I have a National Solo...

http://www.solosailing.org.uk/index.asp

Which just has a main.... it's very easy to sail.... and 12 feet....

If you want I good safe small boat.....I would suggest a Norca 14 which has
a full keel..... (I think it's a Norca....)
There is one my basin.....it's very easy to sail ......
The guy that bought it never sailed before...in fact I had to show how to
rig the boat.... Now he is out every second night....

Beauty of a keel is that you don't have to worry about the boat capsizing.

Giving you more time to work the sails.....

Tomek


"Richard Randall" wrote in message
om...
Yeah. Keeping the lines clean is a full time job when I'm alone.
It's a nightmare when you're about to go over, reach for the sheet to
blow the jib, and find a bird's nest of lines. Not much spare time to
sort things out.

-r



DSK wrote in message
...
Richard Randall wrote:
Can I add ballast to my 470 so I can singlehand it more easily?

You can definitely add ballast, I dunno how effective it will be at
making it easier to singlehand. The most effect it would probably have
would be to make it a lot slower, harder to launch & retrieve,
overstress the CB pivot & trunk, and *might* make it slower to turtle
once you've capsized.

In short, as an old 470 sailor, I think it's a bad idea.

... If
so, what would be the best way to do it?

If turtling is the problem, the best answer is to tie a gallon jug to
the mainsail headboard. If you sail in rough water, either tie two, or
else get a small laundry bag and put a beach ball in it, and fasten that
there. The added buoyancy at the mast tip will keep the boat from
turtling and you can right it at leisure.

The biggest problem singlehanding a 470 that I can see is keeping all
the control lines from getting hopelessly tangled. The boat is the
original "spaghetti factory."

Fresh Breezes- Doug King