IMHO, for single handing a boat there are more important things than lines led aft. A good headsail furling system is where I would start. Then I would want a way to handle the main. I have lazy jacks on my boat (O'day 35) that make dropping the main easy. My boat is on a mooring, so I usually get aboard, start the engine, prepare to shove off, and raise the main while still at the mooring. Then I drop the mooring lines, and stroll back to the cockpit to grab the wheel.
I can't reach the main sheet from the wheel but I can reach the head sail sheets. I either engage the pilot or just lock the wheel when I need to adjust the main sheet or traveler.
Lastly, my boat came with the main halyard led aft, but I moved it back to the mast. It's much easier to raise the main that way, and I like to be at the mast when I drop it to make sure the main flakes nicely.
JC. I'd not let lines led aft keep you from getting a boat you like.. it's not rocket science to route them later on. and it's not real expensive although it could be if you use all new gear instead of relocating the mast winch We only did the main and vang.. I had planned to do more lines led aft but it's not been a priority.
I single hand my Yankee 30 often. Nothings led aft but the main sheet and Vang, but I do have a furler. I have a tiller pilot, but don't find it necessary to use (hook up). The boat circles counter clockwise under power. To raise the main, I point her into a deep reach on Port tack, and go forward as she slowly rounds up. As she goes through the wind I hoist the sail. Same drill to to douse. On A Beam Reach or above, I can always balance the sails to keep the boat on course, sometimes tying off the tiller, to allow me to go forward.
my boat came with the main halyard led aft, but I moved it back to the mast. It's much easier to raise the main that way, and I like to be at the mast when I drop it to make sure the main flakes nicely.
Ditto with my Catalina 36. Main halyard is run to the cockpit, but there's too much friction hauling it that way. I go to the mast, yank it up easily in a few pulls, hook the halyard into a sheet stopper, then go back to the cockpit & winch it the last bit. It's a pain in the a$$, but I'm too cheap (or used to it) to install a winch at the mast. Ideally, though, a winch at the mast and a mast pulpit would be my dream. I singlehand all the time, either solo or when useless friends are aboard.
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what i2f sed-lol
-my formosa has a good otto von helme system and no lines lead to cockpit other than sheets for jib and main and mizzen is in cockpit--isnt a big deal to go forward onmy boat-- i didnt always like doing that on other smaller boats....have fun and if ye want to place lines to cockpit, isnt difficult....
I sail my old 32' with tiller steering singlehanded all the time. This is possible because I have and auto-helm (but if I didn't you can tie your tiller (or wheel) off and walk to the mast to hoist the sails. I'm lucky to have a roller furling genoa so that's easy. My only complaint is with lowering the main as I don't have lazy-jacks so the main spreads out a little over the cabin top.
Personally I like just having the sheets only to the cockpit. Maybe with a smaller (<20ft) boat it is advisable to have halyards come aft as your weight up front might make the boat act dangerously.
Just my opinion, happy sailing
I had all lines led aft on my last boat, and it was both beneficial and frustrating. Simply too many lines in the cockpit and tried lots of combinations of bags, hooks, etc. to keep things organized, but too chaotic.
My current boat was set up very traditionally, and I was happy not to change it.
The autopilot gives me freedom to move about and take care of things as needed, and regularly leaving the cockpit also ensures I'm practiced if/when things get snotty and something must be dealt with on deck, whether lines lead aft or not.
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- Cruising the Baltic in 'Merihiisi', a 1979 Westerly Berwick Ketch
Our Catalina 27 has a tiller and few lines led aft and is easy to single hand. I suggest a good autopilot helps greatly as does a furling head sail. Like EJO we dont have lazy jacks so lowering the main can be a bit of an issue. Maybe that is why I sometimes like to just pull the 150 Genoa when by myself.
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