Difficult to handle?

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tinkicker0

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Just musing, need 6 numbers to fulfill the dream.

But Magnum's thread re buying a sailboat has got me thinking, re all the posts saying that you can't handle a sailboat with a crew of less than 100 ratings, a cabin boy and a small, black dog.


My dream is to get me 6 numbers, repair to a nice Greek Island and open Mark's Outboard and Genny emporium on the shores of a nice inlet.
This complete with a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42 parked in front.


Be only me and SWMBO most of the time, plus the appropriate training.

Would such a boat be hard work for two of us? I like the idea of wind power, no rush and no stress.

Dream of anchoring in sheltered waters of an evening and tendering in to small beachside tavernas for a bit of supper.

SWMBO insists that she does not want to be scuttling about all over deck pulling ropes and winding winches for hours on end.
 
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I reckon there is a supply demand type curve about sailboat handling it could be called a size vs fun graph.

Two people can handle a 42, or even a 52ft boat but they probably stopped having fun when the sold the 34ft of smaller on the way up. I reckon you get to the stage that you would rather sit on board or not go at all as it's such a pain to get the boat sorted for a few hours sail.

You then may start making rules for yourselves, well we'll just motor, or we only sail on passage..

This is why so many big boats start taking root to pontoons.

Of course, this is not backed up by anything but my own furtive imagination.
 
DogWatch said:
I reckon there is a supply demand type curve about sailboat handling it could be called a size vs fun graph.

Two people can handle a 42, or even a 52ft boat but they probably stopped having fun when the sold the 34ft of smaller on the way up. I reckon you get to the stage that you would rather sit on board or not go at all as it's such a pain to get the boat sorted for a few hours sail.

You then may start making rules for yourselves, well we'll just motor, or we only sail on passage..

This is why so many big boats start taking root to pontoons.

Of course, this is not backed up by anything but my own furtive imagination.
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Yet it seems to be common, even among Mobo's.

At the marina, people come up to us on our little 20 footer cuddy saying that they had one just like it as their first boat and now they have a 40 odd foot Fairline Targa.........and the sentence trails off as a certain wistful look comes into their eye.
 
Confidence.. its really about feeling comfortable with what you are doing...

Swmbo and I can comfortably handle a normal fin keel up to around 40 feet or so...

I suspect a lot of folks get something big... then get themselves a spot in a marina that is a bit challenging... then swmbo goes off it because hwmbo is stressed and shouty.... and then thats the end of boaty nirvana.

Practice and patience and thinking ahead are the keys for me.... I doubt you would have any problem with up to 40-42 feet if you were competent and patient.

Part of the problem is that folks often get stuck with always doing things one way... so if the conditions are not ideal for their method... they get into trouble.. Its really important to get a sixth sense for the conditions, and how your boat handles... and then not be afraid to abandon a plan.... always look for the easiest option.... and then use it.
And think ahead.... You might be able to get into the berth... but can you get out?

Just my 2p worth.
 
Yes, you can handle a 42-footer - and larger/heavier - PROVIDED you organise the kit and devices for just 2 hands. It can be done, it IS done, but lotsa yotties encounter a problem with the setup they inherit and - instead of solving it - give in to it.

Every problem you will encounter on a sailboat has been encountered before, and solutions considered, tried and adopted. We haven't met, but I reckon that's your mindset.

Set your boat up properly for single-handed manoeuvring, then any help your SWMBO, or other crew, can give is supplementary. If they're not up to it, it doesn't ruin the day - or the gelcoat.

After all, a single pilot can land, taxi and park a 200-tonne plus B747, stopping it exactly alongside where he wants to be. You can certainly manage 10 tonnes of Sun Odyssey.....

:)
 
DogWatch said:
Of course, this is not backed up by anything but my own furtive imagination.
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It's a widely held opinion. I know quite a few people (some are forumites) who accept that their best boat was the earlier one.
The size vs fun equation is heavily biased towards the smaller boat.

Mine is 17 feet. Today it was hot so we went for a sail. Great sail. Did a couple of jobs. Back home for a fry-up.
 
A friend of a friend is en-route to St Peter Port from Dartmouth on his Jeanneau 54DS, single-handed. Even when his SWMBO is onboard he says she does nothing except fender duty.

It's all about ability and confidence, at least in good to moderate conditions.
 
We have a friends (husband and wife) that have a smaller boat on the east coast, but regulary charter a mid forties size boat in Turkey for some summer cruising. They have no problems at all with that size of boat.
 
I think there are plenty of examples of couple crews handling and enjoying large boats ie 50ft plus (just search blogs of RTW cruises). As with everything, setup, preparation, knowing your boat and building confidence allows you do surprising things.

From personal experience singlehanding my old Moody 44, the hardest place to sail shorthanded is the Solent - just too many other boats to be able to completely relax. Outside things were much easier.
 
Only just noticed this thread.
I did my day skipper on a SO42. With both sails on furlers and all lines led aft a crew of two is just fine. The main thing that annoyed me was that the mainsheet was on a self tailer on the coachroof, far out of reach of the helm. I suppose you could stick the autopilot on for a moment to run forward and deal with it, but it's hardly ideal.

Wouldn't be my choice of boat, really. Rounds up in gusts, pounds in big seas, cockpit shaped like a soap dish- too wide, too shallow, too slippery and rounded- and down below the handholds in the headlining are just daft- good example of style over substance. Curved saloon seating makes awful berths (I felt banana-shaped by the 5th day) and the fixed saloon table could only seat four easily; a drop-leaf would have allowed us to reach the table from the other seat as well. What a silly design.

(No, my boat isn't perfect either)
 
As said before.. It's all about set up. I regularly handle my 38ftr single handed, two is the norm 3 a bonus. There are things I could do to make her easier for single handing, as that is not what she was designed to do, which I eventually (might) get round to.
I have friends who are always out 2 up with their HR 42.

As well as set up of the gear, moderate freeboard, good ride quality in a seaway and predictability of handling are all positives to look for if doing prolonged cruising with just two up.
Of course, the bigger the boat the more expensive everything becomes, which is an issue for many.

There is a good article in back numbers on the warrior 38/40 which deals with some good general stuff about what to look for, oh and I think it was PBO did a very good series end 97 early 98 on Budget transatlantic cruisers which also dealt with such issues.
 
On my boat, 52ft LOD, 34 tonnes, there a few things which cannot be done single handed:-

1) Neatly stow the mainsail in harbour - you need at least two preferably three or more to get a really neat stow

2) Back into our marina berth in anything other than a calm - need the crew to manage the line attached to the bow which replaces the bow thruster

3) Anchor in a tight spot - it is a long way from the helm to the anchor windlass. So you need someone on the helm to hold the boat on the right station while the crew lowers the anchor

4) Hoisting the gaff main. OK this could be done single handed but it would be really hard work.

5) Hoisting the top sail. It has too many corners to easily do it single handed.

However the rest of the time I usually sail it single handed while the crew is subathing on the foredeck somewhere.

In the past, I have left the marina early in the morning, hoisted full sail before the crew has woken up. He thought I was just running the engine for a bit in the middle of the night to charge the batteries as we had an issue with the shore supply (at least that is his excuse)!
 
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I sail a Jeanneau 45.2 with just my wife. My wife helps when we moor, but apart from steering the boat through tacks, does nothing else. I am 64 years old, with a badly weakened left arm due to injury, and not too much strength in the right arm, so if we can do it, I expect most couples can. I do have the advantage of a power winch for the main halyard, but could do it without, as I have tried it with power off. I always haul the full battened main to the second spreaders just by pulling the halyard, after that the weight, and the friction from the reefing lines makes winching essential. A boat with an in mast main would be easier.
 
Norman_E said:
I sail a Jeanneau 45.2 with just my wife. My wife helps when we moor, but apart from steering the boat through tacks, does nothing else. I am 64 years old, with a badly weakened left arm due to injury, and not too much strength in the right arm, so if we can do it, I expect most couples can. I do have the advantage of a power winch for the main halyard, but could do it without, as I have tried it with power off. I always haul the full battened main to the second spreaders just by pulling the halyard, after that the weight, and the friction from the reefing lines makes winching essential. A boat with an in mast main would be easier.
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Very inspiring :)
 
I have no probs with my (dare I say it?) Jeanneau SO43, the last 8ft was a bit of a test at first but now after 7 years of ownership and no misshap its no big deal. We are not getting any younger and the bow thruster does mean we have an extra crewman when tying up. If anything "sailing" it is easier than my 30 footer, balancing the rig seems to easier on modern hulls and easy to do single handed if needed. To assist on passages it does have a strong autopilot and that makes a huge difference. Its usually sailed short handed with a crew of 2 and so far we have no problems with sail handling reefing or trimming in wind over 45knts all with manual winches. So yes IMHO what you are suggesting is very feasable.
 
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