Too big to singlehand??

[David B]

Originally Posted by bruceinOz

Hi All. For the last four years I've owned and sailed my first yacht, a Cavalier 32 here in Oz.
This was supposed to be my training boat, easily handled by a newbie.
Over the years I have rebuilt every system on this 30 year old girl. Rebuilt engine, rewired, new plumbing, new shaft and prop, new sails, new boom, you get the picture.
So here I am with a boat completely rebuilt around myself, with a wonderful safe sea motion, yet hankering for headroom.
That's the killer. I'm 6'7", and any tall sailor out there will tell you, very little beats headroom.
There are two places I can stand up in my boat. At the bottom of the companionway and under the butterfly hatch in the saloon.
After a couple of days away my back starts getting sore from stooping all the time. Some say sailing involves sitting most of the time, but that's daysailing
An American boat came into our marina a while back, an Apogee 50, custom built for a very tall sailor. Wow!, such room. Sadly you need dot com money for a boat like that. I have dot-some money, not dot-com.
One yacht that I know I can stand in the saloon is the Catalinas 42. Affordable.
My family are all avowed land lubbers. Can't even convince the boys that sailing would make them cool in the eyes of girls.
So I singlehand, and my boat is just about perfect for that. Well set up, new systems etc. a boat I can muscle around with warps.
If I go to a boat the size of the Cat42, will I lose that?
Do many of you fine sailors singlehand boats of this size? Or will it all go to hell in a handbag as windage, weight and inertia conspire together to once again make me marina entertainment fodder?
Thanks



Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Hi Bruce,

As the others are saying, I say also. Just get her organised, ensure you have a decent auto-pilot, check a few articles on single-handed docking/undocking, and taken carefully and thoughtfully you will be fine.

We have a 50, and sailing her myself is no issue. it is of course the docking that is the main thing, but the secret is SLOW. And if there are conditions that are trying to cause you embarrassment, then just get on the radio and ask for some help, or circulate and give someone a shout.

A bow-thruster is handy, but on that size boat you may be pushing to find one already installed. Having said that, a single mooring line used correctly, and worked with the engine, can do all the work for you. Along with plenty of fenders (particularly your stern quarter berth-side), you can reverse in, slip a spring-line on from the helm, into fwd, and you are held there beautifully in most conditions, and securing properly after that is on your terms, not the conditions.

I'm in Adelaide at the moment. If you want to talk, drop me a PM with a number.

What ever, hold your passion, and do what you need to do. You never know, with a bigger boat, you may convince at least some of your family to at least drop down for lunch in the cockpit one sunny day, and from that ....

[Cap Erict3]

Although I am still of the sail what you have mind set, I am a firm believer in reefing long before you have to when sailing short handed. Handling big sails when I'm tired to the bone is tough on an old codger like me.

I much prefer flying my Yankee and staysail than my Genoa. Reducing sail is way easier.

The work and expense involved in getting and keeping the bigger boat shipshape is yet another reason to ponder the move.

The more projects pile up, the less time for sailing and they pile higher with the bigger the boat.

[frozenhawaiian]

it's all about how the boat is set up. this is IDEC, 97 ft and sailed singlehanded around the world, non stop by a guy in his 40's. it's all the setup of system, sail handling and the skills of the skipper.

[Mystic38]

As long as you believe nothing will ever fail, these days with electric everything, and electronic everything else, there is no reason why a competent sailor cannot sail any vessel single handed.

I do not subscribe to that belief.

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by David B

Hi Bruce,

And if there are conditions that are trying to cause you embarrassment, then just get on the radio and ask for some help, or circulate and give someone a shout.

Many sailors do this very poorly, which can lead to embarrassing, expensive (for you and others), and reputation ruining mistakes.

And I second his other points.

[lifeofreilly57]

Plan on sailing it without all the aids and your thinking will be in the right realm, it'll make you sail more conservatively. In my experience autopilots have always failed at the least convenient times, usually when my hubris outpaced my ability. Yes I've hand steered for 20 hours when one failed and I had a bit more sail in **** conditions than i should have, couldn't reduce sail without the autopilot so I had to go with it. Sure got there fast, but got the crap kicked out of me, a lesson I'll always remember.
as long as you use prudent judgement you should be OK, don't think your electronic aids will save your butt, depend on yourself and nothing else.
Jumping up in size does require some adjustment of your skills and judgement but not o much that its out of the picture, just approach it as a learning curve, take incremental steps until you get a feel for the boat, then push your skill level forward. It shouldn't be intimidating, just another learning curve.
It's all fun, don't let the naysayers wig you out.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Adrian NAMT

You may want to read about John Letcher who designed and built the Aleutka 25. He is 6' 7". He single handed her and I suspect kept his back in good shape through the exercise he got.

John's book is now available on the internet, and a link was provided here some time ago, do a search. Great reading.

[Lantau]

Originally Posted by bruceinOz

Hi All. For the last four years I've owned and sailed my first yacht, a Cavalier 32 here in Oz.
This was supposed to be my training boat, easily handled by a newbie.
Over the years I have rebuilt every system on this 30 year old girl. Rebuilt engine, rewired, new plumbing, new shaft and prop, new sails, new boom, you get the picture.
So here I am with a boat completely rebuilt around myself, with a wonderful safe sea motion, yet hankering for headroom.
That's the killer. I'm 6'7", and any tall sailor out there will tell you, very little beats headroom.
There are two places I can stand up in my boat. At the bottom of the companionway and under the butterfly hatch in the saloon.
After a couple of days away my back starts getting sore from stooping all the time. Some say sailing involves sitting most of the time, but that's daysailing
An American boat came into our marina a while back, an Apogee 50, custom built for a very tall sailor. Wow!, such room. Sadly you need dot com money for a boat like that. I have dot-some money, not dot-com.
One yacht that I know I can stand in the saloon is the Catalinas 42. Affordable.
My family are all avowed land lubbers. Can't even convince the boys that sailing would make them cool in the eyes of girls.
So I singlehand, and my boat is just about perfect for that. Well set up, new systems etc. a boat I can muscle around with warps.
If I go to a boat the size of the Cat42, will I lose that?
Do many of you fine sailors singlehand boats of this size? Or will it all go to hell in a handbag as windage, weight and inertia conspire together to once again make me marina entertainment fodder?
Thanks

Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

If you want to stand up, you may want to get a more traditional style boat. Many of the modern designs have deep keels but very shallow hulls. Our Pacific Seacraft 37 has 6'4" headroom throughout the cabin -- and less than five feet of draft with excellent up wind capability.

Here's a website with pictures of the hull and interior to show you what the Pacific Seacraft 37 is like (and these are very strong boats, too):

www.pacificseacraft37.com

[Sandero]

The issue is not so much as how large a boat can one person "handle"... but how much real estate does one person need?

One person does not need multiple berths... if they had need for this there would be "crew"...

Headroom IS an issue with smaller boats. AND stowage is limited by size as well.

I sail a Contest 36s... most singlehanded with the wife who doesn't take part in much sailing or maintenance. She watches, cleans, cooks and provides stellar company Our boat has 3 cabins with the typical double in the V which we use as a "closet"... and only on rail occasions does it get used for sleeping. The boat has aft cabin for double sleeping fore and aft or athwartship...

The boat has 6' 2" min headroom and the main cabin does not feel cramped and is larger than many 40 footers... with a U galley and a full sit down seaparate nav station. There is lots of stowage space, lockers an lazerettes and a large isolated chain locker.

Long story short... this 36' has all the space a single needs and is perfectly adequate for a couple. It has a tall rig and I use a Milwaukee with a winch bit to hoist the main in the last few years. We do 150nm off shore so she's a good passage maker too.

The boat is not difficult to single hand sailing, docking and so forth. More space is always nice... but to me that means hauling around more stuff that I rarely use... and more spares and tools. I lived aboard for 3 years so it's doable. At this age I don't think we want a larger boat... doing the change would be a massive undertaking... new systems and so on.... I prefer to maintain and upgrade.