Single handed?

Paul_S123

Paul_S123

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Just wanted to get a few thoughts on single handed cruising.

I have a 50' Phantom and due to our business commitments, my crew will not be around as much to help this summer.

Do you guys think a 50 ft'er is a bit big to handle |(docking really) or am I just being a wuss.

I had a much smaller 7m pilothouse boat and actually single handed it 90% of the time, but the Phantom is obviously much bigger/more expensive.

Do many of you single hand yours...and do you have any good tips/advice/comments?

Thanks.
 
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I single hand about 30% of the time, ours is a 48’ 25 ton boat. I prefer to have crew, but when alone it’s more about anticipation and pre planning, fenders, lines, tide, wind etc. I quite enjoy the extra challenge.
 
Med stern to or a pontoon ?

I would imagine pontoon is simpler.

Single handed is ok but fenders , lines etc must all be set in advance.

I do In in calm weather. I would not do med stern too berthing in a strong wind unless I knew that there was a boat either side and I was safe in the slot.

A trick I was taught for med berthing is have a line on the centre cleat. Cleat to the boat next door and you won’t move whilst you do the lines.
 
I’ve got a Broom 42cl and sadly now am single handed 90% of the time. I don’t find handling the boat on my own a problem, the biggest difficulty is dealing with the ropes and fenders which means being away from the helm. Leaving a mooring is relatively simple as I can clear the fenders on one side before casting off, and can single up the mooring lines so I only have a waist line to deal with. The major problem is preparing for mooring when you may not know which side to you’re going meaning you have to do the ropes and fenders both sides. While you’re doing that the boat can wander a long way in any kind of breeze or current. The solution is to have a remote control fitted the the bow thruster (and stern thruster if you have one) so you can operate them from the deck while you’re preparing everything. That way you have reasonable control of the boat while the helm is unattended.

Edited to add that I’ve just seen you’re mooring med stern to but remotes would still probably help.
 
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Paul_S123 said:
Just wanted to get a few thoughts on single handed cruising.

I have a 50' Phantom and due to our business commitments, my crew will not be around as much to help this summer.

Do you guys think a 50 ft'er is a bit big to handle |(docking really) or am I just being a wuss.

I had a much smaller 7m pilothouse boat and actually single handed it 90% of the time, but the Phantom is obviously much bigger/more expensive.

Do many of you single hand yours...and do you have any good tips/advice/comments?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
I have a Mainship 390 and I tend to do 50/50 crew single handed, I find our moorings easy for single handing operation, going into say Ramsgate I try and stay on an outside Pontoon if they allow me to.

My boat is a single engine and a bow Thurster. I find single handed a great challenge in planning and achievement

I have a side door on the Starboard side and I keep lines ready at mid ship, i also have a midship cleat that i always tie up before I do the aft and Bow.
 
I've done it very rarely, boat is a 48' aft cabin, the height can make things a bit more complicated. I don't have wheelhouse doors nor a third station aft for mooring operations.

If found med mooring alone tricky, so I arranged to pick-up a marinero at the fuel station at the entrance of the marina. I wouldn't go to a harbour/marina without such assistance. But of course anchoring around is not a problem.
 
Next time you have crew try the middle cleat to middle cleat technique. It really works and the boat can't hit the pontoon whilst you do the ropes.

I would still not do it in a stiff wind - and if there is no boat next door and it is breezy it become really really difficult!

Do bear in mind that the marineros will hop on board if you ask them to and do for example the bow line.
 
As said, single handed go for the middle cleat. Then use that line to spring in. Engage an engine, port or stbd, ahead or astern, adj helm as required according to wind tide current and where you want to be on the pontoon.
Each boat, wind and tide is different, so practice it.
 
Hardmy said:
If found med mooring alone tricky, so I arranged to pick-up a marinero at the fuel station at the entrance of the marina. I wouldn't go to a harbour/marina without such assistance. But of course anchoring around is not a problem.
Click to expand...

What I want is a marina where I can park up at the fuel pontoon and have the marineros park it for me! I could go straight to the bar then :).
 
jrudge said:
Next time you have crew try the middle cleat to middle cleat technique. It really works and the boat can't hit the pontoon whilst you do the ropes.

I would still not do it in a stiff wind - and if there is no boat next door and it is breezy it become really really difficult!

Do bear in mind that the marineros will hop on board if you ask them to and do for example the bow line.
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Good idea, but it's exactly the point that there is no boat on my stbd side, there is 99% of the time a gap of 6-7 meters. And the gap between the guy on my port side and me is around 3-4 meters. But in perfect calm conditions, I would give it a try. But this is quite rare here...

petem said:
What I want is a marina where I can park up at the fuel pontoon and have the marineros park it for me! I could go straight to the bar then :).
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I'd actually rather take the marinero job then, coz' I actually love to drive boats!
 
Have done a fair bit of single handing over the years,Amsterdam to Baltic , Amsterdam to Bristol channel, but more recently as a proper voyage rather than short local tests, cardiff to Sharpness. (56 ft steel displacement, twin screw +Bowthrust)

my list of suggestions

Easy access from steering point to deck bollards both at bow and stern essential
centre bollard essential.
anchor whenever possible
think about the departure before anchoring, as up anchoring in a 3 knot current could be challenging as to time taken to raise and stow anchor from breakout.
remote bow / stern thrust, would be nice
rope threader for the bow buoy essential when needed.
Engine room camera, nice to have as serious single handing leaves less safe time away from the wheel.
Auto pilot. essential, especially in the final miles when getting fenders and ropes out of the locker.
The real thing is everything has to be planned and thought out, and got ready so much earlier.

Have Fun!
 
Other stuff worth considering:
One line one job. Less line to handle and get tangled. Leave them rigged, fed the correct direction eg through fairlead, under rails, coiled and finished with a through eye loop on the rail (see pic), that way any assistant on the pontoon grabs the eye, pulls and has the whole coil in his hand fed correctly.

Buy long fenders, less chance of having to adjust height. Rig them alternate heights.
Keep fenders rigged but stowed. If permanently rigged tied with round turn and 2 half hitches. If temporarily rigged with a quick release clove hitch (instead of taking the bitter end through the second turn, take a loop through)

Keep a clear path from helm to mid cleat and fit handles if steps are involved

Practice lasooing a cleat and make off the bitter end on the boat cleat

Don’t put a locking turn on the cleat, unnecessary, may need to be released quick and may have come under load if springing in

Practice springing in (see my previous post)

Practice coming in to the elements and if possible get line on closest to those elements ie into the tide and get bow line on, tide will hold boat alongside

Consider lazy lines (fixed mooring lines) on the mooring if it is your own one

Don’t be afraid to ask for a different berth or if you can have marina staff take your lines

Ps pic won’t post
 
First trip out today on my own...it was ok. Used the mid ship cleat to tie to the neighbours boat as advised...all worked ok. Not going to lie, it was pretty nerve wracking coming in, might not be the brightest thing I have ever done...but let's face it if I was smart, I doubt I would own a 50' depreciating piece of fiberglass (however pretty it is). Will go out again in a day or two.
 
I moored my old 45ft boat alone on regular basis. Also went through locks alone. I installed a Dockmate remote and with that help it where never any issues...so maybe that could be a option for you?
 
Brunan said:
I moored my old 45ft boat alone on regular basis. Also went through locks alone. I installed a Dockmate remote and with that help it where never any issues...so maybe that could be a option for you?
Click to expand...

Having a think about the dockmate system.
 
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