Ideas for simple/cheap (ha!) changes to potentially improve single-handing

I never sail single-handed, but short-handed knowing how to berth with a single line from the centre cleat is very handy. A dedicated line with loops at the right distance in your home berth is invaluable, especially if you can stiffen the lower loop so it looks like a coat hanger.

[EDIT] Oops! Already mentioned around #13.
 
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NOHOH said:
You`re entitled to your opinion, of course....but just because things are `new` doesn`t necessarily mean they are better. For example I prefer a low revving diesel engine without an ecu... so it won`t one day tell me it isn`t going to start until I attach a computer to it and address error number whatever. I don`t want in mast reefing because it is heavy, complex and when it jams it will be exactly the wrong time....and I don`t want a slamming flat-iron shaped hull (good for `furniture design` and walk in fridges, I`m told) with a slapping sugar-scoop stern and with a bolted on/falling off fin keel which may go just a little faster and will be easier to `park` in godawful marinas full of charter boat numpties who don`t know their halyards will bang in the breeze and keep all around awake. I also don`t want integrated wiring systems where everything `talks to each other` and are incomprehensible to anyone who doesn`t have a computer with the right `code`. The wonderful old maxim of KISS has been sacrificed on the altars of accountancy and advertising....... just as in many present day cars.
The old ways of doing things can often be better.....and if you think a ketch rig is `complex`.....maybe (with respect) you are just looking at it in the wrong way.
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Great way to cherry pick some of the worse bits.
The modern diesel engines you buy for marine use today generally don't have an ECU in the sizes we use, and are far better than the ones of 30 years ago, its probably good that the older ones are easier to repair though as you'll spend far more time doing it.

I agree on in mast furling, but as you like old things, maybe you want around the boom roller reefing? Giving possibly the worst sail shape imaginable.
A 'good' modern design of yacht will out perform your old long keeler on any point of sail, obviously there are good and bad designs today, and there were plenty of bad ones yesterday as well.

And as for falling off keels, a few highly publicised examples does not make it typical, or even remotely likely.

I agree progress for progresses sake is bad, but your attitude of not wanting any progress seems to come across as stuck in the past.
 
NOHOH said:
You`re entitled to your opinion, of course....but just because things are `new` doesn`t necessarily mean they are better. For example I prefer a low revving diesel engine without an ecu... so it won`t one day tell me it isn`t going to start until I attach a computer to it and address error number whatever. I don`t want in mast reefing because it is heavy, complex and when it jams it will be exactly the wrong time....and I don`t want a slamming flat-iron shaped hull (good for `furniture design` and walk in fridges, I`m told) with a slapping sugar-scoop stern and with a bolted on/falling off fin keel which may go just a little faster and will be easier to `park` in godawful marinas full of charter boat numpties who don`t know their halyards will bang in the breeze and keep all around awake. I also don`t want integrated wiring systems where everything `talks to each other` and are incomprehensible to anyone who doesn`t have a computer with the right `code`. The wonderful old maxim of KISS has been sacrificed on the altars of accountancy and advertising....... just as in many present day cars.
The old ways of doing things can often be better.....and if you think a ketch rig is `complex`.....maybe (with respect) you are just looking at it in the wrong way.
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No, not looking at it the wrong way. Apart from your many misconceptions about modern gear, I would suggest that how you use you your boat is not typical.

Would also suggest that if the boats that you deride were so awful, I wonder why thousands of people seem very happy to spend their hard earned money buying and using them - with great satisfaction.

By all means live in your carefully constructed world, but don't assume that everybody else does - or wants to.
 
Tranona said:
No, not looking at it the wrong way. Apart from your many misconceptions about modern gear, I would suggest that how you use you your boat is not typical.



Would also suggest that if the boats that you deride were so awful, I wonder why thousands of people seem very happy to spend their hard earned money buying and using them - with great satisfaction.



By all means live in your carefully constructed world, but don't assume that everybody else does - or wants to.
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Who wants to be "typical" according to somebody else`s parameters?

Billions of flies eat shit with great satisfaction.......so your argument proves absolutely nothing

Just as you are living in your own carefully constructed world? Wouldn`t want YOU in mine......SO PLEASE DON`T BOTHER REPLYING TO ANY MORE OF MY POSTS...THANKYOU My comments were in reply to the OP....NOT YOU
 
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I never said I liked ALL old things (or even implied it) I agree that round the boom roller reefing was never entirely satisfactory.

Performance, is one of those ideas which is in the eye of the beholder.......and is not just about speed...otherwise a typical cruising boat of the future will be a catamaran which rises on foils?

Fin keels, connected by keel bolts are an inherently more vulnerable design than, say, an encapsulated long keel with a fine, smooth entry enabling them to rise up and over some of obstructions they might encounter....Why take the risk just for a knot or two?.......(not to mention the much more comfortable ride you get)
 
NOHOH said:
......(not to mention the much more comfortable ride you get)
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Sorry to disagree, but the ride I get from my modern fin keel is infinitely more comfortable than my last 2 long keelers
Much much more drier, more stable down wind due to hull form stability, stiffer up wind, better upwind motion less likely to induce sea sickness in crew & inspite of insistence of many it does not suffer from the so called slamming. As for slapping waves under the stern ( #38) a friends old gaffer drove me mad one night & try sleeping on a clinker constructed boat. Then you know about slapping
As for hitting things - well I now have a reliable echo sounder rather than the lead line I started with & my chart plotter tells me where to go if ( I bother to use it) Plus I no longer have to sail my boat like a dodgem car- - it is far more maneuverable
 
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Honestly. I go away for a bit and come back to my post, on which my boat has been insulted as being a "sow's ear" and the rest of the thread seems to have devolved into a ranty arguments. I can't leave you alone for a moment...

ANYWAY

Thanks so much for the many posts which have been incredibly helpful. As I said, I'm selling the boat, as it says in my signature, and we're just trying to improve some areas to make the boat even more attractive. Having said that, it's refreshing to read Tranona's thought that we probably shouldn't do anything to her. That kind of feels right, as it does seem that the interest we are getting is from folks who know the GH31 and are happy to go with her as is. Still, lazyjacks are in the making and we'll be testing them out next weekend. Might see some of you reprobates around Newtown Creek/Beaulieu way around then.

Right. I'm off to drool over Dyneema rigging for our new racing cruiser :)
 
NOHOH said:
Fin keels, connected by keel bolts are an inherently more vulnerable design than, say, an encapsulated long keel with a fine, smooth entry enabling them to rise up and over some of obstructions they might encounter....Why take the risk just for a knot or two?.......(not to mention the much more comfortable ride you get)
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Fin keels can run aground in soft mud absolutely fine.
If the bottom is hard sand or rock then one would hope that the boat is being navigated with more caution.

The fact you feel that an fin keel boat is not worth the risk in case you damage it when hitting the bottom says more about your navigation then the type of boat. Just as you'd rather lose a couple of knots of speed in order to be able to have a boat that stands a better slightly chance when run up the rocks, I'd rather spend a little bit more care with navigation and avoid hitting the bottom entirely.
 
Most of the boats I've seen that use boom roller reefing have very small mainsails so I suspect most just take them down instead of reefing. I've used mine a few times and it's ok, not brilliant but ok and it's fairly easy & quick to do. I have to admit I'm not a big fan of having ropes running everywhere so it suits me and I'm not into racing either. My top tips are colour co-ordinated ropes for easy identification and tiller clutch or autopilot.
 
Not necesarily in order of importance................
Lazy jacks and bag
Double line mansail reefing - from cockpit
Autohelm
Midship cleats
Outboard hoist
Danbuoy mooring pickup (home mooring)
Remote vhf mike in cockpit
Drinks holders!
 
Tammany said:
Most of the boats I've seen that use boom roller reefing have very small mainsails so I suspect most just take them down instead of reefing.
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Not necessarily. Although boats built in the 1970's and 80's with roller reefing were either small, or have relatively small mainsails, prior to that they were often used on much larger boats (and long booms). My boat has a 13' long boom and a Turner roller reefing originally. It was considered at the time an improvement on reefing points, at least for ease of operation if not sail shape. Many boats (like mine) have now been converted to slab reefing, often led back to the cockpit.
 
Tranona said:
Not necessarily. Although boats built in the 1970's and 80's with roller reefing were either small, or have relatively small mainsails, prior to that they were often used on much larger boats (and long booms).
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True, Reckmann boom furling gear has almost become the standard on larger yachts.
 
dom said:
True, Reckmann boom furling gear has almost become the standard on larger yachts.
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That is very different from the type of roller reefing gear fitted to older boats, which just roll the sail round the boom rather than a mandrel inside the boom. Very crude, and because of the roach of a mainsail the boom droops at the back unless you have a tapered boom - larger aft than forward. Converting to slab was the best thing I did on the boat.
 
Tranona said:
That is very different from the type of roller reefing gear fitted to older boats, which just roll the sail round the boom rather than a mandrel inside the boom. Very crude, and because of the roach of a mainsail the boom droops at the back unless you have a tapered boom - larger aft than forward. Converting to slab was the best thing I did on the boat.
Click to expand...

I agree that slab reefing sets much better, but I do miss the simplicity of the roller reefing on my last boat.
 
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