What Size Sailboat Can Be Safely Operated by a Solo Sailor ?

[SeaRags]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The steering wheel of a big boat requires 1 hand to operate it just like on a small boat. The big boat is easier to manoeuvre. What is riskier now? When I moor Jedi with her 64', single prop and no bow thruster, I only need a single mid-ships line to shore to completely control the boat, something that becomes more difficult as the boat becomes smaller.

When you see a boat having trouble mooring, you can bet it's a small boat. So, once again I disagree that a bigger boat is tougher to handle. This is often a fable put forward by those who can't afford bigger boats and need arguments to explain why smaller is better.

ciao!
Nick.

So what you're saying is "Size matters" and those of us with smaller "boats" are just envious! LOL.

[slug]

Originally Posted by Waltermorl

This sailboat will also be a live aboard and the operator will be a novice. Creeping up to the 61 mark I am planning on dumping the house when I retire and picking up a sailboat to live on. On a typical sailboat what extras would need to be done to convert it to a solo operated sailboat? So much to learn, so much to learn. I think my first trip will be to the central east coast to live out a winter season on the water. NC or MD maybe just gotta get away from Fla.

Walter

It’s not size that gets you ,it’s mechanical complexity

A single handers overcome the size issue with mechanical systems

These systems are expensive and high maintenance

Most folks choose to go small and simple

In the end it’s up to you

[SeaRags]

Originally Posted by slug

It’s not size that gets you ,it’s mechanical complexity

A single handers overcome the size issue with mechanical systems

These systems are expensive and high maintenance

Most folks choose to go small and simple

In the end it’s up to you

I came to this post because I have similar questions. This answer is interesting and I'm wondering what size (in your opinion) do you start needing the more complex systems in order to compensate for size? I think people like myself are looking for a sweet spot.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SeaRags

I came to this post because I have similar questions. This answer is interesting and I'm wondering what size (in your opinion) do you start needing the more complex systems in order to compensate for size? I think people like myself are looking for a sweet spot.

I would say 37ft + you need an electric windlass as the combined weight of anchor and chain becomes to great.
40ft+ for effectively raising the sails both genoa and main sail.. also electric winches if you sail with more than a No1 jib which most do.
Anything under 37ft should be manageable.
But thats me.. others physical abilities will vary.
To Jedi.. I prefer smaller mate, I've been on your boat and while its your sweet spot its not mine.. not saying your boat is crap just that if I could afford yours I would rather spend the money on a Lagoon 380 owners version. or a mono between 36 and 38ft..
Horses for courses.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by slug

It’s not size that gets you ,it’s mechanical complexity

A single handers overcome the size issue with mechanical systems

These systems are expensive and high maintenance

Most folks choose to go small and simple

In the end it’s up to you

Maybe, but it's not a continuum. Once you get to 40 feet or so, most boats have electric windlasses and at least a couple of electric winches. Go to 50 or 60 feet from there and you will not generally find different equipment, certainly not "high maintenance".


To get some benefit of simplicity by going "small and simple", you have to go pretty small, like 30 feet, where you don't need electric anything, and can pull your anchor up by hand. But once you go to 40 feet you can go on to 50 or 60 without any real difference.


And by the way, electric windlasses and electric winches are not "high maintenance", not at all.

[Paul J. Nolan]

Deleted

[slug]

Originally Posted by SeaRags

I came to this post because I have similar questions. This answer is interesting and I'm wondering what size (in your opinion) do you start needing the more complex systems in order to compensate for size? I think people like myself are looking for a sweet spot.

For practical reasons you can’t go much smaller than 40 ft

Even 40 foot is a challenge when storing tenders and carrying the huge mass of equipment found on a cruiser


45 foot is were loads and the physical size of equipment Leeds to mechanical solutions

I think that you will find what you need in the 40 to 45 ft range

[Adelie]

No, the bare minimum seems to be 12’: Acrohc Australis. That boat went all the way around in 500 days.

2 Cal20s have been to Hawai’i from California and one went across the Atlantic double handed.

I personally would’t consider soloing in a boat over 36’.
Nor would I want to do passages on a boat under 24’ though I would consider going to Cabo San Lucas on my Cal20.

After the Cabo debacle Xmas 1982 where 29 of 45 cruising boats went ashore in an unexpected gale L&LPardey made the observation that boats with only a couple aboard did very poorly if they were over 37’. Others made the same observation.

For me the sweet spot would be about 33’ solo.

[slug]

When you add 2 or 3 thousand pounds of cruising “ stuff “ to a small yacht it becomes overloaded

Boats are designed to be seaworthy when sailing at their designed displacement

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by Adelie

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>

For me the sweet spot would be about 33’ solo.

I'd up that to 34 feet, 'cuz that's what I have and what I do single.

More seriously, take the advice of the knowledgeable folks here like boatie and dockhead.


I do not "cruise" per se. By that, I mean I do not adventure far off the beaten track as many real cruisers here on CF actually do.

I did sail my boat up from SF to BC in 2016 over the course of six weeks, with my son. But we harbor hopped and tied up to a dock every night.
Before then I singlehanded and anchored out in and around SF Bay for 18 years on this boat (and 15+ years before that on our Catalina 25).
This boat does not have an anchor windlass. THAT is the MAIN reason I do not venture further afield than the Gulf and San Juan Islands, although it worked just fine in SF. The water here is much deeper than in SF and The Delta. Without a windlass, I deliberately sized/limited my anchor SYSTEM sizing to 42 knots, with a Rocna and 1/4" chain, whereas everyone who owns one of my (1,800) sisterships that does have a windlass have used 5/16" chain and larger anchors than mine. I simply restrict my anchorages to the handful I know within my cruising area that are shallower (~20') and well protected because I haul the anchor by hand.
Other than that, all of my winches and boat systems are well sized for the size of my boat (and compared to others by different builders of the same boat size I've seen with far less substantial hardware). No electric sail gear needed.
Would I like a windlass? You bet. A friend with an identical boat just installed one. Envy? Nah...
A friend with a Catalina 36 does everything I do, but he's got a windlass, too.
That makes a BIG difference, all other things being equal.


Good luck.

[MicHughV]

A lot is being said here about how big a boat one could singlehand....but little is said about maintaining a boat and all the bits and pieces that make it all work. As the size of the boat increases, the maintenance and upkeep follows on a steep upward curve...maintaining a 60' boat is not twice the effort of a 30 footer, but more likely 10 times the effort and cost.....
If you have an unlimited budget and can hire people do the all the maintenance and upkeep, that's one thing, but if you plan on doing this all on your own, you may find that you will never leave the dock...

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

>>>>>>>>>>>>>
As the size of the boat increases, the maintenance and upkeep follows on a steep upward curve...maintaining a 60' boat is not twice the effort of a 30 footer, but more likely 10 times the effort and cost.....>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I would appreciate some more explanation of this.


A 60 foot boat could have the same one fresh (domestic) water pump and a similarly arranged electrical system, say with the same number of switches, voltage sensitive relays, etc., ONE engine, two jib sheet winches (of course, larger, but still two), one califorier, maybe two heads.


But please explain how you get to 10X the effort.


And cost is also not exponential, because a fresh water pump at 65 psi is not 10X the cost of a 45 psi pump.


Asking for a friend...

[Don C L]

I see this has come back to life... I'd also add besides size, the design and layout make a big difference. In other words, for example, it is helpful to have a boat that has a good and accessible transom that easily employs a good windvane that can be set without any issues, (probably best to go with a tiller too.) Given how much I steer with my legs, or tie it off occasionally, while I am solo, a tiller would be a must-have for me. A rig that is versatile and easy to reef by one person in rough conditions, and is not prone to any kind of failure would be high on my list. (maybe junk rig? A free standing mast and wishbone?) Simple is good. There is a small boat (27') near me that has every bell and whistle on it and it looks like it would be a little tough to get around on it to take care of singlehanding duties, not to mention maintaining them. But a larger boat, sensibly laid out could be easily handled. I knew of a guy locally who singlehanded his Valiant 40 and another who singlehanded a Cal 40, engineless in his case, (both had tillers,) and they seemed to do fine... well the engineless Cal 40 did pose some challenges at times the owner confessed! Getting out of Avalon on Catalina with a big wind coming being the most exciting.

edit
Ha! I went looking for it and found the Valiant 40, "Grebe," I was talking about. If you look at the photos of the cockpit you can see the tiller, boom end sheeting, and easy access to windvane.https://www.davidwaltersyachts.com/y...=570#gallery-4
The negative there is I don't see a provision for setting a stern hook easily which would also be one of my own preferences.

[NorthernMac]

Depends on the person.

What’s your physical and mental abilities?

I mean I have met 40yr old office type workers who I am surprised can operate a garage door without destroying themselves.

I’ve met 60+ yr old AG pilots and farm boys who can physically outwork and mentality out perform folks half their age.


Personally I’d get the smallest boat you could see yourself living on space wise.

[MicHughV]

when comparing boats, 30 ' and 60' ...boat length is not a good criteria to use...
boat beam adds significant cost, draft, etc, etc, etc
a better comparison would be to compare displacements..

for instance:

A Catalina 30 has a displacement of about 10,200 lbs
A Hunter 30 has a displacement of about 9,700 lbs...

A Morgan 60 has a displacement of around 60,000 lbs
An Oyster 60 has a displacement of around 68,000 lbs...

so right there is a 6: 1 difference...and it doesn't end there. A 60' is likely not going to be waterway friendly due to mast height...

And the draft of 60 footer is likely going to be an issue as compared to a 30 footer

wait till you haul the thing out to do a bottom job....first off, you will need to find a lift that can pull you...

should you run aground, getting a 30' re-floated is relatively easy...a 60' not so...and will require outside assistance...

I can go and on....trust me on this...a 60' is significantly more expensive to purchase, insure and maintain..there will be bigger and more things to fix, etc....

but, it's your money...you do what you want...you think there is only one pump on a 60 footer...think again...there will likely be a dozen....maybe more..

finally, try to find a slip for a 60 footer.....good luck with that...not impossible off course, but rare...or almost always an outside slip....ie, you may have to pay rent for two 40' slips on an outside dock to fit your 60 footer there as you will leave scant space for another boat...

but, like I said, it's your money....you do what you want with it..and if you think you are able to singlehand a 60' with your limited experience ...power to you....!!!