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Gearing up for singlehanding

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TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/23/2013 : 21:22:05

I'm planning a couple of multi-day cruises for this spring (good therapy for these bitter cold nights). It looks like my wife may have to drive down and meet me closer to the destination some days because of work and family commitments, so I'll have to do some extended singlehanding. I've singlehanded before with napping crew, so I've got the mechanics of doing it myself down. But I'm not really equipped for true singlehanding. I'll have a buddy boat coming with me, so I won't be totally alone. And this is relatively protected river cruising, so I won't be in open water.

Nevertheless, I'd like to get a harness just in case I need to go forward and/or if we have severe weather. What do you recommend?

Also, what would I clip onto on a C250? Do I need to rig jack lines, and of so, what is good placement? Or should I just clip onto the spare jib halyard?

Is there any other gear that your would recommend? Ditch bag? Portable VHF radio? What else would I need? I already have an inflatable rowing dinghy that can function as a life boat:

<center>

</center>

Rick S., Swarthmore, PA
PO of Take Five, 1998 Catalina 250WK #348 (relocated to Baltimore's Inner Harbor)
New owner of 2001 Catalina 34MkII #1535 Breakin' Away (at Rock Hall Landing Marina)

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 22:13:18

I can't speak to clipping in on a C-250, but...

Do you have an autopilot? Have you practiced heaving to? Both can be very valuable when single-handing, and one is free.

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redviking
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Response Posted - 01/23/2013 : 22:14:03

Yes, yes, and yes... And if you think you will be able to blow that up in time, hmmm...

Jacklines rigged on one side to the forward cleat and the aft cleat. I'll ship you the one from my C25 since you are such a fan of my posts. LOL! Seriously though, I have one as a spare that is way too short for my current vessel. I will send it to you if you wish. Pfd with harness from wm. Handheld vhf is an essential item. Ditch bags are also a good thing.

Edited by - on

hewebb
Admiral

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USA
761 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 04:55:51

I single hand quite a bit and have been thinking about a harness set up. The one thing I thought about was how to get back in the boat if I fell off. Currently I would not be able to lower the ladder. I have some Velcro to use to hold it up and a line to use to pull it down. May get that installed today. I use a Tiller Clutch so the boat will tend to keep going, however I think it may eventually get into the wind and give me a chance to climb aboard.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 08:14:05

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 Yes, yes, and yes... And if you think you will be able to blow that up in time, hmmm...

Jacklines rigged on one side to the forward cleat and the aft cleat. I'll ship you the one from my C25 since you are such a fan of my posts. LOL! Seriously though, I have one as a spare that is way too short for my current vessel. I will send it to you if you wish...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Thanks for your kind offer. I'm glad you're laughing. I should have toned down my comments on that other thread. The first cruise is not until May, and I may end up having crew, so I'm going to wait until closer to the date before taking you up on your offer.

The lifeboat comment was pretty much an excuse to post a funny picture. I bought that dinghy for $110 for a Chesapeake charter last year, just in case I needed it. I do have an electric inflator that plugs into my cockpit 12v socket, and can inflate the boat in about 5 minutes. However, it would clearly not work in an emergency situation. I might consider pre-inflating it and tow behind the boat, but that also has risks because I've never done that before and in rough weather a dinghy flipping upside down can ruin your day.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 08:24:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 I can't speak to clipping in on a C-250, but...

Do you have an autopilot? Have you practiced heaving to? Both can be very valuable when single-handing, and one is free.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I have a very nice autopilot that works well under a wide variety of conditions (I can tune the gain on the fly). It's interfaced wirelessly with my computerized chartplotter, so it can even follow a pre-planned route. I've tested the "auto-tack" feature many times and although it's never as fast as steering manually, I've never gotten caught in irons with it.

For Christmas I purchased a wireless remote control for the autopilot which allows me to steer from the companionway, which is a nice place to sit when singlehanding the C250 because you have both winches right next to you on the cabin top. I decided to buy the remote control instead of moving the winches back by the wheel. Obviously the wheel and split backstays create an obstacle to quickly moving forward to the winches, so sitting in the companionway is a nice option.

I've read up on how to heave-to, but never practiced it. My river's currents are fast enough that heaving-to is not as valuable a skill as elsewhere because you'll get carried wherever the currents are taking you. But I agree that I should practice the technique anyway.

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Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 08:30:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 ...My river's currents are fast enough that heaving-to is not as valuable a skill as elsewhere because you'll get carried wherever the currents are taking you.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Agreed--I forgot about the "no open water" part.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 08:57:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by hewebb
 ...The one thing I thought about was how to get back in the boat if I fell off. Currently I would not be able to lower the ladder. I have some Velcro to use to hold it up and a line to use to pull it down. May get that installed today...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Here's what I have on my C250. I test it every time I climb aboard while on the hard. I consider that little line a critical safety feature, especially if I were to fall overboard while alone in my marina:

<center>

</center>

For singlehanding, there's still the issue of how to catch up to a moving boat before you can climb the ladder. If you're steering manually it will eventually head up. Autopilot - not so much. That actually might become an argument for NOT using autopilot in high-risk conditions. But obviously, if you fall overboard, it will always happen when you are least expecting it.

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shnool
Former Capri-25 Tech Editor

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USA
1032 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 09:43:15

I have to say you guys with your 250s, they sure are a nicely laid out boat. If I were all cruiser, I'd be all over a 250.

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John Russell
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 12:54:13

I have a WM PFD with harness. I was surprised how much heavier the harness made the PFD. I'd suggest trying on a few different types. Some are wider at the neck and might be more comfortable than the WM. I have a double 6' tether that I've never used. As for the jackline, remember that their purpose is to prevent you from going over so, they need to be placed accordingly. A jackline along the leeward edge of the boat would probably be worse than none at all as you get dragged behind the boat as she sails off on her autopilot course.

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redviking
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 13:01:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by John Russell
 I have a WM PFD with harness. I was surprised how much heavier the harness made the PFD. I'd suggest trying on a few different types. Some are wider at the neck and might be more comfortable than the WM. I have a double 6' tether that I've never used. As for the jackline, remember that their purpose is to prevent you from going over so, they need to be placed accordingly. A jackline along the leeward edge of the boat would probably be worse than none at all as you get dragged behind the boat as she sails off on her autopilot course.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yeppers, the harness part does make it heavier. And you are correct about the jackline. Which is why I now run two. However, if you only had one you could change course such that you are going up front on the high side. Or, if all lines are led aft, you have no reason to go forward at all. Or, if you don't but have an AP, you could set the AP straight into the wind, clip on and lower the main.

Sten

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 13:14:55

Do they make harnesses that you could wear under my current auto-inflate PFD? It seems wasteful to buy a big, bulky PFD that I may wear only occasionally. I'd rather just have the harness availble, and if I see weather coming, take off the PFD briefly, and put on the harness, then my normal PFD over that.

I do have all my lines going back to the cockpit, but want to prepare for if the furler jams, or the main refuses to come down. None of this has happened to me before, but there's always a first time. And as you know, when things go wrong it's usually at the worst time.

Edited by - TakeFive on 01/24/2013 14:10:01

redviking
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 14:04:01

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 Do they make harnesses that you could wear under my current auto-inflate PFD? It seems wasteful to buy a big, bulky PFD that I may wear only occasionally. I'd rather just have the harness availble, and if I see weather coming, take off the PFD briefly, and put on the harness, then my normal PFD over that.

I do have all my lines going forward, but want to prepare for if the furler jams, or the main refuses to come down. None of this has happened to me before, but there's always a first time. And as you know, when things go wrong it's usually at the worst time.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Yes, you can buy just a regular harness. Make sure it works with your Pfd on... Also, you will need a tether...

I like the way you think. My med kit rivals a third world ER. Sutures, lidocaine and enough meds to keep a junkie high for a month. Why? 'Cuz if I have it, I most likely won't need it.

Sten

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John Russell
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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 14:10:11

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmcsr0wt4wk"]If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there.[/url]

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 14:11:24

[url="http://www.solosailors.org/pdfs/chicago_ss_13.pdf"]The Great Lakes Singlehanded Society's Shorthanded Sailing Seminars[/url]

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awetmore
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1144 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 17:52:18

Last year I was faced with the same problem. My wife was also uncomfortable with me single handing (I wasn't uncomfortable with it, but prefer company).

I asked my sailing friends and had two different people say yes, they'd be interested in sailing with me for a few days until my wife could meet us. I could only take one, but the C-25 (I don't know the C-250) is comfortable for two friends with one sleeping in the vee berth and one in the quarterberth.

Having a friend also with me also made life easier for my wife. She drove my car up to the crew exchange place and he drove my car back to Seattle.

My kayak instructor (Bob at Rogue Wave Adventures) has the more comprehensive ditch bag that I've seen. On his PFD in a backpack he has a drybag with a second radio (there is already a radio on the front of his PFD), signal devices (flares and mirror) and a basic first aid kit. This stuff isn't light, but it's a lot of safety value in a fairly small package. Kayaks are hard on waterproof radios (they are always getting salt water on them) so he's always carrying spares.

One of my most skilled sailing friends single hands all the time without an autopilot (he also doesn't have a motor on a boat twice the weight of the C-25). A well balanced boat that hove's to nicely makes the autopilot unnecessary. I never got our C-25 or Pearson to be as well balanced as his Yankee 30, but I believe that it should be possible. I have a lot more gear than he does (GPS, autopilot, depth finder, etc), but whenever I'm thinking about buying something else I remember how much he does with how little gear.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 18:11:37

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by shnool
 I have to say you guys with your 250s, they sure are a nicely laid out boat. If I were all cruiser, I'd be all over a 250.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I think it's a great little boat for short cruises. The open, no-bulkhead design leaves lots of flexibility to use spaces for sleeping or storage. The forward A-berth eliminates any height restrictions from the sleeping accommodations. The aft berth is effectively a queen size. I've slept in both, and either is comfortable. The wing keel version has about 5'8" headroom (I haven't actually measured it), so we can stand up with our heads tilted. While I think the C25's horizontal poptop is a little nicer since you can sail with it up (in mild conditions), the C250's tilting pop top does provide full headroom when standing in the galley.

The table mod that I did last year was a huge improvement in access to forward storage, as well as providing much more room for sleeping in the A-berth:

<center>

</center>

When I first bought the boat I was hedging on daysailing vs. cruising, and time restrictions prevented us from cruising much. But last year was a turning point, and now that our kids are driving, some more overnights are a lot more feasible.

Back to my original topic, are there specific brands or models of harness and tether that I should consider? Aside from assuring that it's compatible with my inflatable PFD (which I assume has a lot to the location of the D-rings), what are the design considerations I should look for?

Edited by - TakeFive on 01/24/2013 18:48:17

Stinkpotter
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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 19:53:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 ...are there specific brands or models of harness and tether that I should consider? Aside from assuring that it's compatible with my inflatable PFD (which I assume has a lot to the location of the D-rings), what are the design considerations I should look for?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I'd probably choose a combo PFD/harness, such as a Mustang, so I'd have some assurance the two functions are compatible, and to keep things simple.

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 01/24/2013 20:12:19

GaryB
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Response Posted - 01/24/2013 : 20:10:19

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Stinkpotter
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by TakeFive
 ...are there specific brands or models of harness and tether that I should consider? Aside from assuring that it's compatible with my inflatable PFD (which I assume has a lot to the location of the D-rings), what are the design considerations I should look for?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I'd probably choose a combo PFD/harness, such as a Mustang, so I have some assurance the two functions are compatible, and to keep things simple.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Here's what I have except mine is red. The harness is built in and it auto-inflates in case I get knocked out.

[url="http://www.mustangsurvival.com/recreational/md3084?division=recreation&country=25"]Mustang 3084[/url]

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
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Response Posted - 01/25/2013 : 08:36:50

Call me crazy, but I find it easier to singlehand my boat than it is to sail with crew. For the most part, even when I have crew aboard I'm still singlehanding, its just that now I have to work around a more crowded cockpit and I have to sail to the comfort level of the least experienced person on board. Even when coming in to the slip I politely decline assistance as it just puts a chink in my solo, rather effortless routine. Additionally, when alone, I'm only responsible for myself, but if there are three or four others along for the ride, as captain, my responsibilities increase considerably.

On the return leg of our last cruise, the weather was not the best so arrangements were made for my wife, kids, and a niece to get back home via a land route while I singlehanded the boat back to our home port. It was no big deal for me, and I actually quite enjoyed it despite the weather, but if the family were along it would have been rather nightmarish.

Edited by - dlucier on 01/25/2013 09:11:17

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 01/25/2013 : 10:41:57

From Rick's pic in the original posting, I have to agree with shnool. I would suggest, however, storing the inflatable topsides to open up the cabin and encourage the skipper to pay more attention to the shoreline visible through the starboard portlight.

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Nautiduck
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Response Posted - 01/26/2013 : 13:09:12

We don't use jacklines, we use Wichard folding padeyes as the tethering point. We have two in the cockpit, one on each coaming, and that affords the crew to get anywhere in the cockpit using a 6' tether.

For going to the foredeck we attach a tether to the base of the mast. If you need to go forward you grab that tether - while still attached to your cockpit tether - and attach your harness to it. Then you unattach your cockpit tether and go forward.

In the photo the port padeye is folded down and is just aft of the pumpout fixture.

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 15:50:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by glivs
 From Rick's pic in the original posting, I have to agree with shnool. I would suggest, however, storing the inflatable topsides to open up the cabin and encourage the skipper to pay more attention to the shoreline visible through the starboard portlight.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
lol, I got your joke. But I'm not sure how accessible the inflatable would be up on my house's roof.

I'm thinking through all of your suggestions, so keep them coming.

I'll probably end up getting the Mustang MD3184, and am monitoring for any price dips on Amazon. However, I will probably wait to buy until I'm sure I won't have crew joining me. The first cruise is not until May, so I have plenty of time.

As for the handheld VHF, since I am going to be well inland where there's cell reception, I will probably just buy the nicest waterproof case I can for my cell phone, and wear it around my neck with a lanyard. (I recall a story of a well known female singlehander who fell overboard a year of two ago, who summoned a successful rescue by calling her mother using her cell phone.) A handheld VHF is big and bulky enough that I might not keep it attached to me at all times, since many C250 owners know how tight it is to squeeze between the wheel and the split backstays. I'll be watching other threads for suggestions of the best waterproof cases or pouches that will fit my Nexus4 phone.

Since overnight anchoring is becoming a greater possibility than before, I'll probably order an LED anchor light and also replace the crazed masthead anchor filter with a new one.

You guys can see my inflatable rowing dinghy in the pic I posted. I was actually doing a leak test in my living room when my wife snapped that picture. I have never used this dinghy before - I just take it along in the carrying case in case I need it. But I might consider inflating it and towing it behind my boat on a cruise. Is there a real risk of it flipping over? It doesn't seem to be as bottom-heavy as a hard-bottom RIB. However, its bow and stern are both elevated somewhat, so I assume that would help its seaworthiness somewhat. What do you think?

Edited by - TakeFive on 01/27/2013 15:52:38

redviking
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Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 17:26:01

No offence intended, but towing that thing would be like towing a balloon...

Sten

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TakeFive
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Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 17:50:11

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by redviking
 No offence intended, but towing that thing would be like towing a balloon...

Sten
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
No offense taken. You're addressing one of my main concerns with this. What is the minimum weight that you think would be stable towing?

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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Response Posted - 01/27/2013 : 18:49:42

In putting together your wish list of items, don't forget Defender's warehouse sale is coming up - mid-March??? Anyone know a more accurate time?

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