1st Time Singlehanding

[fendertweed]

I single hand my P26 most of the time in the wide Potomac s. of mt. vernon, n. of Quantico (when my wife doesn't come along)... still need to get some jackline points mounted in the cockpit wall w/ backing plate so I can run them up to the bow cleat or stanchion base, but I'm within 1-2 mi. of one shore or another wherever I am...

last singlehanded day was about 15-25kts, as my slip neighbor w/ the P323 says, "that's work, not fun!..."

this was Nov. 05, hull speed+ (6.5 kts) in Occoquan Bay ...



cheers,
Jon

[blueranger]

Originally Posted by arbarnhart

The biggest problem I am having with SH is tangling the jib sheets. All it takes is to be about a half second off in timing and they are a mess.

You mean in the cockpit or out on the deck?

Mike

[chuck5499]

I got away with something stupid - flipping up and fastening the boarding ladder while motoring out. Right after I sat down we hit a wave at an angle that made the stern dance a little. The "what if" scenarios with that are not good.



this is exactly why you should clip in - as an exmountaineer the dangers faced there and here are close - it just takes a split second or a big motor boat giving you an unexpected wake and mom and the kids get a new dad -
don't mean to over do it safety first - just did a 10 hour run and winds were very mild and played with the whisker pole and getting lines off the dink which is on the foredeck - even through i had a lifejacket on if i went over who gets my boat - remember this is maritime law and not sure but isn't it finders keepers on a uninhabited boat -
i clipped each and everytime and once you do it a few times it becomes rountine -
just because you are 3-5 nm off shore does not mean you can't drown -
you can make your own jacklines - get an rei catalog and get some climbing webbing and put some d rings on the deck - i have 3, 1 forward and 2 aft - you can also make your own clip in - just becareful on what types of carabaniers you get - and of course spend the $ on a good life jacket that has the rings on it
if you never use it - oh well - if you have a problem or something happens than you get to go home to your kids
just my thoughts
chuck and svsoulmates
ki4sry
fulltime cruiser - on the hook solomon island

[Harvester]

Congratulations on your first SH sailing!

For me, going out sailing with a few (one, two or three friends. Not more) is wonderful. But sailing alone is almost mystical.
I learned sailing singlehandling, so I did lots of stupid mistakes and it took me plenty of time to find out about things that are so obvious now.... (like wondering why the autopilot seemed to get tired and act funny after working for several hours. And then realizing "Hmmmm. Maybe it's not the autopilot. Maybe it's the batteries.... You idiot!").

But the most important lesson of all was finding out that sh**t happens even in calm seas. Last September I heard three stories directly from the people involved:

- While sailing solo in real calm seas, almost no wind, no boats around, a man I know was walking along the deck and a sudden wave out of nowhere thrown him overboard. He could grasp the handrail with both hands so he remained hunging upside down kissing the hull with his feet over his head for like a minute or two. When he thought he could not hold anymore, a new lonely wave helped him back onboard.

- Another guy I know was sailing with a friend also in very calm seas. His friend was at the bow doing something and he stood up on the stern to take a leak. But he slided and felt overboard. From the water he saw the stern of the boat getting away and his friend on the bow focusing his task... He freaked out and had a hearth attack! Luckily the friend noticed and steered back, and managed to get him onboard and called the coastguards, who took him to the hospital on time.

- The third story was sad. A young professional sailor (28) fell overboard and his two inexperienced friends didn't know anything about boats. The wind took them to ground peacefully on a beach. But the sailor's body was never found.

After learning about these stories, against my natural risk-taking mentality, I started putting the harness and lifeline on when sailing solo or with unexperienced crew. And now I see my previous solo navigations as almost suicidal.

SD and others already told you, but take it seriously: never leave the cockpit without hooking the lifeline to your harness. And at night or on rough seas, wear it even in the cockpit.

[okawbow]

I solo'ed my Bristol 24 over 1000 miles this spring. It gave me lots of time to think about safety, and "what-if's". I got in the habit of tieing a boarding strap to the rear of the boat where I can reach it if I fall overboard while strapped to my harness. I usually hook up so I can't fall over, but sometimes, hook to a jackline that would allow me to go over. I'm not sure it would be possible to climb back aboard without a ladder or strap with foot loops.

Rough seas make you more carefull about falling overboard. I came closer to going over when hit by motor boat wakes, than when sailing in rough weather.

[sailingdog]

Okawbow's point about bad weather being safer in some ways is a good one. It is generally good weather that puts people overboard, since you're not expecting trouble in good weather. Most people take more care in bad weather than in good, and that sense of complacency in good weather can be dangerous.

[JSL3]

For me this post was supposed to be about the joy of achieving a milestone in the path of continual self improvement in the experience of sailing. I was/am pumped that this was my first time soloing on something larger than a daysailer!
Don’t get me wrong, I hear and understand the comments regarding safety. I am not a reckless person. I just wish that more of the responses could be related to the original intent.
It appears that some of the follow up posts here refocus the spotlight back on safety 1^st at all times. In some ways I feel like a kid being reprimanded by my parents. For those who fall into that category, is the intent to educate the many who may view this thread thinking they may read this and then head out to sea without preparation?
In my case, as I’m sure occurs with many posts here, some of the details are left out as to not totally bore you all. For example, these are my home waters, I was no more than 4 miles from my slip, there were no rogue waves on the South River (off the Chesapeake) on the day I went out, if I experienced 3 boat wakes in an hour I could be overestimating it (and I paid attention to them), there were no T-storms in the forecast (and none materialized), and I was probably no more than a mile from land at any given time. Finally, I have been around the water my whole life and been sailing and boating for 25+ years on various craft.
Yes, I understand, I could fall overboard for any number of reasons. But I could also die stepping off a curb into traffic. At some point (i.e. 8 knots of wind, very little boat traffic, clear weather and a competent skipper on a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay) would going un-tethered be OK? To put it another way, can you ever go un-tethered?
Thanks to ALL who responded, I think you have the best of intentions. I very much enjoy this forum and appreciate the contributions that are shared. Keep the comments coming. (am i missing something here?)

[arbarnhart]

Originally Posted by blueranger

You mean in the cockpit or out on the deck?

Mike

The jib sheets tangle out on the deck. The sequence as I am in the middle of a tack is uncleat the jib sheet and hold it, release it as I duck under the boom swinging across and grab the other jib sheet, pull it tight and cleat it. If I don't get the jib sheet tight quick enough the jib whips the sheets together.

[okawbow]

Jim,
I think I understand your feeling about single handing. There is a wonderfull sense of accomplishment and satisfaction derived from sailing a boat alone. I certainly get to practice my problem solving skills whenever I go solo! My boat is not really set up to singlehand. I am forced to discover new ways to handle the boat without help from crew. It makes me a better sailor.

congratulations on your first solo!

The picture and feeling of my first solo overnight passage is still fresh in my mind. being alone with the stars, the phosphoresence, and the sound of water rushing by, changed me forever.

[dquack]

Perhaps this might help refocus:

I am a singlehander. I sail a lot so there is often no no else to go with. I have set my boat up accordingly. (Lines led aft)

Always tack from a Close Reach (not close hauled)
When I tack, this is the sequence (from Starboard Tack to Port Tack):
First I tighten the Starboard Sheet and take 1 turn around the Starboard winch
Then I take all turns possible off the Port Winch and hold the Port sheet in my hand
Then I tack the helm to just short of a beam reach
I wait until just after the Jib backwinds, this helps pull the Bow around and keeps me from falling into Irons. It also keeps the jib from flogging and injuring itself.
I throw off the Port sheet and immediately pull in the Starboard Sheet as the sail comes through the foretriangle.
Since I already have one turn on the winch, as soon as the sail starts to draw, it won't pull me overboard.
I take more wraps around the winch and crank it in to proper trim.
I then go to my intended heading and trim the sails accordingly; Jib first then the main.
Very little flogging if any.
Hope that helps.

Smooth Seas,
Don