anchoring sailboat single handed

Every Single-Handed Sailing Technique the Pros Use

From mastering the art of self-reliance to honing your navigation and sailing skills, the pros have a wealth of knowledge to share. In this article, you'll discover the essential techniques employed by seasoned single-handed sailors and learn how to apply them in various situations you may encounter while exploring the world by sea.

Solo sailing techniques the pros use include tacking and jibing, reefing, using autopilot, trimming your sails, anchoring your boat, mooring, navigating, man overboard recovery, dealing with capsizing, inspecting your boat, performing repairs, using safety equipment, and knowing how to handle emergencies.

Always be prepared to adapt to unexpected challenges that may arise with sailing solo. If you study and practice these proven techniques, you'll be better equipped to tackle any situation and revel in the unparalleled joy of conquering the open ocean on your own terms.

• Practice your sailing skills before setting off solo. Begin by sailing short distances close to shore, and gradually build up to longer trips and more challenging conditions.
• Make sure your boat is set up for single-handed sailing with self-tailing winches, a self-tacking jib, and an autopilot if possible.
• Plan your route ahead carefully. Choose a route that is familiar and easy to navigate, and be prepared for changing conditions.
• The key to handling emergencies when single-handed sailing is preparedness, focus, and maintaining a calm and friendly mindset.

On this page:

Single-handed sailing techniques, additional single-handed sailing skills, emergency and recovery strategies, maintenance tips for single-handed sailors, safety measures when solo sailing.

First and foremost, you need to be confident in your sailing skills, have a solid understanding of your boat's handling characteristics, and make sure it is set up properly for single-handed sailing. Since you'll be managing the boat alone, practicing essential maneuvers like tacking, jibing, reefing, and anchoring until they become second nature is crucial. This will help you stay in control of the boat even in challenging conditions.

Safety should always be a top priority when single-handed sailing. Before setting sail, ensure that your boat is well-maintained and properly equipped with essential safety gear such as life jackets, flares, and a well-stocked first aid kit. Additionally, it's important to have a reliable communication device on board since you'll be on your own in case of an emergency.

Weather forecasting is another key aspect of single-handed sailing. By keeping a close eye on changing weather conditions, you can plan your route and make adjustments as needed to avoid potentially dangerous situations. Make sure to have access to up-to-date weather information, either through onboard electronics or a reliable weather app on your smartphone.

Finally, proper planning and organization are essential for a successful single-handed sailing trip. This includes creating a realistic itinerary, accounting for the time it will take to complete each leg of your journey, and ensuring that you have enough provisions on board. Additionally, establishing a regular routine while onboard can help you stay on top of boat maintenance and manage your energy levels effectively.

Tacking and jibing

While tacking, it's crucial to maintain a steady course and allow the boat to turn naturally while adjusting the sails. Try using a cross-sheeting technique to maintain better control over your sails. For jibing, always ensure you have enough space to execute the maneuver safely and try to keep the process smooth.

Tacking and jibing are maneuvers used to change the direction of the boat. When sailing solo, it's important to plan ahead and make sure the boat is set up properly for the maneuver. You may need to use a self-tacking jib or a boom brake to make the maneuver easier and safer.

There are mixed opinions about self-tacking jibs. Some sailors recommend them as a useful tool for solo sailing, as they allow the sailor to focus on other tasks during tacking maneuvers. Others feel that self-tacking jibs are not as efficient as traditional jibs and may not perform as well in certain conditions.

Some sailors also recommend using a self-tacking jib in combination with a boom brake, as this can help to maintain control of the boat during maneuvers and changing conditions.

Overall, the recommendations regarding self-tacking jibs are to consider the specific needs of your boat and sailing style, and to test out different options before making a decision.

Reefing becomes an essential skill, particularly in strong winds. Familiarize yourself with your boat's specific reefing system , whether it's single-line jiffy reefing or slab reefing. Before setting out, practice lowering the mainsail to various reef points. This enables you to be prepared for sudden changes in wind speed, ensuring a safer solo sailing experience.

Reefing is the process of reducing the amount of sail area exposed to the wind. When sailing solo, it's important to reef early and often to maintain control of the boat in changing conditions.

Use autopilot

Autopilot can be a valuable tool for solo sailors, allowing you to maintain course and speed while you attend to other tasks. However, it's important to keep a close eye on the autopilot and be prepared to take over if necessary.

An autopilot system can be your best friend while single-handed sailing. It allows you to maintain a steady course while carrying out other tasks, like trimming sails or preparing food. Familiarize yourself with your boat's autopilot system and understand its limitations, such as in heavy seas or strong winds. When relying on autopilot, always remember to keep a lookout for potential hazards and maintain situational awareness.

Use sail trim to your advantage

Proper sail trim is essential for efficient sailing and can help you maintain control of the boat in changing conditions. When sailing solo, it's important to make small adjustments frequently to keep the boat balanced.

Trimming your sails single-handedly requires a bit more effort and attention than when sailing with a crew. You'll need to manage your time efficiently and use appropriate sail management systems like lazyjacks, Dutchman, or stack packs to keep the sails under control. Develop a routine for adjusting your sails , and always ensure you keep an eye on the wind shifts and boat performance to maximize efficiency and safety.

In this section, we will cover three additional techniques: anchoring alone, mooring with ease, and navigation skills.

Anchoring alone

Anchoring is an essential skill for any sailor, but it can be particularly challenging when sailing solo. You'll need to choose the right anchor and scope, and be prepared to adjust your position as the wind and current change.

Anchoring your boat on your own can be challenging, but with practice, it becomes straightforward. Follow these steps for safe and successful anchoring:

• Choose a suitable spot : Find an area with good holding ground, protection from wind and waves, and enough space from other boats.
• Prepare your anchor and rode : Ensure you have the right anchor for your boat and the seabed conditions. Attach the rode to the anchor and ensure it's untangled.
• Approach slowly : Approach your chosen spot at a slow speed, taking note of the wind and current conditions.
• Drop the anchor : As you reach your anchoring spot, slowly lower the anchor to the seabed.
• Reverse and set : Slowly reverse your boat, allowing the anchor to dig into the seabed. Maintain tension on the rode to ensure secure holding.
• Monitor and adjust : Regularly check your boat's position to ensure the anchor is holding well. Adjust if necessary.

Mooring with ease

Mooring a boat single-handed can be challenging, but with the right preparation and techniques, it can be done safely. You may need to use a spring line or a boat hook to help position the boat in the right spot.

Mooring can be just as demanding when you're single-handing, but these tips will help simplify the process:

• Plan your approach by considering factors such as wind direction, current, and other boats nearby.
• Have your docking lines and fenders ready before approaching the mooring area.
• Approach slowly to maintain better control of your boat and reduce the risk of collisions.
• Use a boat hook to help you reach the mooring lines or buoy.
• Secure your boat by attaching the bow line first, followed by the stern and spring lines.

Navigation skills

Solid navigation skills are crucial when sailing alone. Here are some essential tips for honing your skills:

• Study charts to familiarize yourself with sailing routes, hazards, and navigational aids.
• Use electronics , such as GPS devices, to provide accurate location and tracking information.
• Understand navigational aids , like buoys and beacons, to guide you safely through the waters.
• Develop good weather sense to anticipate changes in conditions and adjust your plans accordingly.

Practice man overboard recovery

You'll need to practice different recovery techniques and make sure you have the necessary equipment on board.

When sailing single-handed, it's crucial to be prepared for a man overboard situation . If you find yourself overboard, you'll have to act quickly and efficiently to ensure your safety. Start by getting your lifejacket on and establishing a connection between yourself and the boat using a lifeline.

Next, maneuver the boat toward you. Be cautious of your proximity to the boat's hull and lines. When close enough, use a boat hook or other reaching device to grab hold of a suitable part of the boat. It's helpful to have a ladder, rope, or other devices to assist in getting back on board.

Stay calm and focused throughout the process. Make sure to keep an eye on wind, current, and wave conditions to help adjust your recovery strategy accordingly.

Dealing with capsizing

Start by establishing a plan for dealing with capsizing before you even leave the dock. Know the whereabouts of your safety gear, such as personal flotation devices and signal equipment.

If your boat capsizes, your first priority is ensuring you safely exit the boat. Keep your head above water and avoid getting tangled in ropes or other equipment. If possible, try to stay near the boat to maximize your chances of being spotted by rescuers.

To increase your chances of recovery, it's essential to have a deep understanding of weather patterns and forecasts. Monitor weather conditions continuously and be prepared to make adjustments to your sailing plans.

In some cases, you might be able to right the boat yourself, especially if you're sailing a smaller vessel. Practice this maneuver in controlled conditions before attempting it in a real capsize situation. Be prepared to act swiftly and decisively in these circumstances.

Here are some essential maintenance tips to help you tackle any challenges that come your way.

Inspect your boat

Regularly inspect your boat and equipment for signs of wear and tear, and carry spare parts and tools on board to make repairs as needed. You'll need to check your rigging, sails, and other equipment regularly to ensure everything is in good working order.

Regularly inspecting your boat is vital to catching any issues before they become significant problems. Make it a habit to:

• Check your rigging for signs of wear, corrosion, or damage.
• Examine your sails for any tears, loose stitching, or broken hardware.
• Look over your hull for cracks or signs of water intrusion.
• Keep an eye on your electronics and wiring, ensuring all connections are secure and free of corrosion.
• Inspect your engine, checking for any leaks, worn belts, or clogged filters.

Essential repair skills

As a solo sailor, you'll need to be prepared for any situation that may arise, and being able to perform essential repairs is critical. Equip yourself with the following skills:

• Sail repair : Familiarize yourself with basic stitching techniques and patching sails. Carry a sail repair kit on board for emergency use.
• Rigging repair : Know how to replace a broken shackle or re-tension a loose shroud. Keep spare rigging parts and a set of tools handy.
• Hull repair : Learn how to patch small cracks or holes in your hull with epoxy and fiberglass cloth. Carry an emergency hull repair kit on your boat.
• Electrical repair : Be comfortable troubleshooting and repairing simple electrical issues, such as blown fuses or faulty connections. Keep essential electrical repair tools and spare parts on board.
• Engine repair : Understand the basics of your engine and how to diagnose common issues like fuel or cooling problems. Keep an engine repair manual on hand, as well as a well-stocked toolkit.

Proper use of safety equipment

Always wear a life jacket and ensure it fits snugly and comfortably. Attach a safety harness connecting you to the boat, especially when moving around the deck in rough weather or at night. Make sure your boat is equipped with essential safety gear, such as flares, a VHF radio, and a personal locator beacon.

Become familiar with the operation and maintenance of the safety equipment on board, and conduct regular checks to ensure everything is in good working condition.

Use lights and signals. Make sure your boat is properly equipped with navigation lights and that they are visible from all angles. Use sound signals as necessary to indicate your intentions.

Use technology such as radar, AIS, and other technology to enhance your situational awareness and help you avoid collisions.

Emergency procedures

Knowing how to handle emergencies is vital for every sailor, especially when you're single-handed. Develop a set of emergency procedures for various situations and practice them regularly. Some examples include:

• Man overboard (MOB) : Familiarize yourself with MOB recovery methods and have a throwable floatation device or a rescue sling on hand.
• Fire : Keep fire extinguishers accessible and in good condition. Know how to use them and regularly check their expiration dates. Be ready to cut off fuel or electrical power in case of a fire.
• Dismasting : Have a plan to clear the deck of debris and reestablish control of the boat should your mast break.
• Medical emergencies : Keep a well-stocked medical kit on board and learn basic first aid, including how to treat cuts, burns, and seasickness.

Additional tips and advice for sailing solo

Use a checklist : Create a pre-sail checklist to make sure you have everything you need on board, and to ensure that your boat is properly prepared for the trip.

Stay alert : Keep a close eye on the weather, other boats, and your own fatigue levels, and be prepared to adjust your plans as needed. Maintain a constant lookout for other boats, and be prepared to take evasive action if necessary.

Take breaks : Schedule regular breaks to rest and recharge, and to check your boat and equipment for signs of wear and tear.

Minimize distractions : Minimize distractions on board and stay focused on the task of sailing safely.

Stay organized : Keep your boat and equipment organized, and have a system in place for keeping track of everything on board.

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Single-Handed Sailing: A Complete Guide With Tips

During our last summer holiday, my wife had to go to work for a few days by surprise. So I was alone on board and had the choice between staying in the harbor or going out alone. The choice was clear – out alone. That’s why I started searching for some Single-Handed Sailing Tips.

Single-handed sailing! But what do you have to consider? Internet research revealed surprisingly little information about a Single-Handed Sailing Guide. Whether single-handed sailors are taciturn people? Of course, I read the little I found and decided to give it a try. After having sailed on a dinghy on the Alster in Hamburg on several occasions before, I thought it couldn’t be that difficult. It isn’t, but there are some things to consider, and I would like to share that with you.

What is Single-Handed Sailing?

Single-handed or one-handed sailing means to sail a sailboat or a sailing yacht all by yourself. Derived from the English “hand” for crew member (see: “all hands on deck”, “single-handed”)

Who Should Be Able To sail Single-Handed?

You can always get into a situation where your partner or team on board fails. Seasickness, accident, MOB. That’s why I think: Everyone should be able to sail single-handed.

Also Read: How To Sail Single Handed

What Qualifications Do I Need?

You should be confident in every situation and every maneuver on the sailboat. You should also feel ready for one-handed sailing.

That means you should be able to master the common maneuvers safely. You have already sailed all courses and have experience with different winds, wind forces, and weather conditions. More than that, you are familiar with the boat, you know all the halyards, ropes and fittings and you can get the boat ready to sail on your own. You are familiar with setting and hoisting the sails and mooring and clearing after sailing.

That means you are a safe sailor, a safe sailor! Are you? All right, let’s transfer the whole thing to one-handed sailing.

How Do I Learn to Sail Single-Handed?

Well, you can sail safely, but you’ve never sailed alone? Never mind!

I suggest the following steps to get you started with single-handed sailing:

• Sail together with a partner, but you do all maneuvers alone.
• If you are not sure afterwards: Sail one-handed and ask a second boat with friends to accompany you. It should stay close to you and be there when you need it. You won’t need it, but the moral support might be important.
• Alternative: Sail with the mainsail only, like on the laser
• You feel safe: Then you are ready and can plan your first trip one-handed.

Which of the steps you do or need to take depends entirely on your assessment. After sailing school, I sailed with a partner one-handed, like under 1. This was rather playful because my “jib monkey” didn’t feel like it. Did I get the one-handed sailing virus then?

Sail First With a Partner Single-Handed

So the easiest way to start is to start on a familiar boat, in the usual place (because of the mooring and departure) with your sailing partner and find a day with little wind and good weather. You will normally start – with one difference. Your partner is only a spectator today and should only – and only then – help you if you ask him to. It is best to arrange this beforehand. 

Why? You should do everything alone today. He or she should not interfere with you, no matter what – pull the boat at the jetty, set the sails, operate the jib, clear the sails, and so on – you alone today. 

All alone! Your partner, your sailing partner, is on board, that gives you security. And you will see: you will not need him or her! And when you’re back: the mainsail will also be rigged up alone and the jib folded. You will be amazed: this will bring you many new insights and a lot of safety in sailing!

If that was good, you can think about sailing with one hand. I myself stood one morning at the jetty with little wind and knew – now it’s time.

Which Boat Do I Need For Single-Handed Sailing?

Do i need a special boat.

No, a special boat is not necessary – if you sail on a dinghy. However, I recommend a good-natured, easy to sail dinghy for a start, not a gliding dinghy or a racer. Nothing tippy or bitchy! Of course, this also applies to the yacht. With a yacht, there is something more to consider, here certain equipment already offers itself. Normally, modern yachts already have this equipment on board. More on this below.

In my explanations, I assume a “first strike” alone, thus in sight and/or call range to the shore. You want to make this stroke for practice.

In any case, I recommend you – from small to big – means: Start one hand on the dinghy. It is easy and direct to steer and can be moved easily by hand or with a paddle.

The advantage of the dinghy is that it is simply but sensibly equipped, and you can operate everything well by yourself. You don’t need any additional equipment as long as you can hoist both sails from the cockpit and operate everything. Normally this is the case, except for the jib. In case of need, you simply cast off the jib and let it blow out.

Of course: paddle and life jacket as well as bailer belong onboard or “to the man” – a matter of course.

Boat and Equipment for Single-Handed Sailing

In principle, the same applies to the yacht. The yacht should not be too big for the beginning. I recommend a size for the first stroke alone of no more than 27 or 28 feet. With this size, everything is easily accessible, and if necessary, you can still push the boat off the pole or the jetty if it is not a “steel steamer”.

In addition, ideally, everything can be operated from the cockpit (except for the anchor), which means that the following is available and you are completely (!) familiar with the operation:

• Engine – helps with casting off and mooring, maneuvers, lulls or (hopefully not necessary) in emergencies
• Furling jib, furling genoa – allows setting, recovery, and reefing from the cockpit
• Mainsail recovery system (lazy jacks, lazy bag, furling mainsail) – allows operation from the cockpit
• Single line reefing stanchion on the main – operated from the cockpit.
• Deflected halyards and all trimming devices accessible from the cockpit
• The main sheet can be operated from the rudder while seated (yes, there are exceptions, e.g., on the cabin roof)
• Tiller pilot or autopilot – indispensable help when setting and recovering sails, seasickness, fatigue, and of course, when going to the toilet.
• Extended ropes – to be able to pick you up outside the cockpit or in stronger winds or waves at the latest. Personally, I recommend that you always pick yourself when you are alone on the yacht. Why do you find out later or in the video?

Sounds a lot and complicated? Well, you will be alone on board, and you will probably be surprised by gusts or a thunderstorm even at your first stroke. Then you are outside and alone – and no one can help you. So: “Keep it simple”. These are things for your safety for your life.

If the yacht is older – like our Dehler Optima 830 from 1971, the traps are often not redirected, and no reef or recovery system is available. This can be done if necessary but is a clear loss of safety, as you can see in the video. Only you alone can judge whether you want to take the risk. I can not recommend this for the beginning in any case.

I saw it a bit fatalistically, but after the single-handed stroke, lazy jacks and a single line reefing system are now on the to-do list. And the next time I will also tension the lines at 3 Bft before casting off…

In addition to the usual things like first aid material, sea rescue equipment, compass, and up-to-date maps, etc. there should be at least one radio on board. If you are traveling for a longer period of time, a life raft is recommended in addition to the chart plotter.

Now we have almost everything together. No, the most important things are still missing:

As always, safety on board is the most important thing, which means first of all that you have carefully prepared and planned your strike. Checked the weather forecast, got a picture of the situation, and assessed it for yourself (!), told friends or family, and arranged a time for return.

You should always have the following.

• automatic lifejacket
• Lifeline – pickled, of course, otherwise it doesn’t help much 😉
• Epirb, if available
• Mobile phone with navigation software, waterproof packed (possibly calls for help and backup for Navi and second GPS)

Personal Preparation

Alone = no help.

You will be on your own, and you will have to manage everything alone, no matter what happens. Therefore, always assess your personal safety first and consider the possible consequences. 

Think about it and assess the situation objectively and according to your personal abilities. It will, and it can go wrong. Even if this happens, you must be able to master things alone. Therefore, prepare yourself for the fact that it will not go smoothly. Before every maneuver and before every action.

For instance, we don’t have any Lazy Jacks yet. The big one therefore needs time and extensive towing if it has to go down in a storm. And this then logically in strong winds and waves. In addition, we have the mainsail and winch on the mast. So the first question for me was always: How does the weather develop? If I set the mainsail now, can I later safely reef or salvage it on my own?

Besides, we haven’t had a mast groove stopper yet. It prevents the mainsail from slipping out of the mast groove. Because I didn’t have it, I secured the mainsail with a rope tied around the mast. 

Unfortunately, I forgot the rope two or three times. When I was hoisting the mainsail, it slipped out of the mast groove, formed a wind sack, and I could hardly control it anymore – especially in strong winds. Of course, I only noticed this when two or three slides had already slipped out of the mast, and the wind had reached into it. Sure, now we have a groove stopper.

You can see how quickly small mistakes can turn into bigger problems.

Alone = One After the Other

And sailing alone also means to do the things that you have been doing as a couple so far, one after the other. Can you handle both sails at the same time when turning? Probably not. So you will operate the main and jib one after the other. But in what order? My tip: Operate the mainsail first and then the jib. That means you go “through the wind” first, the jib is back, then you bring the jib forward.

Alone = No Mistakes

So, think ahead, be calm and deliberate. Reduce stress and failure to a minimum by careful and early preparation. Anyway – a lot of things will go wrong. Stay calm and composed. Do things earlier than usual. Reef earlier, set sails, maneuver, and above all, prepare to moor earlier. You are alone and therefore need much more time. If possible, use the tiller pilot.

Take your time. It is better to do one or two more laps in the outer harbor. Choose your berth in the harbor more carefully than usual. Get help with mooring. A friendly, “I’m alone on board, can you take the lines, please?” usually works wonders. You are gladly helped! Nevertheless, mooring maneuvers are pure stress, even for old hands.

For this, read the two or three most important tricks for yard maneuvers. But that would go beyond the scope here.

Further Single-Handed Sailing Tips

By the way, there are great books for single-handed sailing, which also have many tips for single-handed sailing, read them and try out some things beforehand! I recommend “Stress-free sailing” by Duncan Wells. Richly illustrated, simply put, and good tips.

Order at your little bookstore around the corner, they will be happy to take your order by phone and will be happy to help you. And it’s probably easier for you to pick it up than somewhere else in the parcel shop.

Everything Okay so Far?

Well then: Have fun and good luck with your single-handed stroke! Of course, these hints are written from my personal experience. The application of the tips is – as always with sailing – at your own risk.

Do you have any other Single-Handed Sailing Tips? Write me a comment! Tell me how it went and which tips you still have!

Peter is the editor of Better Sailing. He has sailed for countless hours and has maintained his own boats and sailboats for years. After years of trial and error, he decided to start this website to share the knowledge.

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The Single-handed Sailing Techniques

Discover the essential techniques and skills required for successful single-handed sailing and immerse yourself in the adventure of exploring the world by sea.

Sailing is an incredible way to explore the world, and single-handed sailing can be an even more rewarding experience. It allows you to truly immerse yourself in the adventure, relying on your skills and instincts to navigate the open sea. In this article, we’ll discuss the essential techniques and skills you need to master for successful single-handed sailing.

Table of Contents

Preparation and planning, boat setup and equipment, tacking and gybing, safety considerations, staying mentally and physically fit.

Before setting sail on a single-handed journey, it’s crucial to be well-prepared and have a solid plan in place. Here are some key aspects to consider:

Route planning : Research your intended route, considering factors such as weather patterns, currents, and potential hazards. Make sure to have backup plans in case of unexpected changes in conditions.

Weather monitoring : Keep a close eye on weather forecasts and be prepared to adjust your plans accordingly. Invest in a reliable weather monitoring system to receive updates while at sea.

Sailing experience : Ensure you have sufficient sailing experience and knowledge to handle the challenges of single-handed sailing. If necessary, consider taking additional courses or gaining more experience through crewing on other boats.

Emergency procedures : Familiarize yourself with emergency procedures, such as man overboard recovery, and practice them regularly. Make sure you have a well-stocked first aid kit and know how to use it.

Communication : Inform someone onshore of your plans and establish a regular check-in schedule. Carry a satellite phone or other communication device to stay connected while at sea.

A well-prepared boat is essential for successful single-handed sailing. Here are some key aspects to consider when setting up your boat:

Autopilot : Invest in a reliable autopilot system to help maintain your course and free up your hands for other tasks. Make sure you know how to use it effectively and troubleshoot any issues.

Sail handling : Simplify your sail handling systems to make it easier to manage sails on your own. Consider installing roller furling for your headsail and lazy jacks or a stack pack for your mainsail.

Tiller or wheel lock : Ensure you have a reliable method of locking your tiller or wheel in place, allowing you to step away from the helm without losing control of your boat.

Winches and clutches : Make sure your winches and clutches are in good working order and easy to reach from the helm. Consider adding self-tailing winches or electric winches to make sail handling easier.

Safety equipment : Equip your boat with essential safety gear, such as a life raft, EPIRB, lifejackets, and harnesses. Make sure everything is in good working order and easily accessible.

Sailing Techniques

Mastering key sailing techniques is crucial for successful single-handed sailing. Here are some essential skills to practice:

Tacking and gybing are fundamental sailing maneuvers that you’ll need to perform regularly while single-handed sailing. Practice these techniques until you can execute them smoothly and efficiently.

Tacking : When tacking, start by steering the boat into the wind while releasing the working jib sheet. As the bow passes through the wind, quickly move to the other side of the boat and pull in the new working jib sheet. Use your body weight to help steer the boat through the turn.

Gybing : Gybing can be more challenging than tacking, as the boom needs to be controlled to prevent an accidental jibe. Start by steering the boat downwind and easing the mainsail out. As the boat turns, pull the boom across the boat using the mainsheet, ensuring it doesn’t swing violently. Once the boom is across, quickly move to the other side of the boat and pull in the new working jib sheet.

Reefing is an essential skill for managing your sails in strong winds. Practice reefing your sails in various conditions to become comfortable with the process.

Mainsail reefing : To reef the mainsail, head up into the wind and ease the mainsheet and boom vang. Lower the halyard until the desired reef point is reached, then secure the tack reefing line and the clew reefing line. Finally, tension the halyard and mainsheet to set the sail.

Headsail reefing : If you have a roller furling headsail, reefing is as simple as easing the jib sheet and furling the sail to the desired size. If you have a hanked-on headsail, you’ll need to lower the sail and replace it with a smaller one.

Heaving-to is a useful technique for stopping your boat and taking a break while single-handed sailing. To heave-to:

• Tack the boat without releasing the working jib sheet.
• Once the boat has tacked, ease the mainsail and lock the tiller or wheel to windward.
• Adjust the sails and rudder until the boat is balanced and remains relatively stationary.

Anchoring is an essential skill for single-handed sailors, allowing you to stop and rest or wait out unfavorable conditions. Practice anchoring in various conditions and locations to become proficient.

• Choose a suitable anchorage with good holding ground and adequate depth.
• Approach the anchorage slowly, heading into the wind or current.
• When you reach your desired position, lower the anchor and pay out the appropriate amount of rode.
• Once the anchor is set, secure the rode and monitor your position to ensure the anchor is holding.

Safety should always be a top priority when single-handed sailing. Here are some key safety tips to keep in mind:

• Always wear a lifejacket and harness when on deck, and clip onto a secure point to prevent falling overboard.
• Keep a close eye on the weather and be prepared to adjust your plans if necessary.
• Regularly check your boat and equipment for signs of wear or damage, and carry out any necessary repairs or maintenance.
• Practice emergency procedures, such as man overboard recovery, and ensure you have the necessary equipment on board.

Single-handed sailing can be mentally and physically demanding, so it’s important to stay in good shape. Here are some tips for maintaining your well-being while at sea:

• Establish a routine that includes regular sleep, meals, and exercise.
• Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet to maintain your energy levels.
• Take regular breaks and make time for relaxation and leisure activities.
• Stay connected with friends and family through regular communication.

Single-handed sailing can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the adventure of exploring the world by sea. By mastering the essential techniques and skills outlined in this article, you’ll be well-prepared to embark on your own single-handed sailing journey. Remember to prioritize safety, stay mentally and physically fit, and enjoy the freedom and fulfillment that comes from choosing this unconventional path.

Single Handed Sailboats: The Ultimate Guide for Solo Sailing

by Emma Sullivan | Aug 22, 2023 | Sailboat Gear and Equipment

Short answer single handed sailboats:

Single handed sailboats, also known as dinghies or small keelboats, are sailing vessels designed for easy handling by a single person. They typically feature smaller sizes, efficient rigging systems, and self-tacking jibs to facilitate solo sailing. Popular examples include the Laser, Solo, and Sunfish.

Exploring the World of Single Handed Sailboats: A Comprehensive Guide

Exploring the World of Single-Handed Sailboats: A Comprehensive Guide

Introduction:

Ah, the allure of sailing – the freedom, the wind in your hair, and the sense of adventure as you glide through pristine waters . While sailing with a crew can be a fantastic experience, there is something uniquely special about single-handing a sailboat. It’s just you and the elements, testing your skills and resourcefulness. If you’re ready to embark on this incredible journey, then keep reading as we dive deep into the world of single-handed sailboats .

Getting Started:

Before setting sail on your own, it’s crucial to become familiar with the basics. Single-handed sailing requires heightened awareness and expertise compared to traditional sailing. Begin by understanding how to handle different types of sails and rigging systems. Mastering reefing techniques – reducing sail area during strong winds – is an essential skill that ensures safety.

Moreover, make sure you’re well-informed about navigational tools such as charts, compasses, and electronic navigation systems like GPS. Familiarize yourself with weather patterns specific to your chosen sailing grounds so that you can plan journeys accordingly.

Selecting Your Vessel:

Choosing the right boat for single-handed sailing is paramount. Sailors often opt for smaller vessels due to their maneuverability and ease of handling without crew assistance. Cats, dinghies, pocket cruisers or some cleverly designed keelboats are popular choices among solo sailors.

Determine whether you prefer a monohull or catamaran; both have distinct advantages depending on your desired cruising style. Monohulls offer stability in rough seas while catamarans provide greater living space for extended voyages.

Downsizing to Minimize Hassles:

Sailing alone means taking on multiple roles simultaneously – helmsman, navigator, cook – leaving little time for relaxation if everything feels cluttered onboard. Downsizing becomes crucial in ensuring efficiency and smooth sailing. Opt for compact navigation and communication equipment, such as multifunction displays that combine multiple tools into one device.

Similarly, embrace minimalism in your provisioning strategy; smart food choices that require minimum preparation will save you valuable time onboard. Utilize clever storage solutions to maximize the use of limited space without compromising on essential items.

Safety Measures:

When it comes to solo sailing, safety should always be a top priority. Ensure your vessel is equipped with all necessary safety features including life jackets, fire extinguishers, rescue flares, VHF radios, and an EPIRB (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon). Regularly check and maintain these devices to ensure their reliability during emergencies.

Don’t forget about personal safety equipment as well. Consider investing in a personal locator beacon (PLB), which broadcasts your location in case of man-overboard situations. Stay vigilant by practicing regular drills for emergency scenarios like heavy weather conditions or medical emergencies.

Navigating Challenges:

Single-handed sailing isn’t without its challenges – rough seas, unpredictable weather patterns, mechanical failures – they can all add extra pressure when you’re alone on the water. Mitigate risks by keeping a close eye on changing conditions and take preventive measures such as paying attention to weather forecasts before heading out.

Maintain a well-stocked toolkit onboard with essential spare parts and tools for minor repairs or adjustments. Additionally, familiarize yourself with a pre-determined inspection routine to identify potential issues before they become serious problems at sea.

Embrace Technology:

Technology has revolutionized single-handed sailing over the years. Embrace the digital era by incorporating innovative gadgets like autopilots or windvanes that aid in self-steering while you concentrate on other tasks aboard. High-quality electronic chart plotters can help track your progress accurately while reducing navigational stress.

Online communities are also a valuable resource for connecting with experienced sailors who share invaluable tips and advice on single-handed sailing techniques . Engaging with these communities can provide you with a support network and endless inspiration.

Conclusion:

Single-handed sailboats open up a world of adventure, freedom, and self-reliance that is uniquely rewarding. By understanding the fundamentals, making strategic vessel choices, prioritizing safety measures, and embracing technology, aspiring solo sailors can confidently embark on an unforgettable journey.

So hoist those sails, chart your course, and set out to explore the mesmerizing vastness of the ocean – all on your own terms. Single-handed sailing awaits; prepare yourself for an experience like no other!

Sources: 1. “The Modern Cruising Sailboat” by Charles Doane 2. “Practical Freedom – The Minimalist’s Guide to Sailing & Adventuring” by Heidi Nielsen 3. “Complete Ocean Navigator: Using Celestial Navigation & Electronics Together” by Bob Sweet

How to Master the Art of Sailing Alone: Single Handed Sailboats 101

Are you ready to embark on a thrilling journey filled with adventure, solitude, and the thrill of sailing alone? If so, then mastering the art of single-handed sailing is an essential skill you must acquire. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the world of single-handed sailboats, providing you with invaluable tips and insights to ensure a smooth and successful voyage. So hoist your sails, grab your compass, and let’s dive into “How to Master the Art of Sailing Alone: Single Handed Sailboats 101.”

1. Understanding Single-Handed Sailboats: Single-handed sailboats are specially designed vessels that allow one person to navigate through open waters effortlessly. With their streamlined hulls and efficient rigging systems, these boats offer enhanced maneuverability while ensuring minimal physical effort.

2. Preparing for Solo Sailing: Before embarking on any solo sailing adventure, it is crucial to be thoroughly prepared. Start by meticulously inspecting your boat and its equipment; check for any signs of damage or wear. Ensure that your safety gear is up-to-date and in good condition – life jackets, flares, first aid kit – never leave anything to chance.

3. Knowledge is Key: To conquer the art of solo sailing, equip yourself with extensive knowledge about navigation techniques like chart reading, buoyage systems, pilotage planning, tide calculations – the more adept you become at handling these skills on your own, the smoother your journeys will be.

4. Harnessing the Power of Technology: With advancements in technology, sailors now have access to an array of gadgets that can simplify their voyages significantly. GPS navigational systems allow for precise positioning while autopilot functions provide temporary relief from steering duties during longer trips.

5. Seamanship Essentials: Developing competent seamanship skills is crucial for navigating alone effectively. Improve your understanding of wind patterns and currents; practice reefing maneuvers (reducing sail area) for varying wind strengths. Knowledge of anchoring techniques and man overboard procedures is essential to ensure your safety in adverse conditions.

6. Optimizing Your Boat’s Setup: Single-handed sailboats are designed with ergonomics in mind, but optimizing the setup according to your preferences is highly recommended. Familiarize yourself with winch mechanisms, ropes, and lines to ensure smooth operation singlehandedly – make adjustments that facilitate ease of use.

7. Safety First: Solo sailing entails a certain level of risk; therefore, prioritizing safety precautions is non-negotiable. Always inform someone ashore about your plans and anticipated return time. Maintain regular check-ins via radio or satellite communication devices to provide updates on your progress. Carry backup essentials like extra food, water, and emergency supplies.

8. Developing Self-Reliance: Becoming self-reliant at sea involves honing skills in all aspects of boat handling. Practicing docking maneuvers solo will boost confidence when facing potential challenges in crowded marinas or unpredictable weather conditions.

9. Enjoy the Solitude: Sailing alone offers a unique opportunity for introspection and personal growth beyond the nautical realm. Embrace the solitude as you connect with nature, appreciating breathtaking sunsets, stargazing under clear skies, and experiencing the freedom that accompanies this lifestyle.

10: Learn from Seasoned Solo Sailors: Lastly, never forget that learning from those who have mastered single-handed sailing before you can be immensely valuable. Seek out books written by experienced solo sailors, join online forums or attend seminars conducted by yachting associations – their wisdom will guide you towards success on your solitary adventures.

Mastering the art of sailing alone aboard a single-handed sailboat requires dedication, knowledge, and experience – but it is an exhilarating pursuit worth undertaking for those seeking solitude amidst nature’s most beautiful expanse: the open ocean. So start preparing today – your solo voyage awaits!

Step-by-Step: Navigating the Waters with Single Handed Sailboats

Sailing, with its romantic allure and sense of freedom, has been captivating adventurers for centuries. However, sailing solo brings a whole new level of excitement and challenge to the table. Enter single handed sailboats – vessels specially designed to be operated by just one person.

In this blog post, we will take you on a journey through the intricacies of handling single handed sailboats step-by-step. From preparation to mastering sailing techniques, we’ll cover it all with a professional touch and sprinkle of wit.

1. Choosing the Right Single Handed Sailboat: Just like finding your soulmate, selecting the perfect boat that matches your skills and preferences is essential. Factors such as size, stability, maneuverability, and equipment options should be thoroughly considered. We will guide you through this critical decision-making process so that you can find your ideal vessel.

2. Planning and Preparation: Before venturing into the majestic waters alone, thorough planning is crucial for safety and success . We will discuss everything from selecting suitable sailing routes to checking weather conditions and tides. Our expert advice will help you prepare both mentally and physically for your solitary voyage.

3. Safety First: Being alone at sea requires extra precautions to ensure your well-being throughout your sailing adventure . We’ll provide comprehensive tips on safety equipment selection, emergency procedures, signaling devices, first aid kits – all geared towards minimizing risks so that you can fully enjoy a worry-free experience.

4. Navigation Tips: As a single-handed sailor, navigating efficiently becomes even more critical without a co-pilot’s assistance. We’ll delve into advanced navigation techniques using charts and GPS systems while imparting wisdom gained from seasoned sailors on how to navigate tricky situations such as strong currents or sudden changes in wind direction.

5. Mastering Sail Trim: Properly adjusting sails is an art that leads to smooth-sailing experiences even on the most challenging waters. With our step-by-step explanations and clever insights, we’ll help you understand the intricacies of sail trim , from setting up your rigging to fine-tuning sail positioning. You’ll be able to catch every whisper of wind with finesse and grace.

6. Simplifying Maneuvers: Single handed sailors need to master various maneuvers that may ordinarily be shared among a crew. We will break down essential skills like tacking, jibing, reefing, and mooring into manageable steps. Equipped with our comprehensive guidance, you’ll smoothly perform these maneuvers as if you had a whole team by your side.

7. Boosting Confidence: Sailing solo can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially for beginners or those transitioning from crewed sailing . Our blog will offer practical strategies and confidence-building techniques derived from experts and experienced solo sailors alike. We aim to inspire you to push boundaries while testing your abilities in a responsible and thrilling manner.

So whether you dream of conquering vast oceans alone or simply desire the freedom that single-handed sailing brings, our step-by-step guide will give you the tools needed for an unforgettable adventure. Join us as we navigate the waters together with single handed sailboats – combining professionalism, wit, and clever insights throughout your journey!

Frequently Asked Questions about Single Handed Sailboats Answered

Title: Demystifying Single-Handed Sailboats: Expertly Answering Your Burning Questions

Introduction: Setting sail on a single-handed adventure can be an exhilarating experience, allowing you to chart your own course and reconnect with the raw power of the ocean. However, before embarking on this thrilling journey, it’s essential to address some frequently asked questions that commonly arise when discussing single-handed sailboats. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll navigate through the most burning inquiries, providing you with professional insights intertwined with witty and clever explanations. So fasten your life jacket and get ready for a voyage of knowledge!

1. What is a single-handed sailboat? Isn’t sailing traditionally a team sport ? Ahoy there! While sailing has historically been associated with collaborative efforts aboard larger vessels, the rise of single-handed sailboats has revolutionized the sport . A single-handed sailboat refers to any vessel designed and rigged specifically for solo sailing, encompassing various sizes and types tailored to meet individual preferences. Solo sailors prove their mettle by skillfully maneuvering these boats all on their own.

2. Is it safe to sail alone? Safety is paramount in any seafaring adventure! Single-handed sailing can indeed be safe if proper precautions are taken. Skippers must ensure they have extensive knowledge of navigation techniques, weather patterns, emergency procedures, and possess adequate skills in boat handling. Additionally, equipping yourself with safety gear such as life jackets, flares, EPIRBs (Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons), and having reliable means of communication is crucial.

3. How challenging is it for beginners to learn how to solo-sail? Learning anything new always comes with a learning curve! For beginners venturing into the world of solo-sailing, it’s recommended to start small with simpler boats like dinghies or small keelboats . These vessels provide a manageable learning platform where inexperienced sailors can grasp the fundamentals – like boat handling, maneuvering, and understanding the effects of wind and currents. With time and practice, aspiring solo sailors can organically progress to larger vessels.

4. What are some popular single-handed sailboat designs ? In the vast sea of single-handed sailboats, a few designs have captured the hearts of sailing enthusiasts worldwide. The Mini Transat 6.50, renowned for its compact size and exceptional seaworthiness, is a favorite among adventurers seeking thrilling offshore endeavors. For those craving high-performance precision, the Laser Standard or Radial Olympic-class dinghies offer incredible speed and agility. The Contessa 32, with its classic charm combined with sustainability and simplicity, continues to attract sailors seeking elegance in their lone journeys.

5. How do solo sailors handle sleep during long trips? Sleep – every sailor’s treasure! During extended passages on single-handed sailboats, skippers face the challenge of managing rest alongside navigation duties. Cleverly designed autopilot systems can help maintain course direction while allowing brief periods for napping. Employing alarms, timers, or even physical cues (such as bucket-and-string techniques) enables skippers to wake up periodically to verify their boat’s safety and make adjustments if needed.

6. Can single-handed sails be set up by one person alone? Certainly! Single-handed sailboats are explicitly designed for self-reliance in all aspects – including setting up sails . Innovations such as lazy jacks (ropes that guide sails down into neat piles), furling systems (which allow sails to be rolled away easily), or even simplified rigging techniques grant solo sailors confidence in quickly adjusting their sail plan without relying on additional crew members.

Conclusion: As you navigate your way through these frequently asked questions about single-handed sailboats, it becomes clear that venturing out on solitary voyages holds a unique allure for adventurous souls around the world. Armed with knowledge on boat selection, safety precautions, and learning the art of solo sailing, you can confidently embark on a remarkable journey across tranquil waters or daring offshore expeditions. Single-handed sailboats embody freedom, self-reliance, and the boundless adventure that awaits those who dare to embrace the rhythm of wind and sea alone.

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The Advantages and Challenges of Sailing Solo: Single Handed Sailboats Unveiled

Sailing solo is a remarkable feat that demands both courage and skill. It requires sailors to navigate the open seas without any crew members by their side, relying solely on their own strength, experience, and intuition. For those with a longing for adventure or a desire to test their limits, single-handed sailboats provide both advantages and challenges that can truly unveil one’s capabilities.

One of the primary advantages of sailing solo is the unmatched sense of freedom it offers. There are no compromises or limitations imposed by others; you have complete control over every aspect of your voyage. Decisions such as course alterations, speed adjustments, or route planning are made solely by you, allowing for maximum flexibility and independence. This empowering experience not only strengthens your sailing skills but also fosters personal growth and self-reliance.

In addition to freedom, solo sailing allows for an unparalleled connection with nature. The serenity of being alone on a vast expanse of water surrounded by nothing but wind and waves provides an opportunity for introspection and tranquility that few other activities can match. The sheer beauty and vastness of the ocean become your constant companion, promoting a deep sense of appreciation for the natural world.

Moreover, single-handed sailboats often boast innovative designs specifically tailored to meet the needs of solo adventurers. These vessels are equipped with advanced technologies that simplify tasks usually carried out by multiple crew members. Features such as self-steering mechanisms or automated navigation systems make handling the boat more manageable and less physically demanding.

However, despite its many advantages, sailing solo also presents unique challenges that require careful consideration. One must possess extensive knowledge of seamanship techniques as well as advanced navigational skills to handle unpredictable weather conditions or unexpected emergencies effectively. Unlike in crewed voyages where individuals share responsibilities during watch shifts, solo sailors must remain alert at all times throughout their journey—daytime or nightfall.

Loneliness can also pose severe mental challenges during extended periods at sea. The absence of companionship and the constant exposure to solitude can test even the most resilient individuals. It requires a strong sense of self-motivation and mental fortitude to overcome feelings of isolation, boredom, or homesickness. However, for some, this isolation becomes part of the appeal—an opportunity for deep reflection and personal growth.

Furthermore, physical exhaustion is an ever-present challenge for solo sailors. Without crew members to share the workload, tasks such as navigating complex waters, handling heavy sails, or anchoring become physically demanding and potentially exhausting. Stamina and physical fitness are vital attributes that must be cultivated in order to withstand the rigorous demands of solo sailing.

In conclusion, sailing solo on single-handed sailboats offers adventurers a unique experience filled with advantages and challenges that unveil one’s true mettle. The freedom to chart your own course while basking in the beauty of nature is unparalleled. However, it demands a thorough understanding of seamanship skills, mental resilience to combat loneliness, and physical endurance to conquer tiring tasks at sea. For those seeking an extraordinary voyage that tests limits both internally and externally, solo sailing is an adventure worth exploring.

Dive into the Best Single Handed Sailboat Options Available Today

Dive into the Best Single-Handed Sailboat Options Available Today

Are you a sailing enthusiast, yearning for the ultimate solo adventure on the open sea? If so, you’ll be delighted to know that there is a wide array of single-handed sailboat options available today. These boats are specifically designed to empower sailors with the ability to navigate and operate their vessel independently, providing an unmatched sense of freedom and adventure. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at some of the best single-handed sailboat options currently on the market.

First up is the renowned Laser. This iconic boat has become synonymous with single-handed sailing due to its simplicity and maneuverability. The Laser’s streamlined design allows for swift and effortless sailing, making it an ideal choice for beginners and experienced sailors alike. With its durable construction and versatile rigging options, this sailboat offers incredible performance in various weather conditions . Whether you prefer leisurely cruises or competitive racing, the Laser is undoubtedly one of the top choices for any solo sailor .

For those seeking more speed and agility on the water , consider exploring the RS Aero. This cutting-edge sailboat represents a true revolution in single-handed sailing technology. Built with lightweight materials such as carbon fiber composites, the RS Aero offers exceptional speed while maintaining optimal stability even in strong winds. Its sleek design not only enhances performance but also makes it effortless to transport or store. Designed by expert sailors who understand the thrill of sailing solo, this boat guarantees an exhilarating experience like no other.

If you’re looking for a balance between comfort and performance, look no further than the Melges 14. This stylish sailboat combines modern design elements with practical features tailored specifically for solo sailors. Its spacious cockpit provides ample room to move around while ensuring easy accessibility to all controls and rigging systems – essential for those operating alone at sea. The Melges 14 boasts impressive acceleration capabilities and responsive handling, making it an excellent option for both recreational cruising and exhilarating races .

On the more adventurous side, you may want to explore the magic of trimaran sailing with the Corsair Pulse 600. With its innovative folding features, this sailboat offers unmatched flexibility in terms of transportation and storage. Capable of reaching high speeds and exceptional stability, the Corsair Pulse 600 is perfect for those who crave excitement on their solo sailing adventures. Its lightweight construction allows for effortless single-handed operation while being well-equipped with user-friendly systems that maximize control and safety.

In conclusion, if you’re a solo sailor seeking the thrill of navigating alone on the open sea , there is a wide range of remarkable single-handed sailboat options available today. From the timeless simplicity of the Laser to the cutting-edge technology of the RS Aero and Melges 14 to the adventurous nature of trimarans like the Corsair Pulse 600 – these boats are sure to ignite your sense of adventure. So grab your gear, set sail , and let these fantastic vessels take you on extraordinary journeys filled with unforgettable moments. Happy exploring!

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Singlehanded sailing for the first time

• Toby Heppell
• August 31, 2020

Toby Heppell looks at the art of singlehanded sailing and considers what constitutes good seamanship when it’s only you on board

Sailing alone gives you freedom to set off when you want, but requires a different approach. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Singlehanded sailing is often something we associate with feats of adventure and endurance, bringing forward ideas of the lone sailor heading off across oceans.

Setting off on a significant offshore voyage on your own is a truly specialist activity.

You are likely to experience sleep deprivation, the stresses of being alone for long periods of time and the possibility of facing inclement weather by yourself.

That may well not be for all of us.

Editor Theo Stocker headed out on his Sadler 29 to put the advice into practice. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

But closer to home, many of us are likely to go singlehanded sailing – be it regularly or just the odd occasion, a short coastal trip or a longer voyage, or when a crew member is laid low by seasickness or other ailment.

You might end up without a crew and face the choice of leaving the boat in a distant port or taking a fair wind home alone.

You may be a couple sailing with a young child that needs constant attention, leaving the skipper to handle the boat alone.

Understanding the skills and kit necessary to successfully and safely sail by yourself is, if not an essential skill, certainly a useful string to the bow.

Freedom and responsibility of singlehanded sailing

‘Sailing solo there is the dependence on oneself that is really appealing,’ say Mervyn Wheatley, veteran of many solo ocean races and trips.

Toby Heppell got his first boat aged four and grew up sailing on the East Coast. He has been a sailing journalist for over 15 years. Credit: Richard Langdon

‘A great deal of that appeal is that you know if something goes wrong then you are going to have to sort it out yourself.

As a solo skipper, you are master of your own destiny, entirely free to run the boat exactly as you wish.

With that comes total responsibility for everything on board: food, maintenance, sail choice, pilotage – it’s all up to you.

‘There’s an unmistakable excitement in slipping the lines and knowing that success or failure is entirely down to your resourcefulness and seamanship,’ says Wheatley.

‘Completing a solo passage satisfies like nothing else. But with that responsibility comes a significant reliance on making sure everything onboard and yourself are up to the challenge.’

In this article, I’m going to look at the various aspects you should consider to make sure you’re ready for solo coastal daysails, rather than long-distance offshore singlehanded sailing, when considerations around sleep management become more vital.

Is your boat up to singlehanded sailing?

Though the recent trend has been for ever-bigger boats, you need to be fairly agile to singlehand a boat much over 35ft, or have invested some serious money into automation.

Typically at about 35ft you are reaching the point where sail size is a big factor in terms of managing reefing and winching.

Setting up your boat so that you have to leave the helm as little as possible is important.

If you do have to leave the helm when sailing, doing so on starboard tack, keeping a good lookout and setting an autopilot will keep you in control.

Clip on: Make sure your jackstays are in good condition, and let you work on deck effectively. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

A furling headsail saves foredeck work and in-mast or in-boom furling makes mainsail reefing simpler, and the slight loss of performance may not be important to you.

A slab-reefed main can take longer to reef but lines led aft make it easier.

Crucially, if you drop it as you are coming in to harbour, the main will block your vision forward unless you have lazy jacks.

Fortunately, these are easy to add if you don’t have them already, and a stack-pack sail bag makes stowing the sail even easier.

Leaving the cockpit for any reason is among the highest risks for solo sailors, particularly as handling sails at the start and end of your passage is likely to be close to harbour with more traffic around.

Lines aft: Leading lines aft helps avoid trips forward out of the cockpit. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Leading lines back to the cockpit will make life easier, with the caveat that any friction points, particularly in single-line reefing systems, need addressing.

Taking the main halyard back to the cockpit at the very least is a must.

When it comes to mooring by yourself, ‘midships cleats are often underrated and underused, but they are invaluable,’ says ex-Navy navigator and cruising author Andy du Port.

‘With only two of us on board, we have become adept at lassoing pontoon cleats from amidships and hauling in reasonably firmly before the boat has a chance to start drifting off.’

In terms of safety, eliminating risk of going overboard is key and staying clipped on is a good way to do that.

Make sure your jackstays can be reached from inside the cockpit, and let you get to the mast or other working areas on deck.

Webbing rather than wire won’t roll underfoot.

Sensible cockpit strong points should let you move from helm to winches, halyards, instruments, and companionway without unclipping.

Optimal cockpit layout for singlehanded sailing

Whether you have a wheel or tiller, the layout of the cockpit is important as to whether it works well for singlehanded sailing.

It is worth noting, however, that a tiller can be slotted between your legs when hoisting sails or handling lines.

The ability to see a chartplotter on deck is important, as you will need to do much of your navigation from the helm and modern chart plotters make this easier.

Particularly in coastal waters, you will want to spend as little time as possible down below at the chart table so you can keep a proper lookout.

Navigation: A setup that works on deck reduces time spent below. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Effective self-steering is essential for singlehanded sailing.

An autopilot is excellent under power as the engine keeps the batteries topped up but under sail, if you haven’t trimmed correctly for a neutral helm, the autopilot has to work hard and will draw more power.

Modern units draw 2-3A but older models can draw double that.

For this reason, an easily visible battery monitor will help.

Some autopilots include a remote control you can wear on your wrist or on a lanyard to alter course.

For smaller boats or longer passages, a windvane is effective on every point of sail and draws no power.

Midships: A midships cleat is a big help if you don’t have crew to help. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

However, they are vulnerable in port, and struggle under motor as prop wash confuses the servo blade.

‘If I am in coastal waters then I use an autopilot as it’s easier,’ says Wheatley.

‘If I’m nipping across the Channel then I know I can plug into the mains on the other side. I use a windvane on ocean passages.’

Ensure essentials such as handbearing compass, sunscreen and water are in place before you slip lines. Finally, get to know your boat well. A refresher on the key parts of each of your main systems might be a good idea before a singlehanded passage.

Physical limitations

Singlehanded sailing requires a reasonable level of physical fitness.

Every manoeuvre is slower and more arduous when sailing alone, so you’ll need the endurance to handle longer passages.

It’s really easy to become dehydrated, so keep a bottle of water in the cockpit, preferably in a pocket along with a few biscuits to keep your energy up and help you deal with tiredness.

The demands of helming, sail handling, manoeuvring, navigation and other tasks on board while singlehanded sailing should not be underestimated. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

‘If you’re feeling a bit tired to begin with, if you’re going to sail a long way that is only going to get worse and will probably guarantee seasickness,’ explains ocean sailing legend, Pete Goss.

‘Sometimes if you just take it a bit easy at the start of a longer passage that makes things easier for the rest of the trip.

‘Plan to only go a short distance before possibly anchoring up for some hours, to make sure you get some rest and you have properly got your sea legs.

‘That can be the difference between a great solo passage and a terrible one where you are tired and sick from the off.

‘No-one functions well in that sort of condition.’

Nutrition: Keep yourself rested and fuelled. Heave to and put the kettle on for a break. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

‘Eating is a really important thing to focus on too,’ says record breaking skipper Dee Caffari.

‘It is really just getting the balance right and realising the effect hunger has on your body and mind.

‘I did a lot of work with sports psychologists before doing big races to understand myself a lot more.

‘Much of it was focused on understanding when I am tired and when I am hungry.

‘There are moments now when I realise I just need to eat and take a 10-minute break, and then I am a totally different person.

‘Clearly not everyone has access to a psychologist, but taking the time to notice the signs of sleep deprivation and hunger and what they mean in terms of how you function is crucial.’

Solo safety

Singlehanded sailing should be approached much like sailing at night in terms of safety.

You want everything you might need ready to hand, and to take a much more cautious approach.

Make sure you can navigate from the cockpit, whether on a plotter or paper chart in a plastic wallet. Time below is time not keeping a look out. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Going overboard is not a good idea at the best of times and becomes even more serious when solo.

Everything should be done to minimise this risk.

While much of this is a matter of attitude, and planning each manoeuvre to predict the main dangers, having the right equipment in the right place will also help.

Navigation and communication

Being able to manage your boat, and all of the key navigation and safety systems from the cockpit is the key.

Think through your navigation and communications equipment.

A chart plotter and a VHF radio handset on deck will save the need to go below.

Shore contact: Register your vessel details with the Coastguard on the SafeTrx app, then let a shore contact know your ETA. This can also be done with the app. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Should you need to make a distress call, having a radio that is set up with a DSC button will make things easier.

Modern handheld VHF radios are capable of this, as are command microphones for fixed VHF sets, which also have the advantage of a longer range.

It is worth having binoculars, flares, and a grab bag easily to hand too.

AIS and radar

Making your boat more visible to others will help make up some of the potential shortfall of only having one set of eyes to keep lookout.

A properly working AIS unit, radar reflector, and potentially a radar enhancer and alarm, will help alert you to approaching vessels and you to them.

On board equipment

Though they are key bits of safety kit on any yacht, the lifebelt and danbuoy aren’t so important for singlehanded sailing, as there will be no-one left to throw them after you if you did go overboard.

But the rest of the boat’s standard equipment should be located, inspected and brought up to spec before a solo passage if they aren’t already.

These include the liferaft, fire extinguishers, bilge pump, flares, first aid kit and so on.

Man overboard

Falling overboard, serious enough with a fully-crewed boat, becomes even more unpalatable solo.

Everything should be done to avoid this possibility.

Clearly, a mindset that is consistently aware of the risk is your biggest asset, and will help you avoid doing things that could leave you exposed.

MOB: You’re most likely to fall overboard when mooring. Make sure your bathing ladder can be operated from the water or rig an emergency one. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Keeping clipped can serve as a reminder of this, and goes some way to keeping you connected to the boat, though being overboard on the end of the tether may be little better than being overboard without one.

‘I do wear a tether often,’ says Wheatley.

‘But the thing to remember about going over the side is that a tether does keep you there, but if you go over by yourself and you are tethered on, then you are not going to get back onboard.

‘However, it is much easier to find a boat than a body so I take the view that I wear one to make it easier for my family should I go over.’

Emergency ladder

Often the biggest risk of going overboard for a singlehander is actually in harbour.

Picking up the mooring buoy, or even stepping across from pontoon to boat has often led to an unexpected dunking.

This can rapidly become serious if you are wearing heavy clothing or the water is anything less than balmy, and do not have an easy means of climbing out.

For this reason many solo sailors carry an emergency ladder with a line that can be reached from the water.

In this scenario, a lifejacket will help you float during the initial phase of cold shock, and should therefore be worn, not just when things start to get ‘a bit lively’ out at sea.

Modern lifejackets are far more impressive than their early counterparts.

Lightweight, slimline, and comfortable to wear, the hood helps prevent secondary drowning and the bright colour and light makes it easier to locate you by day and night.

Crucially, technology has moved on so that it is possible to carry AIS and satellite distress beacons in or on the lifejacket.

Along with a VHF radio in your pocket, this is likely to be your only chance of calling for help at sea should the worst happen.

It should therefore be a serious consideration for anyone sailing solo, however far they venture.

Passage plan

As a solo sailor, it is a good idea to have a shore contact who you keep updated with your plans and your estimated time of arrival, and who knows to call the Coastguard with the details of your boat if you become overdue.

Cockpit kit: Gear close to hand should include binoculars, compass, knife and PLB, as well as grab bag, food and drink. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

This can be supplemented by having your details up to date on the RYA SafeTrx app , which the Coastguard now uses as its leisure vessel registry, as well as being an active passage-tracking tool.

Even if the alarm is raised, hopefully a phone or VHF radio call will quickly establish all is well.

Tangled ropes

It’s easy for piles of rope to mount up when there’s no second pair of hands to help.

Keep up with tidying lines away, so you don’t end up with a tangled mess that could jam just when you need a halyard to run free.

With a little patience, singlehanded sailing is rarely more difficult than sailing two- or three-up for the experienced skipper.

Manoeuvres take longer to complete and you are likely to spend more time in the cockpit than you otherwise might, but your approach to most situations will be broadly the same.

Where things can get tricky is in slipping the lines and mooring.

Springing the stern out is fine with crew, but springing the bow out means you can handle lines without leaving the cockpit. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

The latter being all the worse for coming at the end of your passage and so your decision making is likely to be impaired through weariness.

Slipping the lines is clearly much easier if the wind is blowing you off the pontoon.

Here your midships cleat will come in handy as you can get yourself tight to the pontoon with this and then drop the bow line, before heading back to remove the stern line and finally slipping the midships line.

Do remember to have plenty of fenders fore and aft as the boat may pivot around the midships cleat, depending on wind and tide direction.

Multi-tasking: Tiller boats can be steered with your knees while coiling lines, but don’t get distracted. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

As ever, the process for leaving a windward berth can be trickier.

It is easier to spring off the bow first as you have cockpit access to your sternline.

So this is your best option if there is little to no tide, or the tide is coming from ahead.

If there is no tide running and the wind is blowing to onto your pontoon, then you will probably need to motor astern with the stern line firm to help bring the bow out.

Midships cleat: If you can get a midships line on, it will hold the boat to the pontoon while you sort the other lines. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Once it moves clear of the pontoon you can motor ahead as you slip the sternline.

With the tide from astern, use a slipped bow spring.

With sufficient tide the engine does not have to be engaged; simply slip all the lines bar the bow spring, go to the foredeck, watch the stern come away from the pontoon, slip the spring and return to the cockpit.

Once you are in open water, set the engine slow ahead and engage the autopilot while you recover lines and fenders.

Lines can be coiled and fenders tidied away in the cockpit.

On the water

Before taking on any planned singlehanded sailing, your boat handling should be up to scratch, but even the best sailors will find their skills improving quickly from a bit of time on the water alone.

Thinking through manoeuvring into and out of marinas berths and moorings, and then practising this a few times can take away some of the stress of a solo trip.

Heaving to: Lash the helm and back the jib to give yourself a break, but get the boat balanced first. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

At sea you need to be able to heave-to or stop comfortably, as this will give you time to boil the kettle, tend to any problems, or even have a quick break.

Manoeuvres such as tacking or reefing can also be rehearsed: which lines are eased or hauled in first, and when to put the helm down will be particular to your boat, but can be practised.

Once you’re at sea, it is worth keeping manoeuvres to a minimum when possible, as they take time and energy, and incur an element of risk.

As beating will involve a heeled boat and some tacking, it is, by its very nature, the toughest point of sail.

Self-steering

Vane steering systems or an autopilot that can adjust the course to the wind shifts, will keep the boat steering effectively.

Some newer autopilots also have tacking and gybing functions, leaving you free to concentrate on trimming the sails.

An autopilot or self-steering is vital. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

An autopilot remote is also an option, giving you access to control from anywhere on the boat (usually worn on the wrist).

It’s also worth spending time on your passage planning and general theory.

Going below for five minutes to check when the tide turns or to find out what a specific light means will be five minutes that you’re not on deck keeping a lookout.

When coming in to harbour, start the engine relatively far out from your destination to give you time to douse sail and prepare yourself.

Lazyjacks prevent a dropped mainsail blowing off the boom and restricting visibility forward.

Rig your fenders and lines in open water where you have space to drift or motor slowly under autopilot.

If you do not yet know where you will be going it is well worth fendering port and starboard with stern and midships lines on both sides.

Rig fenders and lines once you’re out of the waves, but before you enter confined waters. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Most marinas will send someone to help you if you radio ahead and let them know that you are on your own, or others on the pontoon will normally be happy to catch a line, but you should be prepared to do things alone if needed.

Coming alongside a pontoon, the midships line is critical.

Position the tail so that it is easily picked up when you move forward from the helm.

Prepare bow and stern lines and bring the ends amidships so you can reach them from the pontoon.

Boat handling: Without someone to take the lines ashore, being able to get your boat stopped where you want it makes life much easier. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Stop the boat dead with your midships cleat as close as possible to your selected pontoon cleat, and throw a lasso of rope over it – a skill well worth practising.

Sweat the line to bring the boat as close as you can.

You are then secure and have more time to take bow and stern lines across and adjust your position.

You can also use the midships line as a spring.

Stern line: Throw a coil of line from each hand to lasso a cleat at the stern. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

Once the line is made off, put the engine ahead with the helm towards the pontoon.

This will hold the boat snug alongside while you sort the other lines.

Lazy jacks: When dropping the main, lazyjacks help prevent the sail blocking the view and let you delay a trip on deck. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

This is harder if the wind is blowing off the pontoon; your boat handling has to be positive and accurate.

If coming alongside isn’t working, getting a line onto a cleat from the bow or stern will get you secure and give you time to warp the boat in.

Which line first? If the wind is offshore, the midships line is useful to get on first. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

If you don’t fancy it, consider picking up a swinging mooring or dropping the anchor until help is available or the conditions change.

The key to mooring alone is to be ready beforehand, in open water, and to have planned what order you will do things in.

Midships spring: Helm to the pontoon and forward gear will hold you alongside. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

This can be practised while you have crew by getting the boat to stop in her berth without relying on lines to take the boat’s way off.

It looks much better too!

Don’t get overpowered

Managing the amount of sail you have set before you become overpowered is more important when you are singlehanded sailing as it takes longer to reduce sail and you will have no extra pairs of hands if things get exciting.

If you know it’s going to be a windy sail, reef before you leave your mooring.

If you have a ramshorn for the tack reefing point, you may need a small piece of bungee to hold the cringle in place until you have hoisted the sail.

Reef earlier than you would with crew. It’ll save energy, reduce risk and reflect a more conservative approach. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

If you are already out on the water, reef early, before the wind increases too much.

Be conservative with how early you reef.

Before you tackle reefing the mainsail, furl away some of the headsail.

This will slow the boat, making the motion easier and reducing heel, so making reefing the main easier.

Having a more heavily reefed main, and using the genoa to fine-tune the sailing area with the furling line also makes changing gears singlehanded less arduous and avoids trips on deck before needing to shake out or take in the next reef.

Going forward to the mast, make sure you are clipped on. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

‘For short-handed crews, mainsails need to be quick to drop in an emergency and require no feeding when hoisting, to avoid unnecessary trips out of the cockpit,’ says Pip Hare .

‘Avoid using a main with a bolt rope, because when the sail is dropped it will not remain captive at the mast and can quickly become uncontrollable.’

Downwind, keeping the rig under control requires some forethought.

A main boom preventer should be used if you’re sailing deep downwind, but is precarious to rig at sea, so have this ready before you set off, or even rig one on each side.

Most singlehanders are likely to be reluctant to set coloured sails off the wind in all but the best conditions and using a headsail, poled out, is more likely.

Keep rope tails tidy when singlehanded sailing to prevent a dangerous tangle in the cockpit. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

To set your poled-out headsail, begin by furling it away while you ready a pole on the windward side with uphaul, downhaul and guy.

This will give you full control of the sail from the cockpit.

Once you are set up it is simply a case of unfurling the sail and trimming from the helm.

It’s an easy and easily manageable solution and can be furled away without dropping the pole.

If your reefing system has ramshorns, a piece of bungee can hold it in place while you go aft. Credit: Richard Langdon/Ocean Images

It will be easiest to furl the sail before you gybe, then attend to changing over the pole before again unfurling.

Setting a spinnaker or cruising chute is a more long-winded process solo so should only be taken on if you have a long leg ahead of you and you are sailing in relatively traffic-free waters.

A cruising chute is simpler to set up than a spinnaker.

Rigging can be done with the headsail furled and hoisted in its snuffer.

You’ll probably need to be on the foredeck to raise the snuffer, so make sure you are secure before doing so.

Continues below…

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Set the boat on a course deep downwind until you can get back to the cockpit to trim the sail.

Hoisting a spinnaker takes more planning and more time both to set and douse.

For gybing either of them, you would be best to snuff or drop the sail and reset on the new side.

Singlehanded sailing checklist

• Boat well maintained with all known faults rectified
• Sail handling arrangement set up with lines back to cockpit if possible
• Autopilot or self-steering set up, calibrated and working, with remote if available
• Hove-to practised and balanced sail plan checked
• Furling headsail and mainsail lazyjacks set up and working
• Enough fenders and mooring lines to rig both sides, and means of getting midships line onto a pontoon cleat
• Confident you can handle the boat for the given forecast
• Practised mooring, manoeuvring and sail handling alone
• Well rested ahead of passage
• Food and drink prepared in advance and available on deck
• Familiar with boat’s key systems and how to troubleshoot each of them
• Short passages and daysailing in coastal waters are better
• Avoid overnight passages initially
• Full passage plan completed with necessary notes available on deck
• Passage plan and ETA shared with shore contact, coastguard or RYA SafeTrx app
• Boat details registered on RYA SafeTrx app or website

Safety and kit

• Adopt conservative approach to risk and safety
• VHF radio on deck
• Chartplotter or paper chart on deck
• Wearing lifejacket at all times, particularly start and end of passage recommended
• Carry personal safety equipment, including VHF, knife, torch, and PLB or AIS beacon
• Jackstays rigged, tether clipped on
• Emergency ladder in reach from water
• Have easily available: wet weather gear, binoculars, handbearing compass, knife, sunscreen, snacks, and water.

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Single-handed sailing : Professional tips for solo sailors

Jochen Rieker

 ·  20.08.2023

In this article:

• The appeal of solo sailing

Single-handed sailing: The seven golden rules

• Tacking, jibing and more: single-handed manoeuvring tips

If there is one indicator of the fascination of single-handed sailing, it is probably the Silverrudder around Funen. It takes place for the twelfth time in mid-September - and with 439 entries, it is by far the largest solo race in the world. From wooden dinghy cruisers to carbon trimarans, from family cruisers to regatta boats, everything that floats will be at the starting line in Svendborg's city harbour. At the Premier in 2012, there were just a dozen boats.

The participants are looking for "their own little Mount Everest", says Silverrudder inventor Morten Brandt-Rasmussen, describing the unconventional fascination of this race, which is sailed without remuneration or measurement. For most of them, the 130 nautical mile course is "just about arriving, about that one special moment in their sailing season".

• 12 shorthanded regattas you shouldn't miss

The response to the YACHT single-handed skipper training course, which was organised for the first time in summer 2015, shows just how appealing it is to be alone with yourself and your boat for an extended period of time. The high-calibre event, featuring Boris Herrmann, Henrik Masekowitz and Andraz Mihelin, was completely overbooked within a week. The following professional tips are based on the sheer inexhaustible knowledge of the instructors.

Most read articles

Single-handed sailing as a benefit

It seems that being alone at sea has never captivated as many fans as it does at the moment. Regardless of whether skippers are consciously looking for a challenge to prove themselves or due to a lack of crew, whether they only go solo occasionally or as often as possible - being able to do so is definitely an asset. Because sometimes you suddenly and unintentionally become a singlehander. Migraines, seasickness or a fall can affect fellow sailors to such an extent that they drop out completely. In this respect, single-handed competence is an important component of good seamanship.

It is true that solo sailing is generally regarded as a borderline, irresponsible exercise. The World Sailing Association, for example, refuses to recognise single-handed long-distance races because point 5 of the collision prevention rules ("... keep a proper lookout at all times ...") cannot be fully complied with.

The risks are, of course, manageable with prudent ship handling and suitable equipment. This is why single-handed sailing is not contractually excluded by leading water sports insurers such as Pantaenius and is not considered gross negligence per se. A position that has been confirmed several times by case law.

How do you face the challenges of solo sailing?

Nevertheless, sailing without a companion is not entirely trivial. That's probably what makes it so appealing. But how do you rise to the challenge? How do you grow with it? How do you avoid fears and excessive demands?

Ideally out at sea, when all theory fades before the indescribable feeling that everything depends on you once the mooring lines have been cast off. For some, this is exactly what inspires them. Some are irritated and paralysed by this undivided responsibility. Can I do this? Should I? What do I do when storms come up? How do I find peace in between when the boat is bucking? How do I moor safely in a strong crosswind?

There is a lot to say about the right strategies, about consistent preparation, about nutrition, sleep management, navigation and harbour manoeuvres. On the following pages we show basic sailing manoeuvres, break them down into individual steps and explain them in sequence.

Particularly important when sailing single-handed: Keep calm and follow the rules

But the most important tips are the seven golden rules . This is because they describe an attitude rather than a process, aiming at the big picture rather than specific instructions for action. This keeps your mind free for your own experiences, on your own ship, in your own style.

Because single-handed sailing has a lot to do with your personality, your risk profile, your strengths and weaknesses, there is usually not one universal way that applies to everyone. The three instructors of the YACHT skipper training programme have also found different approaches to certain situations on their trips. Instead of offering patent remedies, they propagate curiosity and openness.

More about single-handed sailing:

• Hanse 460: Single-handed and unmistakable cruising yacht on test
• Single-handed sailing: The 10 top tips from YACHT readers
• Equipment: Converting a touring cruiser into a single-handed yacht

One of the simplest and most important recommendations is to remain flexible. For example, avoiding a tricky harbour approach at night and anchoring nearby until dawn instead. Instead of trying a harakiri mooring in the box, hang on to a dolphin upwind and wait for the weather to calm down. Instead of laboriously cooking yourself something warm in the dancing ship, lying alongside for half an hour and enjoying your meal while gently rocking.

Everyone has their own personal preferences. With single-handed sailing, you can live out these idiosyncrasies to the full - or even overcome them if you want to. It is therefore much more a mental exercise than a mere skill.

• Don't expect yourself to do everything as quickly as with a crew. Single-handed sailing works in series, not in parallel
• Think ahead. Play through what-if scenarios in your head
• Allow yourself unorthodox solutions. Don't stubbornly follow a plan that can't work
• Concentrate on the essentials: What do I want to achieve? How can I achieve it?
• Always keep halyards, sheets and extenders cleanly rigged and ready for manoeuvres
• Prepare your trips well. Allow yourself breaks. Stay fit
• But above all: don't hesitate, go for it! Sovereignty and composure come with experience

One-handed manoeuvring tips

One of the easiest exercises in light winds, especially with little overlapping genoa or with a self-tacking jib. But how do you go safely over stays in a strong breeze?

Professional tips for single-handed sailors

• The simple manoeuvre is also quickly mastered single-handed. In moderate conditions, it usually works straight away, even without an autopilot. Practise reefed first if there is more wind
• The key to success is not to lose sight of the rudder or leave it to its own devices when releasing and retrieving the genoa sheets. Otherwise, you will turn over or remain lying on your side
• If necessary, ease the mainsheet and traveller beforehand and possibly also reef the main. This brings calm to the manoeuvre, especially when starting off on the new bow
• With the right hack, a Q-tack replaces the jibe and protects the rig

2. set the gennaker

Whether the space windsail is furled, set in a recovery tube or free-flying: the procedures are almost identical. And easy to do - as long as the sheets, halyard and jib line are clear

• Use a good pack sack with carabiners for the railing and Velcro straps for the head, neck and clew. Choose dimensions that are slightly too large rather than too small
• Do not steer too low for setting (150, with more wind maximum 160 degrees TWA). Otherwise the gennaker may become twisted
• In the event of a wave, bring the jib line just over the bow before setting sail
• Check all line paths. The windward sheet in particular must run out freely when setting
• Set trim markings on the halyard (max. set through), jib line (max./medium) and sheets (max. low/medium). The basic trim will then fit after setting

3. jibe the gennaker

The manoeuvre is considered the supreme discipline for solo sailors. On large yachts and in strong winds, it is a manoeuvre for experts. How to minimise the potential for surprises

• Do not overtax yourself. If you have little practice with a spinnaker or gennaker, you should first practise in 8 to 12 knots of wind
• Maintain control of the rudder during manoeuvres - with tiller steering using your legs, with wheel steering using the autopilot
• Try to keep the gennaker full at all times. If it collapses when jibing and becomes twisted, jibe back or furl a little
• A sunshot, i.e. unintentional alighting, is not a problem. It does happen. However, avoid patent jibes at all costs!
• If there is a lot of wind, first jibe the gennaker (butterfly sailing), then close up the main and hoist it

4. safety jibe

If you sail your gennaker in a furling tube or on a furling system, you can simply take it away briefly for manoeuvres. Even the professionals do this when the wind is strong

• If you only want to buy a room wind sail, choose one with a recovery tube or furling system - you will use it more often
• Look out for high-quality components. Not all furlers and snuffers work perfectly. Smooth running and robustness are equally important for single-handed sailors
• Don't be confused by the term "chicken jibe". The "chicken jibe" is also common practice among experienced soloists. The manoeuvre is not dishonourable, but simply consistently safe and clever
• If you decide to stop using the sail after jibing, take it down. Even when furled tightly, it catches a lot of wind in the rig and can pump or partially untwist

5. recover gennaker

If the colourful cloth has to come off, a firm grip is required. And a trick that may seem unorthodox, but helps enormously: fall overboard!

• Place the pack sack under the companionway or in the cockpit before retrieving it to make it easier to stow away later
• On yachts over 35 feet with gennakers of more than 100 square metres, you have to tame a lot of cloth. Here you will find it easier with a furling system or recovery hose
• Use tape to protect fittings and edges in the boom, kicker and companionway areas
• Recover the gennaker on the favoured side - where the bowsprit is attached and the halyard cleat is within easy reach
• The neck line must be long enough so that you can pull it into the cockpit

This article about single-handed sailing appeared in issue 20/2015 of YACHT and was revised by the editorial team in August 2023.

This might also interest you:

• Tips for single-handed sailing from Mike Peuker
• Harbour manoeuvres: 9 mooring variants for single-handed sailors
• Every sailor should have done this once

Most read in category Sailing knowledge

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Single handed anchoring without windlass - advice for novice

• Thread starter richard77777
• Start date 30 Jun 2019
• 30 Jun 2019

richard77777

As an anchoring novice, I am wondering how practical it would be to drop and weigh anchor single-handed without a windlass. The boat is a Westerly Centaur. Any advice and practical tips would be very welcome, especially in relation to weighing anchor which I'm guessing will be more difficult. I currently have a danforth, but following helpful advice here I'm planning to invest in a new generation anchor soon. My chain is currently marked in one metre intervals. Assuming I'll need to flake out the required length on deck before dropping, how do I avoid damaging the deck? Any advice will be gratefully received.  

Ultimately it all boils down to the weight of anchor, chain and how deep you're anchoring in. With a 5kg anchor and 6mm chain you'll be fine. With a 25kg anchor and 10mm chain like I have, you can forget manual anchoring. :ambivalence: Richard  

Well-known member

Hello I find it quite simple. Flake out the chain along the deck, I've yet to see a chain damage a deck, to the required scope, decide where you want to anchor, go to that position, let the hook down until you feel the bottom and drift back on the tide with the engine in neutral, letting the chain our hand over hand, once the boat stops wander back to the cockpit and engage reverse to dig the hook in. When single handed I add a bit more scope than is usual. It is lifting the hook out of the mud that is a bit more fun and well worth considering a tripping line. To weigh anchor reverse the process, drive up to the tripping line, move to the foredeck and pull, the tripping line is there to help if nessary.  

richard77777 said: As an anchoring novice, I am wondering how practical it would be to drop and weigh anchor single-handed without a windlass. The boat is a Westerly Centaur. Any advice and practical tips would be very welcome, especially in relation to weighing anchor which I'm guessing will be more difficult. I currently have a danforth, but following helpful advice here I'm planning to invest in a new generation anchor soon. My chain is currently marked in one metre intervals. Assuming I'll need to flake out the required length on deck before dropping, how do I avoid damaging the deck? Any advice will be gratefully received. Click to expand...

It’s quite practical. To offer some encouragement, I have a friend who spent last season anchoring and weighing anchor single handed on his Nicholson 55 with a 60lbs CQR, half inch chain and no windlass. Simon has now fitted a windlass to “Chaser”, but he certainly proved it could be done. His technique for weighing anchor was to use a pair of chain hooks and a line to one of the primary windlasses. (He’s fitting a furler now - must be going soft!) Now, this is what I used to do: Before starting, make sure that the bitter end of the chain is secured. Think of “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea!” First, get the anchor at the bow ready to drop. Secure it with either a turn of the chain round something suitable or a line through the anchor ring that you can slip. Next, as you say, range up some chain on deck. It won’t damage the deck because there is no load on it. Don’t get up all the chain you will be using; you just want to drop enough for the anchor to “bite” - say twice the depth. Secure the chain. When you are in the right spot, drop the anchor. The chain will run out with much noise. When she has settled back, get some more chain up, secure the inboard end and pay out the rest. Weighing the anchor is easy. On your boat you can pull her up to the anchor by hand, or you can creep up to it with the engine in gear and ticking over, or you can do the stylish thing and sail the anchor out by tacking up to it. Whichever way you choose you will need to belay the chain (mind your fingers!) as she comes over the anchor because you will be using the boat’s buoyancy and momentum to break the anchor out. If you want to sail the anchor out, this is what I do. Set main and jib, sheet the jib on the tack that you want to leave on, lash the helm, go forward. Start pulling in chain. As she gets to the point where the chain is leading sideways belay the chain and let her tack. Keep the jib aback. Pull in more chain. The same thing will happen - the chain leading sideways will tack her, so again belay the chain. This time she will sail right over the anchor so keep pulling in chain until it goes taut, belay it, she will pull the anchor out and you can pull the rest of the chain in as you sail off. Be warned that she won’t handle normally until you have the anchor back at the roller.  

Old Bumbulum

This is nothing you can't handle with a little thought and preparation. There is little in practical terms to choose between a Danforth and more modern types but price. In most cases your Danforth will do the job just fine. A length of old carpet (I used to use a cheap, thin stair runner) will protect your deck if you flake the chain out. The critical thing with anchoring is laying the chain onto the seabed in a line, not just dumping it in a pile on the bottom. This is essential to give your anchor a chance to get a hold. Get the boat reasonably stopped, preferably facing into the current so as to be close to zero SOG (a knot or two either way won't matter) and in your chosen spot, go forrard and drop the anchor with a few (maybe 4 or 5) more metres than you know the depth to be. Pause. The current will draw the boat back and straighten out the few metres of excess chain you gave it. As you see that chain straightening out begin to let the rest of it run but only as the boat pulls it. Maybe half of what's left. Now, here's the critical bit. Digging the anchor in. At this point (and doubtless I'll get shot down in flames here) I'd go back to the cockpit and after waiting for the boat to take up the slack apply slow astern. Watching my chosen transits I'd than increase this to half astern and verify the transits. In all but the most congested waters I'd then leave the motor running half astern and go forrard and feel the chain. If it's like a solid bar it's dug in. If it's bouncing or oscillating (this is quite obvious and very dynamic, a dug in anchor = a bar tight chain) it's dragging and we don't have a good hold. In this case stop engine, recover chain and anchor, try again elsewhere. If the anchor proves to be dug in then allow the boat to fall back with the current and take the rest of the chain out in a line, then secure the chain with a chain hook and line to a strongpoint (don't rely on the chain holding the boat via the windlass, it requires a stronger attachment than that) There seems to be a lot of mysticism attached to anchoring; it's bolleaux! Anchoring is a simple matter of judging the amount of chain required, ensuring it is laid out in a line, not dropped in a heap and critically before full scope is laid out setting the anchor with as much reverse power as you think suitable. Without an engine all you have to set the anchor is the current. OK, no probs, that's all anyone had until auxillaries came along, let the current pull your cable tight to set the anchor and after a few moments lay out the rest of your scope. Then watch your transits regularly. You'll soon come to trust the anchor - it's something many never do and that restritcts tham greatly. Thre's no mystery about it, just picture how you want your chain and anchor to lie and use/amend the above suggestions (and doubtless many below) to achieve it. Anchors are hugely useful and confidence in the use of yours is a vital skill thqt will serve you well. Learn it well is my advice. Sleeping soundly at anchor? Heh! Another matter! The crew will. The skipper won't . Nor should he. Raising anchor? If necessary motor slow ahead and recover what chain you can. If the anchor is held fast in Pyefleet clay grab the chain with the chainhook as the slack runs out and motor ahead to free the anchor, then recover manually. I say again, there is no witchcraft here, all you're trying to do is drop a hook into the bottom that will hold your chain in place, and later recover it. Simple mechanics. Once you've done this a few times you'll begin to get an appreciation of just how effective an anchor is at holding the bottom and your confidence will increase. It's a vital skill, practice it!  

The very best advice: look for a book called “Cruising Hints” by Francis B Cooke. It’s more than a century old but Dick Wynne has helpfully reprinted it. It will tell you all you could ever wish to know.  

JumbleDuck said: ...Guess how you'll lie - other boats are a good guide - and approach 180 o degrees from that (ie if everyone is lying to the wind, approach your spot from dead upwind - at walking speed. If you a re motoring, go into neutral as you approach your spot, then stroll forward. As you pass the spot, lower the anchor until you feel it hit the bottom, then let out twice as much chain again. When the anchor digs in the bows will swing round and you'll end up where you want to be. I call this the "handbrake turn" method... Click to expand...

A chain snubber will be helpful,it’s a metal gadget that the chain can be dropped on to whilst haulin up by hand.  

Wansworth said: A chain snubber will be helpful,it’s a metal gadget that the chain can be dropped on to whilst haulin up by hand. Click to expand...

alahol2 said: I really don't think this is suitable advice to a novice, there are reasons most people don't drop anchor like this. If you are using all chain then there's a very good chance that you will rake the topsides around the bow with a tight piece of chain. If you are using a rope/chain mix then there is a good possibility of wrapping the warp round your keel. You may well be putting a shock load onto your bollard/cleat. Not to mention the distinct possibility of losing a finger or two if you are slow at making fast. It may look spectacular but it's not good seamanship except in very particular circumstances. Click to expand...

Spirit (of Glenans)

Sandy said: Hello I find it quite simple. Flake out the chain along the deck, I've yet to see a chain damage a deck, to the required scope, decide where you want to anchor, go to that position, let the hook down until you feel the bottom and drift back on the tide with the engine in neutral, letting the chain our hand over hand, once the boat stops wander back to the cockpit and engage reverse to dig the hook in. When single handed I add a bit more scope than is usual. It is lifting the hook out of the mud that is a bit more fun and well worth considering a tripping line. To weigh anchor reverse the process, drive up to the tripping line, move to the foredeck and pull, the tripping line is there to help if nessary. Click to expand...

Minn said: It’s quite practical. To offer some encouragement, I have a friend who spent last season anchoring and weighing anchor single handed on his Nicholson 55 with a 60lbs CQR, half inch chain and no windlass. Simon has now fitted a windlass to “Chaser”, but he certainly proved it could be done. His technique for weighing anchor was to use a pair of chain hooks and a line to one of the primary windlasses. (He’s fitting a furler now - must be going soft!) Now, this is what I used to do: Before starting, make sure that the bitter end of the chain is secured. Think of “We Didn’t Mean to Go to Sea!” First, get the anchor at the bow ready to drop. Secure it with either a turn of the chain round something suitable or a line through the anchor ring that you can slip. Next, as you say, range up some chain on deck. It won’t damage the deck because there is no load on it. Don’t get up all the chain you will be using; you just want to drop enough for the anchor to “bite” - say twice the depth. Secure the chain. When you are in the right spot, drop the anchor. The chain will run out with much noise. When she has settled back, get some more chain up, secure the inboard end and pay out the rest. Weighing the anchor is easy. On your boat you can pull her up to the anchor by hand, or you can creep up to it with the engine in gear and ticking over, or you can do the stylish thing and sail the anchor out by tacking up to it. Whichever way you choose you will need to belay the chain (mind your fingers!) as she comes over the anchor because you will be using the boat’s buoyancy and momentum to break the anchor out. If you want to sail the anchor out, this is what I do. Set main and jib, sheet the jib on the tack that you want to leave on, lash the helm, go forward. Start pulling in chain. As she gets to the point where the chain is leading sideways belay the chain and let her tack. Keep the jib aback. Pull in more chain. The same thing will happen - the chain leading sideways will tack her, so again belay the chain. This time she will sail right over the anchor so keep pulling in chain until it goes taut, belay it, she will pull the anchor out and you can pull the rest of the chain in as you sail off. Be warned that she won’t handle normally until you have the anchor back at the roller. Click to expand...

Spirit (of Glenans) said: I was taught that one should flake out all of the required scope and make fast, drop just a little more than the depth, so that one knows when it is "up-and-down", i.e. the anchor is just touching the bottom. As the boat drifts back, let out chain at a matching pace, controlled by a (booted) foot. In an engineless boat let the last few metres of chain run out quickly and speed up the boat's motion with a backed sail, to ensure that the anchor is set. Click to expand...

Unless you need to anchor through a gale, put your shiny new gen anchor on the chain. Put 2m of chain and 30 (?) metres of 12mm rope on the danforth. Stop boat. Lower anchor. Let out more string as the boat falls back.  

ghostlymoron

I used to like anchoring under sail. Approach at moderate to slow speed downwind, let go anchor at desired anchor point or up wind, have desired length of rode flaked and cleated, continue downwind until rode gets tight when the boat will round up and the anchor will dig in with momentum and come to a halt. Lower sails and put on kettle. Very satisfying but best not attempted in crowded anchorage for first attempt.  

ghostlymoron said: I used to like anchoring under sail. Approach at moderate to slow speed downwind, let go anchor at desired anchor point or up wind, have desired length of rode flaked and cleated, continue downwind until rode gets tight when the boat will round up and the anchor will dig in with momentum and come to a halt. Lower sails and put on kettle. Very satisfying but best not attempted in crowded anchorage for first attempt. Click to expand...

Minn said: To offer some encouragement, I have a friend who spent last season anchoring and weighing anchor single handed on his Nicholson 55 with a 60lbs CQR, half inch chain and no windlass. Click to expand...

Active member

If you have a chart plotter linked to your autopilot. Place a waypoint over roughly where the anchor is on the bottom so that when it come to raising the hook, set the engine speed and set the autopilot / chartplotter to go to said waypoint. Hopefully that reduces the side pull due to current and wind.  

Thank you all for the detailed and incredibly helpful advice. It will boost my confidence and I'm looking forward to practising.  

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• Practical Boat Owner
• Digital edition

22 practical tips for a single handed sailor to make your boat easier to sail

• June 28, 2024

Doctor Tom Miller shares some ideas to help make single handed sailing a safer and more comfortable experience

A folding safety ladder i just one of the features Doctor Tom Miller has installed on his boat to make it easier to sail solo. Credit: Doctor Tom Miller Credit: Doctor Tom Miller

One of the challenges of being a single handed sailor, alone for extended periods is how to replace the exchange of ideas, opinions and experiences that take place on a crewed boat.

One option is to talk to oneself, but that can become boring when you have heard all the stories before.

My approach, which has evolved over 25,000NM of solo sailing , is to use the time to formulate ways to improve the safety, reliability, comfort and convenience of the boat you are fortunate enough to own and be sailing upon.

What follows is a collection of (mostly) DIY modifications carried out on my 9.75m (32ft) kauri sloop Fantasy over the years which should help a single handed sailor.

1. Twin mainsheet system

Credit: Doctor Tom Miller

This system was devised and installed after a nasty head injury was sustained from the block of a single mainsheet system as it swung across the cockpit during an uncontrolled gybe.

The dual system has several advantages for the single handed sailor in that it is more readily kept in a fixed position and is more forgiving if the boat sails off course for any reason including a wind shift , inattention and failure to concentrate on course maintenance.

One additional plus is unobstructed access to the companionway while at anchor.

2. Deck safety

Cabin top-mounted handrails and stanchion-secured lines are the usual deck safety installations.

The addition of a line, attached at shoulder height to the shrouds and leading aft to the pushpit, is an extra handhold that provides an amazing sense of security when moving between the cockpit and mast.

The line can also be an attachment point for the safety harness lanyard.

The lanyard will not prevent a fall overboard, but if the worst happens you’ll still be attached to the boat.

The risk of tripping over the conventional lanyard can be eliminated by replacing it with a self-coiling wire used to secure bicycles.

The coil is attached permanently to the support line described and can be clipped onto the harness at a moment’s notice.

When engaged forward of the mast, the clip is transferred from the line to an attachment point on the mast

3. Folding safety ladder

The folding ladder deployed. Credit: Doctor Tom Miller

So you are in the water, but still attached to the boat by the lanyard and harness.

Getting back on board is likely to be mission impossible without assistance, so port- and starboard-sited folding ladders could be just what is needed.

Undo the Velcro tie cloth and the ladder unfolds to provide the required footholds.

4. Boom bag

How would you like to have the reefing line tails, mainsail outhaul surplus, main halyard winch handle and sundry other lines neatly stowed and readily available when needed?

A unit designed and sewn up to meet an individual boat’s needs and suspended under the boom will achieve this end.

5. Cockpit lockers

In yachts, quarter berths are commonly used for this purpose, but this space is inconvenient and often not readily accessible.

One solution that has worked well on Fantasy has been to seal off and empty the quarter berth and convert the space now available into a cockpit locker.

Construction of the drainage system is the time-consuming part.

The cockpit seat, if cut with care, can be used as the locker lid, but channels will need to be constructed to catch and divert rain and seawater from the seats away from the locker and its contents.

The end result will be a spacious locker, readily accessed by a hinged lid, that can be used to stow wet weather gear, sea boots, oil and fuel, an emergency ladder, a cooler and the day’s lunch and coffee.

6. Staysail system

Coping mechanisms for a single handed sailor dealing with near-gale to gale-force winds vary according to the vessel and how it is equipped to deal with these conditions.

In the case of Fantasy , a traditional long-keel design , a system has been installed allowing a removable inner forestay to be attached and tensioned to a foredeck fitting such as a deck cleat.

Once in place and tensioned a staysail can be hanked on, sheets attached and the sail hoisted and set.

The sheets may require their own winches, but it is also possible to clear the existing sheet winches and use them.

More lightly built boats may need sub-deck support to the deck attachment point.

With a reef or two in the mainsail and the headsail either furled or dropped, a boat can be managed under the conditions described with relative ease.

As the wind strength eases the headsail can be brought back into use to provide a ‘slutter’ rig.

When not in use, the inner forestay is stored back at the mast.

7. Cockpit weather cloth pockets

Look around your cockpit and note the under-utilised area that the weather panels represent.

Pockets stitched to the backs of these, designed to house items such as a VHF radio , binoculars, cordage and sheet ends, will provide useful extra stowage.

8. Throttle guard

This unit will protect the throttle lever from a crew member’s foot in the wrong place, which could alter the approach to the dock from ‘dead slow ahead’ to ‘full ahead’ with dire consequences.

9. Halyard trap

There are few things more capable of disturbing a good night’s sleep than the tap-tap-tap of an uncontrolled halyard on a mast.

Climbing out of a bunk and tying it up usually fixes the problem, but who wants to do that on a cold night?

The solution is a pair of halyard traps attached to the port and starboard spreaders.

This can be achieved with some workshop effort and casting expenditure.

The workshop component involves shaping a unit in wood: the forward-facing edge needs to be shaped to fit neatly against the spreader.

Holes are drilled at each end of the castings which are secured to the spreader with cable ties.

Locate the halyard in the trap and secure.

10. Tide clock and chart

When selecting the appropriate depth of water under the keel in which to drop the anchor, complicated tidal state vs depth calculations can be avoided with the aid of three devices – a depth sounder, a tide clock and a chart specifically constructed for an individual boat using the tidal range in local waters.

The chart illustrated is designed for a vessel with a draught of 2m using a tidal range of 3m.

The calculation for the minimum depth required for anchoring is based on the standard ‘rule of twelfths’ that can be found in any book on coastal navigation dealing with the tides.

Note that the change in depth with time is not linear, so each point on the graph requires an individual calculation.

In practice, determine the state of the tide from the tide clock either before or after high water, select the corresponding depth from the pre-calculated chart and motor in with a watchful eye on the sounder recordings.

11. Handheld VHF range extension

Most VHF communications for the short-handed crew, while under way, are carried out in the cockpit using a handheld instrument.

The handheld unit’s range can be increased considerably by connecting the set to a whip antenna mounted on the pushpit rail.

The antenna on the handset is removed and the cable from the extension unit is installed in its place.

Check to see whether an antenna is available for your VHF radio model.

12. Mainsail stowage

To install, attach ring tabs at 40cm intervals down one side of the boom.

A length of 8mm shock cord somewhat longer than the boom is threaded through the tabs and the ends are knotted.

Clips capable of capturing the shock cord are attached to the opposite side of the boom and located between the ring tabs.

To secure the sail, lower it onto the boom and, starting from the aft end, fold the sail along the boom a metre at a time.

With each fold, grip a section of the shock cord between the tabs and pass the loop over the sail, and engage the clip opposite.

Continue until the sail is fully stowed.

13. Wood-burning heater

The wood-burning stove pictured has been in use for 25 winters and has enabled some memorable social occasions in quiet anchorages.

The only problem has been getting visitors to move back to their cold boats!

A similar unit can be designed and constructed by a metal fabricator using box steel for the basic unit and ash collection.

The tricky part is designing the through-deck fitting that allows an external removable chimney to be linked in with the internal chimney when in use.

An insulated surround should also be planned for.

Construction and installation will require some thought and experimentation, but it’s worth the effort.

14. Eliminating toilet odour

The origin of the pungent odour when a boat’s toilet is flushed after lying unused for a while lies within the plumbing system, where microorganisms that thrive in salt water form a biofilm on the internal surfaces of the piping that runs from the seacock to the toilet.

The answer is to fill the system with a biocide that prevents microbial growth when the toilet is left unused for more than a few days.

The modification needed involves inserting a T-piece in the hose close to the seacock.

One of the hoses from the T-piece is connected to a 1,500ml reservoir attached to a bulkhead at a point above the bowl.

The other hose feeds the toilet.

A further in-line valve is fitted below the reservoir. Before leaving the boat the reservoir is filled with a diluted biocide formulated for marine toilet use.

With the seacock closed, the reservoir is filled and the in-line valve below the reservoir is opened.

The contents then flow through the system into the bowl. (Remember to close the in-line valve.)

15. Solar riding lights

Most boats anchoring overnight are conscientious about showing a riding light.

The majority run off the ship’s battery, but self-regulating solar lights are becoming popular.

Their use does not have the blessing of officialdom, but they are certainly convenient as an install-and-forget item.

Most will show a light until dawn when they switch off. Use two as backup

16. Saloon table

Mealtimes apart, the saloon table is an obstacle to moving around down below.

The idea of a removable table and pedestal came from an installation in a camper van: the pedestal, sub table and floor base units are available from motorhome and camper van supply stores.

Readily set up when required, the additional space available when it is stowed will be appreciated.

17. Swinging arm for GPS/ chartplotter

Electronic devices in common use are frequently installed in the navigation console and not readily accessible to the helmsman.

This problem can be overcome if the unit is mounted on a plate attached to a swinging arm.

At rest, the unit is stowed under cover against the cockpit bulkhead.

When required, it is simply swung in an arc and positioned for viewing from the cockpit.

18. Cooling water flow confirmation

Failure of the engine water cooling system , either direct or via a heat exchanger, can mean a tow back to base and an expensive repair job.

Fantasy is powered by a 16hp diesel engine cooled by an impeller-driven heat exchanger.

A clever engineer who installed the cooling system has inserted a takeoff point into the outlet from the heat exchanger that diverts some water into a pipe that terminates at the cockpit bulkhead.

Water flowing from the outlet is assurance that the appropriate seacocks have been opened and the impeller is functioning.

19. Kerosene pressure stove

These cookers are still used by boating Neanderthals like myself.

While these alternatives to gas stoves reduce the chance of an explosion, they can provide some anxious moments during the meths preignition heating stage.

A controlled heat-up can be guaranteed when one of the units used to heat a Tilley lamp is soaked in meths and placed around the burner flukes before lighting.

The heating can be supplemented by adding a few mls of meths to the cup below the burner, but sufficient heat is usually supplied by the meths in the device.

If not, a second application ensures a safe operation

20. Access gate

After a couple of close calls when a foot caught the top safety wire while leaving the boat, some consideration was given as to how boarding and exiting a boat on a marina could be achieved safely.

A drop-down gate, inserted in the lifelines between two stanchions adjacent to the cockpit, has served this intention well.

Pelican clips allow the lines to be reconnected and the gap secured as one of the pre-departure tasks.

This is not a DIY job and a rigger should be consulted. (A gate near a shroud might make for a better position than the site illustrated.)

Note that vibration and movement while under way can allow the pelican clips to work loose: they should be secured with a piece of tape at the outset to prevent this from happening.

21. Engine air supply

Along with clean diesel, a ready supply of clean air is essential to keep the motor running smoothly.

With engines that are enclosed and heavily insulated to reduce noise, this requirement may fall short of being ideal.

A 12V computer fan set into an inspection port insert can provide a steady flow of air.

Even without the fan, the removal of the insert will improve the situation.

22. Marina docking

Docking a vessel in a marina in strong winds can be particularly difficult when short-handed.

Accidents to crew members attempting to jump onto the marina to get a line ashore are not uncommon.

Problems occur when the unsecured end of the boat blows away from the dock while the other end is being attached.

Two installations will help under these circumstances: the first (picture one) is a specifically engineered berthing rod and base firmly bolted down at the end of the finger.

As soon as the docking vessel is stationary in the marina space a boat hook, or preferably a specially constructed device, is used to drop a spliced loop and 3m line over the docking device.

Once the loop has dropped to the base the line is wound onto a cockpit winch and the vessel winched into position.

If the forward mooring line cannot be reached, the second ploy (picture two) comes into play.

This involves a line running along the finger that has been led through several supports so that it is positioned around 10cm above the edge of the finger.

A grapnel tossed from the boat onto the finger is used to haul the vessel alongside once the grapnel has caught the line.

Some practice at tossing the grapnel is advisable.

The mooring line will now be within reach. Secure and boil the kettle.

Continues below…

14 tips for single handed anchoring

Ben Meakins tries out some methods for dropping and recovering the anchor for singlehanded sailors in crowded anchorages

Coming alongside – essential skills for shorthanded crews

Coming alongside can be tricky for singlehanded and short-handed sailors. Øyvind Bordal has some sailing skills that will come in…

Essential shorthanded sailing skills

Many sailors sail shorthanded much of the time, and it can prove a challenge. Rupert Holmes has some tips and…

Solo yachting: sail and power boats for sailing alone

Duncan Kent looks at sail and power boats under 40ft in length that are easily managed by the single-handed sailor

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Handling Anchors Single Handed

• Thread starter Debra B
• Start date Feb 23, 2001
• Forums for All Owners
• Ask All Sailors

How have people handled the task of dropping and retrieving the anchor single-handed? Actually, dropping seems much easier than retrieving.Once you break free when retieving the anchor, you still have rode and tackle in the water, but now you are drifting.....I am considering installing a windlass to aid somewhat, but they are not fool-proof either.(I don't plan on single-handing, but I know from time to time, I will probably have to.)  

Justin - O'day Owners' Web

I am singlehand most of the time There are a couple of ways to solve this problem I have found useable. A windlass could work but is not within my budget, not would it really fit on my boat. If you have an autopilot you can set the pilot to hold the boat more or less into the wind (even better if you have the windvane to tell it where to point) and set just enough throttle to overcome the wind. You then buy yourself enough time to haul the rode. Last summer I learned to do this without and engine when mine ate itself. I would sail up as close hauled as possible to unset the anchor, then heave-to and haul the line as I drifted slowly downwind. This works well and is good heaving to practice.Another technique I tried, but eventually abandoned was to use a fairly heavy trip line attached to the anchor with a small float to mark it and keep it on the surface. I could sail up and then drift down on the mark, haul the anchor, and sail off then retrieve the remainder of the rode. I don't like this because the trip line creates a fouling hazzard for other boats and because while it never happened to me I could see snagging the rode on something while the boat was beginning to sail.Regardless of technique, I see the goal as trying to get on top of the anchor so you can pull as much of the rode aboard ahead of time as possible. That way your only pulling as much as the depth of the water.I have seen several boats around here with their rodes led aft to the primaries so that they can be used a windlasses. Seems to me this only works if you have very little chain or you'll destroy your boat. I'd rather have the chain.Justin - O'day Owners' Web  

And in addition I would agree with Justin, with the following additions: if you have an autopilot, it may be worth it to buy the remote. I seldom have to use mine, but on a few occaisions in high wind and crowded anchorages, bringing the remote for my autohelm up forward (it won't quite reach the bow of my 33, but it comes close), has made what happens after the anchor clears the bottom go much more smoothly! This is when powering slowly or sailing. There is a good technique which Justin may have partially observed. Lead your anchor rode aft from the bow outside your lifelines, back to the cockpit. When dropping your anchor, you can put it over from the stern. The anchor will bring the boat to a stop, snubbing the anchor. You can then go forward and let out more rode. Your boat will, of course, come round head-to-wind, since that is where the rode will now be coming from. You can retrieve the anchor more or less the same way, in reverse, if there is not too much wind. Justin is correct that the chain will have to be handled carefully, and, in fact, this system is really only practical if you are using mostly line. I agree with Justin that windlasses can have problems, although most don't. I actually have my bow set up so that my all-chain rode is quite easily retrieved by hand. I am able to sit and simply grab the chain with gloved hands and rock back and forth as if rowing. In all but high winds, it comes up as quicly and as easily as with a windlass, but, I must admit that my set-up is (by mostly good luck and a little thought) quite handy.I am comfortable anchoring in up to 60 feet, but over about 40 feet, I do get my excercise for the day! If things get really tough, I lead lines from the chain back to halyard winches on the mast.....and life gets pretty complicated and messy X#&X#&*!!!!!but I still do manage to retrieve the anchor.  

Single handed anchoring Everyone develops, and continues to develop, anchoring techniques which are specific to their boat, tackle and situation. The auto pilot certainly will help, as pointed out by Justine and Tim. Let's assume, however, that you do not have one, or you do not wish to depend on the auto pilot. Here are some techniques I have found work with my 35.5'.Anchoring: On deck, flake out enough rode for the depth of water in which you will be anchoring and remove any securing device, pin, line, bungee, etc. which you use to secure the anchor to the roller. After selecting the anchoring location approach upwind, slowly. Just before you get to the selected spot take the engine out of gear if under power, or, if under sail let the main luff or release the halyard. Go forward and lower the anchor after the boat stops its forward motion. Set the anchor. Relatively easy. There may come a time when you do not wish to leave the cockpit. In such a situation all is not lost. Before flaking out the rode run it aft to the cockpit winch - if it will run fairly - (snatch blocks will be of help here). Then flake out the necessary rode. You will now be able to lower the anchor from the cockpit - it may be necessary to let the anchor "hang" from the roller so it will pay out without you going forward. When lowered, secure the rode to the winch or an aft cleat, set the anchor, and go forward to secure the rode to the forward cleat. Weighing anchor is a bit more difficult and requires more planning. You must pay even more attention to current and wind because it will be necessary to leave the boat "not under command" for a brief period of time. The secret is to preplan you moves. Have you engine in neutral if under power, or main up and luffing if under sail. Shorten up on the rode and stow the excess line in the chain locker. I like to do this hand over hand - without engine assist in order to keep the boat in total control. The boat is now just about directly over the anchor and a bit of a tug, or wave action after securing the rode to the forward cleat as taught as possible, should break it out. Before breaking the anchor out take another look around to make sure you have enough room to drift for a short time while stowing the remaining rode/anchor. Break out the anchor, haul it aboard while stowing the rode in the locker, stow it on the roller. I like to tie the shortened rode and chain with a small line to the bow pulpit for a while to dry out before stowing in the locker. If there is less room/time then you would like, you can run the rode aft to the cockpit winch and bring it aboard from the cockpit. The drawback is that there will be line on deck. It can be stowed after clearing the anchorage.  It really takes more trouble to explain the proceedure that to accomplish it. Try it in calm conditions a few time, until you get the hang of it. You will develop confidence in your method and be able to execute the manouver in less then ideal conditions with little problem.Good luck,Pat  

Eric Lorgus

It depends on the wind and size of your boat Debra,All three posts before me are excellent.I have a Hunter 28.5 that I often singlehand. When anchoring, I try to leave enough room for the inevitable drift that will occur when it's time to raise and secure the anchor. My boat doesn't have a roller or a windlass. The anchor itself and the rode all go in the anchor locker on the foredeck. Unless it's very windy, I can easily pull it in by hand.However, if it is very windy, I resort to a chinese fire drill, where I make quick trips from helm to bow and back, to motor forward enough to slacken the rode, then pull it in and cleat it, until I have the boat directly on top of the anchor itself. The rest is an exercise in pulling and cleating, until the anchor breaks free. As has been pointed out in the other replies, the art of singlehanded anchoring takes practice and adjustment to what works best for you. One thing I definitely do *NOT* do is ever leave the helm with the motor in gear, not even to attend to some chore in the cockpit. You always have to think about what will happen if you inadvertenly fall overboard. If you do with the engine in gear, you have a slight, slight chance of grabbing something before your boat leaves you, after which you are going to make the evening news, guaranteed.Eric Lorguss/v Explorer 87H285  

Truth in Eric's post Eric really has a good point about going forward with the boat in gear. I'd rather make the news some other way! This is one of the reasons I like the sail up and heave-to method. You and the boat will drift at similar enough speeds (at least the way my boat heaves-to) that you will have a good chance of getting back on it if you fall off.I would seriously recommend a bow roller of some sort. I am adding one that will stow my Claw this spring. I have an idea that using a chainstop I can rig a trip line to the cockpit, which in turn will allow me to drop the hook in safety. Getting the anchor back still remains a problem but you have to not have just gone on the rocks to leeward to be worried about that!Also, I guess it goes without saying - the most expensive ground tackle costs less than even a simple glass repair, let alone a funeral.Justin - O'day Owners' Web  

Chopped meat Eric is right in pointing out the danger of going overboard. I should have pointed out how crucial a harness is in everything you do singlehanded. It throws the inevitable compromises a bit more in your favor. And, having seen propellers injest stuff from farther away than you would want to think, I feel that if you went overboard with the engine turning over, you would make the evening news as a piece of chopped meat! I would be swimming as hard as I could to get away from the hull....which wouldn't be such a happy choice, either.  

Peggie Hall/Head Mistress

I'm surprised no one has suggested... playing out enough additional line to walk it back to the cockpit to raise the anchor, so that you're close the helm--eliminating the "chinese fire drill" back & forth from the bow to the helm--and can even wrap the line around a winch if it doesn't want to come up. As you haul up the anchor line, the boat will turn so that the anchor is right beside the cockpit...once it's completely off the bottom, far enough to clear anything on the bottom you may sail over, but still below anything it can bang against (which since it's trailing now isn't likely anyway), secure it to a stern cleat...motor out to open water where you have plenty of room to drift while you walk it back to the bow to play the line into the chain locker...then raise it the rest of the way. I single-hand most of the time..and this works for me. Even though I'm a stinkpot, the anchor doesn't know the difference...so it should work even better on a sailboat, 'cuz you have winches on your cockpit gunwhales, and I don't!  

It also depends if your mainsail is up Peggie,I've only been caught twice by wind strong enough to make the anchor rode "guitar string" tight. Under these conditions, the boat will drift back very fast after motoring forward, so fast that there may not be time to walk the rode aft.The other consideration is if you've raised the mainsail and need the anchor rode secured forward to keep headed into the wind.If (when) this next happens, I'll give your idea a try.Eric  

Does this make sense? Maybe I'm a bit daft but I didn't make out that anyone suggested this.Just take the entire line off the bow and walk it aft to the cockpit first (don't let go). Cleat it off there if you want, let the boat slew round sideways if it wants to, and THEN start the engine and go about getting under way. Use a sheet winch if you have to (self-tailers were made for this– I see Lewmar now has one adapted for anchors). The anchor will of course end up slimy and wet underfoot but you can certainly hook it over the stern pulpit to dry.I read about this a long time ago in Cruising World but have never tried it (never had to). However I have seen boats with cheap little stainless-steel anchor rollers on the transom so obviously people are doing it.Let me know if anyone has tried this this way. JC  

Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net

A question Feb.26,2001Dear Debra,Sorry, I missed your original post or I would have asked this sooner. It would help if we could know what it is that your sailing and the anchor set up before giving advice. However, having said that, I am impressed as always by the solid seamanship quality of the advice offered by the sailors out there responding to you. If you are under sail I especially favour the advice offered by Justin - it is also the technigue we teach for retrieving anchors under sail in small craft single handed. I also like his suggestion for deploying the anchor single handed. this would be especially useful when it is breezinng up and things can happen rather quickly. In light conditions there is usually enough time to get forward and handle things from there.In the alternative I like Peggy's suggestion for retrieval up until the chain hits the fibreglass. That can make things awkward unless you have a roller or similar set up to hold the rode off the side or stern of the boat. I've used this technique on The Legend when I've been shorthanded and have the rope and chain rode deployed, and were 45 feet long. I don't use it when I'm on the all chain rode however because I don't have the hardware to hold the cable out from the side of the boat aft.Also in answer to Jay's question about bringing the whole rode aft, obviously this only works if you have a small boat and light rode, and quite frankly I would be loath to undo the bitter end under any but the most extreme conditions, in which case I'm retrieving the anchor later, if you get my drift : -) Needless to say, I wouldn't try to carry what ever was left inboard of my 60 fathoms of 3/8 chain rode aft to bring the anchor aboard.Any way let us know what your sailing and don't be afraid to single hand the boat. It gives you the most wonderful feeling of freedon and accomplishment to handle it single handed.Fair winds,Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.netaboard The Legend,Rodney Bay St. Lucia  

Prettiest Anchoring I ever saw Last month in the USVI, I watched awestruck as this gentleman in his 50+ Hinckly ketch quietly motored up beside me, hit reverse to stop, then quickly walked up to the bow and released his anchor. He had it set and was back preparing his morning coffee in about five minutes.Can't comment on how he left, but the anchoring part was a thing of beauty.I contrast this to the fiasco the mate and I had setting our anchor a couple of days earlier in another crowded anchorage. Three tries and a loss of skin later, we were finally set. We have alot to learn.Les Murrays/v Ceilidh86 C-36 #560  

Eric, unless you've used every bit of your rode, What's to prevent you from just letting out more as you walk it back to the cockpit? Without a windlass, if the anchor is dug in "guitar string" tight, bringing it back to the cockpit to put it on a winch should make it easier to bring it up. Btw... why would you raise the main until you're in open water?  

Brian, when you walk it back... Don't uncleat at the bow until you've secured the bitter end to a stern cleat. Then you can go forward and release it without the "chinese fire drill." Then, as John Cherubini said, the boat will then swing around stern to the anchor and you can winch it off the bottom from the cockpit. You only need to raise it far enough off the bottom to allow you to motor out to open water...there's no need to raise it till the chain hits the fiberglass unless you have a more than 6" of chain at the end of a rope chain rode. A rubber mat over the gunwhale should even allow you bring an all chain rode up that far. I don't THINK that boat size has anything to do with whether it's practical to raise the anchor from the cockpit...My boats have all been over 30'.And btw...if the anchor doesn't want to let go, cleating it off the stern allows you to motor forward and/or maneuver around it to find an angle to pull it much more easily than if it's still tied off at the bow.  

Unabashed Advocate of "Chinese Fire Drill" The advice I gave was applicable to very *WINDY* conditions while singlehanded on a medium-sized boat without a windlass or autopilot, which for me is my Hunter 28.5. The CFD technique works for me, and is good exercise.However, I'm open to new ideas, so I'll give the taking the rode aft idea a try. I think it would first require motoring forward a good distance. When it is very windy, the boat will begin to drift *VERY* quickly once the tension is off the rode. And that is assuming that my plans are for motoring away.If I'm planning to sail off the anchor, then getting the mainsail up in *VERY WINDY* conditions is always a challenge, if one likes to do this while headed up, which I do. Raising the sail while still at anchor (secured forward) is how I like to do it. What are the other ways (without an autopilot or windvane)?As for larger boats, like my Hunter 54, I agree with Brian that it would be difficult to haul the chain out of the locker and try to carry the whole mess aft. I think I'd rather rig a remote switch to operate the windlass from the cockpit, and bring up the anchor by motoring in its direction while gingerly windlassing.This thread has come at an opportune time, as I will be singlehanding my H54 from Marathon to Key West this weekend. If I encounter any anchoring epiphanies, I shall weigh in with my discovery.Anchors Away!  

Thanks for all the suggestions Thanks for all of the suggestions. Brian asked what kind of ground tackle do I have and what kind of set up do I have.The ground tackle is all undersized, and some does not even have rode. It also has a few nasty weak links due to rust and just plain neglect. So, before I spend the big bucks on new anchors, and rode, and maybe a new roller, I thought I would ask to see what works and what doesn't.I bought the boat - for a good price in November and have been slowly doing some refiting. (New standing rigging, replaced most hose clamps and some hoses, new exhaust hose, cutlass bearing, new engine mounts, new stuffing box and some gerneral engine work are done -- not all by me. New instruments are on hand and will be installed, still trying to find room for decent holding tank, this list goes on. OK, it was a fair price.)The question is in part because the next order of business is ground tackle, and I am trying to decide on a windlass or not. It realy wasn't in the original budget, but it would be awfully nice to have. The forward chain locker on Hunter Cutter 37 is a bit small. A windlass would help, in the chain would end up below deck. Fore of the V-berth.Debra  

Hey Peggy... Feb. 27,2001Dear Peggy ,Thanks for the clariification. I was thinking of the times I've anchored in 20 to 30 feet of water because the shortest piece of chain I've got on any rode is 48 feet. Your suggestion of a rubber mat is a good one - I have a piece of oil cloth I use for dirty work already rigged with lines that would work. The biggest problem we have found with bringing the rode aft is that frequently we were anchored in 30 plus feet and with a current running the mass of the boat would overwhelm our efforts to lead the rode aft. Of course, if I had the brains God gave geese I would use the rode left in the chain locker instead of that already over the bow, and then release the rode from the anchor cleat, right?Thanks again,Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.net,aboard The Legend,Rodney Bay,St. Lucia  

And remember..... .....that when manuevering around under power, with the anchor rode tide off aft, that you keep a very good eye on everything....a fouled prop will precipitate more than the Chinese Fire Drill!!!  

Hey Peggy, about that mooring line... Feb.28,2001Dear Peggy,Are you right about missing the obvious. Glad you enjoyed my previoius skull cramp. About that mooring pick up, I like to lead a line from the bow outside the lifelines back to the cockpit when I'm single handing and going to pick up a mooring. Like you I like to come along side, pick up the mooring from the cockpit, but then I attach the line I've lead from the bow and let it go. The boat sits head to wind while I get the sail tidied up, and I shorten the tether and double the mooring line at my leisure.Fair winds,Brian Pickton of BeneteauOwners.netaboard The Legend,Rodney Bay, St. Lucia  

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> > Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. 30-11-2008, 17:38   Boat: Endeavour 42CC , SL 555, on a 42' with 200' of chain. Unless it's dead calm or I'm in a very big anchorage with LOTS of room, I can't imagine how I'd get the down singlehanded. Letting the fly sends the down pretty fast if I'm not there slipping the . So it would seem I would have to have the moving slightly back when I start the chain out. Simple enough if it's calm but with any breeze or in a tight spot that all seems way to easy to run into issues. Experiences? 30-11-2008, 18:10   Boat: Knysna 480 30-11-2008, 18:13   Boat: 32' CC Oday in deep . I bet you can smoothly drop 30' of chain before the backs you down 10', and in a breeze practice allowing the boat to continue its forward momentum (in neutral) while heading forward to the windless. Its all about timing. Practice doing it before you have to. 30-11-2008, 18:23   and along the U.S. : 42' 28K , 200' 3/8" HT chain, SL55 . Very often sailed singlehanded. It's really no problem. Here are the steps: 1. Before you get to the anchorage, make sure your anchor is ready to deploy quickly. I often "cocked" it over the bow roller, so it would go out easily without any jamming. 2. Scout out the anchorage very carefully, and decide where -- exactly -- you wish to place your anchor. 3. Approach that place upwind...slowly but deliberately. 4. Know which way your propwalk works in reverse. Mine walks to starboard, so I'll plan on getting to the anchorage with my bow aiming a bit to the right of the . That way, when I kick the in reverse and rev it a bit to get the boat stopped and moving slowly backwards, the stern will pull in the right direction, leaving the bow pretty much into the . 5. Put the in neutral and walk to the bow, quickly letting out chain as the boat moves backwards with the wind. Many , including mine, will have their bow blow off the wind quickly. This isn't a problem. 6. Don't put a strain on the chain until you have at least 2:1 . Then, slowly, put a bit of strain on it. Let the boat's motion do the job. 7. Then, slowly let out more until you have 3:1 or more. 8. Walk back to the engine controls, and put the engine in reverse...gently. Depending on which anchor you are using, you may wish to apply more in reverse to "set" the anchor, or you may wish to wait and watch a bit and apply some later. Deploying the anchor is the easy part. Getting it back in is harder with a manual , which is why I went to an one as I got older and less able to put out the required energy on the SL55. Bill 30-11-2008, 18:51   Boat: Endeavour 42CC when I don't have to pull a boat along with it. I guess I'd better keep her around. At least until I get an electric!!! 30-11-2008, 19:26   with an one took place in the Grenadines, and I had another crewmember aboard. It was a very, very windy anchorage, with blowing all about and some dragging. I misjudged the placement of my anchor, which became apparent when we fell back on it. After watching a bit, it was clear we had to move. Getting that anchor up was a bear. The was greater than I like, but there wasn't room to anchor in shallow . My crew was a bit younger than I, but he had to very hard at the windlass while I kept the boat under control with the engine. It was blowing 35-40 knots at the time during a period of "Christmas winds", and it wasn't fun. Reflecting upon that experience, I decided that the ability to move spots quickly and in adverse conditions is more than a convenience....it's a factor, too. Especially, since if it's relatively easy to do (pushing a button with a hefty electric windlass), you're much more likely to do it, while if it's difficult you may not, and may therefore risk a bad situation. Anyway, 11 years later I'm still very happy with my electric windlass :-)) Bill 30-11-2008, 19:47   Boat: Marine Trader 34DC handers either. Read the instructions on most all windlasses and they tell you in no uncertain terms to NOT use the windlass to pull the boat up to the anchor. So for handers it is important to be able to raise the anchor while driving the boat up to it and then you need to break it out and get it back on the bow roller. manual or electric anchoring is a lot of work for a single hander. But it is done all of the time with great success. It just takes practice and planning. 30-11-2008, 19:55   Boat: Pearson 422 in the I worked out a technique for setting two anchors if interested. Skip 30-11-2008, 20:05   to make way toward the anchor. But you still can use a windlass with a switch AND be at the (even use your auto pilot - I suppose). I have anchored single hand for 20 years with an electric windlass and would never have a boat without one, and consider it essential single handed for a cruising yacht. I recently had my sailing mate who had a Le Compte 45 without a windlass and he had lots of trouble with his anchor. He sailed with me for several weekends and saw my windlass at work, and my anchoring technique and was amazed at how well I can anchor (single handed) and sorry he never had one. Of course he was paranoid that we would drag, which we didn't. He just had too many bad anchoring experiences (bad sets) and probably not all chain. 30-11-2008, 21:08   , and windlass at the same time. Under most conditions, though, all that is necessary is to be patient and take chain in slowly and in stages, allowing the boat's movements and the chain catenary to relieve most of the strain. Then, when you're up-and-down (right over the anchor) you just use the engine in forward or reverse GENTLY to break out the anchor. Doesn't take much. Thereafter, the windlass is perfectly capable of handling the remaining chain and the anchor. Bill 30-11-2008, 22:32   part, it would struggle to pull the skin off a rice pudding. I just pick my spot, aim at it and when the boat slows to to almost stopped I wonder up the front and deploy. On the odd occasion I have deployed a fraction earlier and used the anchor to slow the last bit. Timed well I can get my anchor onto the seabed while the boat is still in between going forward and being pushed back. Can't do that on all boats due to bow shapes though. When leaving I get ready, pull anchor up until it's just about to free the seabed, give the motor a small squirt forward just to get the momentum from being backwards to 'just' forwards and then retrieve the rest. It's all about the timing. On my boat I don't have a so it's all manual and sometimes bloody hard work. Just have to keep thinking 'the exercise is good for me, the exercise is good for me......' Strangely the body is becoming more and more adverse to listening to my brain so a maybe closer than I think 01-12-2008, 02:39   Boat: Bestevaer. control up/ down buttons. They are not very expensive and can be added to all electric windlasses that will power up and down. No practical experience I have been meaning to get one for a while. 01-12-2008, 06:46   Boat: Privilege 37 01-12-2008, 07:21   Boat: Marine Trader 34DC , and windlass at the same time. Under most conditions, though, all that is necessary is to be patient and take chain in slowly and in stages, allowing the boat's movements and the chain catenary to relieve most of the strain. Then, when you're up-and-down (right over the anchor) you just use the engine in forward or reverse GENTLY to break out the anchor. Doesn't take much. Thereafter, the windlass is perfectly capable of handling the remaining chain and the anchor. Bill 01-12-2008, 10:57   Boat: Beneteau 32.5 , prior to drifting backwards, but not to let the anchor hit bottom before the boat begins to drift back. Although I haven't, I know many solo sailors invest in a remote windless control which allows them to lower the anchor while at the helm. , , Thread Tools Rate This Thread : Posting Rules post new threads post replies post attachments edit your posts is are code is are are are Similar Threads Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post sneuman Seamanship & Boat Handling 95 24-06-2013 16:59 sailmatch Meets & Greets 40 27-01-2009 15:05 Stede General Sailing Forum 2 30-05-2008 21:26 majdrew Seamanship & Boat Handling 8 20-05-2008 18:15 ssullivan General Sailing Forum 39 19-04-2008 05:29 - - - - - - - Privacy Guaranteed - your email is never shared with anyone, opt out any time. Forum Listing Marketplace Advanced Search All Topics Sailing Skills & Seamanship Seamanship & Navigation SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more! Raising anchor single handed Add to quote I single-hand a lot and I am looking for some hints, suggestions on raising the anchor when there is a wind blowing. Quick background: I have a Centurion 32, a Bruce anchor, 100' of chain and the rest nylon line. I do NOT have a windlass. I am not sure, though, that having a windlass would have helped a lot since the strain on the anchor rode can be pretty large (see below). Two summers ago I was in Tribune Bay on Hornby Island, anchored near the south west side because it was handy to my brother's house. A NW wind came up. It was low tide and I noticed that the reef that leads out to Norris Rock was not very far aft of me. When I went forward to raise the anchor, I could not budge it. I thought about motoring forward, dashing to the bow, raising the anchor a bit, dashing back to the stern to regain control etc. etc. but decided waiting was the best thing to do. I stayed another night, not unpleasant at all. Since then I have been more careful about where I anchor, anticipating what might happen if the wind comes up about the time I want to depart. What do other people do to lift their anchor single-handed or even plan their anchoring in order to deal with this type of problem? Cheers, Ross   RossC32 said: Two summers ago I was in Tribune Bay on Hornby Island, anchored near the south west side because it was handy to my brother's house. A NW wind came up...... Click to expand... RossC32 said: What do other people do to lift their anchor single-handed or even plan their anchoring in order to deal with this type of problem? Cheers, Ross Click to expand... I have on occasion, started the engine, kept it at idle speed put it forward on autopilot and gone forward to retrieve the anchor. If it's windy enough the boat will creep forward slowly enough for me to get the anchor up out of the water, or at least cut the wind resistance down enough for me to pull toward the anchor. I recognize the potential hazard of doing this. I usually anchor in water that's 20 ft. or less.. and the boat is 34 ft...once the anchor is free, I can retrieve the last 20 or so ft ( chain) pretty quickly.   Raise your main sail with a reef in it. Keep it flat and sheeted in tight. Get up on the bow, sit down and wedge your feet in good, as the the boat sail's up on the anchor pull in the chain, when it's about to tack, take a turn, when it slack's pull some more. One link at a time, you'll get it up. Patience!!!   Capt.aaron said: Raise our main sail with a reef in it. Keep it flat and sheeted in tight. Get up on the bow, sit down and wedge your feet in good, as the the boat sail's up on the anchor pull int the chain, when it's about to tack, take a turn, when it slack's pull some more. One link at a time, you'll get it up. Patience!!! Click to expand... This is one subject I actually have some experience in. Your comment about anticipating what may happen is right on. Sometimes you have to sacrifice your present comfort for comfort in the AM and departure. When it is really bouncy you can work the rode like reeling in a big fish. As the bow drops pull in and snub. It does not have to be a complete knot just a turn will usually help take the load. Repeat and keep your fingers clear. A Sampson post really helps with this. Unless sailing of the hook in a open anchorage I have the engine running and warm. I often use it to pull the anchor after getting directly above but I drop it into neutral before going forward. You have to be fast and the priority is to get back to the helm and get control of your boat. Dan S/V Marian Claire   Not something I have practiced but perhaps a trip line on the anchor, motor up to that and get the anchor up and then bring in the rhode and chain quickly. Let me know how it goes.   "I've been raising 100' of 5/8 chain and a 45 pound Danforth by hand " Whoa! At 3.7 lbs per foot of chain and 45 lbs of anchor you're pulling up over 400 lbs by hand (if you're in 16 fathoms of water), my hat's off to you. How's the back? I've done what Tempest described on our last boat, using the engine and autopilot to motor slowly forward while pulling like crazy on the bow before the wind overpowers the ability of the autopilot to keep the bow into wind (usually after the anchor is off the bottom). Those are the times when a remote control for a windlass in the cockpit would be pretty nice.   I've never anchored in 16 fathoms of water!! 5 tops. Usaully( 99% of the time) I anchor in 2. I guess my back is strong, I use my legs for most of it, It never feels like I'm pull'n more than 80 pounds. My dream is to buy a manual windless, I can just never get it together. They are so expensive and there is alway's something I need more!! If I anchor in anything more than 3 fathoms, I use my 1/2 line to 30' of 3/8's chain and 40 pound CQR, but the raising method is the same.   Two hooks on two lines. Hook the chain and winch. At the limit, use the other one/winch and continue.   After several years of variations on the theme of the keystone cops I finally installed a tiller pilot and that surely made several operations smoother, safer and more sailorly looking for the assembled crowds. Single handing is great, but when things get tight a silent, obedient crew is wonderful. John   A crew that know's you can do it better single handed than they can collectively will be quiet and obey. However, you must be quiet and calm when when directing them. The first sign of a captain that doesn't know what they are doing, is the tone they are using with their crew. The guy yell'n and blaming the crew, ought to be able to do any maneuver by himself. Therefore, he ought not be yell'n! And certainly should not be running the show.   I've anchored singlehanded about 80% of the time in the past 23 years or so. My boat is 42' LOA, weighs 28K lbs. Anchor is usually a 45lb CQR when out of the Chesapeake area, and a Fortress FX-37 when in home waters (Chesapeake). No problem raising the anchor, though it sometimes takes some deft action when in close quarters. I have an electric windlass (Lewmar Concept 2) with 200' of 3/8" G40 chain. The windlass has up/down buttons on the deck near the bow, and a remote up/down switch in the cockpit. When the wind is really piping up, I generally use the engine to take in chain, using the switch in the cockpit judiciously. Sometimes, I power up toward the anchor, hit neutral, and move quickly to the bow where I take in more chain and watch what's happening. Sometimes takes a repeat trip or two until the bow is up-and-down over the anchor. Then, a gentle power forward or aft will break the anchor free, after which the electric windlass finishes the job. I used to have a Simson-Lawrence manual windlass when in the Eastern Caribbean, but after one very dicey experience at Union Island with tons of boats around, a Christmas wind howling, and my younger-than-me crew just about having a heart attack getting the chain in with that windlass I decided it was time for a good electric windlass. Never been sorry, and never a moment's trouble with the windlass. Install 'em right and they'll do you proud for a long time. Bill   Capt.aaron : Rarely would I anchor, unless it is very calm. I will try your hard-sheeted main idea next time.   A cat claw, dual action windlass, with a line drum on the end is all anyone need's, and patients! I was raised on board by my Grandad since I was 10 .Lived aboard ever since. I've learned the bare bones, no crap that will break method's. Now I realize my body is most likely to break next as I just turned 41. All this manual chain haul'n is about to end as This year I'm puting in an engine, and a winch on the bow. It's nice know'n I don't need 'em. But will be nice to have 'em.   ?             176.4K members Top Contributors this Month 464 IMAGES Single Handed Anchoring Techniques Single Handed Anchoring Techniques 14 tips for single handed anchoring 14 tips for single handed anchoring 14 tips for single handed anchoring 14 tips for single handed anchoring VIDEO ANCHORING our sailboat (with 2 engines) ⚓️ #catamaran #youtubehighfive Calculating the Right Anchor Scope #sailboats #sailboat #sailingadventures Sailing Single Handed, And Safety Measures: are they overrated? Singlehanded docking in sailboat Mantus Anchor, The Best Setting Anchor Catalina 25 sailboat single-handed on Lake Michigan, September 2018 COMMENTS 14 tips for single handed anchoring Single handed anchoring: Recovery without a windlass. 1. The simple way, should everything go well, is to: Pull in the chain until it's straight up and down. Start engine or hoist mainsail. Pull up the rest of the chain and recover the anchor on board. Head back to the cockpit, engage autopilot or lash helm to leave boat on a safe course. Every Single-Handed Sailing Technique the Pros Use Drop the anchor: As you reach your anchoring spot, slowly lower the anchor to the seabed. Reverse and set: Slowly reverse your boat, allowing the anchor to dig into the seabed. Maintain tension on the rode to ensure secure holding. ... When sailing single-handed, it's crucial to be prepared for a man overboard situation. If you find yourself ... How to anchor single handed and without engine: Part I More than 2 months I sail around the carribean with no engine. Close quarter manoeuvering, anchoring, docking...etc under sail have become the norm.Here is t... Singlehanded anchoring strategies Under sail I've used Stu's method single handed and under sail. The extra steps: Anchoring - let fly all sheets before turning into the wind. After the anchor is on the bottom, pull the main boom forward to back wind and assist the running out the rode and setting the anchor. Alternate sides to keep the boat directly down wind of the anchor. Single-Handed Sailing: A Complete Guide With Tips Boat and Equipment for Single-Handed Sailing. In principle, the same applies to the yacht. The yacht should not be too big for the beginning. I recommend a size for the first stroke alone of no more than 27 or 28 feet. With this size, everything is easily accessible, and if necessary, you can still push the boat off the pole or the jetty if it ... The Single-handed Navigation Techniques Single-handed sailing can be mentally and emotionally challenging. Here are some tips to help you build resilience and cope with the demands of solo sailing: Stay connected: Maintain contact with friends and family through phone calls, emails, or social media to help combat feelings of isolation. Practice mindfulness: Use mindfulness techniques ... Solo sailing tips Solo sailing tips - anchoring and berthing. Andrew Blyth, who regularly sails his 9m Maurice Griffiths cutter single-handed, describes a selection of methods for dealing with tricky berthing and anchoring situations when single- or short-handed. Sailing solo takes practice and patience, but is now difficult for a competent skipper. The Single-handed Anchoring Techniques The Single-handed Watch Schedule The Nautical Nomad - your essential guide to embracing the sea, seeking adventure, and living a life untethered. Created with ♥ by Tom with Jekyll based on Feeling Responsive . SAILING SINGLE HANDED. A tutorial with hints tips and ... Some people like doing it, others not so much, but being able to sail a yacht on your own is an important skill to have. This is a short film that we shot at... The Single-handed Sailing Techniques Anchoring is an essential skill for single-handed sailors, allowing you to stop and rest or wait out unfavorable conditions. Practice anchoring in various conditions and locations to become proficient. ... Single-handed sailing can be an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling experience, allowing you to truly immerse yourself in the adventure of ... Single Handed Sailboats: The Ultimate Guide for Solo Sailing Short answer single handed sailboats: Single handed sailboats, also known as dinghies or small keelboats, are sailing vessels designed for easy handling by a single person. ... Knowledge of anchoring techniques and man overboard procedures is essential to ensure your safety in adverse conditions. 6. Optimizing Your Boat's Setup: solo anchoring technique The big thing when anchoring single-handed is to make sure you don't bang into a neighboring boat. Your boat will continue on for a while after you shift into neutral. Get a feel for that, and it also gives you plenty of time to go forward and drop the anchor. Drop a scope of 3 or 4 to 1 at first. That will give you enough to hold for a moment. Singlehanded sailing for the first time Singlehanded sailing is often something we associate with feats of adventure and endurance, bringing forward ideas of the lone sailor heading off across oceans. Setting off on a significant offshore voyage on your own is a truly specialist activity. You are likely to experience sleep deprivation, the stresses of being alone for long periods of ... Single-handed sailing : Professional tips for solo sailors Professional tips for single-handed sailors. Use a good pack sack with carabiners for the railing and Velcro straps for the head, neck and clew. Choose dimensions that are slightly too large rather than too small. Do not steer too low for setting (150, with more wind maximum 160 degrees TWA). Single handed anchoring without windlass As an anchoring novice, I am wondering how practical it would be to drop and weigh anchor single-handed without a windlass. The boat is a Westerly Centaur. ... If you want to sail the anchor out, this is what I do. Set main and jib, sheet the jib on the tack that you want to leave on, lash the helm, go forward. Start pulling in chain. Single-handed anchoring When I set the anchor I just sail by the spot I like and I dump the anchor overboard. ... i use A 14lb danforth with 25 ft 1/2 inch chain 150 ft 5/8 rode. when i know I'll be anchoring single handed i run the rode through the bow roller outside of the stanchions to the cockpit where i stow my anchor and chain in the lazzeret I attach the rode ... 22 practical tips for a single handed sailor to make your boat easier To secure the sail, lower it onto the boom and, starting from the aft end, fold the sail along the boom a metre at a time. With each fold, grip a section of the shock cord between the tabs and pass the loop over the sail, and engage the clip opposite. Continue until the sail is fully stowed. 13. single handed anchoring? SailNet Archive. 87689 posts · Joined 1999. #5 · Aug 13, 2003. More to the original question of setting the anchor single-handed using the engine: It has been mentioned that flaking out your estimated scope on the foredeck and cleating it off will eliminate the need for a bowman. Single Handed Anchoring I have a 1983 H34 that I want to sail single handed. I've not done it before and am interested in any suggestions on anchoring. In particular when it comes time to heave the anchor how do I get it aboard while still maintaining control of the boat? I don't think I can motor up on it since I... Handling Anchors Single Handed Single handed anchoring Everyone develops, and continues to develop, anchoring techniques which are specific to their boat, tackle and situation. The auto pilot certainly will help, as pointed out by Justine and Tim. ... it is also the technigue we teach for retrieving anchors under sail in small craft single handed. I also like his suggestion ... Single-handed question on anchoring Images: 2. Re: Single-handed question on anchoring. As a sailing instructor, I have coached clients in solutions to this problem. A couple of ideas that seem to work: Use a buoy on your anchor. Motor towards the buoy. When close, shift to neutral and scurry forward. Retrieve as much rode as possible on the windlass. single handed anchoring I single handed anchor a lot and do what Bill does, except the motor part, it would struggle to pull the skin off a rice pudding. ... Sailing spinnakers single-handed: Stede: General Sailing Forum: 2: 30-05-2008 21:26: Single handed Med mooring.. majdrew: Seamanship & Boat Handling: 8: 20-05-2008 18:15: Raising anchor single handed Raise your main sail with a reef in it. Keep it flat and sheeted in tight. Get up on the bow, sit down and wedge your feet in good, as the the boat sail's up on the anchor pull in the chain, when it's about to tack, take a turn, when it slack's pull some more. One link at a time, you'll get it up. Patience!!! catamaran gulet motorboat powerboat riverboat sailboat trimaran yacht