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First solo

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/23/2005 : 22:19:54

I took Swimmer out tonight for the first time single handed. Had a little trouble doing my tacks gracefully, but got her up to 4.5 knots in 7 to 10 winds. Still a bit puzzled by the downwind lack of speed, but I imagine I simply don't comprehend all the trim I should be doing. Felt amazing to be able to sail her by myself. For a first time, I think I did pretty good even if I do say so myself. I'd still be out there if it hadn't gotten dark! Got to watch the J80 fleet do their Thursday night race while I was out there. What a blast this is! I should've done this many years ago.

Rick

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2005 : 22:30:29

"...still a bit puzzled by the downwind lack of speed..."

That's what those big spinnakers are all about.

Edited by - on

Don B
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2005 : 22:57:25

Way to go Swimmer! It's only been a few months since I purchased the Mighty M (my first sailboat) and clearly remember how scary it was single handing and leaving the marina for the first time...but I did make it back that day. Rest assured, each time you take her out on your own, your confidence will grow. You eventually might even find that passengers, sometimes, have a tendency to intrude on your sailing experience.
Fair winds to you.

Edited by - Don B on 06/24/2005 06:49:45

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 06/23/2005 : 23:10:29

Night sailing is very important, go out with someone else to discuss signals and visible landmarks and then get back out there and stay till 2:00 AM. Your friends will really like night sailing too, it is cooler.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 06/24/2005 : 17:22:22

Heres how I tack single handed as fast or faster than crewed boats (without autopilot).

Have lazy sheet around winch, 1 wrap only. Move traveller to destination position. Remove winch handle and stow.

Tack boat through about 120 degrees (this is down from where you want to be). Do this with one hand. Release jib sheet from self tacker and take a couple of wraps off the winch with the other.

Let jib back until boom crosses, hold onto jib sheet (now becoming lazy sheet), keep the jib under control, don't let the backed jib blow the boat all the way around downwind (this is an art). If you get blow around too much simply release lazy sheet.

Take 2 winch wraps and pull in new sheet as fast as possible. I can do this in milliseconds. Sit on the weather rail with your feet against the lee cockpit seat edge. If you sheet FAST in while the bow is passing through the eye of the wind you'll never need the winch handles nor brute strength - its a matter of timing.

Boat was turned down to far and with the tiller let alone is naturally rounding up into the wind as you sheet in. Cool - thats exactly what you want. Over tack, never under or you end up in irons or just lost all your speed.

Grab tiller and kick it back downwind a little if it has come up too much or too soon. Sometimes I hold tiller with the small of my back.

Sheet in until sail is about a foot off the spreaders. If you've timed it right you'll now have come up to about 100 degrees from your previous heading.

Winch in and harden up course to the 90 degree from previous heading if necessary - my hands are tough, unless the wind is in the 20s I can pull in the final sheet adjustments by hand.

Hike out and steer to the telltales until the next tack. I love my tiller extender when single handed. I like to sit on the combing forward of the jib winch - you can see the sea and the telltales real well.

In light air I always sit on the lee side and try to see under the jib. Try to keep the boat at about 15 - 20 degrees of heel.

It takes about 10 or more tacks to get out of Mission Bay. I do this nearly every night. There is no crewed boat that can tack out of MB faster than me. Since January 1, 2005 I figure I've got 1000 practice tacks in just in the MB channel.

If its really windy, one key idea is to crouch in between the cockpit seats, never put too much weight on the lee rail.

Always move the traveller FIRST before beginning any tack.

Downwind solo gybing I always just sheet in the main first, gybe the boat, pull the jib across, trim jib, let the main out, trim main.

Try this - go solo sailing, do 50 tacks and 50 gybes just to practice. Then throw in 50 spinnaker sets. This is what Buddy Melges does to warm up before practice.

Edited by - on

seastream
Navigator

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USA
242 Posts

Response Posted - 06/25/2005 : 22:07:21

Good for you, Rick! I've meant to write earlier but have been busy the few weekends available trying to get used to being on a mooring rather than a slip and learning about the currents and tides that didn't exist on the lake! We've already had some wicked learning experiences. One: Approaching landings is best done against the current (braking force is free then) rather than with the current (can't stop if you don't snag the cleats first try!) Two: You can't 'push' a mooring bouy out of the way all the time! Sometimes it'll come around your stern and smack your outboard halfway off its' mount (lucky it didn't fall off!). Our first view of the ocean was marvelous, but came with the knowledge that we have to be more cognizant of our surroundings (currents, tides, winds, lobster pots (in the river)) and arrival/departure times than before. Three: While I'm competent and safe around boats, I can still learn much.

Bob

Edited by - on

pjeffarch
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2005 : 00:47:48

Our lake is long and narrow, so we're tacking constantly. I'm not crazy about it, for I worry about all of the wear and tear on my headsails as well as my jib sheets! But the practice has been helpful - I too know I can tack without crew much more efficiently!

Edited by - on

John P
Captain

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USA
324 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2005 : 07:31:12

I always used to sail my dad's '57 E-scow singlehanded and that had a monster main and a good sized jib. This old boat had the single winch for the jib sheet. I would just make a real conscious effort to keep teh jib sheets clear. That boat you worried less about the sheets and more about raising and lowering the boards, as it had a board on each side of the boat and you could really only raise and lower as the boat was coming across the apex of your tack/jibe. I am looking forward to soloing the 25 soon.

Edited by - on

dhunt
1st Mate

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USA
83 Posts

Response Posted - 06/27/2005 : 08:39:36

I'm sure you are measuring downwind speed with some kind of device, GPS or knot meter . . . that said -

Downwind without a lot of canvas is tame without large headsails. When I'm introducing someone to sailing and the wind is light to moderate, I'll sail to windward to give them a thrill or two. When I turn toward home, it's time for drinks and conversation. The relative wind on a beat is a vector of true and apparent wind . . . downwind, it's the true wind minus boat speed. The relative calm is a big part of the reason that downwind is the most dangerous point of sail.

Edited by - on

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