15 years single handing, heres my list; #1 wind vane steering #2 chart plotter at helm and at the nav station. #3 Jack lines and PFD/harness. #4 Dink that can be stowed on deck without help #5 Roller furled yankee and hanked on staysail. #6 Spray Dodger #7 long boat hook #8 Heavy anchor and rode. #9 AIS #10 RADAR #11 VHF radio.
Been doing this for a few years now, living aboard and sailing east coast, Bahamas and Caribbean. Here’s my list. 1. Autopilot. 2. Easy sail handling. I have an electric headsail furler and single line mainsail reefing. Lazy jacks and stack pack. 3. Reliable engine. You use it more than you think you will. 4. Powerful windlass and a good anchor. Remote control so you can raise anchor from the cockpit. 5. Dinghy motor crane. You need an easy way to get the motor on and off the dink. 6. Good boarding ladder that can be employed from the water. The only t8me I fell overboard was on a mooring. In early May with no one around. Had I not been able to climb aboard I would probably have died. 7. Dodger and bimini. When you’re alone you may as well be comfortable..
You fell overboard??!! 😮😮 Agree with your list. My current only issue is the anchor chain blocking itself when taking her in. This winter, I will try to fix that somehow. I'm in Greece now and need anchor in every harbor, which is complicated if you have to move back and forth.
My version.... Autopilot is mandatory.. Reliable engine is extremely important, although I've gone without. Diesel is preferable but hardly mandatory. Roller furling is nice, but optional. I have mixed feelings on it. It does make using the sails fast and easy and encourages sailing more. I prefer lines at the mast. Something always seems to get jammed. Reefing is easier there. Cockpit led lines I think are more trouble than they are worth. Dodgers are nice, but completely optional. Self tailing winches are nice, but completely optional. I have one for the main halyard. I don't miss it anywhere else. High life lines. Too many are at knee level which I think is dangerous. Jack lines for rougher weather. A good way to board the boat if you end up in the water. Non automatic inflatable vests. When inflated they hinder self rescue.
Your list is good for small boats . I have a catalina 25 and agree with your list . But I also have a off shore ketch 41 feet. And that has a different set of must haves. Autopilot is definitely number 1 Good ground tackle is number 2 Communication devices 3 Davits for tender. Is 4 Enough fuel to cross your doldrums. 5 Options for heavy weather 6 Comfortable Living space 7 Knowledge to be able to repair and replace 8 Fresh water Capacity or replenishment. 9 Backup navigational options access to information 10
I’m not a huge fan of the cockpit traveler. Huge tripping hazard and flailing sheets can be super dangerous. Other than that, your list is pretty well spot on. The only thing I would add (and this really only goes for offshore solo sailing) is a windvane, preferably Hydrovane. In a boat that I’m looking to buy, sail condition would be a huge factor in my purchase decision or at least a bargaining tool to get the price down. A windlass is another must have for me at 58… I’m not getting any younger, lol!!! BTW, I just became your 486th subscriber.
Moved mine to a galvanised steel integral targa arch built into my decks and dodger, single line 3 sheave German sheeting to cabin top winches, hated it in the cockpit
Almost bailed in the beginning (no audio or bad audio). But since I am a solo sailor, I stayed tuned. Love your mindset and top items needed for solo sailing. Maine coastline: very beautiful, especially as you hit Casco Bay in Portland and the granite coast, with pocket beaches, begins. Good luck to you in your sailing ventures.
For offshore a wind and is great and a good addition to electronic autopilot. My boat will not work with a wind vane so important to have second way of self-steering, or at least spares for the autopilot that can be replaced at sea.
I have lots of miles too - I think you should have a vane self steering to complement the electronic. I think you should have jack lines on all boats to tether in for moving around the boat in a sea way, you didn't even show your harness or system. You should have a solid anchor system with spares. On electronics for solo sailing, AIS, radar detector... Also a radar reflector helps me sleep.
Something I just got this year to make solo sailing better is a Happy Pac from Sportech sails in St. Catherines. It was a good price and easy to install. It made a huge difference. Great video and good luck boat hunting.
I've got a steel Van De Stadt 34' 8 metric tons, I only single hand and do ocean passage making around the south african coast, prepping the boat for a solo Atlantic crossing next year, this is my list 1 windvane, I have a hydrovane VXA2D auxiliary rudder (I have a scanmar pelagic tiller pilot with remote control but I rarely if ever use it. 2 safe and well protected cockpit, hard dodger on my boat. 3 furling headsail and code0 4 all lines led to cockpit, I have 11 total no. clutches on my two cabin top self trailers, reefs1 to 3, outhaul, topping lift, vang, 5 halyards, main sheet 5 good strong reliable diesel, I've got a 33HP 4 cylinder Vetus 6 strong windlass, with cockpit controls and my trusty rocna 27kg anchor 8 AIS class B transponder and radar, makes night watches a lot easier on passage.
Agree with your list. I rigged a mainsail down haul led back to the cockpit. Combined with the boat's Dutchman flaking system, I can pull the mainsail down and secure it from the cockpit.
OK, I've actually watched it now, and those are some sound tips! I agree with all of them, except the one about having a noisy and smelly diesel engine. I dreamt of becoming a sailor, not a diesel mechanic 😉 So that does limit the size of the boat. I'm currently looking at small proven offshore boats like the Contessa 26 and Marieholm 26 (International Folkboat hull). I would first of all convert it to a junk rig (balanced lug sail with battens and sheetlets). It's much easier to manage for a solo sailor, safer, cheaper to maintain and IMO more beautiful. Not the best rig for racing, admittedly, but it's objectively speaking a better rig for cruising. The Junk Rig Association is a great resource for anyone interested. I'd also consider making a fiberglass hardtop using the existing canvas sprayhood as a template. That's a fairly big project, but it will last so much longer than expensive canvas. And it will look much nicer than those clunky hardtops you often see tacked on to otherwise pretty boats. I'm also looking at cheaper alternatives to a battery hungry autopilot that will inevitably stop working: - Bungee - Sheet-to-tiller/helm - Mizzen if you have a yawl and the skills So that's what I am looking for in a boat. Simplicity and durability. I probably won't find a boat like that on the market, so I'll have to put in a fair bit of work and money myself. But for me, that's part of the attraction. It will take years though. I definitely understand why people wouldn't want to go through all that, and I do get the attraction of having a diesel engine and an autopilot. It's just not for me.
Sounds amazing. All boats are an exercise in compromise. The hard part is figuring out your priorities, the list makes itself thereafter. It sounds like you're well on your way to a decision, good luck!
@@ximono As much as my sentiment is with you, against motors, I think you would quickly find that some kind of engine or motor is essential to do much on a sailboat. I even rigged our Melonseed skiff for a small kayak trolling motor. It was the best improvement I made. It opened up many more launch possibilities. Some places are difficult to impossible to navigate from the launch or dock or mooring without alternate propulsion.
@@saabtech3510 Oh, I should have written that I do want an outboard for the reasons you mention! I thought I put that in, but must have forgotten. Ideally I'd do without any motor, but I notice how those who go to that extreme rely a lot on towing (and they are expert sailors).
Well I live and sail in Maine. I single hand exclusively because my wife has aged out of sailing. Even when she is aboard, she is a passenger. As far as your essentials go I do not have an autopilot because you can't let an auto pilot steer the boat for more than about a minute without the boat running over lobster gear and you do NOT want to do that. I agree totally about the roller furler and leading the lines aft. My boat is set up so I never have to leave the cockpit. I also agree about the self-tailing winches. I have gone one step farther and have electric winches. I agree about the diesel engine. My average fuel consumption for the last 29 seasons has been about 0.4 gallons per hour of engine operation. I also wouldn't sail without a dodger. I like it more because it keeps most of the spray out of the cockpit. I am on my third dodger on my boat. The last one cost $2K two years ago. One thing I think you should have mentioned is lazy jacks for the main sail or some sort of furling system. If you are performance oriented main sail furling means in boom. Expensive but totally worth it because you will have a full batten main. Another thing that is nice is a self launching anchor with windlass controls at the helm. Yeah, you still have to go forward to put the anchor snubber on, but not until the anchor is down. You ought to look at Gozzard yachts. Top quality. Yes a little pricey, but worth it.
Thanks for the comment. Good call on the lazy jacks, those are important! thankfully they're easy to install. Powered winches eh? You Fancy! 🤑 Gozzard's are a little outside of my snack bracket! Fair winds!
I too, plan on travel next year the Erie canal and sail down the Hudson around Manhattan and into Long Island sound. I live near Syracuse NY. My destination is Clinton CT. It would be fun to travel with another boat. If interested, let me know.
First things first, 1) sell my current boat; 2)buy my next boat; 3) spend all my $ and time fixing said new boat. But buddy boating is always a good idea, particularly in unfamiliar waters. good luck!
Hmmmmm. Not sure if it’s specifically Canadian, but (at least as far as I’ve been taught) the topping lift is the line that exits the mast to the rear that holds the boom. The uphaul exits the mast facing forward and is used to raise the whisker pole/spin pole. If you’re extra fancy you’ll also have a downhaul on the pole as well to really stabilize it…. Make sense?
Please reply to this: I am a very interested total amateur. I have only sailed my parents' 14 foot single-sail sailboat many times, the last time being 24 years ago. There is a 38ft sailboat that i am interested in; unfortunately, i am not keen on the pilothouse that has been built over the cockpit. The winches have been removed. A jib boom has been installed. The furling jib has been removed. The current owner states that given that all lines lead back and that the lines can be held taught by what he refers to as 'built in boxes'
Thanks for watching and for your kind words. Before I attempt to answer your questions, first the caveat: I am not an expert. This is just my view. The online sailing community is full of views. So take everything you hear/read with a pinch of skepticism. As the saying goes: Trust but verify. With the legal waiver out of the way, let me first say that when it comes to buying your first boat, there are a number of considerations you need to sort out. For example: what are your home waters like? Where will you store the boat during the season and off season (assuming there is an off season where you are)? There are people who start with a 38 footer or larger, but that's a lot of boat to handle, especially if you're a novice dealing with a tight marina/club. Instead of falling for a particular boat, I'd suggest you consider your use case and then build out a set of priorities from there. It's VERY hard to judge the boat you're describing without knowing anything about it, but I'm a little surprised to hear that a sailboat (particularly one 38' long) has had its winches removed... I cannot imagine it would be possible to handle the sails needed to move a 38footer without winches, regardless of weather conditions. I also don't know what "built in boxes" means. Is that referring to a rope clutch? Properly sized clutches that are in decent shape will hold a line and keep it in a desired state of tension, but they do not assist in providing leverage needed to pull the line in... Finally, although I've not personally sailed a boat with a jib boom, I understand that they are intended to make life easy. They act as a sort of "self tacker" in that once the jib is set for a particular point of sail (say 35 degrees off the wind) the boat can tack back and forth to 35 degrees off in either direction without having to touch a sheet. It's a common feature on boats which are cutter rigged like island packets. It's a neat idea. One can combine roller furling with a jib boom... Final thought: there are lots of fish in the sea, and boats on the water... keep looking.
Avoid the terrible music. (You're welcome) 1 autopilot 2 roller furler 3 all lines led aft 4 self-tailing winches 5 diesel engine 6 a boat that sails well (fast) 7 dodger and or Bimini
Hahaha! Fair enough I suppose. The song is based on an inside joke, but I thought that since it says hello so much, it worked as a funny intro. Can't please all the people all the time...
I agree with all your points. Expanding on two of your points… 1) smaller boats are great for younger people, older folks don’t climb around that easily anymore. So go somewhat bigger. 2)your diesel is great. But your fuel doesn’t last forever. I’d suggest either pumping it out and cleaning the tank or running it low.
15 years single handing, heres my list;
#1 wind vane steering
#2 chart plotter at helm and at the nav station.
#3 Jack lines and PFD/harness.
#4 Dink that can be stowed on deck without help
#5 Roller furled yankee and hanked on staysail.
#6 Spray Dodger
#7 long boat hook
#8 Heavy anchor and rode.
#9 AIS
#10 RADAR
#11 VHF radio.
Been doing this for a few years now, living aboard and sailing east coast, Bahamas and Caribbean. Here’s my list.
1. Autopilot.
2. Easy sail handling. I have an electric headsail furler and single line mainsail reefing. Lazy jacks and stack pack.
3. Reliable engine. You use it more than you think you will.
4. Powerful windlass and a good anchor. Remote control so you can raise anchor from the cockpit.
5. Dinghy motor crane. You need an easy way to get the motor on and off the dink.
6. Good boarding ladder that can be employed from the water. The only t8me I fell overboard was on a mooring. In early May with no one around. Had I not been able to climb aboard I would probably have died.
7. Dodger and bimini. When you’re alone you may as well be comfortable..
You fell overboard??!! 😮😮 Agree with your list. My current only issue is the anchor chain blocking itself when taking her in. This winter, I will try to fix that somehow. I'm in Greece now and need anchor in every harbor, which is complicated if you have to move back and forth.
My version....
Autopilot is mandatory..
Reliable engine is extremely important, although I've gone without. Diesel is preferable but hardly mandatory.
Roller furling is nice, but optional. I have mixed feelings on it. It does make using the sails fast and easy and encourages sailing more.
I prefer lines at the mast. Something always seems to get jammed. Reefing is easier there. Cockpit led lines I think are more trouble than they are worth.
Dodgers are nice, but completely optional.
Self tailing winches are nice, but completely optional. I have one for the main halyard. I don't miss it anywhere else.
High life lines. Too many are at knee level which I think is dangerous.
Jack lines for rougher weather.
A good way to board the boat if you end up in the water.
Non automatic inflatable vests. When inflated they hinder self rescue.
Totally. I completely agree with every suggestion and I already follow each one.
Your list is good for small boats .
I have a catalina 25 and agree with your list . But I also have a off shore ketch 41 feet. And that has a different set of must haves.
Autopilot is definitely number 1
Good ground tackle is number 2
Communication devices 3
Davits for tender. Is 4
Enough fuel to cross your doldrums. 5
Options for heavy weather 6
Comfortable Living space 7
Knowledge to be able to repair and replace 8
Fresh water Capacity or replenishment. 9
Backup navigational options access to information 10
I’m not a huge fan of the cockpit traveler. Huge tripping hazard and flailing sheets can be super dangerous. Other than that, your list is pretty well spot on. The only thing I would add (and this really only goes for offshore solo sailing) is a windvane, preferably Hydrovane. In a boat that I’m looking to buy, sail condition would be a huge factor in my purchase decision or at least a bargaining tool to get the price down. A windlass is another must have for me at 58… I’m not getting any younger, lol!!! BTW, I just became your 486th subscriber.
You sir are a prince among men.
Moved mine to a galvanised steel integral targa arch built into my decks and dodger, single line 3 sheave German sheeting to cabin top winches, hated it in the cockpit
Almost bailed in the beginning (no audio or bad audio). But since I am a solo sailor, I stayed tuned. Love your mindset and top items needed for solo sailing. Maine coastline: very beautiful, especially as you hit Casco Bay in Portland and the granite coast, with pocket beaches, begins. Good luck to you in your sailing ventures.
Don't you bail on me Dave! Thanks for sticking it out.
Very enjoyable from my perspective (armchair adventurer 82 yr old). Thanks
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for the support 🙏
For offshore a wind and is great and a good addition to electronic autopilot. My boat will not work with a wind vane so important to have second way of self-steering, or at least spares for the autopilot that can be replaced at sea.
I have lots of miles too - I think you should have a vane self steering to complement the electronic. I think you should have jack lines on all boats to tether in for moving around the boat in a sea way, you didn't even show your harness or system. You should have a solid anchor system with spares. On electronics for solo sailing, AIS, radar detector... Also a radar reflector helps me sleep.
Something I just got this year to make solo sailing better is a Happy Pac from Sportech sails in St. Catherines. It was a good price and easy to install. It made a huge difference. Great video and good luck boat hunting.
I've got a steel Van De Stadt 34' 8 metric tons, I only single hand and do ocean passage making around the south african coast, prepping the boat for a solo Atlantic crossing next year, this is my list
1 windvane, I have a hydrovane VXA2D auxiliary rudder (I have a scanmar pelagic tiller pilot with remote control but I rarely if ever use it.
2 safe and well protected cockpit, hard dodger on my boat.
3 furling headsail and code0
4 all lines led to cockpit, I have 11 total no. clutches on my two cabin top self trailers, reefs1 to 3, outhaul, topping lift, vang, 5 halyards, main sheet
5 good strong reliable diesel, I've got a 33HP 4 cylinder Vetus
6 strong windlass, with cockpit controls and my trusty rocna 27kg anchor
8 AIS class B transponder and radar, makes night watches a lot easier on passage.
Agree with your list. I rigged a mainsail down haul led back to the cockpit. Combined with the boat's Dutchman flaking system, I can pull the mainsail down and secure it from the cockpit.
Love the intro music. Haven't seen the rest of the video yet, but it's already great!
OK, I've actually watched it now, and those are some sound tips! I agree with all of them, except the one about having a noisy and smelly diesel engine. I dreamt of becoming a sailor, not a diesel mechanic 😉 So that does limit the size of the boat. I'm currently looking at small proven offshore boats like the Contessa 26 and Marieholm 26 (International Folkboat hull).
I would first of all convert it to a junk rig (balanced lug sail with battens and sheetlets). It's much easier to manage for a solo sailor, safer, cheaper to maintain and IMO more beautiful. Not the best rig for racing, admittedly, but it's objectively speaking a better rig for cruising. The Junk Rig Association is a great resource for anyone interested.
I'd also consider making a fiberglass hardtop using the existing canvas sprayhood as a template. That's a fairly big project, but it will last so much longer than expensive canvas. And it will look much nicer than those clunky hardtops you often see tacked on to otherwise pretty boats.
I'm also looking at cheaper alternatives to a battery hungry autopilot that will inevitably stop working:
- Bungee
- Sheet-to-tiller/helm
- Mizzen if you have a yawl and the skills
So that's what I am looking for in a boat. Simplicity and durability. I probably won't find a boat like that on the market, so I'll have to put in a fair bit of work and money myself. But for me, that's part of the attraction. It will take years though. I definitely understand why people wouldn't want to go through all that, and I do get the attraction of having a diesel engine and an autopilot. It's just not for me.
Sounds amazing. All boats are an exercise in compromise. The hard part is figuring out your priorities, the list makes itself thereafter. It sounds like you're well on your way to a decision, good luck!
@@TheAwakeford Thanks! And yes, I've spent way too much time thinking this over. Time to actually buy a boat and get started. Good luck to you too!
@@ximono As much as my sentiment is with you, against motors, I think you would quickly find that some kind of engine or motor is essential to do much on a sailboat. I even rigged our Melonseed skiff for a small kayak trolling motor. It was the best improvement I made. It opened up many more launch possibilities. Some places are difficult to impossible to navigate from the launch or dock or mooring without alternate propulsion.
@@saabtech3510 Oh, I should have written that I do want an outboard for the reasons you mention! I thought I put that in, but must have forgotten.
Ideally I'd do without any motor, but I notice how those who go to that extreme rely a lot on towing (and they are expert sailors).
3:15 before you got to the point.
Well I live and sail in Maine. I single hand exclusively because my wife has aged out of sailing. Even when she is aboard, she is a passenger. As far as your essentials go I do not have an autopilot because you can't let an auto pilot steer the boat for more than about a minute without the boat running over lobster gear and you do NOT want to do that. I agree totally about the roller furler and leading the lines aft. My boat is set up so I never have to leave the cockpit. I also agree about the self-tailing winches. I have gone one step farther and have electric winches. I agree about the diesel engine. My average fuel consumption for the last 29 seasons has been about 0.4 gallons per hour of engine operation. I also wouldn't sail without a dodger. I like it more because it keeps most of the spray out of the cockpit. I am on my third dodger on my boat. The last one cost $2K two years ago.
One thing I think you should have mentioned is lazy jacks for the main sail or some sort of furling system. If you are performance oriented main sail furling means in boom. Expensive but totally worth it because you will have a full batten main. Another thing that is nice is a self launching anchor with windlass controls at the helm. Yeah, you still have to go forward to put the anchor snubber on, but not until the anchor is down.
You ought to look at Gozzard yachts. Top quality. Yes a little pricey, but worth it.
Thanks for the comment. Good call on the lazy jacks, those are important! thankfully they're easy to install. Powered winches eh? You Fancy! 🤑
Gozzard's are a little outside of my snack bracket!
Fair winds!
@@TheAwakeford I broke my shoulder a few years ago and couldn't crank a winch for a couple of years after that - hence electric winches.
With all the lines led aft, I did not notice how you reef the main?
You should make more sailing trainging videos. You are good at it
Thanks so much for your kind words!
2:32 This is why I went from 38 to 28 feet
I too, plan on travel next year the Erie canal and sail down the Hudson around Manhattan and into Long Island sound. I live near Syracuse NY. My destination is Clinton CT. It would be fun to travel with another boat. If interested, let me know.
First things first, 1) sell my current boat; 2)buy my next boat; 3) spend all my $ and time fixing said new boat. But buddy boating is always a good idea, particularly in unfamiliar waters. good luck!
good luck to ye brother. can’t remember the last time i saw a non selftailing winch… must be much older boats.
Yea, music no
1. Sails well.
What’s an uphaul? Is that Canadian for topping lift?
Hmmmmm. Not sure if it’s specifically Canadian, but (at least as far as I’ve been taught) the topping lift is the line that exits the mast to the rear that holds the boom. The uphaul exits the mast facing forward and is used to raise the whisker pole/spin pole. If you’re extra fancy you’ll also have a downhaul on the pole as well to really stabilize it….
Make sense?
Please reply to this:
I am a very interested total amateur.
I have only sailed my parents' 14 foot single-sail sailboat many times, the last time being 24 years ago.
There is a 38ft sailboat that i am interested in; unfortunately, i am not keen on the pilothouse that has been built over the cockpit.
The winches have been removed.
A jib boom has been installed.
The furling jib has been removed.
The current owner states that given that all lines lead back and that the lines can be held taught by what he refers to as 'built in boxes'
Thanks for watching and for your kind words. Before I attempt to answer your questions, first the caveat: I am not an expert. This is just my view. The online sailing community is full of views. So take everything you hear/read with a pinch of skepticism. As the saying goes: Trust but verify.
With the legal waiver out of the way, let me first say that when it comes to buying your first boat, there are a number of considerations you need to sort out. For example: what are your home waters like? Where will you store the boat during the season and off season (assuming there is an off season where you are)? There are people who start with a 38 footer or larger, but that's a lot of boat to handle, especially if you're a novice dealing with a tight marina/club. Instead of falling for a particular boat, I'd suggest you consider your use case and then build out a set of priorities from there.
It's VERY hard to judge the boat you're describing without knowing anything about it, but I'm a little surprised to hear that a sailboat (particularly one 38' long) has had its winches removed... I cannot imagine it would be possible to handle the sails needed to move a 38footer without winches, regardless of weather conditions.
I also don't know what "built in boxes" means. Is that referring to a rope clutch? Properly sized clutches that are in decent shape will hold a line and keep it in a desired state of tension, but they do not assist in providing leverage needed to pull the line in...
Finally, although I've not personally sailed a boat with a jib boom, I understand that they are intended to make life easy. They act as a sort of "self tacker" in that once the jib is set for a particular point of sail (say 35 degrees off the wind) the boat can tack back and forth to 35 degrees off in either direction without having to touch a sheet. It's a common feature on boats which are cutter rigged like island packets. It's a neat idea. One can combine roller furling with a jib boom...
Final thought: there are lots of fish in the sea, and boats on the water... keep looking.
@@TheAwakeford Thanks a lot for this thorough reply.
Greatly appreciated !
Avoid the terrible music. (You're welcome)
1 autopilot
2 roller furler
3 all lines led aft
4 self-tailing winches
5 diesel engine
6 a boat that sails well (fast)
7 dodger and or Bimini
Yep☺️👍🙏
Becomes less annoying after 1:33
Less annoying, but still annoying. That is our solemn promise here at Southern Cross Industries!
Could not stand the music and moved on.. hello..
Hahaha! Fair enough I suppose. The song is based on an inside joke, but I thought that since it says hello so much, it worked as a funny intro. Can't please all the people all the time...
@@TheAwakefordok, but maybe not for so long / loud
I scrolled past the music too.
I’m shutting down as well, adios.
You do not need to announce your departure; you do not matter. Hello and goodbye.
Got a point? Get to it.
I agree with all your points.
Expanding on two of your points…
1) smaller boats are great for younger people, older folks don’t climb around that easily anymore. So go somewhat bigger.
2)your diesel is great. But your fuel doesn’t last forever. I’d suggest either pumping it out and cleaning the tank or running it low.
hilarious