Yes. I had a Siren 17 which I routinely single-handed, often in the dead of night. I got her to self-steer on some points of sail, so I usually had the jib put away before I started the outboard (this boat had a 3/4 rig, so could sail well on main alone). The advise I give is to know your boat well. This proved quite useful when, with a friend, I tacked up a 40 ft wide channel, dead to windward, even though this boat had a horrible habit of getting caught in stays.
I used to single hand my 28 foot IOR 1 ton in the Tyrrhenian. Organization is the key. You have to know what you're going to do before you need to do it and not figure it out at the time it needs done. A decent autopilot never hurts as well ;)
Used to single hand the Catalina 22 & with the young daughters was more or less single handing all of the time. The Prindle 19 Cat was much harder to single hand, the old Hobie 16 was much easier but was a young flat belly back then.
Does a canoe count? Actually, the l last time I single-handed a canoe was when Mrs. Webhead USA was in the passenger seat when I stopped the canoe, got out, got down on my knees in the water and proposed to my partner of 40 years, Mrs. Webhead USA. I bet you were not expecting this story... but you asked! :¬) Webhead USA
I've been single handing my 44' powerboat (closer to 51 if you count the dinghy and anchor hanging off at either end) up and down the US East coast for over two years now. I don't have sails or standing or running rigging to worry about, which makes things easier. I do get into and out of marinas pretty regularly, and I anchor frequently as well. You pretty well hit the nail on the head when you said it's all about thinking ahead, and having things set up for yourself. Anything you can do to make the job quicker and easier is a good thing. Lots of practice also helps. Just keep doing it, and you'll eventually get comfortable with what the boat's capabilities and limitations are. You'll also learn what your own capabilities and limitations are. Be conservative at first with things like current and weather. GO SLOW! The old rule of thumb is 'don't approach anything at a speed higher than you'd want to hit it.' You WILL bump into things. It's going to happen. Don't let that intimidate you. Just do everything you can to make sure that when you do bump into things, you're going slowly enough that it doesn't make a difference. Just remember, you've met some really dumb people that can drive boats. You're pretty smart. You can figure it out!
Sailed my Nicholson 38 ketch singlehandedly since I ran out of wives twenty years ago. I use the same sheeting arrangement on my working jib hanked to a secondary forestry. Really enjoy your videos.
When I had a 30 foot yacht, I gained a lot of pleasure at being able to handle her on my own. You are spot on with the way you planned and executed the whole deal. Well done.
I single hand all the time on my Jeanneau 51. The only thing I do differently from what you were doing is I completely furl the head sail and use only the main for anchoring or departing. It’s a little fast if I have both sails up. Also, if it’s too windy, I rig up a long line from the bow and back in to the anchor buoy. Once tied in, then it can swing to the bow easily.
Excellent demonstration! You made it look easy. I particularly appreciate that, when you had the slightest doubt about making the mooring by sail, you quickly resorted to using the motor instead.
Great video!!!! I don't have a sailing partner so I single-hand my 72 Columbia C45 all the time. She is cutter rigged and I set up all the sheets and halyards to run back to the cockpit (soon to be a fully enclosed pilothouse)...including the reefing system. Like you, I set her up to self-tacking on the main and the storm sail. Best thing I ever did. If I am sailing in tight quarters, I don't even unfurl the gib. I just run slow and steady on a reefed main and a storm sail.
We call that sail plan our “river sails” since it’s so handy for short tacking up rivers and creeks! I’m a bit envious about the lines led back to the cockpit, I have the halyards and reef lines at the mast which is why I normally raise them with the anchor still down. If I need to change them while underway, I have to run back to the helm a few times to correct course 😆
As you obviously know, setting up the boat for single-handing is critical. If one needs to have on hand on something and the other on something else that is 7 feet away, it is time to make some changes in how ones equipment, winches, etc are laid out. As you know, it takes a while to get the boat set up for single-handing, but once done...freedom. So far I've done 8000 miles single-handing, and planning is everything.
Well said and simple. Most worry about single handing, as the majority of what I've ever done it's the only way I think. I still need to learn sailing with crew as captain. Learning what to expect from them or not.
We have found that having help means you need to spend time explaining what you normally do quickly. Once you have a system that works, why complicate it?
You are quite right Herbie, Planning & Organisation, are key. I started single handing because I didn't want to be beholding to a crew. I sail a 1991 David Hillyard 36 foot Moonfleet, Bermudan Sloop, bilge keeled. Don't get me wrong, sailing in company is great, but it would've driven me nuts if, I couldn't source a crew and just sat on my boat in perfect sailing weather, going nowhere. That started in 1994, and I'm still going, although I am assisted from time to time by The Lady Admiral, (my Wife). I really like the way you run your channel and you and Maddy make a great team. Kind Regards, Barnacle Bern SY Cadbri SW Wales UK. 👍👍😎
You're pretty much spot on...planning and thinking ahead, being prepared. For me, single handing an LM32 the windvane steering, most lines led aft to the cockpit for single-line reefing the main and a lifeline system running both port and starboard to be tethered, are essential. The self tacking high-aspect jib is nice to have. I would pickup the mooringline from the cockpit, backing up against the wind to the mooring...first having prepared a line from the bowcleat to the cockpit to run through the mooring.
Thanks for the video. I’m a single guy with a boating background, but little sailing experience. I’m about to buy a yacht and don’t want anything smaller than 40ft. I think I’m in for an interesting experience, learning as I go. Being single there’s no other option. Hopefully you don’t read about me taking out all the other boats near me 😂
Haha! You’ll be great. There are always other options like having friends aboard or hiring a captain, but those who single hand end up knowing their boat at a whole other level.
I'm an old man from a racing background. I used to single-hand our Impulse 26 fairly often. The kicker was in the hold, lashed to the mast. So, I never took it out. I sailed it away from and into the dock. It was just a matter of managing momentum. I'm beginning to sail heavier boats that are a little more susceptible to wind and current. At least, I don't understand them as well. Advice? Slow is good. Drop the foresail early. Make sure the main will drop quickly when you free the halyard. You don't want to be fussing with the main and have the rudder moving about. Of course, we only had bungies to hold the tiller while we were working forward. I think a tiller or wheel lock would be helpful.
Thank you for this! I'll be attempting a 36 by myself around Christmas! Not my boat either, someone else's! LOL! I said, are you sure? It's about a 8hr trip. ABOUT! Right. Lol. Y'all wish me luck! Thanks! I hope you have made it back to the states safe.
Nice job, especially the sailing off the mooring and the mooring pickup. The spot you started from, Francis Bay has some interesting spots. The stone house on the island you passed I believe was a customs house. The St John hill with all the multi-million dollar houses on it used to be Maho Bay Eco Camping resort. Had 40-50 large platform tents on it connected by elevated walkways and a few eco restrooms. Resort also had a cafeteria style restaurant and a glass blowing crafts center. About 15 yrs ago their lease ran out and they couldn't raise the $20 mil to buy the property- so now a development with houses on it.
I've singlehanded my 54' cold molded sloop for the past 20 years. It's a center cockpit with all lines leading to the cockpit. My windvane is my second mate.
When I took ASA101 it was only a 25 foot boat and obviously not single handed, but there was no motor, so sailing off a mooring was the very first thing we learned and sailing onto a mooring was the very last thing we did. (Other than packing away the sails and riding a motor launch back to the dock)
Another great video! We are putting a sail to Smith Island and Tangier Island together for the spring. Have you visited those islands? Any advise? We will trail to Crisfield and put in there.
We only went to Tangier as the weather was too fierce for Smith. We anchored in the deeper area on the east side of the south sand bar of Tangier and towed into the town, tying up to a bridge where we came ashore. It was a fun island to visit with an interesting situation ;)
@@RiggingDoctor Thanks! We are on Chincoteague Bay. I think the general plan is to splash at Crisfield and sail to Smith Island, sail to Tangier Island, and back to Crisfield. Just make a weekend out of it. Another, longer trip that we are eyeballing is St. George's Landing.
They were by Maui Jim. I don’t remember the model since I got them back in 2016, but they had “sailing lenses”. The top and bottom were mirrored and the middle was just tinted. They were great sunglasses and if you get bronze polarized lenses, you can see high pressure weather systems in the sky which is great for weather forecasting!
You can also.,when leaving the mooring, backwind the jib with your hand pushing a section of the jib against the breeze, to force the boat to start to turn in the direction of the tack you want to be on. When it starts to go in that direction, go back to the helm and start steering. Sailing single handed without an engine (or using your engine) is the way to be most confident. My father would sail our boat backwards backing out of boat slips when necessary by backwinding the jib. You also do not need a self tacking jib to go soloing on a big sailboat. There are ways to operate the sheets so that minimal winch grinding is needed by timing when is the best time to release the jib sheet and pulling it in on the other side before completing a tack by having the loose line already pulled in so a minimal amount of tightening is necessary. Sometimes no winch grinding is necessary at all. It seems most cruisers never learn this and waste a ton of energy letting the jib sheet out too soon when tacking and then needing to wrestle to pull it in on the other side cranking the winch like crazy when it is totally unnecessary.
The self tacking jib isn’t necessarily but sure is handy! I have done the trick you type of with the staysail and it gives much better sail shape than the self tacker does, but it does necessitate me to divert my attention from helming for just a small moment. This isn’t a huge issue at all, but the self tacker makes it even simpler :) We never use the jib (cutter rig) in tight situations because the “minimal winch” trick doesn’t work with it as the sail has to go forward to get past the front of the staysail. When you can begin pulling it back in, it’s already too far out there and takes a bit of effort and time to tack. I also really like relying on sails over an engine as the sails will give lots of warning before they conk out on you when in a tight situation (the wind dies). A motor could die on you for a host of reasons and your only warning is the beast sputtering to its death! I like the back winding job idea, I have pushed on the boom to back wind the main to move in reverse in the past, it’s closer to the helm for when I needed to run back to steer 😎
@@RiggingDoctor Yes. I know. We had a wooden classic Herreshoff 12.5 once with a jib that had a boom and it was almost effortless to sail. However, if you have to deal with winches and separate sheets with your foresails, there are ways of timing the release and the pulling in of sheets that make tacking a lot more seamless than the majority of sailors make it look. If you do it right, you should never need to crank the winch in more than a couple quarter turns - especially if you have a crew member. The sheets should be able to be let out on one side and pulled in on the other side at the same rate so the winch never needs to be used.
We have used that tactic many times! It’s been useful ranging from waiting out a storm to waiting offshore an island for sunrise to enter the coasts waters 😎
Also getting a hook on a mooring with no pick up and a metal ring flat on the surface of the mooring is nigh on impossible. I've had a lot of fun and games trying ....
i've got a 75 frontsail with selftacker rail for the clew. first time i've seen that setup you have which is awesome. at what size frontsail would you say your selftacking setup wouldnt work great?
As long as it doesn’t overlap it can be done. Both of our headsails are 95%, but the jib can’t be setup this way since the inner forestay is in the way. If you have a sloop, you can set it up with up to a 100% jib.
The biggest assist when single handed - the autopilot (aka Otto). Honestly, the autopilot is probably worth at least one crew member. And after that I recommend being able to sail without autopilot using sail balance to steer. I currently single hand a Bruce Robert’s Spray 42 cutter ketch
Frenchman Alain Colas sailed 236foot/72meter schooner single handed in 1976 OSTAR race. As far as single handing goes that's the upper limit for sailing vessel size. Elizabeth
This is a very interesting topic as I'm a single old guy and would like to sail the Caribbean. How do you drop and raise your anchor? You're not supposed to let the windless pull the boat, only lift the ground tackle. Any other tips for setting the boat up for single handed sailing?
With an electric windlass, you need to bring the boat to the anchor. With a manual windlass, you can pull the boat to the anchor, but it is a lot of work! I raise the main with 2 reefs and sheet the main in tight. This will make the boat sail up onto the anchor with no one at the helm so that all I need to do is crank up the chain. Once the anchor is up, I raise the staysail and run back to the helm with a balanced sailplan. If the winds are light, the boat will be moving slowly and I can easily shake out the reefs and raise the jib to get moving. The biggest thing for single handing is having the sheet winches in reach of the helm. Getting the anchor and sails up can be as slow or fast a process as you can manage, but it makes up a minority of the time spent on a voyage. Being able to sail and steer is the most important thing!
My advice for single handing is take your time. Don't run or hurry. I single hand my 36' ketch all the time. It is easy. I use the mizzen to turn the boat to the desired tack when I drop the mooring under sail. Simple. Drop the mooring, walk back to the helm, push the mizzen out to turn the boat to the desired tack, unroll the genoa and you are sailing. My boat is set up with all lines led aft so except for dropping or picking up the mooring I never leave the cockpit. Personally I think a big boat is easier than a small boat since things don't happen as fast on a big boat. I do agree on not using a winch handle. I never use one with my 150% genoa, but I do have electric winches.
We will make an episode about it, but in short it runs on the same track that the regular sheets run on. The only difference is the clew goes to a block instead of being tied to the ends of the sheets.
I suspect it's easier to single hand your 45' Morgan than it was our stock 20' Ensenada. My advice with the Ensenada is have an extra line dragging aft in case you suddenly find yourself in the water trying to catch the boat. 🤣
my 35' is still on the hard enduring a brutal and comprehensive refit, but i will most likely be doing quite a lot of single-handing. Herbie s.h. a 45' gives me hope lol.
This is an excellent training exercise, you establish a procedure which works and in an emergency you are ahead of the game. I have worked alone in remote areas and any major task I always did the task in my mind so I could anticipate, problems, tools required and the steps in sequence to reduce the chance of mishap. Exactly as your approach to sailing, very impressed!
I'm on the market to buy a 65ft and I'm alone and I never went in the same zipcode as a sailboat of any size. But like everything else before in my life; I'll find a way to make it work.
@@RiggingDoctor me too but 65 is a real handful, especially in dirty weather (though at least youll not be tossed around like a cork). But if the rig is set up right its doable. Id say the self tacking staysail is a must at that size - and dont be shy about hoisting the iron topsail if it gets a bit hairy
The weather is finicky and there are lots of shoals. Due to the color of the water, you can’t see the shoals but at least they are soft mud so you only need to wait for high tide.
It would be interesting to see how to drop the anchor single handed. And then... how to raise the anchor single handed. And if you can pull it off without using a engine - now that's some skill.
I would single hand my ----O' Day 27, (hoisted main hoisted jib), my Catalina 36 (Hoisted main and furled jib) and my Catalina 380...(furled Main & furled jib--- along with the auto pilot), it was easy....
hi ive done 10 atlantic crossings 9 solo.over 60,000,miles singlehanded in boats from a steel bruce roberts 34 to 4 crossings on a 22 ft ferro oyster dredger gaff rig. click on the blue r and theres some videos of defiance. any boat can cross oceans .my advice from experience, dont take crew without them giving you the fare to there country of origin. also their passport.i learned that the hard way after one went crazy half way across. if they have no sailing experience they are passengers not crew. you are responsible for them once they are on your crew list.if they get ill you pay. if they commit a crime you are responsible. if they bring drugs aboard you are responsible.as for the boat i always replace the standing rigging if the age is unknown. also a good windvane, ive used the hastler servo pendulum , hydrovane a navic and at the moment an atoms servo pendulum all worked well. and a n ais reciever transponder.im off again next spring in a seacracker 33. ps defiance my 22 ft oyster dredger was the best to cross but the slowest.
Thank you for your experience! While ferro cement boats have a bad reputation, to me they seem to shine with all the good qualities a bluewater cruiser should have!
I used to do that, it’s the same as with the mooring ball. Get the sails up and pull in the chain as the boat sails up onto the anchor. Time the anchor breaking free with the tack that you want to be on. The hard part is pulling the chain and anchor up to the roller fast enough! We have a manual windlass that pulls 3 links per stroke so you have to crank fast!
@@RiggingDoctor I see, not sure if I would do that to my bird but that obviously explains the lack of flight from your bird. You're a proper pirate if you have burried treasure, and a bottle o rum somewere now.
What a CRUELTY... it's painful to see this beautiful Ara trying constantly to free herself from this heavy rope! Hope karma will get you with full force. Be coursed!
Heavy rope? It’s Dyneema! And she’s not trying to free herself, she just likes to chew on it. She chews on it even if it’s not tied to her. And this beautiful bird has seen more of the world than wild ones😎
Now hang on here. Are we not in the era of gender equality? I mean, really! So what about Herbie kicking back with a beer and so on, and Madame does the single handed thing? Come on, show us!
Assume that a 30-footer and a 50-footer were both equally "set up"to singlehand. In rough seas, wouldn't you rather work the 50-footer. I know that I would. Bad things don't happen any faster on a big boat (with planning), you're not as fatigued, and you're not as beat up by the same weather. My 2c.
Yes, but everything is heavier on a bigger boat. The traveler on Wisdom is pulled by hand through a pulley system where on larger sailboats the traveler needs its own dedicated winch. Still manageable by a single person, but a lot more complicated because it’s bigger.
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Have you ever single-handed your boat? If so, what size and what advice would you give?
Yes. I had a Siren 17 which I routinely single-handed, often in the dead of night.
I got her to self-steer on some points of sail, so I usually had the jib put away before I started the outboard (this boat had a 3/4 rig, so could sail well on main alone).
The advise I give is to know your boat well.
This proved quite useful when, with a friend, I tacked up a 40 ft wide channel, dead to windward, even though this boat had a horrible habit of getting caught in stays.
I used to single hand my 28 foot IOR 1 ton in the Tyrrhenian. Organization is the key. You have to know what you're going to do before you need to do it and not figure it out at the time it needs done. A decent autopilot never hurts as well ;)
Used to single hand the Catalina 22 & with the young daughters was more or less single handing all of the time. The Prindle 19 Cat was much harder to single hand, the old Hobie 16 was much easier but was a young flat belly back then.
Does a canoe count? Actually, the l last time I single-handed a canoe was when Mrs. Webhead USA was in the passenger seat when I stopped the canoe, got out, got down on my knees in the water and proposed to my partner of 40 years, Mrs. Webhead USA. I bet you were not expecting this story... but you asked! :¬) Webhead USA
I've been single handing my 44' powerboat (closer to 51 if you count the dinghy and anchor hanging off at either end) up and down the US East coast for over two years now. I don't have sails or standing or running rigging to worry about, which makes things easier. I do get into and out of marinas pretty regularly, and I anchor frequently as well.
You pretty well hit the nail on the head when you said it's all about thinking ahead, and having things set up for yourself. Anything you can do to make the job quicker and easier is a good thing. Lots of practice also helps. Just keep doing it, and you'll eventually get comfortable with what the boat's capabilities and limitations are. You'll also learn what your own capabilities and limitations are. Be conservative at first with things like current and weather. GO SLOW! The old rule of thumb is 'don't approach anything at a speed higher than you'd want to hit it.' You WILL bump into things. It's going to happen. Don't let that intimidate you. Just do everything you can to make sure that when you do bump into things, you're going slowly enough that it doesn't make a difference.
Just remember, you've met some really dumb people that can drive boats. You're pretty smart. You can figure it out!
Sailed my Nicholson 38 ketch singlehandedly since I ran out of wives twenty years ago. I use the same sheeting arrangement on my working jib hanked to a secondary forestry. Really enjoy your videos.
A nicholson 38!? Single handed!? I'm planning on doing that starting in 2025...any recommendations?
I love the self-tacking staysail. That's a brilliant idea. You guys a some of the best pure sailors on YT.
Perfect!
When I had a 30 foot yacht, I gained a lot of pleasure at being able to handle her on my own. You are spot on with the way you planned and executed the whole deal. Well done.
I single hand all the time on my Jeanneau 51. The only thing I do differently from what you were doing is I completely furl the head sail and use only the main for anchoring or departing. It’s a little fast if I have both sails up. Also, if it’s too windy, I rig up a long line from the bow and back in to the anchor buoy. Once tied in, then it can swing to the bow easily.
Good to know and good tip! Thanks!
"Life before Matti, picking up balls alone." ~ Herbie
Best laugh all day and an informative video to boot! Thanks guys!!
Hah!!
Excellent demonstration!
You made it look easy.
I particularly appreciate that, when you had the slightest doubt about making the mooring by sail, you quickly resorted to using the motor instead.
Better safe than sorry 😎
That's not single-handing. I clearly saw the parrot helping with line-handling.... or maybe it was line chewing.
Nice job, good tips.
Had to laugh about the parrot ❣🤣🤣
Great video!!!! I don't have a sailing partner so I single-hand my 72 Columbia C45 all the time. She is cutter rigged and I set up all the sheets and halyards to run back to the cockpit (soon to be a fully enclosed pilothouse)...including the reefing system. Like you, I set her up to self-tacking on the main and the storm sail. Best thing I ever did. If I am sailing in tight quarters, I don't even unfurl the gib. I just run slow and steady on a reefed main and a storm sail.
We call that sail plan our “river sails” since it’s so handy for short tacking up rivers and creeks! I’m a bit envious about the lines led back to the cockpit, I have the halyards and reef lines at the mast which is why I normally raise them with the anchor still down. If I need to change them while underway, I have to run back to the helm a few times to correct course 😆
Merci, merci et encore merci !!!
Vous voir "sailing" tous les 4 fait tellement plaisir !
Take good care, friends 👍
The parrot is definitely doing the navigating - don't think this qualifies as single handing. :)
🦜⛵️
As you obviously know, setting up the boat for single-handing is critical. If one needs to have on hand on something and the other on something else that is 7 feet away, it is time to make some changes in how ones equipment, winches, etc are laid out. As you know, it takes a while to get the boat set up for single-handing, but once done...freedom. So far I've done 8000 miles single-handing, and planning is everything.
Enjoyed this episode, very useful. Thanks.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us. I appreciate getting my mind tuned up for my future efforts and adventures.
Well said and simple. Most worry about single handing, as the majority of what I've ever done it's the only way I think. I still need to learn sailing with crew as captain. Learning what to expect from them or not.
We have found that having help means you need to spend time explaining what you normally do quickly. Once you have a system that works, why complicate it?
Thanks for the great rundown on single handing, very informative tips.
You are quite right Herbie, Planning & Organisation, are key. I started single handing because I didn't want to be beholding to a crew. I sail a 1991 David Hillyard 36 foot Moonfleet, Bermudan Sloop, bilge keeled. Don't get me wrong, sailing in company is great, but it would've driven me nuts if, I couldn't source a crew and just sat on my boat in perfect sailing weather, going nowhere. That started in 1994, and I'm still going, although I am assisted from time to time by The Lady Admiral, (my Wife). I really like the way you run your channel and you and Maddy make a great team. Kind Regards, Barnacle Bern SY Cadbri SW Wales UK. 👍👍😎
Thanks.. very educational this time.. music could be softer..
You're pretty much spot on...planning and thinking ahead, being prepared. For me, single handing an LM32 the windvane steering, most lines led aft to the cockpit for single-line reefing the main and a lifeline system running both port and starboard to be tethered, are essential. The self tacking high-aspect jib is nice to have.
I would pickup the mooringline from the cockpit, backing up against the wind to the mooring...first having prepared a line from the bowcleat to the cockpit to run through the mooring.
Very cool! Thanks guys..
Yes, 38ft Catalina/Morgan center cockpit. But I usually only use the main sailing onto a mooring.
Thanks for the video. I’m a single guy with a boating background, but little sailing experience. I’m about to buy a yacht and don’t want anything smaller than 40ft. I think I’m in for an interesting experience, learning as I go. Being single there’s no other option. Hopefully you don’t read about me taking out all the other boats near me 😂
Haha! You’ll be great. There are always other options like having friends aboard or hiring a captain, but those who single hand end up knowing their boat at a whole other level.
Another amazing video
Some more detail on how you set up the self tacker would be great
Love your hank on approach!! And your shorthanded mindset
That’s a great topic for a how to episode! Thanks 👍
@@RiggingDoctor Seconded on this - Would be helpful for the Alberg 30 I got
More on the self tacking setup please
I am liking that rub rail on the side of the boat at 8:13, be good for those fuel docks with pilings
It’s fantastic!
Wow having a self tacking is awesome ,looks to be easy to set up. You are Thee Rigging Doctor.
Thanks! It’s just a block attached to the clew of the sail to make a bridle. It’s very easy to setup and use 😉
I'm an old man from a racing background. I used to single-hand our Impulse 26 fairly often. The kicker was in the hold, lashed to the mast. So, I never took it out. I sailed it away from and into the dock. It was just a matter of managing momentum. I'm beginning to sail heavier boats that are a little more susceptible to wind and current. At least, I don't understand them as well. Advice? Slow is good. Drop the foresail early. Make sure the main will drop quickly when you free the halyard. You don't want to be fussing with the main and have the rudder moving about. Of course, we only had bungies to hold the tiller while we were working forward. I think a tiller or wheel lock would be helpful.
That’s great advice!
@@RiggingDoctor WOW! I didn't expect that from you! I am not in your class. Thanks. I am honored. I hope to be sailing in the Caribbean this spring.
Thank you for this! I'll be attempting a 36 by myself around Christmas! Not my boat either, someone else's! LOL! I said, are you sure? It's about a 8hr trip. ABOUT! Right. Lol. Y'all wish me luck! Thanks! I hope you have made it back to the states safe.
That sounds like it will be fun!!
Nice job, especially the sailing off the mooring and the mooring pickup. The spot you started from, Francis Bay has some interesting spots. The stone house on the island you passed I believe was a customs house. The St John hill with all the multi-million dollar houses on it used to be Maho Bay Eco Camping resort. Had 40-50 large platform tents on it connected by elevated walkways and a few eco restrooms. Resort also had a cafeteria style restaurant and a glass blowing crafts center. About 15 yrs ago their lease ran out and they couldn't raise the $20 mil to buy the property- so now a development with houses on it.
Wow very interesting. Thanks for sharing!
I've singlehanded my 54' cold molded sloop for the past 20 years. It's a center cockpit with all lines leading to the cockpit. My windvane is my second mate.
Windvanes are very trustworthy!
I would love to see your self tacking setup
You’re not the first to ask! That video will be coming soon :)
Good video, who was the artist music?
All of our music comes from epidemic sound. Not sure about the artists. I just choose the ones that sound appropriate with the videos! :)
@@RiggingDoctor ok, I thought it maybe was your wife singing :)
Yeah…It’s good info in case yer Partners on the DL…Although I’m against Solo Sailing on a Regular Basis. Stay Safe & Enjoy😎
That’s how we view it as well!
Single handing is good. Life jackets are a must and tethered is also recommended. 👌
When I took ASA101 it was only a 25 foot boat and obviously not single handed, but there was no motor, so sailing off a mooring was the very first thing we learned and sailing onto a mooring was the very last thing we did. (Other than packing away the sails and riding a motor launch back to the dock)
It’s an important skill, the only difference is how far away the bow is from the cockpit 😉
Do you have any video showing how the self tacking jib is rigged?
Another great video! We are putting a sail to Smith Island and Tangier Island together for the spring. Have you visited those islands? Any advise? We will trail to Crisfield and put in there.
We only went to Tangier as the weather was too fierce for Smith. We anchored in the deeper area on the east side of the south sand bar of Tangier and towed into the town, tying up to a bridge where we came ashore. It was a fun island to visit with an interesting situation ;)
@@RiggingDoctor Thanks! We are on Chincoteague Bay. I think the general plan is to splash at Crisfield and sail to Smith Island, sail to Tangier Island, and back to Crisfield. Just make a weekend out of it. Another, longer trip that we are eyeballing is St. George's Landing.
I often single hand my 1979. 35 foot Choy Lee, on Lake Superior. For me a must is auto pilot.
It is a spare hand!
Herbie, Do a vid on your self tacking set up.... please.
It’s in the works!
10 out of 10. Perfect 👏
Thanks!
Well done
Could you please explain how you switched the staysail to being self-tacking.
This explains it the best: www.riggingdoctor.com/life-aboard/2015/9/24/self-tacking-staysail
Hi, I really like your sunglasses, which make/model are they?
They were by Maui Jim. I don’t remember the model since I got them back in 2016, but they had “sailing lenses”. The top and bottom were mirrored and the middle was just tinted. They were great sunglasses and if you get bronze polarized lenses, you can see high pressure weather systems in the sky which is great for weather forecasting!
You can also.,when leaving the mooring, backwind the jib with your hand pushing a section of the jib against the breeze, to force the boat to start to turn in the direction of the tack you want to be on. When it starts to go in that direction, go back to the helm and start steering. Sailing single handed without an engine (or using your engine) is the way to be most confident. My father would sail our boat backwards backing out of boat slips when necessary by backwinding the jib. You also do not need a self tacking jib to go soloing on a big sailboat. There are ways to operate the sheets so that minimal winch grinding is needed by timing when is the best time to release the jib sheet and pulling it in on the other side before completing a tack by having the loose line already pulled in so a minimal amount of tightening is necessary. Sometimes no winch grinding is necessary at all. It seems most cruisers never learn this and waste a ton of energy letting the jib sheet out too soon when tacking and then needing to wrestle to pull it in on the other side cranking the winch like crazy when it is totally unnecessary.
The self tacking jib isn’t necessarily but sure is handy! I have done the trick you type of with the staysail and it gives much better sail shape than the self tacker does, but it does necessitate me to divert my attention from helming for just a small moment. This isn’t a huge issue at all, but the self tacker makes it even simpler :)
We never use the jib (cutter rig) in tight situations because the “minimal winch” trick doesn’t work with it as the sail has to go forward to get past the front of the staysail. When you can begin pulling it back in, it’s already too far out there and takes a bit of effort and time to tack.
I also really like relying on sails over an engine as the sails will give lots of warning before they conk out on you when in a tight situation (the wind dies). A motor could die on you for a host of reasons and your only warning is the beast sputtering to its death!
I like the back winding job idea, I have pushed on the boom to back wind the main to move in reverse in the past, it’s closer to the helm for when I needed to run back to steer 😎
@@RiggingDoctor Yes. I know. We had a wooden classic Herreshoff 12.5 once with a jib that had a boom and it was almost effortless to sail. However, if you have to deal with winches and separate sheets with your foresails, there are ways of timing the release and the pulling in of sheets that make tacking a lot more seamless than the majority of sailors make it look. If you do it right, you should never need to crank the winch in more than a couple quarter turns - especially if you have a crew member. The sheets should be able to be let out on one side and pulled in on the other side at the same rate so the winch never needs to be used.
As if you read my mind! Great episode!
Learn how to heave to your boat. So useful!
We have used that tactic many times! It’s been useful ranging from waiting out a storm to waiting offshore an island for sunrise to enter the coasts waters 😎
@@RiggingDoctor of course you did! Just wanted to point out that it's incredibly useful when being single handed. Even without any storm in sight.
Also getting a hook on a mooring with no pick up and a metal ring flat on the surface of the mooring is nigh on impossible. I've had a lot of fun and games trying ....
Haha! Very true, it’s like a carnival game 🤣
i've got a 75 frontsail with selftacker rail for the clew. first time i've seen that setup you have which is awesome. at what size frontsail would you say your selftacking setup wouldnt work great?
As long as it doesn’t overlap it can be done. Both of our headsails are 95%, but the jib can’t be setup this way since the inner forestay is in the way. If you have a sloop, you can set it up with up to a 100% jib.
The biggest assist when single handed - the autopilot (aka Otto). Honestly, the autopilot is probably worth at least one crew member. And after that I recommend being able to sail without autopilot using sail balance to steer. I currently single hand a Bruce Robert’s Spray 42 cutter ketch
Tyvm😊👍🏻⛵☀🙏
Frenchman Alain Colas sailed 236foot/72meter schooner single handed in 1976 OSTAR race. As far as single handing goes that's the upper limit for sailing vessel size.
Elizabeth
That is an incredible feat!!
This is a very interesting topic as I'm a single old guy and would like to sail the Caribbean. How do you drop and raise your anchor? You're not supposed to let the windless pull the boat, only lift the ground tackle. Any other tips for setting the boat up for single handed sailing?
With an electric windlass, you need to bring the boat to the anchor. With a manual windlass, you can pull the boat to the anchor, but it is a lot of work!
I raise the main with 2 reefs and sheet the main in tight. This will make the boat sail up onto the anchor with no one at the helm so that all I need to do is crank up the chain. Once the anchor is up, I raise the staysail and run back to the helm with a balanced sailplan. If the winds are light, the boat will be moving slowly and I can easily shake out the reefs and raise the jib to get moving.
The biggest thing for single handing is having the sheet winches in reach of the helm. Getting the anchor and sails up can be as slow or fast a process as you can manage, but it makes up a minority of the time spent on a voyage. Being able to sail and steer is the most important thing!
My advice for single handing is take your time. Don't run or hurry. I single hand my 36' ketch all the time. It is easy. I use the mizzen to turn the boat to the desired tack when I drop the mooring under sail. Simple. Drop the mooring, walk back to the helm, push the mizzen out to turn the boat to the desired tack, unroll the genoa and you are sailing. My boat is set up with all lines led aft so except for dropping or picking up the mooring I never leave the cockpit. Personally I think a big boat is easier than a small boat since things don't happen as fast on a big boat. I do agree on not using a winch handle. I never use one with my 150% genoa, but I do have electric winches.
Excellent advice!
Likewise, love the self tack jib. Are you able to run a show about it? It didn't seem to need a track, and I'm keen to replicate this...
We will make an episode about it, but in short it runs on the same track that the regular sheets run on. The only difference is the clew goes to a block instead of being tied to the ends of the sheets.
Haha I have a great idea, let's take it Slocum style and see if he can cross an ocean singlehandedly. Of course you'll be there to video it.
That would be a nice goal to attempt ;)
I suspect it's easier to single hand your 45' Morgan than it was our stock 20' Ensenada. My advice with the Ensenada is have an extra line dragging aft in case you suddenly find yourself in the water trying to catch the boat. 🤣
Ouch! Thankfully everything happens slower on the Morgan so you have time to correct things before going swimming.
1:01 So Herbie is the human sailor... and I was getting ready 0:33 to be amazed by the feathered skipper...
Sorry to disappoint! Haha
I've always single handed my boat
Nice!
my 35' is still on the hard enduring a brutal and comprehensive refit, but i will most likely be doing quite a lot of single-handing. Herbie s.h. a 45' gives me hope lol.
It’s all about how you set it up 😉
This is an excellent training exercise, you establish a procedure which works and in an emergency you are ahead of the game. I have worked alone in remote areas and any major task I always did the task in my mind so I could anticipate, problems, tools required and the steps in sequence to reduce the chance of mishap. Exactly as your approach to sailing, very impressed!
It’s the best way to do things!
an old couple doublehands a baltic 67 so yeah dunno about singlehanding but doublehanding is quite possible
I'm on the market to buy a 65ft and I'm alone and I never went in the same zipcode as a sailboat of any size. But like everything else before in my life; I'll find a way to make it work.
Love that attitude!
@@RiggingDoctor me too but 65 is a real handful, especially in dirty weather (though at least youll not be tossed around like a cork). But if the rig is set up right its doable. Id say the self tacking staysail is a must at that size - and dont be shy about hoisting the iron topsail if it gets a bit hairy
why is the chesapeak bay not an easy place to sail?
The weather is finicky and there are lots of shoals. Due to the color of the water, you can’t see the shoals but at least they are soft mud so you only need to wait for high tide.
Hello from St Croix, come get me!
😎
music sounds
like Katrina Stone
I’ll have to look her up
It would be interesting to see how to drop the anchor single handed. And then... how to raise the anchor single handed. And if you can pull it off without using a engine - now that's some skill.
It’s actually pretty much the same. Put up the staysail and sail over the anchor, then once it’s up, run to the helm :)
...and...tacking with a massive 135% genoa is a real problem. I have to furl it in partially first....
That’s why we do it with the staysail, it’s ahead of the mast and self tacking; very easy to manage alone when in a tight area.
I would single hand my ----O' Day 27, (hoisted main hoisted jib), my Catalina 36 (Hoisted main and furled jib) and my Catalina 380...(furled Main & furled jib--- along with the auto pilot), it was easy....
😂
Is that the plan? Sail a boat and go from port to port till you pick up a hottie? Sounds good... 👍
It’s how I met Maddie 😉
Heh Heh Heh, I know the answer to this question. Welcome home guys, it's nice to have you back on U.S. soil.
It is great to be back :)
hi ive done 10 atlantic crossings 9 solo.over 60,000,miles singlehanded in boats from a steel bruce roberts 34 to 4 crossings on a 22 ft ferro oyster dredger gaff rig. click on the blue r and theres some videos of defiance. any boat can cross oceans .my advice from experience, dont take crew without them giving you the fare to there country of origin. also their passport.i learned that the hard way after one went crazy half way across. if they have no sailing experience they are passengers not crew. you are responsible for them once they are on your crew list.if they get ill you pay. if they commit a crime you are responsible. if they bring drugs aboard you are responsible.as for the boat i always replace the standing rigging if the age is unknown. also a good windvane, ive used the hastler servo pendulum , hydrovane a navic and at the moment an atoms servo pendulum all worked well. and a n ais reciever transponder.im off again next spring in a seacracker 33. ps defiance my 22 ft oyster dredger was the best to cross but the slowest.
Thank you for your experience! While ferro cement boats have a bad reputation, to me they seem to shine with all the good qualities a bluewater cruiser should have!
Raising an anchor on 50m of chain presents more problems...
I used to do that, it’s the same as with the mooring ball. Get the sails up and pull in the chain as the boat sails up onto the anchor. Time the anchor breaking free with the tack that you want to be on. The hard part is pulling the chain and anchor up to the roller fast enough! We have a manual windlass that pulls 3 links per stroke so you have to crank fast!
How can you have a parrot as a pet and it doesn't fly away??
She doesn’t want to fly away, so that helps. But also her wing feathers are clipped so she has limited flight
@@RiggingDoctor I see, not sure if I would do that to my bird but that obviously explains the lack of flight from your bird. You're a proper pirate if you have burried treasure, and a bottle o rum somewere now.
@@obiwanfisher537 Clip his arm or leg poor bird what a selfish thing to do to an animal
Come on Matti now show us how you single hand the yacht
What a CRUELTY... it's painful to see this beautiful Ara trying constantly to free herself from this heavy rope! Hope karma will get you with full force. Be coursed!
Heavy rope? It’s Dyneema!
And she’s not trying to free herself, she just likes to chew on it. She chews on it even if it’s not tied to her.
And this beautiful bird has seen more of the world than wild ones😎
Also we saved her life…without us she would be dead.
:)
Now hang on here. Are we not in the era of gender equality? I mean, really! So what about Herbie kicking back with a beer and so on, and Madame does the single handed thing? Come on, show us!
🍻
Assume that a 30-footer and a 50-footer were both equally "set up"to singlehand. In rough seas, wouldn't you rather work the 50-footer. I know that I would. Bad things don't happen any faster on a big boat (with planning), you're not as fatigued, and you're not as beat up by the same weather.
My 2c.
Yes, but everything is heavier on a bigger boat. The traveler on Wisdom is pulled by hand through a pulley system where on larger sailboats the traveler needs its own dedicated winch. Still manageable by a single person, but a lot more complicated because it’s bigger.