Planning to Singlehand to ????

[Joe Myerson]

Dick,

With one reef already in the main, I roll up my genny until the clew is on or even forward of the shrouds (say just about 100 percent of the foretriangle) before heaving-to.


And if I need to heave-to with both reefs in the main, I reef the genny even more.

I'm sorry I can't be more specific than that, but there seems to be a direct correlation between the size of the headsail and how far off the wind the boat will heave-to.

Probably I should mark my roller-furling line in some way (I just thought of that).

Hope this helps.

--Joe

[Russell]

Normally when it is time to hove-to (for real, not lunch time and not practice), you are deeply reefed, your jib will not be at 100%. Your sail configuration, your helm (rudder) location will vary depending on seas, winds, sails, etc... Practice going hove-to in various conditions, but dont mark lines expecting that to be the perfect spot, it wont be when you need it. Just like learning to balance your rig when sailing, you learn to balance when hove-to, the concepts are the same, only when hove to your sails work against each other in balance rather then together in balance.

[tartansailor]

"the year of the single hander"
Yes. Now:

Coast Pilot 1&2

Light List, Vol.1

Pilot Chart for the month.

I do not know about other sailors preferences, but the above along with a paper chart are where I place supreme emphasis.

Fear and fatigue are my major concerns. When they rear their ugly heads I immediately look for a safe place to drop anchor.

Dick

[Neil Gordon]

Dick,

A resource that we all recognize as invaluable but hasn't been mentioned yet... this message board.

Let us know what your plans are, and you'll learn all sorts of things about finding and entering strange harbors, where you can anchor, where the rocks are, where the bail out harbor is, etc. (This applies to sailing alone or with crew, of course, but it seems more important when you don't have someone on board to consult the cruising guide while you steer, navigate, trim, reef, etc.)

[Joe Myerson]

Russell,

You're right, it doesn't make sense to mark that furling line.

I thought of that as a possible shortcut while answering Dick's question. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but sail balance depends on so many factors that it wouldn't really work.

Another plus for this board.

--Joe

[winthrop fisher]

hey,

don't forget too sent up your cockpit for sleeping under a dodger or not,

that helps and all so using a egg timer for waking you wake, if need be.....

thats what i all was do when going into heavy traffic areas.....

winthrop