single handing yawls

[scottmillington]

Starting the process of finding my next boat. Sold my Tartan 37 last year. Plans are next year to start more serious coastal cruising on east coast. Much of it will be single handed. Considering a 40'' yawl. Not alot of experience with them, just like the idea. Anyone have any thoughts on single handing yawls? Or what would be a good candidate to keep me out of trouble if not a yawl? Thanks

[norjim2]

Scott, My wife and I sailed a Seagoer 34'' gaff yawl for 25 years around Florida, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean. I''d like to list some pros and cons that we experienced with the yawl rig.
Our 120 square foot mizzen provided little driving power during normal weather, but did help balance the boat when the main was dropped during strong winds.
Much pleasure was had flying a mizzen staysail during light winds. The mizzen was often used to reduce the rolling motion in an anchorage. The mizzen rigging provided a good place for tying the awning while at anchor.
On the bad side, it requires too much space aft and may well conflict with a wind driven steering system. We had to vang our mizzen to keep it from accidentally coming across and hitting the Aires vane.
I would think a good rig for single handing in a 36 to 40 foot boat would be a properly designed cutter. Not a sloop with an inner jib rigged but a true cutter with a smaller main and a large fore triangle, perhaps with two roller reefed jibs.
Enjoy dreaming about your next boat.

[Silmaril]

Scott, one of the nice things that is happening in today''s sailboat designs is the use of a fractional rig. With minimal headsail overlap and a larger mainsail that is very easily controlled, you can have a simple set up with a smaller number of sails needing fewer "gear shifts". They are easier to tack, and sail very nicely bareheaded with reefed main. While a stout off-shore boat like a Valiant 42 (one of my all time favorites) makes use of the cutter rig, you said you were more interested in coastal cruising, where a Beneteau 40.7 would work very nicely. If you are hooked on the yawl, steer clear of hatchet job yawls like a Bristol 40. It''s mizzen was added as an afterthought, more of a fashion statement than a proper design. If you are looking used, you will find that most yawls or ketches will have limited space and performance. A modern C&C 115 will have more room and be easier to sail than something like a Hinckley B-40 for about the same price, and you will have a new boat, not something that will require a great deal of upkeep. Just my $0.02 worth.

[OCJoe]

I''ve been sailing a 40'' yawl for about 5 years or so. 98% of the time i sail solo.
It really isnt about the fact that its 40''.
Its the boat, the setup and the driver.
i''ve owned cat''s, tri''s, ketches, sloops and i find the yawl the best combination. i rarely set the main unless its blowing less than 10. blowin 25+, i set a bit of the genny and the mizzen, she''ll stay well balanced, not on her ear and i never have to leave the cockpit.

[scottmillington]

Thanks for the thoughtfull insight. OcJoe, I am interested in what type of yawl you sail. For the rest, given 100k boat budget and another 20k for fixup, which boat in the 35-40'' range would you chose for sailing up and down the east coast and perhaps the carribean. I generally sail single handed and if my wife is with me, I might as well be single handed. After ten years, believe me, she will never be a sailer.

[msl]

If I had the place, cash and t i m e , I would own, care for and treasure a Concordia Yawl.
MSL

[OCJoe]

Hey Scott, seems like we married sisters. Hey, makes you a better sailor. With my next wife will have a pre-nup that simply states "no sail, no sale". After 30 years, she figured it out before me. She''ll sail, but in the Caribbean. Now,who''s the dummy.
I''m just in from a brisk sail. Chilly but not cold. If you get an email addy to me at homeportocATaoldotcom and make the required changes, I''ll send some pics.
I sail a B40