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CarbonSink62
Navigator

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USA
208 Posts

Response Posted - 11/16/2012 : 09:15:17

Thanks for the tips, guys.

Also to Stinkpotter for the pic of his jib sheet setup.

Edited by - on

Jan Briede
Navigator

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USA
162 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2012 : 18:28:11

Great discussion on single handing. I wonder if anyone tried or has an opinion of the tiller clutch: http://wavefrontmarine.com/
It looks like a neat idea, but a little afraid of mounting too much on the poor tiller and wondering if it is overkill compared to just tying it off.
Thanks.
Jan

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5379 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2012 : 18:41:49

Let us know when the ice is out in the spring. I've always loved my business travels in Idaho - I'd enjoy a pleasure trip …

Edited by - on

Lee Panza
Captain

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USA
468 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2012 : 18:56:47

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Jan Briede
 ...I wonder if anyone tried or has an opinion of the tiller clutch: http://wavefrontmarine.com/
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Funny you should ask. I've been meaning to add to this thread based on my recent several months of experience with the Tiller Clutch. It's been one of the most useful accessories I've added thus far.

I use it so much that it's difficult to imagine sailing without it now. It engages and disengages so easily that I use it almost continuously, not just to free-up a hand on occasion. Tacking is so much easier now, but I find I use it to just hold course with just minor corrections from time to time.

I can't attest to it's longevity in the salt water environment yet, as I've only been using it this year, but it shows no sign of corrosion yet.

I was quite disappointed with the Davis Tiller Tamer (junk!), especially having to use a second hand to adjust it; this thing just takes a flick of a finger to engage or disengage, and I haven't had any trouble with it engaging or disengaging by accident.

It doesn't hold tightly enough to fight a mean quartering sea, but it's been fine in the 25+ knot winds and steep chop up in the Golden Gate over the summer.

I do have to disengage one side of the cord to sit far enough aft to use the outboard for maneuvering; and that's when I realize how much I've come to rely on it.

All in all it has become something I would not wish to do without, at least until I get the electrical system overhauled and get the 'iron genny' working. But I suspect I'll continue to use it even after the autopilot is up and running.

Edited by - on

rrick
Captain

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USA
261 Posts

Response Posted - 11/17/2012 : 22:06:48

One less Bitter End Marina, Bayview C25, here. Pulled her out last year and kept her on Hayden for the summer, but now she's sitting on property in So Cal waiting for a few touch ups on the iron keel before splashdown in corrosive biological fouling city. I feel kinda bad since I'm the one to dissolve her and not let her retire to a beautiful mountain lake.

Singlehanded motoring, you know, when your doing 8 things at once dancing on the cabin top flaking the main with the outboard tiller locked and running 5 knts? That red cord really needs to be attached to me, but, you know...

Edited by - on

awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 06:44:11

why singlehand motor at 5 knots while flaking the main? it sounds like you could have sailed for a bit longer, motored a bit slower, and would have been safer all around?

Edited by - on

Poky
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 10:04:03

With the jib downhaul rigging, does running the line through the jib clew work or does it get all fouled? I like the concept of bunching the jib to the forestay in a hurry.

Seems like you need a lot of rope too. Any suggestions on size? Seems small would work best. 1/4 inch?

Thanks

Edited by - on

Steve Milby
Past Commodore

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USA
5902 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 10:35:27

When leaving the tiller unattended to raise or lower sails, speed is not your friend. If the boat is moving very slowly, the boat might take 20-30 seconds to change its course by as much as 45-50 degrees. By that time, you might be able to get a sail raised or lowered. However, at 5 kts, the boat could change course 40-50 degrees in 2-3 seconds. Slower speed gives you more time to accomplish your goal.

Edited by - on

Poky
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 10:35:40

[quote]Originally posted by rrick
 One less Bitter End Marina, Bayview C25, here.

Sorry to see you go. Poky came from The Sound so LPO is back in balance with C25 karma.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 11:47:30

When dowsing the main, I usually set up so I'm on a broad reach heading to the marina channel buoys. Then while sailing on the headsail, I drop, flake, stow, then cover the main. All that's left to do when I hit the channel is to fire up the outboard and roll in the genoa. I usally have everything stowed by the time I reach the slip, so all I have to do is basicaly slip on the docklines and leave.

Edited by - on

GaryB
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4304 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 14:02:57

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Poky
 With the jib downhaul rigging, does running the line through the jib clew work or does it get all fouled? I like the concept of bunching the jib to the forestay in a hurry.

Seems like you need a lot of rope too. Any suggestions on size? Seems small would work best. 1/4 inch?

Thanks
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I added stainless rings (like used for key chains) in several places that are approx. 1" in diameter and slide freely up and down the fore-stay between the hanks. I attach the down-haul on the second hank. If you put it on the top hank it will bind the sail when you start to pull it down.

Feed a small line (1/4" or less) down through the stainless rings thru a small block attached to the bow stem then led back to the cockpit.

Pull the sail down tightly to the deck then tighten the sheets to help hold the sail on the deck as much as possible. Once I got to calmer water I would quickly gather up the sail and secure it to the bow pulpit with bungee cords.

Edited by - GaryB on 11/18/2012 14:05:21

cshaw
Captain

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USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 17:47:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by CarbonSink62
 What's the best method for tacking with the standard jib sheet hardware?

Also, my jib sheet stopper knots will only hang up on the sheet block; my boat only has the 110 jib, so the block is well forward of the cockpit.

I think (well, I know) I need the Forespar tiller extension

Replacing the jib sheet cleats with cam-cleats seems like the next step, but the angle is bad.

Ken
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Ken and Poky,

Lots of great recommendations have been posted reflecting a lot of experience. I too have done a lot of single handing. Its also a handy skill when you have guests aboard that know nothing about sailing and are hesitant about helping for fear they may do something wrong. Without going into the safety related things that are smart when single handing, some of the things I have found that help me actually operate the most have been:

- A tiller extention with a quick way to secure it back to the tiller (otherwise it can jam against the side of the cockpit if it falls down beside the tiller)

- Something that lets you lock/unlock the tiller in place easily and quickly (I use a tiller tamer)

- Using a "jam" type jib sheet cleat. It looks like a normal horn cleat, but the underside of one horn has a "V" wedge so all you have to do is wrap the sheet at least twice around the base and pull tight. uncleatring is also nice and quick, yet I have not ever had it accidently release the sheet.

- For sailing with your 110 and losing the sheets to up by the blocks, either use long sheets or simply tie a smaller line to the sheet between the figure 8 knot at the end and the jib. Lead the smaller line back to the cockpit. I use colored lines (red for port and green for stbd) to see them easily, and simply use the smaller retriving line to p[ull the jibsheet back in to the cockpit.

- Learn to steer with your knees/feet like was suggested. Becomes second nature pretty soon

- An easily used spring line to stop the boat in the slip. Run it from a sheet winch to the cleat your stern line ties to. Have a BIG loop on the end and pick it up with your boathook entering your slip and drop it over your winch. Use a longer one to the bow for tieing up the boat when you leave.

- Learn to heave to if you do not already know how. It allows you to do all sorts of things safely without having to tend to the boat (reefing the main, hitting the head, getting another beer, etc.)

Like I said, these are not the safety related things, but a few little things to make it easier to operate the boat. The list is obviously a LOT longer......

As far as answering what my technique for tacking is, I load the weather side sheet with 2 turns and take the slack out, and put the winch handle in (I have a lanyard on the handle by the way since my crew and I have fed the fish a number of handles!). Then uncleat the leeward sheet and remove all but two turns, and then start your turn. Wait till just before you go head to wind to release the sheet, and to remove the sheet from the winch pull it straight up as you stand up (don't try to un-wrap it.

Stand up as you go thru head to wind with the tiller between your knees and pull in the sheet as much as possible before it fills. Quite often you will not have to use the winch to pull any more in. Sit down to leeward and with your leg steadying the tiller, finish sheeting in and cleat, then start normal steering.

Enjoy your boat!!

Chuck

Edited by - on

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

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USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 19:21:50

I tack the same way as Chuck. It is a good idea to practice the sheeting a few times at the dock and go through it step by step in your mind just before doing it for the first few times while actually underway. It"s really quite easy and quickly becomes a rote action.

Edited by - on

Poky
Deckhand

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USA
23 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 20:37:55

Thanks Chuck.

Great thoughts.

Hull #1. How about some pics of Confetti? Very Cool.

Edited by - on

cshaw
Captain

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USA
460 Posts

Response Posted - 11/18/2012 : 22:05:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Poky
 Thanks Chuck.

Great thoughts.

Hull #1. How about some pics of Confetti? Very Cool.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

As soon as I figure out how to post them!!

Chuck

Edited by - on

CarbonSink62
Navigator

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USA
208 Posts

Response Posted - 11/19/2012 : 09:10:15

Thanks, Chuck!

I can assure you, I am enjoying the hell out of my boat.

Ken

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