Sigma 33 suitable for singlehanding?

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NigelCraig

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Anyone with experience of sailing Sigma 33 shorthanded/single handed? There is an article in the current PBO by an owner who does just that, but then he does have experience of racing them so probably knows its foibles backwards. The issue to me is the cockpit layout with the helm stuck behind the mainsheet traveller and the primary winches located well forward. Having chartered one for a weekend some years ago I do like them - a good looking boat.
 
Although smaller, my boat also has the traveller across the cockpit, usually quite useful in keeping the pleb crew away from the helmsperson and the arc of the tiller !

As long as you admit to yourself you won't be trimming headsails as often as a full crew and take a relaxed approach, planning ahead re sail changes or reefs even if it does compromise speed a little, you'll be fine.
 
As long as you have a good reliable method of maintaining a course while you trim, hoist, eat etc. you can single hand almost any boat.

As has already been said planing ahead is far more important than sailing crewed!
 
I don't know the boat, but I wonder if there's scope for sitting in front of the traveller while still holding the tiller comfortably? Perhaps by extending the tiller slightly? (Though obviously it needs to remain aft of the traveller or it will foul the mainsheet!). Kindred Spirit had a relatively small cockpit, and I used to sit right up the front end of it when single-handed, with all lines in reach.

Pete
 
prv said:
I don't know the boat, but I wonder if there's scope for sitting in front of the traveller while still holding the tiller comfortably? Perhaps by extending the tiller slightly? (Though obviously it needs to remain aft of the traveller or it will foul the mainsheet!). Kindred Spirit had a relatively small cockpit, and I used to sit right up the front end of it when single-handed, with all lines in reach.

Pete
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thoi sit in front of the traveller he will be below decks.
i have a wheel with a traveller in front of the wheel.
autohelm on & the boat can be run from forward of the traveller ( i can even steer from there in reasonable weather).
 
+1. With a wheel ypu just put it over, step over the traveller and drop the traveller to leeward, then the jib sheet, then wind the wheel back 'upright'

It helps to have a top centre whipping and 'know' how many degrees ( one spoke for moi) to set the wheel so that the boat self steers on the new tack whilst you do final jibsheet trimming..

For the OP: With a tiller I made a natty rack which received a pin on the tiller's underside, so it was a case of lift the tiller, move it sideways, drop the pin into a new hole, boat starts to tack...Once tacked, drop pin into the ''just 'a weather'' hole. With a wheel the steering is friction adjustable to make the fitting of a rack-like device unnecesssary

Self tailing winches will help too as will OVERSIZE ones ( see wot I did there?)
 
While you CAN single hand with a means of locking the rudder while you rush forward to do something, having a reliable autopilot makes more sense. It will also be a lot safer and lead to more relaxed sailing.

Cockpit travellers are for racing boats. If you intend to cruise avoid them like the plague.
 
TQA said:
While you CAN single hand with a means of locking the rudder while you rush forward to do something, having a reliable autopilot makes more sense. It will also be a lot safer and lead to more relaxed sailing.

Cockpit travellers are for racing boats. If you intend to cruise avoid them like the plague.
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Hmm Strong opinions which I beg to disagree with. Although they are not ideal, I didn't find the traveller on our Sigma 33 any problem when sailing single handed.

As others have said, a tillerpilot of some description is more or less essential. We had an Autohelm 4000. It was beefier than strictly necessary but brilliant.

We didn't even have a roller genoa on ours bit I still managed to sail it single handed. Getting headsails up and down can be a bit of a pain when you are by yourself, but its all doeable.

The Sigma 33 is a lovely well mannered boat to sail. It will look after you and sails very very well. If you don't set sail plans as if you've got five or six crew on the rail, then she will behave impeccably.
 
Traveller is a part of sailtrim. I have 'stops' which I can set when cruising, to avert inadvertent dropping of the slide

Agree on overspeccing (and carrying spare) autopilots
 
Hi Nigel
I sail my Sigma 33 single handed 95% of the time, great yachts to sail points high and will hold any course when in trim and remember to reef the main early its the power house, get as many control lines back to the cockpit, add a good Autohelm ,roller reef, cruising chute and a Solent staysail for the inner forestay and you will have the prefect setup. ( ps I am biased a little )
 
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Hi Nigel, one additional trick that I have used single-handing my 33 in lighter winds is to use the spinnaker winches, which are easily reached from the normal helm position. Have fun.
 
Many thanks for replies - sort of confirms what I thought - another advantage might be (I am trying to remember form one weekend 5 years ago!) handiness under power forward and reverse. When not under autopilot I wondered whether you sit on the coaming forward of the traveller with a long enough tiller extension (might be too fine an angle to give enough leverage).
 
My view is main traveller by the tiller equals ability to dump the main when required and although it is a long time since I sailed one I'm pretty sure helming in front of the traveller will be no problem, at least in moderate conditions. I would endorse the autopilot choice.

Worth bearing in mind (certainly when I used to race in the huge OD fleets of the 80s) that they like some weight on the rail - decent boats always had 6 or 7on board. So reducing sail early would be sensible which also reduces the considerable helm load you get when reaching in some wind.

I guess you are thinking of the OD fractional boat as opposed to the masthead cruising version - not so many made and look rather dumpy in my view ...

Check for chainplates which used to move and rusty iron keels!
 
TQA said:
Cockpit travellers are for racing boats. If you intend to cruise avoid them like the plague.
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TQA,

I wonder how on earth I've survived sailing my boat with a cockpit traveller since 1978 ?!

As well as the 360 or so other people with A22's or Hunter 701 's plus those with other designs with this feature..

As someone mentioned, it puts the mainsheet to hand for trimming or dumping the sail in squalls, and to my mind is far better than having the traveller on the bridgedeck where it can catch people going in or out of the companionway or trap fingers, especially young ones.
 
Seajet said:
TQA,

I wonder how on earth I've survived sailing my boat with a cockpit traveller since 1978 ?!

As well as the 360 or so other people with A22's or Hunter 701 's plus those with other designs with this feature..

As someone mentioned, it puts the mainsheet to hand for trimming or dumping the sail in squalls, and to my mind is far better than having the traveller on the bridgedeck
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Oh that is very annoying!!
I suddenly find myself agreeing with Seajet!!
 
I have cruised about in a Sigma 33 short handed quite a lot and also delivered/collected another owners to/from various venues for races usually single handed. The traveller is not an issue. Just sail the thing, really you will master seamanship adjustments for single handed quite quickly. None of the Sigma 33s I have sailed had tiller pilots, although I believe a good tiller pilot is your friend indeed. I am trying to remember if I did anything special to hoist the mainsail but it I think I just hoisted it or tied the tiller down to lie a hull while the engine was in neutral. You can get them balanced quite well (fractional rig) but I don't have recollections of them sailing a straight line for long time with just a lashed tiller but most of my single handed was only day sails. Great boats, good fun, nice to sail, responsive under sail and handle well under power in tight spaces.
 
I often sail mine singlehanded our with Mrs salty (same as single handing)
This year I fitted a stackpack to the main and with roller jib can set and lower sails without leaving the cockpit, tiller pilot is handy I have a raymarine st 2000 but I dont use it all the time.
Cruising chute for light airs and she handles well in tight spaces under engine
 
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