Singlehanding

[Captain Smollett]

unless you are in the Stono or one of those Carolina Rivers that run like a scared cat.

Great. That's my cruising ground this summer and next. :o

(Just thinking of Eliott Cut has me doing tide and distance/time exercises...)

[CapnK]

LOL @ the "scared cat" description. :) It's right on, though. We get 2-3 kts running through the marina here at full ebb/flow. Makes for some interesting docking. Sometimes it makes for just a little pit stop out on the transient dock, when the beer has been flowing as well as the tide, and prudence dictates waiting for the effects of both to diminish. :D

Where are you at tigerregis? Here in the Carolinas, or have you just traveled through/visited?

[AllAboutMe]

Oded,
I have my Columbia Saber set up for single handing, and also have a hanked on head sail. There is tackle there for a down haul, but I've never had the need for it. I just drop the sail and pull in hard on the sheets. to keep it on deck until I have time to deal with it.
As for the other controls and halyards, if you want to see my set up, I keep her in Deltaville, but I'm probably going to bring her up to Urbanna this spring. She'll be in the creek close by. Let me know if you want to see it before the season starts. It's an incredibly simple system.
If you sail the same areas that I do, I don't know how much good an auto pilot will do you. The winds shift so much in the area, that it would be hard pressed to keep to any sort of course. If you're talking about using it on the bay, that's a different deal. I have a small autohelm that may fit your boat, if you'd like to test the waters, so to speak.
Larry Wilson
Across the Creek
Urbanna,VA.

[oded kishony]

Hey Larry,

Yes, I'd really like to see your set up. I'll be there next weekend weather permitting. I'm definitely looking for simple. I'd also like to talk to you about marinas in the area. The prices have been going up and I'm thinking- 'alternatives'

Oded

[AllAboutMe]

Oded,
I'll be in Columbia Maryland on Sunday for a Columbia owners group get together, and I'm working Thurs,Fri,and Sat. Not sure of my schedule the following week, but I'll let you know the minute I know. In the meantime, I'll try to get some photos of my set up.
Larry Wilson

[starcrest]

I have found that there really is no need for winch handles on any small boat.winch handles? I dont need no stinkin winch handles

[CharlieJ]

 :) For you maybe, but my wife uses a winch handle sometimes. Particularly in hoisting the jib, for getting that last "OOMPH" out of the halyard.

We seldom use them for sheeting, but on occasion she wants one for that too. You CAN just head up a tad , sheet in and then fall off. But sometimes you can't afford to give away that boatspeed and really need the handle.

[kokopelli]

I singlehand and I don't have roller furling or lazy jacks either...but I do agree that it takes a little planning.  Before i head out I gather everything I may need to have handy in the cockpit...I keep an extra fender at reach for any emergency coming in and out of the slip and always have a boat hook there too.  All of my lines lead aft and I keep bungee cords where I can grab them fast to secure dropped sails  I do have a tiller tamer that is a life saver when I want both hands to grab food! LOL

I think the most important thing is to find what works for you...it takes time and practice but eventually you'll feel so comfortable that somethings become easier than when you have crew.

[oded kishony]

There was an interesting item in Good Old Boat this month for single handers. The author tied his tiller to the boom with a bungee.With the engine running and the boat pointed into the wind, if the boom shifted in one direction it pulls the tiller to redirect the boat into the wind. I'm going to try it on my Paceship- I hope it works because she has such a skittish helm.

Oded Kishony  ~~  __/) ~~

[NANP]

Yeppers. Self steering w/o windvane or autopilot, neat stuff.

There's a HUGE thread on it over on the CDSOA board.  Couple of the Cape Dory folks there have been experimenting with it rather successfully.

NANP

[CharlieJ]

NANP- got a link?

[AllAboutMe]

Cape Dory Sailboat Owners Association
http://www.capedory.org

[svosprey]

Good site with sheet to tiller info-

http://www.solopublications.com/sailariq.htm

[krissteyn]

I dont agree with STARCRESTS math - 99% - naww

I single hand because the experience is great, and I have learnt to do it all myself - impress's the ladies no end too  ;D

When you can handle the boat by yourself, it means never not sailing when others "cant make it"

I rigged my boat to specifically minimise out-of-cockpit activity and my harness is connected to a ring on the cockpit floor. This gives max access and impossible to fall out (mono-hull so cant capsize) for heavy weather.

As for auto-helm - had a remote fitted for manouvering thru tricky places like coral heads (climbed the ratlines) and fitted an emergency killswitch extension for engine control - full engine remote would have been nice but not necessary.

enjoy the freedom   single handers have guests on board - not crew.

[CharlieJ]

Yep- I can find the Cape Dory forum- but where's the thread about sheet-to-tiller? I looked but I sure don't see it.

Svosprey- that's a great site. I've had Letcher's book for years but that site goes into so much detail it'll take a week to look through it all. I have it bookmarked for sure.

The Ariel is so close to the Meridian in all respects whatever works for him should do the same for us.

[NANP]

Yep- I can find the Cape Dory forum- but where's the thread about sheet-to-tiller? I looked but I sure don't see it.

Here ya go . . . one of three; you can find the others on the same seach keywords:

http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic.php?t=16889&highlight=self+steering+tiller

NANP

[Pixie Dust]

I single hand because the experience is great, and I have learnt to do it all myself - impress's the ladies no end too  Grin
When you can handle the boat by yourself, it means never not sailing when others "cant make it"

Krissteyn- in my case it impresses the men.  I get "you take that boat out all by yourself?"   ;D   You cannot always find crew, but you can most always find guests.  :)

I too have the remote for the auto. I love it.  I can also sit on bow and read. :) I like your idea of the cockpit ring for tethering.   At a seminar in Miami, they suggested keeping a tether attached to the jackline where you exit the cockpit and one attached to the mast at all times, no longer than 2.5-3 ft.  They also strongly advised against running the jacklines down the sides of the boat.  Idea is to stay on the boat, not fall over and then have to try to get back on.   I thought it was good advice. 

[AdriftAtSea]

Single handing is a challenge, but one well worth taking up.  There will be times when, even when you have crew, the crew can't help you....so you're effectively singlehanding at the time.  It also really works to improve your skills and boathandling, as well as allows you to really understand your boat. 

I'm in the process of setting up Pretty Gee for single-handing, and getting to know her... There are some changes I think I will be making, but am holding off until I have a bit more experience under different conditions to see if the changes really make sense.

[Zen]

Single handing is a challenge, but one well worth taking up.  There will be times when, even when you have crew, the crew can't help you....so you're effectively singlehanding at the time.  It also really works to improve your skills and boathandling, as well as allows you to really understand your boat. 

I'm in the process of setting up Pretty Gee for single-handing, and getting to know her... There are some changes I think I will be making, but am holding off until I have a bit more experience under different conditions to see if the changes really make sense.

Indeed and you get to have more sail time. There is a guy in my marina, who I have only seen on fourth of july for the fire works for the last 2 yrs.  His Catalina 26ft just sits. these days he does not eeven come down to clean it. It has that green mold growing on the deck. Last 4th I asked him , what happen, did he forget he had or boat or the way down to the marina ( being a wise guy  :D ). He said he has trouble getting  a crew!  :-[
How sad for the boat and him. In the mean time i'm out every chance I get singlehanding it. Even before I was comfortable doing it.  It is a matter of doing it and practice. Sometimes when I have Lady Zen with me, it is easier to do it sometimes singlehanded, or just have her just hold the helm steady so I do not have to do it with my leg :D.

[Norm]

Successful singlehanding starts with a calm state of mind... I think.  In so many ways, singlehanding is about the pursuit of simplicity, elegant simplicity.

Steering:  I have had great success with a bungee chord on the tiller plus a continuous line running up one side to the bow cleats and back down the other. 

A. bungee chord keeps the tiller at the default setting for a given point of sail.  I rig it from rail to rail athwartships, looping the chord around the tiller end.  Infinite adjustments. 
B. continuous line allows me to make small adjustments to the helm as I work the deck. 
C. bungee pulls the tiller back to the default setting after the correction adjustment is made.

The first time I used this system I was distance-racing a light-weight 30 footer on Long Island Sound.  I was able to set and recover the spinnakers and genoas, reef the main, and gybe the kite without incident.  Since then I have used it for long deliveries either single or double handed (i. e., singlehanded with a person asleep below.)

It is a poor man's autopilot.  Sort of.

Preparation:  A cooler in the cockpit with food, beverages, and miscellaneous necessities is an asset.  It reduces the number of times one has to nip below for a snack or the sunscreen. 

Canvass "fall bags" are essential.  Every piece of gear must have its own resting place that is convenient to where it is used.  Halyards and pennants must be neat and bags do the job best.

No matter what... the first question is how can I make my boat simpler to sail?

Best regards,
Norm