was within 20 miles of Galveston I was suffering from sleep depravation.

Heaving-to was out of the question because I was surrounded by platforms and anchored ships. Desperate, I took in all sail, made certain that I had a 5 mile corridor, put the engine at idle and grabbed 20 minutes while putting along at 2 knots on the autopilot.

While I felt renewed, by the time I had cleared the jetties a couple of hours later my noggin was 1/2 bubble off again.

I dropped the hook at my first opportunity and would have slept the day away had my phone not rang at noon.

I should have rested before reaching what I knew to be a congested area.


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Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

[NormanMartin]

Rest is one of the most important parts of single handing. Rest before landfall is the top part of the subject.

My wife and I did a lot of DH racing and some distance cruising. We have seen on the race course how the rested crew sail faster and with fewer mistakes than the un-rested crew. We plan our rest periods just as we plan our meals or our route.

Rest is essential.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Eric22

If you have a sailboat reasonably close to where you live, and haven't yet taken your boat out alone, you're missing an amazing experience. I waited far too many years before I tried and it pains me to think about it.

I have one word that describes it perfectly: liberating.

Go when you want, sail how and where you want, come back when you want. There's nothing like it.

Yep, it's how I learned to sail......................

[T_Cat]

Originally Posted by medicrene

About two years ago I went from the Big Island of Hawaii to Oahu, single handing with anchoring each night for three nights. I was pleased with myself for being able to do that. On the other hand, I would have preferred the company of a beautiful woman as my first mate.


The Witchdoctor

Medicrene, I agree with the first mate requirements but finding a first mate that is beautiful AND knows how to sail is the difficult part!!


Sent from my iPhone using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[jongleur]

The couple of reports of bad experiences here
on this thread are probably just the tip of the
iceberg. Most people would not want to out
themselves publicly on a forum after such
experiences. Thank you Hard Rock and Cap
Eric for your honesty about the dangers of
single handing.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by jongleur

The couple of reports of bad experiences here
on this thread are probably just the tip of the
iceberg. Most people would not want to out
themselves publicly on a forum after such
experiences. Thank you Hard Rock and Cap
Eric for your honesty about the dangers of
single handing.

Another way to look at that is simply lack of experience singlehanding.

Better planning on future trips based on passed mistakes will probably improve the outcome for those guys.

It seemed the way they were talking that it was something totally new for those guys whereas for others of us, singlehanding is about the only way we sail.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

I spent a lot of time and effort setting up my boat so that I could comfortably sail it alone. My my first long solo passage was across the Gulf of Mexico. While I did it in a series of fairly comfortable hops, the leg from Grand Isle, La to Galveston was tough. Although I stole a couple of cat naps in the cockpit by the time I was within 20 miles of Galveston I was suffering from sleep depravation.

Heaving-to was out of the question because I was surrounded by platforms and anchored ships. Desperate, I took in all sail, made certain that I had a 5 mile corridor, put the engine at idle and grabbed 20 minutes while putting along at 2 knots on the autopilot.

While I felt renewed, by the time I had cleared the jetties a couple of hours later my noggin was 1/2 bubble off again.

I dropped the hook at my first opportunity and would have slept the day away had my phone not rang at noon.

I should have rested before reaching what I knew to be a congested area.


------------------------------
Looking for another pretty place to work on the boat.

Or.. Just laid a hull.. you go nowhere fast..

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by nimblemotors

Your safe here hiding in the monohull forum.

LOL... thanks for taking it in the joking way it was meant.

I moved over to monohull to get away from the pedants. I'm thinking we need an internet forum reg for indicating one's post is meant in jest

[smo]

I just purchased a pristine corsair f24 mark one. All the sails are roller furling. It has an outboard with charging capability and s small solar panrl. All the lighting has been converted to LED. I plan on doing a lot of solo daysail out of my home by lake michigan with a 9-14 day solo cruise up or down the coast yearly. Another dream is to sail across the lake to milwaukee for their summerfest (lots of big name concerts)
The mark one has a large single v berth forward and a settee on the right and a sink single burner stove and a cooler opposite
.the settee can be converted into a double.

I think if I watch the weather, this could be a perfect fast singlehander

[weavis]

Originally Posted by smo

I just purchased a pristine corsair f24 mark one. All the sails are roller furling. It has an outboard with charging capability and s small solar panrl. All the lighting has been converted to LED. I plan on doing a lot of solo daysail out of my home by lake michigan with a 9-14 day solo cruise up or down the coast yearly. Another dream is to sail across the lake to milwaukee for their summerfest (lots of big name concerts)
The mark one has a large single v berth forward and a settee on the right and a sink single burner stove and a cooler opposite
.the settee can be converted into a double.

I think if I watch the weather, this could be a perfect fast singlehander

Congrats on your purchase. Many happy single handling days in front of you.

[weavis]

Originally Posted by jkindredpdx

LOL... thanks for taking it in the joking way it was meant.

I moved over to monohull to get away from the pedants. I'm thinking we need an internet forum reg for indicating one's post is meant in jest

Naah.......... its more fun when the bottles are thrown.

[tommyh]

Would love to DH around the SF bay with a fine gal however, that seems to be a tall order so I just single hand and dream.

[conachair]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Another way to look at that is simply lack of experience singlehanding.

Better planning on future trips based on passed mistakes will probably improve the outcome for those guys.

It seemed the way they were talking that it was something totally new for those guys whereas for others of us, singlehanding is about the only way we sail.

Agree with that

A big benefit, imho, from singlehanding is honing the instinct of thinking a minute, an hour, a day ahead and having everything to hand to cope with any situation or acting very early on to avoid a situation in you'd rather not be in. I had a very grumpy engine for a long time as well which would often refuse to start, that really keeps you on your toes