Advice on yacht for short handed sailing

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Handsolo

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Hi

I‘m looking at a 35-40 foot yacht for short handed/single handed sailing. I’ve been considering Starlight 35/39 and Westerly Typhoon/Ocean 33. I’ve recently come across a good looking Sigma 35. I’m interested in peoples experience of sailing these yachts and pros/cons for short handed sailing. All are available in very limited numbers so finding a good one is challenging. Appreciate any help
 
Handsolo said:
Hi

I‘m looking at a 35-40 foot yacht for short handed/single handed sailing. I’ve been considering Starlight 35/39 and Westerly Typhoon/Ocean 33. I’ve recently come across a good looking Sigma 35. I’m interested in peoples experience of sailing these yachts and pros/cons for short handed sailing. All are available in very limited numbers so finding a good one is challenging. Appreciate any help
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I can't see a particular problem with any of them. I would think the westerly is more cruisy, the Sigma is more of a cruiser-racer with the Starlight somewhere in between. But there isn't much in it; they all look like nice boats. I have some affection for Sigmas having covered a few thousand miles on a 362, which was also an excellent boat.

Presumably for singlehanding what really matters is a really good and reliable autopilot, furling and reefing system, ideally all led back to the cockpit, and a good sprayhood.
 
RJJ said:
Presumably for singlehanding what really matters is a really good and reliable autopilot, furling and reefing system, ideally all led back to the cockpit, and a good sprayhood.
Click to expand...

Having ended up doing almost all of my 2,000 miles on a 38 footer solo this year due to Covid, I would agree with RJJ that these features are perhaps more important than “boat type”.
If budget permits a bigger boat with a modern autopilot with below deck ram, that helps a lot. Mainsheet and genoa winches reachable close to the helm also handy, but less of an issue with built in autopilot.
Plus good anchor and electric windlass - massively easier anchoring than marinas or even moorings overnight.
Once get above 35 feet or so, things get heavier and things like bow thruster and (unless got a furly main) one electric halyard winch helps a lot when things start to get windy and busy. But costs are going up (that’s boating!)

Happy sailing
 
Handsolo, welcome to the forum.

Could you provide a little more about your sailing experiences and intended use. Have you singlehanded before? This will help forumites to give the best advice.

There is no reason why you cannot handle a 35 to 40 ft yacht singlehanded. The sailing part is the easy bit, the difficult part is leaving and entering a port. I sail singlehanded but decided 32 ft was about the optimal size despite looking at up to 35ft. As you get larger so you must take things slower due to heaveir loads and the heavier weight of the boat, but will be a more stable platform to work on.

To your list I would add the Mystery 35. My choice would be the Westerly Typhoon from your list. Typhoon 37 - Westerly-Wiki
 
I chose my Scanmar 33 based on various criteria including these as regards the shorthanded/singlehanded sailing aspect:

Fractional rig (7/8)..............ease of headsail trimming, winching, reefing.
Mainsheet close to helm.
Comfortable single hand steering position beside wheel seated on cockpit side or behind wheel standing/seated.
Spinnaker winches same size as headsail winches, suitable for headsail sheets and located within easy reach of helm position.
Mainsail reefing from cockpit.......simple .two line system installed by previous owner as it happened.
Safe cockpit closed at stern.
Rack and pinion steering............good feedback, light to handle and maintain, no cable or chain
Good windward ability.
Freeboard suitable for boarding from dinghy midships.
Easy all round engine access...................no crew for mechanical assistance!
Wide aft cabin...............for a good nights sleep!

Best of luck..........
 
Any more details from owners of these boats about the best auto pilot setups? I know people dont like tiller pilots but the EV100 Tiller Pilot looks pretty good and then spares, fixing it would be easy?

Because my old boat had a transom hung rudder I don't really get which of these boats have a rudder quadrant to fit a below deck AP.
 
A 35 foot is easily handled with some setting up and practice. (except in tight spaces and cross winds etc, this all comes later a bow thruster would be great to have)

I have had two 35 footers a dufour 35 and a HR352 both had their issues when I first started but they resolve with practice... a thing I would consider now would be freeboard as this affects windage picking up a mooring and getting onto a pontoon, even getting stuff into and out of the dingy.

I have two line reefing and the main halyard kicker etc lead back through clutches to within reach of the wheel, with two winches on each side (one of each is self tailing) so I can reef, shake out reefs, hoist main leave out foresail all from behind the wheel, even without an autopilot it is manageable... main has lazy jacks and a lazy bag so easy to drop and get ready for mooring /pontoon etc...
 
roblpm said:
Any more details from owners of these boats about the best auto pilot setups? I know people dont like tiller pilots but the EV100 Tiller Pilot looks pretty good and then spares, fixing it would be easy?

Because my old boat had a transom hung rudder I don't really get which of these boats have a rudder quadrant to fit a below deck AP.
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I singlehand a fin-keeled tiller-steered 40'er.

It came with a Raymarine tillerpilot - ST6002 control unit and SmartPilot brains, and the older version of the Q047 actuator, which broke shortly after I bought the boat.

Raymarine inform me that the current version of their actuator is stronger than the version I had - my boat launched in 1994, and all the tillerpilot kit may have dated to that time. The older Raymarine actuator arms looked much the same as the one they sell today, but were constructed with two lengths of tube screwed onto a piece of plastic in the middle - mine broke the first time I stepped on it.

I replaced mine with a Pelagic actuator and this is what I recommend - I singlehanded Biscay in 20 - 30 knots with mine.

I may upgrade the brains to Raymarine's Evolution series (ACU-100 + EV Sensor Core?) or one from another manufacturer, but due to my positive experiences I will stick to the Pelagic actuator. I believe it's just a cheap Chinese industrial actuator and available also from sites like AliBaba - I shall look into this this winter, and see if I can get a spare.

I am of the mind that my boat would require too much modification to make a below deck autopilot possible, but it's what I would have if I had the choice - this would allow the tiller to be flipped up on passage, leaving more space in the cockpit.

I've seen discussion of singlehanding on the Tayana 37 owner's group - they seem like quite heavy boats, long-keeled, and if singlehanding one of those is practicable then I'd expect any of the boats proposed would be relatively easy. I haven't singlehanded any other boats, but I am of the belief that the tiller (and German mainsheet) of my boat makes sinegkehanding easy.

I managed the last year or so with a manual windlass, but otherwise I second @dunedin's comments about anchoring - a 40' boat can be a horrifying nightmare in a marina singlehanded. IMO a 32' boat would often be much more fun to sail - I much admired the Sun Fast 3200 that was berthed next to me in Plymouth, but a Westerly Fulmar is more in my budget, and I liked that a lot too.
 
I have owned a Typhoon for 14 years and sailed mainly 2 up, occasionally solo. Round Britain then an Atlantic circuit and several trips to Scilly and Ireland. An electric windlass and a Spade anchor were the most useful upgrades and replacing the original Volvo 2003 with a 2030 was worthwhile. A very solid boat with a good turn of speed and close winded. A trip to the mast is required for reefing (I prefer to have 3 reefs and single line reefing limits you to two I believe), otherwise everything leads back to the cockpit. A good friend has a Sigma 35. PM me if you would like to contact him direct or want any more details on my Typhoon
 
Something I didn't realise the importance of until a little late in the game is the clear walk forrard, with minimal steps or stub/trip hazards and easy cockpit access from the deck, i.e. not too deep. Lots of standing rigging is nice for handholds.

Have granny bars now and wouldn't want to go back to a less cluttered mast.

A large midships cleat or at least a fairlead, notwithstanding the stub/trip hazard!
 
Thanks for all contributions. I’ve 25 years experience racing and this is my first venture into cruising as part of my retirement plans.

My main challenge is now finding a good example of any in the shortlist. If you come across any pls let me know.
 
I've singlehanded extensively the last 10-15 years. For me the most important foundation, yet not mentioned above, is the skipper planning ahead and knowing exactly what will happen, when it will happen and what to look out for early signs of it going wrong.

When you coil your halyards, reefing lines etc, you have to be confident that they will release and uncoil without jamming / tangling. When anchoring, being confident that it will be all clear to drop when wanted. More importantly to know that in the time between the anchor being off the seabed with the bow being blown off and the anchor being stowed, nothing is going to jam. If going into a marina, having fenders and lines P&S etc

Bow thrusters,, autopilots, electric winches, electric windlass' all help facilitate and make easier but if not based on a solid foundation of planning will still trip you up.
 
KompetentKrew said:
I singlehand a fin-keeled tiller-steered 40'er.

It came with a Raymarine tillerpilot - ST6002 control unit and SmartPilot brains, and the older version of the Q047 actuator, which broke shortly after I bought the boat.

Raymarine inform me that the current version of their actuator is stronger than the version I had - my boat launched in 1994, and all the tillerpilot kit may have dated to that time. The older Raymarine actuator arms looked much the same as the one they sell today, but were constructed with two lengths of tube screwed onto a piece of plastic in the middle - mine broke the first time I stepped on it.

I replaced mine with a Pelagic actuator and this is what I recommend - I singlehanded Biscay in 20 - 30 knots with mine.

I may upgrade the brains to Raymarine's Evolution series (ACU-100 + EV Sensor Core?) or one from another manufacturer, but due to my positive experiences I will stick to the Pelagic actuator. I believe it's just a cheap Chinese industrial actuator and available also from sites like AliBaba - I shall look into this this winter, and see if I can get a spare.

I am of the mind that my boat would require too much modification to make a below deck autopilot possible, but it's what I would have if I had the choice - this would allow the tiller to be flipped up on passage, leaving more space in the cockpit.

I've seen discussion of singlehanding on the Tayana 37 owner's group - they seem like quite heavy boats, long-keeled, and if singlehanding one of those is practicable then I'd expect any of the boats proposed would be relatively easy. I haven't singlehanded any other boats, but I am of the belief that the tiller (and German mainsheet) of my boat makes sinegkehanding easy.

I managed the last year or so with a manual windlass, but otherwise I second @dunedin's comments about anchoring - a 40' boat can be a horrifying nightmare in a marina singlehanded. IMO a 32' boat would often be much more fun to sail - I much admired the Sun Fast 3200 that was berthed next to me in Plymouth, but a Westerly Fulmar is more in my budget, and I liked that a lot too.
Click to expand...
I have a Maxi 1000 that had previously been fitted with Whitlock wheel steering but is now tiller. I fitted the Evo 200 system with below deck actuator onto the existing quadrant and it has been great - it steers in any conditions better than I can. I know several friends with wheel steering that find sailing solo difficult as they have to climb around the wheel to get to the sheets. So tiller steering, good autopilot and all lines to the cockpit would be my recommendations. I have single line reefing for the first 2 and can put a 3rd in by going to the mast - I don't set out in conditions that would warrant it but it's possible.
 
My HR 34 is very easy to handle. I don't have a quadrant autopilot but I know of boats with them. The anchor chain self-stows well, and almost all sailing is done from within the cockpit. The boat is very well-mannered under sail or power, and the low freeboard compared to newer boats has advantages in harbour. Wheel or tiller versions are available.
 
Most boats in that size range should be OK as long as you can furl the headsail. The most important factor is having an autopilot that's good enough to hold her on a reach in a F7-8.
 
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