How do you single-hand a Mac?

[RandyMoon]

The Admiral and I were discussing the finer points of tacking and timing moving the jib at the right moment in the turn as to not keep the hull from moving smoothly across the wind without stalling or losing momentum. She asked me how someone single-handing a Mac tacks while steering the turn to the correct angle AND move the jib over.

Hmmmmm. How do you guys do that?

[Chip Hindes]

The easiest way is to punch the autotack buttons on the autopilot. The autopilot does the steering, I only have to worry about the sails. Singlehanding into Boca Chita from Biscayne bay last year, channel maybe 200 yards wide by 1/2 mile long, I did 27 tacks. 26 were perfect, one was blown badly when the running sheet fouled on the block. Did a 360 and picked up right where I left off.

I know it was 27 because I counted them on the GPS afterward. Wish I'd had enough sense to save the track before allowing the GPS to overwrite it on the road trip home.

Lacking the autopilot, with practice it's still possible to execute perfect tacks. It's all in the timing. Best I've done regularly is maybe 2 out of 3. Not impressive at all on the GPS with all the loop de loops.

[theroche]

Still learning the particulars of the Mac (mine is a 99X),but I do sail it singlehanded alot. I use the same technique I used when sailing my cat. Steer through the tack. Let the wind help blow the bow over, beyond the desired heading, release the headsail and start trimming. Once sails are full and making way, come up on the desired heading and finish trimming.
May not be the best technique, but it keeps me out of irons.
mike

[Scott]

I sit/ stand in front of the Binnacle so I can easily reach all controls.

[DLT]

I can control all the sheets from the helm.

I'm probably not the smoothest at it, but I sail single handed even with a boat full of people...

[delevi]

I use a wheel break, which is a great version of the poor man's autopilot. I tighten the break to keep the helm steady, prepare the lazy sheet on the jib py getting around the winch, getting rid of all slack in the line and changing the winch handle to the lazy sheet. then I make my way to the front and steer with one hand reaching around my backside. Once the jib backwinds, I uncleat that sheet and adjust the helm, then trim in the jib sheet. Some of my tacks get a bit ugly, but it works. Autopilot would be better. When just keeping a course, I sit on the windward side of the helm seat with mainsheet in hand or somewhere close or hanging off the throtle handle. I make a point of knowing where it is at all times. Two people is ideal but one can certainly do it. It's nice to have the admiral on board to take the helm when I have to go up on deck, but when I'm by myself, I just crank down the wheel break and move fast. If the boat starts to drift, I bail out, return to the helm, adjust and start over. Hope this helps.

Leon

[Frank C]

My 26X was delivered by the dealer with a wheel brake, but it had 2 serious problems. The turning knob was too small to apply adequate torque (conveniently), plus the internal gripper was too anemic to hold the helm, even when "gonzo torqued." I tossed it overboard in frustration.

Chip's 'autotack' answer is ideal, but I was surprised at how effective Leon's wheel brake was, too.

[Lease]

Install a self-tacking jib. There are plenty of examples around.

It's just an I-Beam track that sits off the deck in front of the mast. A traveller car runs freely on the beam from stop to stop. A cam cleat bock with the jib sheet is attached to the car. Once the sheet is trimmed, it stays cleated. Tacking then becomes a simpole matter of turning the wheel. No other work required.

The jib needs to be cut to around 80% -90% for the system to work.

[maddmike]

Have a fair amount of experience tacking a MAC single-hand. Fact is I'm not sure what I would do if someone else was on board and actually knew enough to help, I'd likely trip over them. IMHO, the answer to this question depends on several factors such as sea state, traffic, wind conditions, auto-pilot vs. no auto pilot, wheel brake vs no wheel brake, etc., sometime I even find it easier and safer to jibe than tack. Everyone has their own techniques and some of the above suggestions are excellent. One point, while an auto pilot is nice, start practcing w/o it. learn to tack single-hand with no auto-pilot and no wheel brake and then when you get that down, use those as tools to fine tune your techniques. I have to say tacking a MAC single hand is a lot easier than in a CSY 44 or a number of other bigger boats I've had to do it in (except maybe some Hunters).

[Frank C]

... tacking a MAC single hand is a lot easier than in a CSY 44 or a number of other bigger boats I've had to do it in (except maybe some Hunters).

What makes some of the Hunters so easy?

[Catigale]

I only run into trouble when I release the genny sheet too early...you can even backwind it and it will help bring the nose through the wind, if it isnt blowing up hard...you wont get the fastest tack and keep best angle to the wind this way, but if you want to do that you should double hand anyway...

[Jim Cate]

The Admiral and I were discussing the finer points of tacking and timing moving the jib at the right moment in the turn as to not keep the hull from moving smoothly across the wind without stalling or losing momentum. She asked me how someone single-handing a Mac tacks while steering the turn to the correct angle AND move the jib over.

Hmmmmm. How do you guys do that?

With sheets led aft, I release them and hold them both in my left hand while turning the wheel with my right. Both sheets are held with some tension, then, after the bow crosses the wind and the jib begins to blow to the other side of the mast, I let out the (new) leeward sheet while quickly pulling in, and then cranking in, the (new) windward sheet. In higher winds, it may be necessary to leave the (old) leeward sheet cleated, or held with a turn or two around the cleat, until the boat has fully crossed to the new tack. By this time the boat is usually headed down a little too far in the other direction and can be headed up on the new tack as desired, after which the (new) windward jib sheet must be tightened as appropriate for the new tack, and the other sheet is secured to get it out of the way but left ready for convenient later adjustment. After the jib has then been cranked in and cleated appropriately, the mainsheet and traveler may need adjustment.

Although this is the "nominal" proceedure, I admit that they all don't turn out like that, particularly in low wind conditions. From my experience on the M, tacking was improved substantially by reducing the rearward slope of the mast, by tightening the forestay.

Jim

[RandyMoon]

That is some really great info. No doubt practice makes perfect. I have the sheets running aft, I guess it gets down to perfecting the art of doing several tasks at the same time.

[Scott]

Thats Pap-eye, Popeyes Poppa.

[argonaut]

Singlehanded sailing is not that hard, singlehanded docking is a !*#!*.
My tacks are slow and I usually oversheet, then let some more out as needed,since for now I'm using the cheap existing aft cleats. Someday a pair of pivoting cams on the gennie track would be nice. What is harder is sailing -with- people but -without- a trimmer. Harder to operate the sheets without rope-burning my visitors. Can be done with lots of ducking and leaning...