Free book for Singlehanders, by a Singlehander

Started by CapnK, February 19, 2011, 10:42:36 PM

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CapnK

Written by Andrew Evans;

http://www.sfbaysss.org/tipsbook/

I've just started reading it, and it is already quite good...

Enjoy!
http://sailfar.net
Please Buy My Boats. ;)

Chappy

I have been really burnt out on sailing stories lately but his PDF book grabbed me quick ( reading it in three days). It's full of fresh thoughts, ideas, and techniques as well as good reminders for anyone who is sailing short handed...ESP single handed. A lot of the info comes from modern single handed racing ( open 40's, minis, etc) which is something I know nothing about, owning a slow boat, but applicable information either way.


w00dy

Spent 20 min. reading already. Thanks for sharing! Grog! :) :)

Porter Wayfare

Great reading! Thanks a lot. He mentions a sextant usage guide he wrote and givs a link to it which didn't work for me. I found it here http://estarzinger.com/estarzinger/pdf/sextant.pdf
a wooden Wayfarer,  Solje  W1321

I can't watch the sea for a long time or what's happening on land doesn't interest me anymore.  -Monica Vitti

ntica

I've started reading this to. Very interesting, I see all this reading as a preparation, to get rid of the "inner demons" (worries eg.) I recently heard a story from my home waters, A singelhanded sailor got back from bermuda to Sweden, and all the way here, he felth that someone followed him (paranoid?)
I think the online PDF book is very good and interesting reading so... Thank you!!!

CharlieJ

Charlie J

Lindsey 21 Necessity


On Matagorda Bay
On the Redneck Riviera

ntica

Thanks, like this kind of reading, (and filmclips)

claire.giulini

Claire
The Sun Over the Yardarm
http://thesunovertheyardarm.com/

Cruiser2B

1976 Westsail 32 #514 Morning Sun
Preparing to get underway!!
USCG 100T Master Near Coastal with Inland Aux Sail

Travelnik

I'm Dean, and my boat is a 1969 Westerly Nomad. We're in East Texas (Tyler) for now.

Cruiser2B

1976 Westsail 32 #514 Morning Sun
Preparing to get underway!!
USCG 100T Master Near Coastal with Inland Aux Sail

SeaHusky

Does anyone know where to find a working link to this book?

Quote from: CapnK on February 19, 2011, 10:42:36 PM
Written by Andrew Evans;

http://www.sfbaysss.org/tipsbook/

I've just started reading it, and it is already quite good...

Enjoy!
I look for subtle places, beaches, riversides and the ocean's lazy tides.
I don't want to be in races, I'm just along for the ride.

Tim

"Mariah" Pearson Ariel #331, "Chiquita" CD Typhoon, M/V "Wild Blue" C-Dory 25

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails."
W.A. Ward

SeaHusky

I look for subtle places, beaches, riversides and the ocean's lazy tides.
I don't want to be in races, I'm just along for the ride.

Norman

Very good read!  I have just started bouncing around to see the nature of the book.

For starters, the description of the front and back covers, sailing flat out and sleeping under sail, are very good bookends for the sailor.

I don't sail at the peak of the capability of myself or my boat very often anymore, so the portion of one of the chapters where he stresses how little extra effort can increase your speed by half a knot is not too relevent to me now.

30+ years ago, I was sailing on a friends boat out of Annapolis (a tub), I was trimming first the main, then genoa, and the owner told me no matter how hard I tried, the boat would not go fast, just relax.  I pointed out another boat just ahead and to leeward of us, and announced that we were catching it.   He scoffed, pointed out the the other boat was a very fast one, we could not expect to catch it.  As we came up abeam. the skipper suddenly realized he was being passed by a tub, locked the wheel, trimmed the main, then the genoa, adjusted the helm again, and retrimmed.  Of course he sailed away from us!  The point is, the author is exactly right, good sail trim is neccessary for fast progress.

Sailing is relaxing, and since I am nearly always in sight of shore, the scene passing by is getting more of my attention than fine sail trim.  On my own boat, I am never racing (except when another boat is traveling in about the same direction as I am!), just making good time in the right direction, least disadvantage or most advantage friom the tide, and do not go aground.

All of his advice on rig and such is well reasoned, and he has me thinking of changing my main halyard arrangement.  Presently, it comes thru a line lock to a winch at the aft end of the cabin top.  I have just committed to jiffy reefing, and that requires halyard adjustments at the mast for best results and quickest completion.  In the past, the comvenience of hoisting from the cockpit and winching up tight was important.  I sail with the poptop in the raised position, and the sail must be all the way up for clearance.

Much food for thought, and I will read all of it.  Much on rigging and crew enhancements for safety that will be digested carefully.

Thanks for the link, it is saved to my computer for future reference.

Norman, sail less far, but enjoy it all on my small boat.