Single handed or not at all

[rollo_cd26]

After months of refinishing and repairs to my CD26D, Mirabile, I realized that my boat might actually leave the hanger and launch, and then I might have to sail her. Since my wife and daughter have expressed little but passing interest, I also realized that I may have to sail single handed. My question, is that possible? I have only the standard halyard set up for the main and a Harken furler for the foresail (several size genoas) and several jibs. What would be a nice (inexpensive?) addition to make this possible. I am working without the aid of a good yard or other sailors nearby. Some pictures would help.

BTW, I replaced the stuffing box packing!

TR

[Joe Myerson]

Rollo,

As my wife is even less than "indifferent" about sailing, I've been singlehanding my 25D for most of the time I've owned her.

If you've got Harken roller-furling, I'd recommend selecting the largest headsail you're most likely to use. You might want to have a sailmaker add a rope or foam luff pad -- then you can "reef" it partially when the wind pipes up.

Purists will say the headsail isn't drawing correctly (true, I know), but it will do the trick.

For winches: If you've got them, or can afford them, nothing beats self-tailing winches. However I DON'T have them. Instead, I put little rubber "Winchers" on my winches, and they do make it a bit easier to handle the jib sheets.

Another really useful tool for singlehanders is an autopilot.

I sailed without one for several seasons, but now I can hardly remember how I did it. It's like having another crewmember aboard. I've got a Raymarine ST2000 on my boat, and I'd think that would be the size (not necessarily the brand) that you'd want.

Mostly, I use the ST2000 when motoring. But I also use it when raising or lowering the main: I point the boat into the wind, adjust the speed so I am more or less standing still, and raise the main.

You'll also want to make sure that you've got your main rigged for slab (or "jiffy") reefing. I sail with both reefing lines rigged and ready to go.

Another VERY IMPORTANT skill to acquire is heaving-to. (NOTE TO JOHN VIGOR: The hyphen is optional.) The first season I had my 25D I practiced heaving-to over and over again. I got used to powerboaters approaching me and asking if everything was OK, and the boaters in my area finally got used to seeing my boat stalled in the water.

Cape Dorys do this very well, and it's a very useful skill to have, if you have to duck below to grab your foulies, your sandwich, etc. But I use it most when reefing while under way.

Like everything else, singlehanding skills improve with practice. So, like the old joke about getting to Carnegie Hall, you've got to "practice, practice, practice."

Good luck,

--Joe

[rtbates]

I'd recommend self tailing genoa winches. One handed in and out.

Use your biggest roller headsail with a foam luff. Hopefully your Harken furler can reef as well.

single line reefing for the main at the mast where the halyard is located..

I single hand my 25D lots and going to the mast is not an issue.. The bow is another story, hence roller headsail that can be reefed.

[Joe Myerson]

I single hand my 25D lots and going to the mast is not an issue.. The bow is another story, hence roller headsail that can be reefed.

Randy's got it right. I have two-line reefing, but going to the mast isn't a problem while heaving-to; going to the bow in a blow is dangerous.

Also, I forgot to mention wearing an inflatable lifejacket with safety harness.

I'm a little sloppy about rigging jacklines and using the tether, but this is definitely a case of "do as I say, not as I do." When you're out of the cockpit and all alone on the boat, you should be clipped in.

If I'm going on a long trip (to a Cape Dory rendezvous, for example), I rig the jacklines. One of the previous owners mounted a bail at the base of the mast, possibly for a vang. My vang has its own mount, so I clip to that bail when I'm on the foredeck--if I haven't mounted my jacklines.

--Joe

[Joe CD MS 300]

After months of refinishing and repairs to my CD26D, Mirabile, I realized that my boat might actually leave the hanger and launch, and then I might have to sail her. Since my wife and daughter have expressed little but passing interest, I also realized that I may have to sail single handed. My question, is that possible? I have only the standard halyard set up for the main and a Harken furler for the foresail (several size genoas) and several jibs. What would be a nice (inexpensive?) addition to make this possible. I am working without the aid of a good yard or other sailors nearby. Some pictures would help.

BTW, I replaced the stuffing box packing!

TR

I'd work on the wife and daughter in addition to the single handing alteration. Where are you sailing at? Do they like the water and sun? Try to get them out on a perfect day, keep the sailing short, anchor for lunch, have some wine for the wife, pack an easy lunch / dinner. Don't make them work, at least at first. Do you have any type of cockpit shade? That makes guests a lot more comfortable.

[rorik]

I single hand my CD 28, with a hank on jib - no club boom. Only lines led aft are vang and outhaul. Winches are self tailing.

[bhartley]

Although my husband is far from indifferent about sailing, he feels obliged to do things like cut the grass and handle major maintenance tasks at home when *I* want to sail. We are both competent sailors and enjoy the boat together, but I am not going to beg him to join me! The 25D is very, very easy to single hand as everyone else has said.

We have a ginormous genoa (thanks to Joe) which I converted to roller furling. If it is hot but windy, I can have a lovely afternoon with the fly on the back of the dodger (won't work with the main up) and a genny running almost back to the genoa tracks! We have 2 line reefing which does require going to the mast, but as the others have said -- no biggie.

There's a gentleman with a CD28 on our lake who singlehands most of the time and he pretty much always leaves the dock with a reef in. We are in a pretty protected area and it is sometimes hard to gauge the wind. Much easier to shake a reef if you don't need it.

Now as far as convincing the family... I would strongly recommend that you simply enjoy the boat on your own. If someone expresses an interest themselves after a time, great. There is nothing more miserable than trying to enjoy a sail with whiners, wimps and wanna-be-at-homes! They had their chance. Now you enjoy!

P.S. Mr. Maintenance did make a special trip to the boat today to change the oil after stopping to pick up a "new" outboard for one of our other boats so I can be happy. (Thank you honey!) Be VERY careful encouraging your spouse -- they just may like it and it could be expensive!

[Neil Gordon]

You can single hand without any significant modification to your boat. Add jacklines if you don't have them. Practice heavy weather skills in lighter air.

By the way, Joe Myerson and I single hand together quite often. Find a sailing/cruising partner if you can.

[Oswego John]

If I was a writer, I might write a short, short story. It might be titled something like "How My Wife Took Up Sailing".

In retrospect, after nearly twenty years of wonderment, it finally dawned on me why she decided to sail with me. Doh.

One afternoon, one of her good friends who is a neighbor, a widow, and I might add, a gorgeous knockout of a looker, was visiting us. She, my wife and I were chatting on our deck and I happened to mention sailing.

The winsome widow asked me if I would teach her to sail. Me, being a person who was always eager to teach the fine art of sailing to anyone said "Sure, I'd be glad to". Doh

My wife, who up to that time never cared much for water or sailing, said "I'd love to learn how to sail, too" HELLO. An opportunity for me to redeem myself doesn't happen too often, but innocently I didn't realize what was happening at the time. I replied "Sure honey, I would love to teach you how to sail".

From that day on, whenever I gave a sailing lesson to the merry widow, my wife was at my side like a Siamese twin.

Imagine that, it took me over twenty years to wonder why my late wife took to sailing.

Homer S.
Doh again.

[Al Levesque]

I singlehand our CD33 most of the time. I removed the roller furling jib since I prefer hanking on. I also disabled the rig for reefing from the cockpit because I prefer to go to the mast. I am lucky to have a mooring on the edge of the channel so I can sail off and back on to the mooring. Singlehanding is not a function of the size of boat nor of special equipment but one of attitude. Go to it, there's nothing like being out there out of sight of everyone.

Do make time for the family to come out an sit at the mooring if they can enjoy that!

[Jim Walsh]

I do it almost exclusively. I always bring my dog along so I'm careful not to be between comfort stops much over ten hours. Sometimes throwing a reef in the main is a delicate dance in a chop but the result, if belated, is the same as with crew. I've had some of my most memorable sails when I was a bit over-canvassed. Like beating out of Narragansett last summer. I was moving like a one armed paper hanger in the short tacks working my way out of the narrow channels in the upper bay. Bristol harbor is the narrow end of the funnel. It was also my most memorable sail last year. After I finally took the time to put a reef in I was much more comfortable but the thrill was gone.

[Bob Luby]

+I single-handed Grendel all the time. The key is to standardize on the way you do things, Also, think before you do.

One of the advantages of single handing is that you always know the cause of your problems!

Rig jacklines and use them.

You'll be fine.
________
Michigan dispensary

[Klem]

I also single hand a significant portion of the time without many things that people consider helpful like self-tailing winches, lines led aft, etc. Provided that you are physically able, you can singlehand your boat too. If you don't have much sailing experience though, it probably is not the best way to learn.

If you don't have an autopilot or even if you do, heaving-to can be extremely helpful and is something worth practicing.

[CD-Sailor]

DELETED

[David VanDenburgh]

Rollo, I gather you are sailing on an inland lake. I would suggest you start by perfecting your technique for docking and undocking under power. Pick a good day - no wind, no waves. Have someone on the dock to help if necessary. When you are certain that you can come and go singlehanded without hitting anything, go out under power on a calm day, cut the engine, get the sails up, then down, then up, then down... Get comfortable with making and handing sail by yourself in a calm. Then do the same with a little more wind. And you are on your way.

I discovered that as long as I had someone (or something) to steer the boat for me, I could take care of all the rest. That's why an autopilot is pretty much an essential for a single-handed sailor. For inland or coastal sailing, an electronic autopilot (rather than a wind-vane) is best.

Once you have a substitute helmsman, the next biggest singlehanded problem is docking and undocking. Handle those two issues, and the rest is developing technique.