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Happy to be here...

8K views 82 replies 16 participants last post by  onremlop 
#1 ·
Just got back from scaring the hell out of myself, and I thought it might be worthwhile to mention a couple of points about singlehanding without an autopilot... It's blowing between 15-20 here right now, but the wave action is robust due to the NE winds we've had for the last week or so. Anyway, I crossed Port Royal Sound at about 7.5 to 8.0 kts, and once I got out to Atlantic, I came about and headed home. Not a lot to mention up to this point, other than the fact that I always had a rail in the water and was getting jacked by the wave action every step of the way. Can't say it was blowing like snot, but handling the helm and the sails simultaneously was a bit much. Finally, as I came in for the last stretch, I accidentally jibed just as I was adjusting the headsail, and I damn nearly had to swim home. Can't begin to describe how close I came... I'm still shaking. Anyway, I'm back. Need to clean my shorts.
 
#4 ·
TB, John,
Nope. No tether. Definitely will start. I'm generally pretty steady on my feet, but the stern sort sloshed to port as it jibed -- just as I was screwing around with the starboard winch... It was just a weird sail all the way around. I'm never nervous on the boat, but I was this time. Just felt like I was clutzy... cut my finger, nearly went OB... A weird, wild two-hour ride...
 
#10 ·
Ever try recovering from an accidental jibe when solo-sailing wing 'n wing - while using a whisker pole?

Happened a couple weeks ago with me - the pole and 150 genoa ended up submerged with starboard rail in the water in a 26 kt gust - with me clammering around trying to straighten the boat out. It happend so fast, I felt like a pendulum hammer. I refuse to pole out while solo anymore.
 
#11 ·
Call me chicken, but solo = motor down (mine lifts for drag)in case I need it NOW, no poles, auto-inflatable PFD with cell phone in a zippy, and I never go DDW if I can help it, and then rig a preventer via a snatch block to the bow cleat and back to a winch (let's me keep it tight from both sides, mainsheet and preventer).
It's much easier on the nerves KNOWing the boom can't do diddly until you tell it to.
 
#14 ·
I've single handed 15 to 26 footers. The latter was a 26 ft Knockabout. A real sweet boat to handle. No auto pilot, Just me the boat and the wind. No real problems at any time.
Now thinking of getting about a 40' or better to live aboard and single hand. Will definitely have a wind vane or electronic Auto pilot. Due to more boat and much larger sail area.
One of my tricks single handing was to plan out everything first and practice, practice and again practice.
Still like motorcycle riding. You need to have a very healthy respect for the sea & weather. As a biker has that healthy respect for the road.
Get cocky and you are dead meat. :(
 
#15 ·
The "event" that occurred yesterday would have filled the cockpit up to my knees. I'm already getting a little nostalgic for yesterday. Makes me want to sing a song...

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away,
Now I need a place to hide away,
Oh, I believe in yesteday...

You know, I don't think that song is about a bowel movement.
 
#22 ·
Hey, Hog,
don't make it bad
take a big dump
and you'll feel better
remember to let her into your heart
then you can fart...

(somebody, please make me stop)
 
#25 ·
Bin there done dat , nothin quite like it for sendin the willies thru ya
but I must agree with Chuckles a preventer is the way to go mono hull / multi hull no mater . A preventer is the way to fly and not concern yourself with an accidental jibe . Auto pilot /wind vane or not those things have a way of buggering up when the poor skipper needs it the least. Preventer , pain in the a@@ to set up and take down just like running back stays never the less worth their wieght.

Preventer to let her into your heart
then you won't start to make it pucker , pucker , pucker , pucker , pucker
Naa naa naa na na na naaaa Naa naa na na Heyyyy Hogg hey hoggy hoggy hoggy hoggy hog



thats enough.... aiyee
 
#26 ·
DJ,
As TB said, I was on my way to the big gerbil bar in the sky. If I can find it, I'll send it to you the link to the cartoon. Funniest damn thing you ever saw, and it will illuminate this character we all know as TrueBlue.

Accidental jibe is bad. Imagine yourself in your HC, sailing along on a broad reach, a nice strong quatering tailwind, and you clammer over to the starboard winche to adjust your headsail. The seas aren't huge, but you have some 3-4 foot swells, and since they are moving against your stb quarter, they make your boat a little squirrley. Since you don't have an autopilot, you're just trusting that you boat will maintain its course, and it would have for quite a while under quieter conditions... but again, it's a squirrley day. You get a little too involved in your headsail trim, when WHAM! the boom crashes to from stb to port, and the stern of your boat sloshes down and away from you. Where are you likely to go? OB, baby! You're swimming home -- but with the current! You probably would have survived, but who knows where the boat would end up...
 
#27 ·
DJ,
As TB said, I was on my way to the big gerbil bar in the sky. If I can find it, I'll send it to you the link to the cartoon. Funniest damn thing you ever saw, and it will illuminate this character we all know as TrueBlue.

Accidental jibe is bad. Imagine yourself in your HC, sailing along on a broad reach, a nice strong quatering tailwind, and you clammer over to the starboard winche to adjust your headsail. The seas aren't huge, but you have some 3-4 foot swells, and since they are moving against your stb quarter, they make your boat a little squirrley. Since you don't have an autopilot, you're just trusting that you boat will maintain its course, and it would have for quite a while under quieter conditions... but again, it's a squirrley day. You get a little too involved in your headsail trim, when WHAM! the boom crashes to from stb to port, and the stern of your boat sloshes down and away from you. Where are you likely to go? OB, baby! You're swimming home -- but with the current! You probably would have survived, but who knows where the boat would end up...
Yikes. I say it again--yikes. You almost lost me at imagining myself in my HC...but I managed to read on. Glad you lived to tell the tale.
 
#28 ·
I've got autopilot on my beloved nauticat - wish I could smudge some of that love onto my wife's thick hide, but that's another story. As most here already know, I have been singlehanding - solo in fact - for the last few times sailing, and don't know how I'd get by without Otto.

I do some daring things while sailing alone, like leaving the helm for minutes to go down below - as evidenced in that recently posted video showing off the cabins below. I did peer out the ports and hatches every few seconds though . . . for whatever that's worth.

But, one thing I always do, is wear an inflatable pfd with an integrated harness. The tether is always clipped on wherever and whenever I am on deck. This lonely sailor may be daring and stubborn, but he's not stupid.
 
#29 ·
Sailhog-

Glad you didn't fall in...the environmental remediation costs would have been astronomical. ;) :D

You need a good tether, harness and jacklines... especially when you're singlehanding. Falling overboard really isn't an option when you're singlehanding... you can't expect your boat to come back and save you like some have had happen... it just doesn't normally happen.

I also believe a good boom brake is a valuable piece of safety gear. That's why I have a Dutchman Boom Brake installed on my boat. Makes the nasty boom a lot safer.
 
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