Can one man handle 32 boat solo

[Guest]

I have no experience at present.

Is it feasible to be able (eventually) handle a 30ft boat by myself ? (Hopefully through the French cancals and around the med)

Is this total fantasy ?

Thanks

 

[Guest]

It is feasible but the type of boat [planing or displacement - displacement being easier to steer {forwards anyway}] and a big factor is how close is the helm to the point where you can step onto the pontoon, etc - this is really why smaller boats are easier to moor than bigger ones because you can get close and step off with a rope and voila! With my 32' without running and jumping it takes about 10 secs to get to that point and a lot can happen in 10 secs ...

Personally I would not like to do it by choice but you asked if it was feasible? In practice there are usually people around especially willing to help when they see you single handed and learn to speak some French and they will gladly help you over there!

 

[Guest]

Hi Jason,

I've spent a week going up and down the thames in my 12ft dinghy, sometimes on my own. Locks are easier with two, although I can manage fine on my own in the little boat.

Watching others in 30 ft boats, two people seem to have their work cut out (and that's with a lock-keeper doing the gates and sluices).

From my experience in bigger boats, I've generally found myself needing to be in two places at once when manoevering solo.

Anyway, it's more fun with two!

 

[Guest]

Not total fantasy at all. But expect more dings without lovely crew to fender off in tight positions. Boats are often moved around marinas by staff solo. You'll need more and bigger fenders.

But surely you can get some mate/soh to go along?

 

[Guest]

I often handle my flybridge cruiser myself into and out of the marina and other berths. To ease berthing at the marina, I have prepared ropes which I leave on the pontoon. When I berth its only a case of picking them up and slipping the loops over the cleats.

Handling the boat solo through locks is another matter, especially going uphill where there is a lot of turbulence in the lock chamber when the sluices open. You really need two people - one each for bow and stern ropes. Going downhill, the turbulence is absent but you still need to be able to pay out the ropes. All of this assumes that the locks have fixed quayside mooring bollards. Some French locks have floating bollards which rise and fall with the level of water and these might make single handed a possibility.

Finally, why do it yourself - its much more fun with company. Even if you do not have suitable family or friends, you would probably be able to pick up a couple of students out for a free holiday.

Nicl

 

[kimhollamby]

As others have pointed out here, it depends to a certain extent on what hull shape and superstructure format your boat will have. Also experience comes into it. Have personally spent a lot of time singlehanding boats in the 30ft-36ft range including displacement and planing types. The boating is certainly different, more of a challenge and consequently more enjoyable in that sense, but also a bit lonely at times and a bit limiting in certain situations where you have to be more cautious or perhaps not attempt some things at all.

Stern-to mooring in the Med might be one area where a lot of thinking-through would be required before ever attempting it single-handed (although I agree with comments elsewhere that lots of fenders help); the deep locks on the French rivers could also prove interesting although the shallower ones on the canals will mostly be a lot easier.

Strangely enough there's never anyone ashore waiting to catch a line if you need someone and never anyone to observe the golfer's equivalent of a hole in one (plonking it in the berth and gently stepping ashore like you meant it that way); but there's always a cast of thousands to watch when you get it wrong, crew or no! Part of the fun I guess.

I think my overall recommendation would be to get a bit of experience first; whatever boat you own you'll find singlehanding a lot easier if you have a feel for what it is likely to do in any situation.

 

[markc]

Re; Beware the passer by!!!

I have recently given up allowing any 'passer by' to take ropes if I can really help it. A couple of months ago I was mooring up at Chiswick Pier heading into a strong stream, and a helpful passer by offered to take the bow line from my girlfriend. She tried to refuse but he was very persistent and gave him the line and asked him to wrap it round the bollard and give it back. Instead, he tied the END round the bollard allowing the boat in the stream to swing out the full 40' line whilst the sternline was on. Moving quickly I grabbed another line to put on the centre cleat to pull the boat in, but Mr ‘Passer By’ panicked and undid the line. Panic ensued as the boat was at right angles to the stream, being pushed back on to the boats moored behind - made it clear with an inch to spare and luckily no-ones anchor in my saloon. It has made me vary wary!!!!

Mark

 

[hlb]

Re: Re; Beware the passer by!!!

Yes I too am very reluctant to pass ropes to strangers.
Especialy when using a friend as crew.
Once had the type of guy that knows it all. (The one with the cap on) came to help. The wind was blowing a good f8 off the pontoon at the time. I'd put a rope on the center cleat to make it easer for my mate who was new to boats at the time and had gammy legs. ( He has'nt got any now cos they've been chopped off).
My mate jumps off with the center cleated rope , but over the rail not under and he's hanging on to it for grim death. Other bloke grabs the stern line and he's hanging on to that. I'm up the fly bridge screeming at them to let the boat go cos my rail are steadily coming adrift one stantion at a time.
I'm totaly knackered now cos no way can they hold the boat in the f8 and I cant use the engines for fear of draging them both in the water.
Also if they let go. I'm on my own with two long ropes trailing in the water in a crowded marina and there sure to go straight round the props.
Finaly the boat comes round to stern on to the wind and pontoon cos my mate who was choping my railings down had given up with compete exhastion!!
The boats now back in my control with stern to wind, so I shouts at them to jump on the bathing platform.
My mate jumps on but the other guy walks away shouting at my mate, that I'm completly mad and he was'nt going anywhere!!
Mate collects dangling ropes together and I head back into the river to give him a crash course in th'wifes pattented designed mooring tecnique for geriatrics.

Happened again in Dartmouth last week.
Backs boat down the inside of town pontoon going with a strong tide and stuffs it into a tight spot just before the bridge.
Nuther mates on the bow line and passes it to stranger who appeared to tie it to a cleat and walked off.
Wonderfull I thought, feeling proud of this complicated manuver. The stern was at the side of the pontoon so off I go's and tied it to the cleat.
When I looked round the bows were going round at an alarming rate and heading for the low bridge, with my mate hanging on to a loose rope fastened to nothing!!


Haydn

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the advice.

Ive decided to give it a try, with lots of help at the start. but I want to be able to motor around the Med on my own.

Ive decided to avoid any fly bridges and go for the normal cockpit allowing for a quick brithing exit.

Thanks again.

 

[rich]

yes it can be done, my largest boat was an aqua star 38 fisherman black rubber buffer all round, one engine. the new boat, classic wooden, two engines, i enter marina, put out fenders starboardside,find berth green side too,last min ,horrer,,,,,, NO FENDERS PORTSIDE .....BIG WHITE PLASTIC BOAT. IT HAD TO BE GOOD .and it was perfect pweeeeeee...................e

 

[Guest]

PLUS - I forgot to mention ... most of the canals in France have a 3.5m max air draft [some are less than 3.5m] which means most flybridge cruisers will not go under them!

Get yourself a back copy of Motro Boats Monthly August 96 as it has an excellent feature on getting to the Med via France [and Belgium,Germany,etc] but it shows canal charts with no of locks, air draft, keel draft and beam limits, etc.