Single/short handed tips

[prv]

I've not seen a singlehander yet prang anyone else's boat - and I do think it best to do it solo, that way there's a vague hope of keeping to Plan A; when a well wisher on the pontoon / wall etc is added to the mix one might as well get the camera going and dial up Youtube.

I've been taking some work colleagues out sailing on several occasions lately, and my arrivals with well-briefed but entirely inexperienced crew taking lines ashore have been messier than my singlehanded ones

(Arrivals with long-term experienced crew are best of all, of course.)

Pete

 

[[3889]]

Why you need an autopilot if going further than a little pootle about in the Solent -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT9olDqkRpA

"My trip was a nightmare, one of the worst I've ever done , because I lost the autopilot"

Hmm, fenders on deck at sea. Is this a "How not to do it video" ? Why didn't he use the AP to steer to wind rather than course?

 

[agroundagain]

Hi, I use the stern bridle mooring technique from Duncan Wells's book all the time now, single handed or not.

Today I had a pig of a F6 driving me diagonally off the finger and into the main pontoon. Previously I'd not even have bothered trying to have come alongside my berth, instead I'd come to a "gentle" stop on my neighbour and then winch myself across (which is OK but not great). With the stern bridle I was on in one go with the boat held very nicely a couple of feet off the finger. I had a crew with me who has a fair few sea miles and he will now be using the same method.