Finally Singlehanded!

[c130king]

On Friday I made the decision to sail Monday afternoon singlehanded. The weather was going to be nice, winds were predicted to be reasonable and I couldn't get anyone to go with me.

So I came home on Friday hoping to get on the board and do some searches and ask some questions about singlehanding...

Board was down all weekend

But what the H&LL...I did it anyway. And it was great

Left the slip at 3:55. Wind blew me over against one of the wood pilings but that was no problem to overcome. Out of the marina and got the sails up at 4:00. I was a little worried if the boat would hold heading while I raised the main but I really had no problems. I sailed main alone for about 15 minutes. Then I let out the 150 genny maybe 60% and sailed this way for about an hour. Then I let the genny out to about 90% once I felt pretty good with my tacks. Hit 8.5 mph on a close reach down current (which was probably running at 2 mph). Fastest I have seen on the GPS under sail.

Sailed for 2 hours and it was awesome. Winds were 10-12 mph (occasional 15 mph gust I would think). There were a few ships to dodge which made it fun. First turn was a jibe around an anchored ship and then I did 10 successful tacks. It definitely helps...in my opinion...to backwind the genny and allow it to blow the bow across before releasing and hauling in the new sheet.

Got the sails down with no issues and motored back. Able to back in to my slip. Once again the winds blew me over to the piling but I was able to get it tied up with no real problems.

Singlehanding is awesome. Felt like the first time I soloed a Tweet at pilot training. Now I don't have to sweat finding a sailing partner and I can just go out after class the next few weeks.

No real questions. Just real proud of myself (of course "pride goeth before the fall"). I normally don't wear a life jacket when I am with other people (I know, I know). But I did wear one today...better safe than sorry.

Thanks to all the Mac sailors that post their techniques on this board for new sailors like me to learn from.

Just a few more weeks of sailing before I put the boat away for a few years.

Jim

[Highlander]

Way to go Jim

No holding you back now

Cheers john

[pokerrick1]

Jim;

Way to go. Why are you not hoisting the Main while still in the slip? Much easier - - - and DO wear your PFD - - - MUCH better SAFE than SORRY
8.5 is pretty quick for a Mac. Why are you putting the boat AWAY

Rick

[Mikebe]

I have been sailing mine solo also. It's a blast alright. Never thought about raising the main at the slip...seems like the wind would have to be just right or I'd have problems getting out from between the pilings. But I do have a question...after I get out on the water I point the boat into the wind and then try to get the main up before the boat spins back around. Sometimes it take two or three attempts. Is there some trick to getting the main up in breezy conditions when your solo?

[James V]

MikeBe - 2 things

Sail Caddy

Main sheet lead aft.

An Auto pilot or some way to lock the wheel would also help.


c130king - be safe and hope to see you on the return.

[c130king]

Sail up in the slip would be difficult. Most of the time the wind is a direct cross wind with my slip.

I leave the motor running about 2-3 mph into the wind while raising the sails (lines led aft so I only have to slide forward of the binnacle and hoist away). The boat will hold a heading (pretty much) for a long enough for me to raise the main. It was not a problem (the battens occasionally get caught in the lazy jacks if I am not directly into the wind but just lower a few inches, tug on the leech and hoist again).

Rick,

I am moving to London. Although I have been delayed for a few weeks so I will get a couple more chances to sail in Jacksonville, FL before I fly away on 15 July. I will leave the boat in storage in Jacksonville. Hopefully I will get back once or twice a year to visit my son in college (going to Georgia Tech this fall) or my folks in Jacksonville and I can take the boat out.

But until then I plan to sail every opportunity here in Norfolk. Probably the 10th of June will be my last day to sail here.

Jim

[pokerrick1]

Sorry, when I said mainsail up at the slip, I forgot about the wind - - - my slip faces the wind (deliberately of course) so it's easy. Then I don't sail out of the slip (imposible, backwards from the wind), I use the engine and then cut the motor as soon as I can glide to the end of the finger - - - then - - - we don't need no stinking engine (until we lower the main)

Rick

[berjim]

I'm curious about the single-handed sailing. My first mate (wife of 29 years) loves to sail with me but I really don't understand how "lines run aft" makes any difference if you don't have a way to feed the sail into the mast. My old M25 had luff rope that was hard to feed. The 2001 X that we just bought has sluggs which we love, but they have to be fed one at a time as the main is raised. I haven't seen any comment on this as I have read through the different posts.

Jim

[Tony D-26X_SusieQ]

The 2001 X that we just bought has sluggs which we love, but they have to be fed one at a time as the main is raised. I haven't seen any comment on this as I have read through the different posts.

Jim

The main purpose of the sail sluggs is that they stay in the track and are held in place with a locking device (sail stop) that slides in the track below the last slug and locks there. Then when you are ready to raise the main sail you just pull on the main haliard and up it goes. If your sail stop is missing you can replace it at most boating stores for arround 8 bucks. You might buy two when you go, they tend to like to go swimming at the most inconvienient times.

[Catigale]

If your sail stop goes swimming, you can tie a sail tie around the mast and accomplish the same thing on the cheap and easy..

[RandyMoon]

Strange, I have lost two slug stops. I have used pliers to tighten them so I am wondering how they became loose.

Now I use the Scott method, a line looped from the cleats on the mast. It works. It is cheaper than the $16 I spent on two stops.

[NiceAft]

Lines leading aft to the cockpit are not essential to solo sailing. I don't have that, and I have done the solo route.

When I aim the bow into the wind, the boat goes into irons. I release the mainsheet and then go to the mast and raise the sail. With the sail slugs the sail goes up quickly. The only time consuming part is slipping the end of the halyard through the truckers knot and then cleating. If I don't catch the wind easily, I then start the engine and go on angle to the wind. Shut off the engine and raise it.

To those who have not yet tried it, sometimes, when no one is around, it's the only way you can get onto the water.

Ray

[beene]

Nice trick

G

[Idle Time]

we use a heavy plastic wire tie for a sail stop...always keep several on board....sail slugs and main halyard led to the cockpit make it alot easier and safer for a solo sailor....we finally ran ours back last year and it makes a big difference....especially when you are trying to get the sail down and a big go fast boat flies by...you are always prepared when the wind is up and the water rough....its those other times that catch you off guard...standing in the cockpit to raise and lower is a lot safer....

[Trav White]

with lines led aft, I just point the boat into the wind, run up and rip off the 3 velcro sail ties, and jump back in the cockpit. Then I just put a couple of turns on the winch and winch up the main from the cockpit. I usually have the motor running just past idle to keep heading into the wind and in case something happens where I can motor it back into the wind quickly.