Ep 17 Sailing Solo from The Azores: My Furler Jams at end of 900 NM passage
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 ก.ย. 2017
- My final arrival in Muros Spain is marred by a jammed furler (which I manage to unjam without too much drama). I then ask the eternal (unanswered) question that sailors have been asking for thousands of years.........
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I’m making my way through your videos they are exactly what I need I’m a novice solo sailor and your videos demonstrate that I’m not alone in working solutions to issues at sea. Some of your passing comments have answered questions that have had me stuck for months thank for this please keep sharing
I used the holiday season to watch your videos, Patrick, and I thoroughly enjoyed them. I used to do a lot of sailing (North Sea, out of Holland), but not for the last 20 years or so. Now recently retired and living in France, I was thinking about buying a saling boat again, but somewhere in my mind I thought that perhaps I would be too old for that. I know about the dangers at sea and the physical efforts often required. But I read a few of the commentaries here, and I realised that I wouldn't be the only old guy trying to recapture an old dream. Your videos gave me a lot of insides, I learnt a thing or two (or even three!), and because of these videos I have decided to go for it. So 2018 will hopefully see me buy a sailing boat. Thank you so much for sharing your adventures, your thoughts, your concerns and all the advice. Have a great 2018, and I hope you will do more vids in the future!
How very kind of you Rdam. I'm 64 this month, and feel I still have quite a few sailing years left in me. And, when I feel that it is too difficult to do the overnight blue water passages, I'll sell this one, and buy another smaller boat for local day-sailing trips. I'm delighted you've decided to give sailing another go. Best wishes to you on the new adventure. I'm sure you will love getting back into it (and find it easy to do so after your North Sea experience).
We have a gentleman still racing Thistles at 90 (albeit on a lake) but he's a die-hard and be first in the water in April.
Patrick - what a wonderful trip you took us on to the Azores and back. I loved every minute of these videos. Outstanding job, Sir. I truly appreciate the time and effort you put into documenting this trip for everyone to enjoy - including all the ups and downs. As a newbie single-handled sailor I picked up a lot of great points. Thanks!
Your videos are some of the most informative, peaceful, and engrossing that I watch. You make me really feel like I am a passenger on your boat, watching you sail and learning. I am looking for more to come soon!!
Thank you for the very kind comment Bob. I am far from an expert --- and learning as I go. It's great fun. Thanks for watching.
I found my furler would occasionally jam unless I kept a little tension on the genoa sheet. This also makes for a tighter furl.
As usual an episode with great content and advice.👍🏼👍🏼
I recently subscribed. I really liked this video. I especially enjoyed seeing how you worked the sails.
I’m so glad I found this channel. Highly interesting!
Thanks for the words of encouragment Twister. Much appreciated.
Great input for a new sailor! I can see I’ll be a fan of past and future videos. Thank you much.
I have been enjoying each episode so much, such depth of experience and sharing of knowledge. Thank you.
Delighted you got something from these Steve. Much appreciated.
Thank you for an excellent series, well filmed and engaging. Look forward to seeing more
Your encouragement is greatly appreciated David. Best regards
Thank you Patrick for the great videos. I watched them during lunch here at work and I'm inspired! Merci beaucoup!
Very kind of you Rod. Much appreciated.
Thanks for printing the tips out
Finished watching the episodes. Highly educational and "New York here I come" uttered after your engine malfunctioned was absolutely priceless) Big brass ones...
Thank you sir! and from one shipmate to another yes: Go Navy!
(S/V Unsinkable II)
Thank you shipmate very much. Fair winds and following seas to Unsinkable II.
Great video Patrick, fair winds.⛵️👍
Great series. I really enjoyed being taken to the atlantic while in a rainy afternoon in Düsseldorf, Germany. Keep posting your adventures!
Many thanks Rodrigo. Much appreciated.
Thoroughly enjoying this series. Lots of good experiences and you’re sharing these in a really clear and open way. Fair winds and Fly Navy! (My father was a Fleet Air Arm pilot and trained with the US Navy in 44)
Many thanks. Go Navy!
One of the best sailing channels, bravo!
Thanks for the kind feedback Steve.
Hi Patrick, enjoyed watching your trip to the Azores & back & found it well balanced and interesting. Dylan Thomas made use of Transferred Epithets in his writings, one being "Lamb white days" to describe a spring day in the countryside of Wales. "Sea grey days" might be appropriate for large parts of your journey but arrival at your destination makes it all worthwhile. I'm 71 this year but feel a trip to the Azores is a definite challenge to be undertaken, although my boat is a mere 28ft long. Thanks for re motivating me. Oh home port is Plymouth in the UK. Fair winds
Thanks Patrick for a really entertaining series. Please add some more.
Thanks so much for watching Graeme. My pleasure.
What monster downvotes these videos? Patrick u rock.
Guys with hank on sails.
Excellent Series, I'm looking forward to your next adventure. Best regards
Very kind of you SV. Mamy thanks.
my lesson learnt from personal experience on Bavaria with furlex - always unroll genoa with tension on the furler line then lock the line tight
I completely agree MK. At times I do not follow the recommended procedure of turning slightly downwind before furling the genoa, which would provide some shielding from the mainsail and allow me to pull on the furling line, while keeping tension on the sheet. If you don't turn downwind first, it is (at least on my boat) too hard to hold the sheet and furling line at the same time. I have learned my lesson. Thanks for contributing.
Agree, put the furling line a turn on the winch then release under control and slight tension. Nice a tidy on the drum!
Old post, but fwiw I put a ratcheting block on my furling line. This takes some of the fight out of it.
Thanks for posting Capt.
My pleasure Nixon. Thanks again for watching. Regards
Just discovered this channel, love it and I'm learning a lot. Well done each video! When I furl I hold the jib sheet and pull in the furling line at the same time, briefly holding both the jib sheet and the furling line with the same hand, to move my other hand up the furling line, to continue to furl. I think it goes a little better and the sail gets wrapped tighter, being able to tension the jib sheet.
Completely agree. I've refined my technique over time: turn downwind to mask the genny; hold both furling line and sheet in hand while pulling in (to keep tension on the sheet. I do find, in very high winds, that I need to put the furling line on a winch. I still hold the sheet in my other hand then. Many thanks for commenting.
i came upon your blog by chance and i have thoroughly enjoyed it and learnt a ton thanks...i recently bought a 30ft steel colin archer design and hope to be able to sail athe atlantic one day soon...thanks again for a very enjoyable journey with you via youtube.
Ahh. Colin Archer. Legend. Thank you very much for the kind remark. Much appreciated. Hopefully my mistakes will inspire you to get some professional training, and then set out to enjoy the wonderful challenge of solo sailing as well. Fair winds.
i have sailed once before from south africa to pacific through the panama canal with my family (wife and 8yr daughter) and the owner of the vessel and another friend.5 of us on a 45ft mono...now i have to do it on own and watching u and listening to what your thoughts are have been very informative..so i have many sea miles for now but do lack professional training..thanks for your reply..please keep the info coming from your next journey..
Wow, you have a lot of experience Michael. You should video a major passage and share your experience with us. Many thanks for your contribution.
i like youre videos! so thank you fore sharing, like that you share the porblems, aswell as the god times.
Many thanks Mikael. Very kind of you. Fair winds.
Just reviewing as many passage videos as I can, including your's Patrick. Big journey ahead of me shorty, from Portugal to the Caribbean, then on to Australia single-handed; going close to the Canaries but hopefully doing well enough to not need to stop. Just something not so good to report about PredictWind that I use from my Iridium Go in recent tests. PW had a period where bewildering variations of route planning were coming up, either from day-to-day or between weather models. Not saying that I want to sail strictly according to the output of software forecasts but it is comforting when they make sense and also don't differ wildly (as when one says go to the Canaries then turn WSW but the next says backtrack and head towards Labrador after the Canaries. I know the number one order of business is to sail the bloody boat but having your plans and opinions verified by as many means as possible is very comforting. Turns out PW had a series of software changes that did not go well; finally becoming believable about a week ago (very poor quality management in my opinion). My point in saying this - as you found, following one source of information is not as comforting as finding similar "opinion" expressed by a number of sources. Only question I have about PW routing now - is the agreement between the different weather models actually closer than it should be...
Wow! That sounds like a heck of an adventure ahead of you. Godspeed. If you film it, I'll definitely follow it closely. As for PW (and to be honest) -- I think it is a great service, but I do not use (at all) the routing feature (not hard to do myself), and when at sea, I only look at the Euro and GFS forecasts. Not only does it cut down on memory/download time, but since I do not know what their models are based on (lack of transparency), I just don't have the confidence in them that they probably deserve. They have now added additional national wx service forecasts. I might be tempted by them, but not the two PW models. Just my opinion/bias. Have a great adventure!
Super videos, une des meilleur chaine que j'ai pu trouver jusque la`. merci du partage! Pleins de bon conseils pour un debutant comme moi!
Merci beaucoup Niklos ! Bon courage pour vos stages de voile. Bien amicalement.
Thank you Patrick for a great series and very wise and professional instruction.
Many thanks Sea Nomad, and best wishes on your upcoming adventure. I look forward to following.
.... I had the problems, too..... and after a dangerous situation with it... I replaced the foresails by using sails on with "classic" stay slider..... it never fails. The only downer is that you have to go to the foredeck and lower the sails.
I hear you Olaf. Many racers also use those slotted stays.......I'm just allergic to going forward in bad wx. :-)
Hello Patrick. I have watched many sailing channels and yours is by far one of the most informative and interesting to watch. I really enjoy learning from your experience, from the mishaps, the failures and successes. I am glad your videos don't have soundtracks and are just straight forward and very well explained. I like your polite usage of language and the precision of how you documented your voyages. Thank you.
Thanks for the terrific feedback Claas R. Your support is much appreciated. Fair winds to you.
Thank you for taking the time and trouble to make these videos - I thoroughly enjoyed watching them all and very much look forward to more....hopefully.
Thanks for the very kind words Fiona. I learned an enormous amount by doing this passage, and documenting it added even more to my learning. (I hope other beginner/intermediate sailors like me will get something from this as well --- though experts will have sore necks from shaking their heads in disbelief. ;-) I have one more video showing how I dock my 40' sailboat single-handed, but have been waiting for a day with challenging winds ----- but may have to compromise on that and go with what I have as high winds are not due for another 10-12 days. Again, thanks for watching.
My husband is the 'expert' [sailing all his life and we're nearly 60] and his neck wasn't sore at all. He noticed your channel, which is how I came to watch it, and also enjoyed it immensely especially as we plan to sail to the Azores ourselves. I suspect he has bow thruster envy btw.so perhaps one will find its way into our soon to commence refit of a Westerly Oceanlord - we have a 33 ketch just now, much loved, but a little small for our plan to live aboard once the last child has been dispatched to University. Purist thoughts go out of the window when older bones start creaking. If you call in at Lybster Harbour on your next trip, just pop into the white house there [the only one!] and see us - I am always very happy to assist fellow sailors anyway and to meet you would be a pleasure. Or if you call into Inverness for any reason we will be the ones covered in god knows what - again, it would be a pleasure to see you. I look forward to the next video - even with bow thrusters, the hardest manoeuvres are docking in windy conditions, especially single-handed...[As an after thought - I don't think I have ever met an expert sailor.....but those who might come close to warranting the description certainly adopt the same attitude as you do - that they do not know everything!]
Many thanks for your kind note Fionna. Samingo's terrific videos of his trip(s) to Scotland and Norway have inspired the thought that a similar trip next Spring for me might be a cool (cold) adventure. If I do, I promise I'll send a note and let you buy me a pint in a pub. Thanks for watching.
We shall indeed look forward to that. Mike [husband] very much enjoyed Samingo too so now I'm watching it! Scotland is well worth cruising, especially the West Coast. Transiting the Caledonian Canal is a charming alternative route if you happen to choose, or have the time, to take the West Coast route initially , rather than follow Samingo's exact course, but you would miss some spectacular scenery further North. Fair winds anyway and who knows - one day we may be buying you that pint!
Just a quick question for you Fionna. Could you ask husband Mike if he thinks it is possible for a solo sailor to transit the Caledonian Canal? I recall reading somewhere that it is just too much work to consider such a transit singlehanded. I'm wondering if that is a belief that is held widespread (through experience).
I enjoyed your videos very much. I always like seeing how others sail their boats. Even though I have no blue-water experience, spending all my six years' sailing time on Chesapeake Bay, all the evolutions are the same on any boat.
I'll toss in my two cents' on your sail furling procedure. I agree that a bit of wind should be kept in the genny when furling, to keep a bit of tension on the line. Any line is prone to jam if wound up in a slack state, so keeping them just a bit taut is always best. I'm not a big fan of furlers for just that reason, and I never added one to my boat. Instead I put in a downhaul and used that to pull down the jib or genny. What I did was put the boat into the wind and use the jib sheets to center the sail on the foredeck, then use the downhaul to lower it. With the tension from three points like that, the foresail would lay quite flat and out of the way until I was ready to unbend it.
Your comment about waiting to get a bit past the rocks to come into the wind to lower the main made me notice that you continued heading toward the rocks while packing up the main. It was always my practice to drop the main, then get back on course, and then go put the main away. I did this for two reasons: first, to not waste time off-course any longer than absolutely necessary (though admittedly, one doesn't travel too far in the few minutes it takes to put away the main), and secondly -- especially in the case of pointing toward rocks -- to not be on a course that might put the boat in danger if something happened to me. Possibly I'm just overcautious.
I owned a 1975 Capital Yachts Newport 28 for six years, but the family never got interested, and so I single-handed her pretty much every time out. I enjoyed that very much for the sense of accomplishment it brings, especially things like putting in a reef in 20kt winds, or having to sail her into the slip when the engine overheated. I finally sold her three or four years ago, and miss her very much. Watching videos like yours gets me back a little bit of that feeling, and it's really nice. Thanks.
Fair winds!
Thanks James. Another solo sailor whose family doesn't enjoy sailing. The brotherhood. You understand the tiny issues that become challenges for solo sailors in a way those who always have crew on-board can never appreciate. Bravo. Your method of downing the jib is an interesting one. Not sure I could ever do that with a large genoa though --- too much sail flapping about and even flailing against the mast. I've become accustomed to a furler, and will live with it. I think the 'bird's nest' problem in the furler is most-often 'pilot error.' Guilty as charged for not keeping even tension on the genoa sheet while furling. Hope you get another chance to get some water under your keel. Many thanks for watching.
Interesting point about not heading towards the rocks while lowering the main, there was a bit of a tension seeing Patrick working whilst rocks getting closer!!!
Camera distortion Fred. :-) I watch that kind of thing very closely. My usual technique (in order) is 1) turn into wind, 2) release main sheet completely, 3) release the halyard and just let the main fall, 4) sheet in the main/boom completely, 5) turn toward the marina, and 6) work on cleaning up the mainsail and any dangling reefing lines. I may not have done it in that order this time, but had a good eye on the rocks. Thanks for watching.
At the end you almost sounded like Rick Steves. Good video. Awaiting your journey north..
Poor Rick, to be compared to such amateur footage. :-) Many thanks for stopping by HK. I'll try to improve the technical quality with the next set.
That was great to see how the lazy jacks worked. they seemed to work exactly as advertised...
Yes Perry. Lazy Jacks and Lazy Bags are a gift to sailors. I often have to drop the sails in high winds, or rolling seas. It's great just to have them drop down onto the boom. Makes life much easier. You just have to remember to ease the Lazy Jack lines if you are going to do a long passage downwind, otherwise they will rub against the mainsail. (It's usually the Lazy Jack that gets frayed when that happens, due to the hard battens in the sail.) Thanks for watching.
Hello Patrick,
Good name btw...
I couldn’t tell from the video but I hope you have your sliding hatch closed when you’re walking on the cabin roof/dousing sail. I’ve seen crew fall into an open hatch when handling sails and that never ends well.
I see you have a Bavaria 40!
I was project director at J&J Design on the Bavaria 40 when it was being developed & prototyped. Lovely sailing boats those. Easily driven Hull shape.
Thoroughly enjoying your vids!
Makes my waning years at Boeing less unbearable. Can’t wait to cast off.
Fair winds!
Patrick.
You did a great job on the Bav 40 ER. I have tested her thoroughly, and she has taken good care of me. :-)
earlyreefer Gaaaaaa...don’t mention Boeing, I’m so tired of dealing with that company. Too big, too slow, not enough people.
I enjoyed the video. You do a good job of explaining what you are doing, and for a non-experienced sailor it is really helpful. I'm thinking about buying a sail boat, but at age 75 I think I've waited too long. :)
I have many friends in the marina your age who still go out and have great fun. Not many do the long overnight passages anymore, but day-sailing is fun at any age! Thanks for watching John. (I'm 63 BTW.)
Completely agree Ron.
Hi. I bought my first sailboat at 72. It’s tougher but not impossible and still fun. Keeps the brain cells percolating.
I couldn't agree more Handsoff. I have been fascinated by all the new learning I am doing (diesel engines, fuel systems, electrics on a boat, rigging issues, sail choices, etc.). Fascinating stuff --- and it's keeping me young. Thanks for commenting.
Patrick, thanks for the feedback. We're thinking about selling our house, and when that is completed we'll make a decision about a boat. Best wishes and good sailing! John
Great videos Patrick, curious, what kind of boat do you have? Love the vids and insight.
Many thanks for the kind words Jason. My boat is a German-built Bavaria 40 Cruiser, vintage 2008. Best to you.
THE WINCH ON THE FURLER MY GOOD SIR!?!?! SORRY TO INTERJECT IN THIS MANNER BUT THAT WAS UTTERLY SCANDALIZING! what an unexpected barbarity. =D you really wanted that bearing to budge didint you
I notice as you arrived at the harbour entrance that your stack pack is dropping down at the boom end, is this normal? Great trip, thanks for bringing me along!
Hi Patrick... I really enjoyed your voyage and some very wise words. If you do come over to the South Coast please call in to Gosport. We could have a Beer together. Fair Winds.
Thanks David. I'll probably jump across the Channel from Cherbourg, so Gosport is a prime candidate for a landing. I'll note your name and give a shout if I stop by. I'll buy you that beer. Very best.
As usual, 👌⛵️🇨🇦
Thank you for taking the trouble to make and post these videos Patrick. I am new to yacht sailing, having ‘flotilla holiday’ only experience, though I have aspirations for a retirement afloat. Your videos are informative and, perhaps more importantly, inspirational. I’d be interested in knowing to what extent you have added to the equipment on your boat since you purchased it?
Thanks John. Episodes 36 and 47 summarize most of the major changes I made. :-)
Patrick Laine Many thanks.
Congrats Patrick for your adventure and your greats explanations in the video. Are you planning more trips? Rafael from Spain
Hola Rafael. I had a lovely time this Summer visiting your Western and Northern coasts. Thanks for the kind remarks. I just bought a storm jib (called a StormBag). I plan to try filming myself putting to it up alone in 25-35 knot winds. I'll put that on-line sometime in the next couple of weeks. In the Spring, I plan to head across the English Channel, and up the East Coast of the UK to Shetland --- then over to Norway. If I can find a suitable theme, I may film parts of that trip. Thanks for watching.
Wow. I would like to see the video about storm bag, but as you know, safety is the first. Many thanks for sharing your fantastic videos and experiences.
Many thanks Rafael. Thanks for commenting.
My training skipper always had us keep a little tension on the jib sheet when furling, makes for a neater furl as well
That's exactly right Robert. The recommended procedure is to turn downwind a bit (to shield the genoa with the main) and then pull in on the furling line while keeping the sheet slightly tensioned. If you DON'T turn downwind first (for whatever reason), and you have above about 15 kts of wind, you may have great difficulty pulling in the furling line --- hence the temptation to drop the sheet and let the genoa flail a bit and pull the furling line with both hands. The results are predictable. I plead guilty. :-)
Getting upwind is definitely key, people don't always realize that you cannot out power mother nature, better to use her to your advantage when possible. Been enjoying the series greatly!!
Smart sailing, well done Skipper.
What about the confidence many people have on electronic autopilot; imagine a failure the second night on a long trip.
Do you think you could deal with that and how?
Cheers, Guy.
The loss of the autopilot is a very serious problem for a solo sailor Guy, and one I have given a lot of thought (and practice) to. (Of course, before the age of electronics, sailors did this as a matter of course.) Many people use a windvane for long passages now --- so the autopilot is turned off. I will probably get one if I do a Transat passage. For my shorter trips, I routinely practice for this eventuality. The essential element is to have the sails trimmed very well. (Autopilots lead to laziness on sail trim, and I often find my boat far out of trim when I disengage.) By trimming well, in light to moderate conditions, the boat really will track quite well for quite a while with zero touch on the helm. I also have surgical stretch tubing that I use to tie-off the helm (with a bit of give). Again, in light to moderate winds, when well-trimmed, the boat tracks quite acceptably (enough to get some rest anyway). However, I have tried this in winds 20-25 kts, and it doesn't work well. I'll just have to hand steer if my autopilot gives out then (and heave-to when I am exhausted and need some sleep). Great question. Thanks.
Reason 3 for jammed furler can also be not enough tension fore/aft on the rig. Try tensioning the forestay or aftstays a little more (depending on the trim of your boat). Found Harken furlers to be easier to use; Furlex pretty fussy.
I haven't heard that before Paul. I'll give that a try. Thanks.
Hi Patrick. Absolutely no criticism, just honest an observation from an 'arm chair sailor'. Whilst watching you, first furl the jib and later drop the main off Muros, I was actively thinking that both processes looked as though they would benefit by being little more 'more controlled'. i.e by tailing the jib sheet to get a tighter furl and also minimise the chances of 'over-lock' inside the furling drum (jamming the furling line) and in the case of the Main, allowing more time and some tension on the leech to encourage the sail to fold neatly inside the 'lazy-jacks'. But, there again, I hadn't been at solo at sea for days, even weeks and anxious to make land-fall before sunset. As ever your vlog came across as 'a genuine presentation' of the 'joys (or otherwise) of sailing and 'as such' gives a great insight into the skills of keeping your boat safe and 'seaworthy' Thanks again and regards from EF
Your comments are one of the primary reasons I made these videos EF ---- to see if others have suggestions as to how to do things better.
Re dropping the mainsail: I have tried slow and easy (by keeping one turn on the winch). There are two issues with that. If the wind isn’t blowing very hard, the sail hangs up half way down, and I end up having to pull it down by hand at the mast. If the wind is blowing hard and there are even modest seas, the autopilot can’t hold the bow exactly to windward if I drop slowly, and the sail hangs on the easyjacks. I’ve found just letting it drop fast, though a bit messy sometimes, works pretty well. I’m curious how other solo sailors do it.
Re the genoa. As soon as the wind gets above 15-17 kts, I really struggle pulling it in using all my force with both hands. (At >20 kts, I have to use the winch.) It is very tight on the furling drum (including in this video) naturally despite the flapping of the genny leech. When the wind is light, I do exactly as you suggest --- one hand on the sheet to keep some tension, and the other on the furling line. (Also, I always keep tension on the sheet/furler when letting the genoa out.) I think my knot in the furling drum occurred due to slack on the furler during multiple tacks/gybes, but am not sure.
Thanks for the comments. They make me rethink my procedures.
I've been handling sail boats for many (50+) years and I have found that knowing the 'right thing' (if such exists in sailing) is one thing, but 'doing the right thing' is often quite another matter. Conditions will always dictate and what works in one instance often doesn't in another. Tiredness and fatigue can be another factor and that's the great 'challenge' presented by sailing. Perhaps, that's why we do it - but often not without cursing all the way! EF
+1 for keeping a little tension on the working sheet while retrieving the Genoa (and on the furling line when deploying it).....in all situations. The wrap will be cleaner with fewer chances of a furler jam. If both sails are up and the wind is brisk, fall off until the main blankets the Genoa and you will be able to furl it by hand. Then head up to wind and drop the main. If only the Genoa is up then head to wind and let the AP hold you there while you furl it. If the AP struggles in the conditions you may need to furl the Genoa in several bites.....correcting the course between bites. We have a wheel pilot which is a bit puny and sometimes struggles to keep us head to wind in boisterous conditions but using the above technique we can successfully drop sails without drama. Fair Winds.
I agree completely with all aspects of this comment. I don't always fall off prior to furling the genny, but know that I should. I'll try to remember this, especially in high winds. Many thanks.
When furling a head sail I prefer to be very downwind so the loads are much less on Genoa. Say TWA of 165. Then keep light tension on sheet. I never forget that if the furler fails you can drop the genoa on deck.
Yep, whenever I have the space to do it, that is how I do it as well (especially in very high winds). Much easier that way.
Amazing journey and wonderful documentation. I have a dream to single hand myself, although I am just learning to sail. I also need to buy my own boat, lol. Thinking of a 50 footer. Is that too large in your opinion? Also how did you end up settling in France? Again, thank you for sharing your experience.
Thanks for watching Jason. My personal opinion is that a 50' boat is too big if you plan to do a lot of solo sailing. The problem isn't so much the sailing, as you will quickly master the basics (though a 50'er may be a a ketch rig with two masts --- a bit more complexity, but very doable). The real challenge is being able to maneuver the boat safely and with confidence in and out of berths in ports. Doing that single-handed in a 50' is far from easy (much extra windage that will push you invariably away from the finger you need to tie-up to, added distance to quickly move from helm to a mid-ship spring-line to catch the cleat on the dock, greater inertia to overcome, larger turn radius, etc....). I'm convinced that a major reason that more sailboats don't leave port more often is that the owner has lost confidence in his/her ability to do the port maneuvers. (This is the reason manufacturers are now promoting very expensive bow and stern thruster maneuvering toggle switches.) The smaller the sailboat (generally speaking), the easier the port maneuver. I think 40' is a great compromise between comfort aboard, and ability to maneuver single-handed. My two cents anyway.
My presence in France is literally a story of love and war. Best told over a glass of wine in a bar. ;-)
Jason, your question prompted me to put up a video on how I dock when solo. (See my video episode 18 --- and I'm not looking for clicks; my site is not monetized in any manner.) My docking video is filmed in very docile conditions. Imagine having to do that alone in a 50 footer in 15-20 Kts of cross-wind (which is a very common condition). I just can't imagine ever really being comfortable docking a 50 footer alone. Now, if you've got a wife or friends along with you (someone who can step onto the finger when you get close), then that's a different story. Food for thought.
If a jammed furler was the only mishap on the passage, I would say it was a good passage.
Nice video Patrick it was a nice journey. Where do you think will be your next passage?
Yeah -- it was great fun George. I learned a great deal and feel much more confident about doing long passages solo and dealing with the 'stuff' that arises. I plan to cross the English Channel in October and do a bit of port hopping in the Solent (weather permitting). I may do a video of the planning/crossing of the Channnel if practicable. Next Spring is tentatively a trip up the east coast of the UK to Scotland, and then over to Norway and back to France via Germany. I'll try to film some of that (hopefully with fewer sailing mistakes, and better sound quality). Thanks for the kind words.
Patrick Laine looking forward to seeing more videos.
If you release a tiny bit of tension in the Jib Halyard. This possibly will free up the furler. Happens me quite a bit.
Yeah --- perhaps Kieran. It jammed on me a half dozen times over 4 or 5 months so I asked Selden about it. They suggested I rotate the furling housing to be better aligned with the furling line. I did that and it has not jammed since. I may have had too much angle, which caused too much slack when tacking, and allowed the line to wrap over itself in the furler. Thanks for watching.
+1 For the Goldman quote!
Good for you clidiere. The majority of my subscribers are from the USA and UK, so I don't think too many of them have heard of JJG. He is, as you obviously know, a national treasure in France. I have been a big fan for 30+ years. :-)
When I was a kid I dreamed of the U.S. listening to "Là-bas". And I eventually went, which makes the song even better for me.
Great. We used to live in Geneva. Now in Gruyere. No fun sailing when it’s cold. I did RYA day skipper In February in the Solent. So cold. It’s warm in Florida ⛵️😁
Sailing the Solent in February. Now that's commitment! Much respect.
Great vid Patrick, can u tell me how many gallons of fuel u bring on a 900 mile trip.
The tanks carries 210 liters, and I carry an extra 100 liters in jerry cans. The engine burns about 2.3 l/hr -- and I usually turn the engine on for about an hour every two days to heat the fresh water tank, and of course, whenever there is not enough wind to keep advancing toward my destination.
@@patricklaine6958 interesting, thanx.
I am retired Army. I've been trying to make up my mind between a fuel efficient trawler and a sailboat. You've helped make up my mind. I really enjoyed your videos as I would be sailing solo mostly. I'm curious as I thought about retiring in Southern France, are you fully retired or do you still fly? Also, why France?
Southern France a bit too hot for me, and very crowded in the Summer. The French Attlantic Coast is climate of, say Monterrey California. Before buying a boat, I suggest contacting the marinas near where you want to live. Many have very long waiting lists to get a berth for your boat.... (Dealers never tell you that.) Get your name on the list asap.
I was a fighter pilot about ten years, then MBA + conversion to business. I owned a small Piper airplane for many years to keep my hand in the game.
Good luck on next step, and of course, Go Navy!
Everywhere the Army sent me other and Ft Hood and Iraq was extreme cold weather. Spent -82F in a foxhole for 4 days. Hot.....is good. Thank you for the advise about marinas. Will definitely look into that, but I don't think that's going to be a problem in my area. Slip fees are very reasonable here and plenty of safe harbors. I was leaning towards a trawler thinking I'd never cross the Atlantic. But after watching your videos and thinking about visiting Europe again it changed my mind. I've always liked the redundancy of systems on a sailboat. (military thinking there) When your engine failed due to a very common occurrence with diesel engines on rough water, I clearly saw the benefit of sails. Additionally, the range of most trawlers in my price range wouldn't safely make an Atlantic crossing. With an adequate sailboat, I can go anywhere. I really like the Hunter 40, 45 and Jeanneau boats. Any advice there? haha...Go Army
Thanks Early. The experts will disagree, but I don't think it is the brand of the boat that matters as much as how it has been maintained. Boats require lots of preventive maintenance. Thus, a meticulously maintained and outfitted 'factory' boat is a far better purchase than a poorly maintained 'world class' cruiser. (Obviously, if you are planning on going to the poles -- a suitable specification (probably metal) is required.)As far as length goes, my personal opinion is that I would start to get nervous about buying a boat longer than 40' if you think you will be doing a lot of solo sailing. The reason is the difficulty of doing port maneuvers solo in big boats. While just about any boat will be relatively easy to dock in calm conditions, as soon as the wind gets to 15 kts or so (which is very, very common), a 45 or 50 foot boat will really be a challenge to dock alone. It really can be quite stressful (though stress is relative for vets like you). I believe that a 40' boat (which is what I have) is a good compromise between comfort and maneuverability.
A couple of questions if I may, and apologies if I missed the info in another video. 1. What is the make and model of your boat? 2. Curious how many nautical miles per gallon you average when on the motor only? Thanks, and fair winds!
Thanks Brett. My boat is a Bavaria 40' Cruiser from 2008. Your fuel question is a good one. Firstly, marine fuel gauges are notoriously unreliable, and secondly, miles per gallon is not very useful due to currents, motoring sometimes with the sail up, running the engine while at anchor to charge the batteries, etc. Most diesel engines do have hour meters, and this is a far more useful measure. Each time I fill the tank up, I note how many hours are on the meter. Historically, my boat almost always uses about 2.4 liters per hour, so if I want to know how much fuel is left at any time, I just calculate the number of hours since last top-up, multiply by 2.4, and subtract that from the capacity of the tank (210 liters). Thanks for watching.
Patrick Laine thanks Patrick for the fast reply and greetings from a fellow aviator currently in Singapore for the airshow. Love your videos! With regards to my fuel question I was mainly curious about the approximate range of a boat in that class with a full tank of fuel and having to motor in a no wind scenario? My quick, back of a napkin math puts it at appx 550-600nm with 10% reserves depending on speed. I’m a long time power boater who has recently developed a passion for sailing and trying to learn as much as possible. Beautiful boat by the way!
Hello Bret. Enjoy the show! My tank holds 210 liters and burns about 2.4L/H and gives a nice motoring speed (conservative) of about 5 kts. Thus, the tank gives me a range of about 440 NM, and I always carry an extra 100 Liters in plastic jerry cans on long passages -- which would give me an additional 210 NM. Thus, on long passages, if I were to lose the mast, I can go about 650 NM just on the engine ---- plenty of time to jury rig a sail, and / or flag down another boat/ship for more fuel. Best regards
Patrick Laine makes sense. I wasn’t sure what speed to plug into my napkin. 😄
That is exactly the way I dock, except I have a mud bank at the end of my mooring, so I gently run into it, put the helm over and leave the engine in gear. Good videos.
Thanks for watching Graham. I can't quite picture docking into a mud bank, but as you say, it is a technique that works, when circumstances do not allow something more 'graceful'. Best regards
was there any way to let the sheet go slowly when you furl the sail? At 4:59 I see you let the whole sheet go loose completely.
Yes, absolutely Hasan. In fact, the recommended procedure is to turn downwind a bit to shield the genoa with the main, and then pull in the furling line, while easing out the genoa sheet at the same time. I do that sometimes, but other times try to muscle in the furling line --- and when the wind is too strong, I end up just letting go of the genoa sheet. That may well have caused the bird's nest in the furling drum on this occasion. Well-spotted.
Thank`s again Patrick :-)
You sleep a hour longer and go for a swim before breakfast ;-)
With the sharks? :-)
He he he...Nooo ;-)
Is your life vest equipped with an emergency transponder beacon?
Yes it is Jim. From time to time you may see the flash of yellow on the right side of my harness. It is a 'Personal Locator Beacon' (PLB). If I fall overboard, I activate the emergency switch and a signal is sent to a satellite giving my distress situation and position. Unfortunately, I think that about 8 time out of 10, it would only facilitate recovery of the body rather than rescue. Falling overboard when solo ---- well, it's hard to think of anything worse that could happen. It's really important to use the tether whenever conditions are difficult, and I never take a pee over the side (a final act of many solo sailors).
I've had issues with my furler in the past, all due to faults of my own I have since learned, but I now always take care to tail the furler as I unfurl it, keeping tension on it, and once the sail is unfurled I tie off the furling line with a little tension on it. Since doing this I've had no issues at all with my furler. I think, if there is slack in the line, that slack can transfer to the drum, and there may be enough slack for a turn or two to fall off the drum, or cause a riding turn when you eventually want to furl the sail and pull on the line.
Replying to self. The notes at the end clarify, and also explain the issues I had in the past. If I'd known you, Patrick, were going to mention that I wouldn't have commented. Sorry to try and tell you what you already know. Thank you for sharing entertaining and informative videos, I'm enjoying them all.
Yes --- well the riding turn in the furling drum really was my fault. If I had turned downwind a bit prior to trying to pull in the furling line, I probably would have been able to keep one hand on the sheet, and one on the furling line. The other point you make is important too. Even when the sail is fully out, it is important to keep some tension in the furling line so the remaining turns on the drum don't tangle.
Hello mr.Laine. Your last name...Laine. That is a Finnish name and it caught my eye. I know it's personal information , but anyway interesting videos and like someone already mentioned...good content without those bikini clad women.
Yes jslfc, I only wish I played ice hockey as well as my Finnish namesake! Then I could buy a mega-yacht! Thanks for watching.
Patrick Laine Lol. Thank you for answering. Take care and all the best.
Q: Are you suppose to hoist a black ball when motorsailing?
Good ---- yes --- a black cone pointed downwards (the black ball is for anchoring). (Off the record, very few people show this black cone pointed down shape when motor-sailing, but most people will show the anchor ball.)
@@patricklaine6958 Got it, thanks for clarrification. That would change the stand-on and give-way rules slightly?
Yes, you're right again -- when using the engine, even with the sails up, you change categories to 'vessel under power' and should adhere to rules governing that type of vessel.
Jam the furleur of a genoa ? One time is enough :-)
point into the wind to FURLALWAYS
That's certainly a technique, and I often do it in lighter winds Joe, but I guarantee you that with my 145% large genoa, you will not be able to pull it in by hand just by turning into the wind a bit and luffing the sail when wind is above 18-20 kts or so. Not only does the sail flail, but I need to throw the line over the winch to pull it in. I have found that by turning downwind (if space/conditions allow) and masking the genoa with the mainsail, it often releases enough pressure that I can pull it in by hand. I'm sure that each boat/sail combination has its own formula. This one works on mine. Thanks for commenting.
Patrick Laine You're right Patrick. Good standard and safe practice is to always furl head sails while pointing downwind. Advantages are:
- Less apparent wind,
- using the main sail to shield and reduce wind pressure on the head sail,
- neat furling job ( keeping tension on the sheet)
- no sails flapping no sheets flogging.
All this means it can be done by hand (no need to winch). Even Gennakers in 30 kt wind can be furled by hand after pointing downwind. Of course it may be necessary to unfurl the solent or the trinquette to make the furling of the gennaker easier because the mainsail alone might not provide enough shielding effect alone.
It helps also as pointed out to keep tension on the furling line when it is first unfurled, to keep it from jamming when it's time to furl.
Nowadays, there are belt furlers (no more drums) on the market thay have eliminated this potential problem altogether.
I have seen the flat belt furlers at the trade shows FF. I'm surprised they are not used more often. I'm certainly going to consider getting one when my current Seldon Furlex goes to furling heaven. Thanks for commenting.
You call it Volvo wind.....I call it using the Iron Sail.
I haven't heard that one before. I like it! I'm sure there are many other variants as well. Thanks for commenting John.
The "iron genny" is the term I always use.
Yes, I have heard that one before too. Cheers.
Hi Patrick, my 2nd post today. As I said I very much enjoy your videos. I live in Switzerland, not too far from your home port. EasyJet to Bordeaux et voilà. I would enjoy a sail with you if it’s convenient. My boat, IP 32, is in Florida and I extend an invitation to you to sail with me if your so inclined. Again thx for the videos. Regards, Marshall
Ahh Genève. My daughter lives there (P&G). I used to rent the Ynglings from Les Corsairs and go out sailing on the lake. Great fun. I'd be delighted to go out with you Marshall when it warms up. I still have the sails on my boat, and even went out once this week for a couple of hours, but it is getting quite cold. I may go out once or twice more this year, then will take the sails off until the beginning-middle of March. Thanks again for watching.
so your home port is la rochelle! the protestants are flocking there again with the aid of english sailor. i go tell to the cardinal immediatly, expect a siege soon!
#bringbacknaitonaldex
Between the “Libre continent sans grillage” and the “parsley in Scarborough”, your musical taste proves very eclectic and overlapping! All the best, Bon vent, Belle mer!
Et vous oubliez, Isabelle was 'Born to Run'. :-) I'm sure that JJG will forgive my plagiarism.
No damage? What about the torn sail (fixed), various rigging, and damaged ballast (fixed)?
Well -- you're right Mr Bondo. The sail leech cost €40 to repair. I also had to replace a sheet and a reefing line for chafe -- say €150. The batten for the sail cost €5. And blowing the fuel line clear cost €60. Replacing plastic covers on guy protectrs - €25. All in -- repair costs of +/- €250. So yes, I did have some damage, but honestly, I thought I came out pretty well compared to the majority of boats that arrived that week in Horta ---- many with sails blown out; biminis ripped away; engine rooms flooded; radios lost, etc. I learned a lot, and am already 500 NM into my next big adventure to the North as I write this. I doubt if I will return completely 'damage free', but hopefully the damage will not be of the same nature as last year. :-)