Second Question, single handed 35ft Jeanneau Melody...suitable or not?

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Boeingdr

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How easy will it be to single hand a 35ft Jeanneau Melody.
At present I often single hand my 26ft Seamaster but little experience of anything bigger.
The thing thats attracted me is all the lines are fed aft and in mast reefed Main.
Oh and lots of volume for family trips!
I would operate it off a buoy...how easy is it to pick up a buoy alone on a boat this size, and how do others do it?
Cheers
 
I single hand a fairly heavy displacement motorsailor, 33 ft barbary ketch, off a bouy with no trouble except in winds above f6, ie didn`t go out today, just nose up the the bouy, grap with the hook and keep the motor slow ahead tickover to keep the weight off whilst you make fast, have thought of but never tried any fancy mooring gadgets
 
Pratice a lot with some one else on board to help if it all goes pear shaped, but tell them just watch if all is well, you will soon get the hang of it.
 
Had to pick up a mooring buoy in Calais harbour in F5 to 6 singlehanded last year. First attempt bow blew off so brought line from bow, outboard everything to cockpit. Went alongside bouy at cockpit so complete control of boat, fed line through ring on buoy and allowed wind to start blowing boat back on buoy whilst I walked to bow and made fast. Anyone watching would have thought I had done it before!!
 
strong wind singlehanded - a buoy is normally best approached stern first on my boat. get a line on and then another moved to the bow.
 
I've found that ferry gliding is very useful when shorthanded. It's much easier than trying to get the boat to stop with its stem neatly on the bouy and means you can see your target, the mooring bouy, all the time and bring up alongside it so you need to be away from the helm for less time.
 
Thanks for the replies, it looks like a manageable situation...like everything practice makes perfect...or at least makes you get better!
 
Melodys are pretty rugged boats. Sailing capabilities are great for solos. Some were fitted with smallish engines so maybe lacked ooomph at low maneovering speeds.

Donald
 
I've found that preparation is the key.

Having the lines laid out and the fenders where they need to be is essential. I have been known to enter a marina, go outside again to set the boat up, re-enter and go alongside.
Same with a bouy. The only problem I had last year in a strong tide vs wind, was getting pushed back over the bouy.

Paul
 
Re: Second Question, single handed 35ft Jeanneau Melody...suitable or

Went onto a buoy singlehanded in a Jeanneau 35 only today. 27kts wind and 2kt tide. Got it first time, which is a bit of luck.
You should have no trouble singlehanding with practice.
 
Re: Second Question, single handed 35ft Jeanneau Melody...suitable or

excellent knews Full circle, I look forward to trying it myself!
 
Re: Second Question, single handed 35ft Jeanneau Melody...suitable or

As mentioned before, preparation is the key. I have a 38ft Jeanneau and have the following problems:

- The longer the boat, the longer the time to walk from one end to the other, so everything needs to be set up ready to go if you do this. Otherwise the bow blows off and you miss the pickup. Better still, or if in doubt, have lines led back from the bow roller. Put a rope on the bouy nearer to your cockpit.
- I can't hold the boat in a force six, so need to put a line on a bouy and winch it in over the bow roller anyway.

George
 
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