Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris88
Thanks
Maybe you can answer this what size boat is a good size for solo sailing
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Its not the size that makes a boat good/bad for single-handed sailing, its how its set up & and its sailing characteristics.
Setup: How easy to reach are winches & control lines from the
cockpit. How reefing is set-up? What is the "sail plan" (more smaller
sails are easier than fewer bigger sails)? Example: a "cutter" rig in moderate
wind running under just main & staysail is super easy to tack as both
sails are typically self-tending. A well set up bigger boat can be easier to
single hand than a poorly set up smaller boat.
Also a factor is how the boat behaves: is it "tender" meaning it heels dramatically in gusts and requires a lot of attention at the
helm or is it "stiff" (the opposite).
Does it "heave-to" well, which allows you to stop the boat in a stable attitude, handy when you need to stop to do things single-handed like reef/unreef/repairs/rest...
Where size does come more into play is docking/mooring, larger boats with high freeboard can be a challenge to moor/dock
single handed. A
Lagoon 50 is a radical example: the working
cockpit is on top of the
deck house (fly bridge) and it has a lot of freeboard...putting you a long way vertically and horizontally from
dock cleats/bow...a real challenge to moor/dock single handed, but easy to actually sail single handed (all lines led to working cockpit and has
power assist winches).