singlehanded sailing - tips

[trouville]

Ive always single handed,though i almost never make a passage longer than 24hrs, thats to Corsica. only becouse the coastal route is so much longer, the other passage is to Corfu becouse theres no where to stop between there and Italy

Otherwise i try to keep passages down to 4 hours, that way i get to stop at some wonderful harbours and bays i never would have stopped at had i been with crew

I also have a boarding ladder in case i fall overboard when at anchor,and on passage always where a life line, never go on deck unless i must and use the heads when i have to pee.

The idea of a radar detectors great but up to now most dont work for all radars and i bought a radar but it just dident fit my boat, pity those 15mile radars that had the first LCD screens and were on sale about 10 years ago cant be found? they had a ray dome only 12 inches wide, great when entering a crowded anchorage at night.

 

[tugela]

Thanks for all that. Plenty to digest and a whole season of blue skies and fair winds ahead to try it all out!

Tugela

 

[cliff]

[ QUOTE ]
After several promising weekend sails being cancelled last season due to crew failure (must find some with sturdier backs / more indulgent wives...) I am planning to go singlehanded this year.

What do those accomplished in this art recommend as essential kit / practice?

If it helps I sail a Finesse 27, somewhat sluggish but pretty wooden long keeler from a swinging mooring on the deben (Suffolk). Am planning to upgrade the autopilot to a raymarine st2000 and have twin furlers (cutter rig).

Any advice?

[/ QUOTE ]

Get yersel a "BOSCO" Boathook.
Great tool for singlehanded berthing or bouy catching
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[Guest]

I have one. In some circumstances it can be invaluable (eg. picking up a stern buoy on a Baltic-style mooring), but I don't use it for marinas, unless it's a marina that I'm very familiar with.

The reason? You won't know until approaching the berth whether you will be tying off to a thick cleat, a post, a ring, or some other kind of arrangement. The Bosco has a limited 'mouth', which means that it will only catch cleats if they're not too thick. Ditto for rings, and it won't catch the ring if it's lying flat on the pontoon. As for posts, that requires a separate bit of wire attaching to it.

Nothing worse than coming singlehanded into a berth, discovering that you can't hook off, then trying to switch to normal mooring lines at the last moment.

Having said that, they're great if you're going into a familiar berth where you know what to expect in advance.

 

[Neil_M]

Belated reply - but completely agree with ianwright & Mirelle re singlehanding being easier than halfhanding with kids, especially when sibling warfare breaks out when mooring/crossing bar/reefing/navigating/etc... Preparation & forethought are the key.

Also sail from the Deben with a mooring at Waldringfield - hope to see you out when the weather gets more conducive