Up to 40 feet for solo sailing?

[africanmarco]

Originally Posted by srem

I am going to retire pretty soon and I would like to finally buy a sailboat (37-40 feet) for SOLO blue water cruising, ideally 2/3 months cruises, leaving from Europe, towards Iceland, Norway, Canary Ispands, Cape Verde, ...


Up to now I have always been chartering during the summer in the Med.


Over here I see several Beneteau, Bavaria, Jeanneau, Dufour, but I would like to see something else than these ones, something more "blue water", even if I saw a guy solo cruising with a Bavaria 40, without any issue.


Any advice on what to look for? I need some inspiration. Of course an Oyster is beyond budget, something more realistic could be around 100K $.

I am also retiring soon and planning to do mainly single-handed extensive sailing. I am focusing on the Amel Sharki (39 feet) and Hallberg Rassy 382.
They are models from the '80s, both strongly built.
The Sharki is ketch rigged and, from about '85 onward has electric genua and mainsail in mast roller managed from the cockpit (but I am more attracted by the earlier version with manual headsail roller and main with slab reefing as a matter of simplicity). She has a small, deep and protective central cockpit with a hard doghouse. She has been designed for single handing. I would add a bow thruster and a windvane (Hydrovane) that can act as auxiliary rudder. A bit of an odd design with fake teak.
The Hallberg Rassy 382 has a more pleasant design (to my eye). It's main inconvenient being the teak deck in case of core infiltration through the screws.

[Hermia II]

C'mon Juan Le Cam (64??) sailed his 60 foot IMOCA alone AROUND THE WORLD Non Stop. And some very inexperienced other people, like the beautiful Clarisse Cramer (31), all time fastest women around. Of course you can handel a larger boat and it will be much more comfortable on the high seas. I sail my 57 alone, used to sail my previous yacht a Gallant 53 alone. Same kind of boat that Dame Naomi James sailed alone around the world. You do need a furling genoa and a furling Yankee maybe (I hank on a staysail on the inner forestay). Main with Lazy Jacks will do very well, 3 reefs minimum. Good Autopilot is a must (B&G or Raymarine), Of course I love our Scandinavian yachts, but they are expensive....do look at a Beneteau. They are simple but sturdy. My friend Lars Hassler has circumnavigated so many times, for decades, in his Beneteau Oceanis 55 and it is still going strong. Beneteau has all sizes, go for something 45'ish, you won't regret it.

[nepal]

I'm sailing solo and living fulltime on an unsinkable Etap 37S with a tandemkeel (this is not a twin keel) of 1,35 m already 5 years on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. I like that size, it's comftable and I could manage it all the time. Even the gennaker.

I'm not a superman, macho or hero. I think it al depends of the boat, the person and the project.

You can find an Etap in Europe for less than 100.000 Eur.

[Phyrcooler]

Originally Posted by LittleWing77

Top size for single-handing would be 34' absolute maximum (30' tops is more realistic).

34'+ would be someone like Snore who has a 100ton Masters Licence and has been sailing his whole life.

LittleWing77

Not sure where you developed this idea. I, like many here - disagree. Most of the comments already made are true... it is mostly dependent on how the boat is set up. Furthermore, if I’m going to be doing serious coastal or blue water cruising, personally, I wouldn’t want anything SMALLER than 36’. Sure it can be done - and has been. But a longer, similarly designed boat will have better (less unpleasant) motion, and a longer waterline length than a shorter craft. I think 38 - 40 is the perfect length for this activity. With all due respect to the Pardey’s and go small-go now... if you can make it work, sailing long distances on a 40’ is way more pleasant than bobbing around on a 30’. Just my opinion of course.

[Azul]

I didn't have an autopilot on my Cal 34 and I found it to be a bit of a handful when solo, and I had a short-boom/cabin mounted traveler that helped a lot. I'm looking at slower, old-school, full keel boats, preferably a yawl. I'd consider a reliable autopilot, roller-furling, and a powerful and well maintained auxiliary engine a must-have for a 37 footer and above. Above 40 feet people become dependent on sailor-aids that can fail at the worst time. But it wasn't that long ago that people thought roller-furling was too dangerous.

Having lived on a fairly exposed dock near one of the busiest inlets on the east coast with a lot of current, the most common problem will be handling a big boat near the dock. Loud crunching noises were frequently heard as people tried to buy fuel or enter their slip. Even powerboats with single engines over 27 feet have that problem. The wind will be moving you faster toward fixed objects than your engine can maneuver you away from them. Expect to enter a slip with someone on the dock to help, or at slack tide with little wind unless you have a lot of experience with a particular hull. Full keel boats have a reputation for poor close quarters handling, but my fin keel 34 was an unpredictable beast in reverse as well.

Typical answers: Caliber 40 LRC, Passport 40, Cabo-Rico 38, Tayana 37, Cheoy Lee Offshore 41 (omg that huge circular lounge!)

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by srem

Over here I see several Beneteau, Bavaria, Jeanneau, Dufour, but I would like to see something else than these ones, something more "blue water", even if I saw a guy solo cruising with a Bavaria 40, without any issue.

I am curious why you think a 40ft Bavaria isn't sea worthy and suitable for the cruising areas you mentioned, particularly with a budget of $100k. I look forward to your reply oh and what does "blue water" mean? what about the days the N Atlantic is grey and stormy?

Have you watched Patrick Laine on YT and his trips around Iceland in of all things a Bavaria 40 in very standard trim.

Mark J of this forum is currently on his second circumnav on a Beneteau 393. Think he had to buy a sail at some point, but not much else from an ex charter yacht.

[GRIT]

I agree with most of the posts here. I single hand our 50 foot catamaran, on the dock, at sea, and recently, surfing at 21 knots. It's a matter of how you equip your boat.

I single handed our old Corbin 39 quite a lot too, and I single handed my old Hughes 35 from Bahamas to Canada several times.

The equipment, and the knowledge of how to use it, is the primary determinant as to whether you can single hand any certain boat.

Also, I'd take most any Beneteau or Jeneau above say 30 feet, across the Atlantic. I don't think you need a "heavy" or traditional boat to do so. Many have made the trip.

Cheers.
Paul.

[sandy stone]

I singlehand my 37 foot boat all the time. I personally feel that having the traveler in the cockpit is a big advantage. The thing about singlehanding, especially when docking, is to plan ahead (and know your boat).
I would agree with a previous poster that the limiting factor is probably going to be the ground tackle, unless you have a windlass. Also, the sails on my boat are pretty heavy and awkward to lug on and off the boat, when it becomes necessary.

[Djarraluda]

I seem to recall Sir Francis Chichester had a whinge at the last boat he circumnavigated in, I think she was 54ft and his complaint was the spinnaker poles were too heavy. Mind you, they were and so was everything else but he coped with single speed winches, no self tailing either.
I personally would stay very clear of roller reefed mains, either in mast or in boom because when single handed and it goes a titch pear shaped, you need the extra hands to sort it out. Slab reefing works !
Roger

[EXTangen]

Hi Srem - I am retiring in a couple of years and have a similar idea... can you let me know how you do? EMail is EXTangen@gmail.com. Sorry I can't help you, but I hope you can help me

[Scotty Kiwi]

There's no reasonable upper size (length or volume) limit that can't be beaten with budget, some of which goes to equipment, some of which to set-up, and some to experience, some to design.

I was inexperienced and learned to solo on a 68ft ketch, probably 30,000 NM solo over 15 years - very few problems/prangs, and those that occurred caused by stupid decisions and short cuts (maybe with an element of tiredness), but not because solo.

At first relied heavily on autopilot and bowthruster, but no electric winches, but in due course after getting better at the art of balance sails, I was never in an urgent rush to repair the autopilot, and when the thruster gave out I didn't need it and more and could still berth in 30kts of cross wind (not always ... generally) using prop walk and 200HP main engine over a big strong rudder. Importantly the 3/4tr keel underwater hull design was beneficial for running on rails self steering w/out autopilot while not presenting an absolute wall in the water to overly limit docking manouvres (not going to try to spell that).

Gotta be able to reach four sheet winches from behind the wheel. 2 Genoa sheets, mainsheet, staysail, mizzen sheet, and 2 others for reefing. Lazyjacks main and mizzen, rollers on Genoa and staysail.

Of course a big reliable well maintained donk. was ... critical. Still, once or twice when that stuffed up, could still dock on an end berth by lashing and springing the tender (just 18HP) to port and taking it real easy.

[srem]

Guys, this is a very interesting discussion!

I think we (nearly) all agree that solo sailing a large boat is not an issue, especially with slab reefing, furling jib and all thé controls to the cockpit.
Perhaps closed quarter maneuvers are, and that's why my favorite size is around 40'. More comfortable in heavy weather, less rolling etc.
Unfortunately I am not going to do a circumnavigation Vendée Globe style, I need to be able to solo berth in all conditions.

Now, I have nothing against Bavaria, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Dufour... Except for the fact that most of the second hand boats I am going to find are ex charter boats, with all the potential issues that could carry along.
I would like to evaluate also some more "traditional" boats, other than the usual ones.

[srem]

Originally Posted by Pete7

I am curious why you think a 40ft Bavaria isn't sea worthy and suitable for the cruising areas you mentioned, particularly with a budget of $100k. I look forward to your reply oh and what does "blue water" mean? what about the days the N Atlantic is grey and stormy?

Have you watched Patrick Laine on YT and his trips around Iceland in of all things a Bavaria 40 in very standard trim.

Mark J of this forum is currently on his second circumnav on a Beneteau 393. Think he had to buy a sail at some point, but not much else from an ex charter yacht.

Nothing against Bavaria, except for previous charterers, I wanted to compare them with more traditional boats. So I am not saying they are not seaworthy, but probably some of their previous charterers were not!

Also, I love Patrick Laine's videos on YT. I think he has done many upgrades to his boat.

[Djarraluda]

If you are in Europe especially, try the Finngulf, they are extremely fine sailing and high quality construction.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by srem

Guys, this is a very interesting discussion!

I think we (nearly) all agree that solo sailing a large boat is not an issue, especially with slab reefing, furling jib and all thé controls to the cockpit.
Perhaps closed quarter maneuvers are, and that's why my favorite size is around 40'. More comfortable in heavy weather, less rolling etc.
Unfortunately I am not going to do a circumnavigation Vendée Globe style, I need to be able to solo berth in all conditions.

Now, I have nothing against Bavaria, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Dufour... Except for the fact that most of the second hand boats I am going to find are ex charter boats, with all the potential issues that could carry along.
I would like to evaluate also some more "traditional" boats, other than the usual ones.

Take a look at Westerly Sealords and Oceanlords..

I have owned a Sealord for 27 years... and have single handed for up to 14 days. Also used a lot for single handed day sails and short passages about 20 years ago... no issues getting her in and out of slips/pens by myself.

Good load carriers for long sea passages...