NE Sailboat wrote:
....
I sail single handed ,,,,,,,,, it is really really hard.
....

Really, really? I kept and single handed a CAL 36 in Hawaii for years
and even though the conditions here are often challenging I never felt
that single handing it was "really really hard". I think getting on
and off the dock is the hardest part of single handing. On auxiliary
boats I find that a carefully placed nylon spring line is very helpful.
Done right the boat can be made to hold itself to the dock with just
the one line and a bit of power and rudder. On exit a boat that seers
poorly in reverse can be controlled somewhat while the spring is on and
on docking only one line needs to be made fast and the boat brings
itself onto the dock (use a stretchy line). I recommend that early
docking efforts be made during working hours to cut down on the
audience. Otherwise, just relax and have fun, sailing alone can be
wonderful.

-- Tom.

Roger ,, I don't think the poster is talking about a day sail. I also
disagree completely with your opinion. Single hand sailing is hard work,
dangerous, lonely, etc. Just leaving whatever mooring, dock you might be
attached to is tough. Unless you have more than two arms?

Then, once released, the project of putting up the main, getting everything
together ,, et all.

And the big issue is the helm! Unless you are the first person on earth who
can be in two places at once. Someone, must steer.

I get very frustrated. One minute I'm pulling on a sheet, next I'm back
resetting the helm

After everything is done, and a course is set, with a steady wind, then
things aren't so bad. But :::: the helm! That rotten helm.

If my boat had a windvane, and the windvane worked, then I suppose I would
be able to take a rest.

At the end of the day .... the docking, mooring. I hate this. I end up
anchoring out most of the time because there is no one to help with dock
lines, etc.

The one area I agree with you on is the self confidence factor. There is a
certain feeling of "I can do it" when you are the only one doing it.

Also,, when I screw up ............. there isn't someone sitting in the
cockpit screaming at me.

I also end up preparing for most trips ahead ... Always knowing I need
more room because I am the only one on board.

I'd rather have a crewmate. Someone to help out.

=====================================
"Roger Long" wrote in message
...
NE Sailboat wrote:

I sail single handed ,,,,,,,,, it is really really hard.

Really? I find single handing my boat of the same size actually easier,
despite "Strider" being much quicker turning on the helm than your Bristol
32. I don't have to explain things, there's no one in the way when I need
to reach a sheet quickly, nobody ever says, "What?" with that deer in the
headlights look when something needs to be done quickly. It's very
relaxing but I do get bored with the conversation in moderate weather.

Single handing in strong winds is very rewarding. There's enough
excitement that I don't miss the conversation and it's excellent practice
and confidence building for the times you are responsible for other
people. Figuring out how to handle jib sheets and a boat without self
tailing winches and with a helm you can only let go of for seconds is
great mental exercise.

Having a good trained crew than can do everything is easiest, of course.
Being away from the sailing world for several years, I don't know a lot of
people like that and I tend also to take non-sailors because I enjoy
introducing people to the experience. My new crew was getting quite
competent towards the last couple days of the cruise this summer and it
was very enjoyable to just sit there and watch an eager and energetic
person "do this - do that". We're planning a lot more sailing next summer
and I don't think single handing will ever have quite the appeal it did
before.

--
Roger Long

"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:gXneh.61$Li6.56@trndny03...
Roger ,, I don't think the poster is talking about a day sail. I also
disagree completely with your opinion. Single hand sailing is hard work,
dangerous, lonely, etc. Just leaving whatever mooring, dock you might be
attached to is tough. Unless you have more than two arms?

I think you're right that leaving and returning are the hardest... that's
very much dependent on the conditions and also the size of the boat (bigger
typically is harder).

I disagree that it's that much harder, especially when you're relieved of
the people underfoot when trying to do something. It's certainly not lonely.
It can be dangerous, but that's dependent upon how you treat it.

Then, once released, the project of putting up the main, getting
everything together ,, et all.

Ummm... autohelm?

And the big issue is the helm! Unless you are the first person on earth
who can be in two places at once. Someone, must steer.

I get very frustrated. One minute I'm pulling on a sheet, next I'm back
resetting the helm

Invest in an autohelm. I have a remote for mine. I can be on the bow and
drive.

After everything is done, and a course is set, with a steady wind, then
things aren't so bad. But :::: the helm! That rotten helm.

If my boat had a windvane, and the windvane worked, then I suppose I would
be able to take a rest.

At the end of the day .... the docking, mooring. I hate this. I end up
anchoring out most of the time because there is no one to help with dock
lines, etc.

Takes practice/is never perfect/is highly dependent on adverse conditions.

The one area I agree with you on is the self confidence factor. There is
a certain feeling of "I can do it" when you are the only one doing it.

Also,, when I screw up ............. there isn't someone sitting in the
cockpit screaming at me.

I also end up preparing for most trips ahead ... Always knowing I need
more room because I am the only one on board.

I'd rather have a crewmate. Someone to help out.

I'd rather have a competent crewmate. Incompetents make things worse than
single handing.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

NE Sailboat wrote:
Just leaving whatever mooring, dock you might be
attached to is tough.

This varies greatly depending on a number of factors (boat, dock
configuration, wind, current, etc.). I used to singlehand my last boat
with no trouble at all (a Catalina 30).

And the big issue is the helm! Unless you are the first person on earth who
can be in two places at once. Someone, must steer.

An autopilot makes this easy. If you have a tiller, they can be had for
only a few hundred $$. Wheel pilots are more expensive.

If my boat had a windvane, and the windvane worked, then I suppose I would
be able to take a rest.

Wind vanes are great for thelong haul, but for jsut putting up the
sails, etc. an autopilot works much better.

Some of the older single handle great sailor like Moitessier, Hasler, James
and many others appear to have made good with average size sailboat.
Moitessier suggested that the ideal length for around the world voyaging is
around 32 to 34 feet.
He claims that it has better control in heavy weather sailing.
Although these suggestions were made with the traditional sailboat design
from 1960 to 1980 it gives me food for though.
I got involved in 40 foot waves with a 27 feet sailboat. One of the raison
I think I made it is because the boat and I were like a single cork going up
and down the waves. I do not know if I would have been able to make it with
a boat in the 40 foot range?

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:gXneh.61$Li6.56@trndny03...
Roger ,, I don't think the poster is talking about a day sail. I also
disagree completely with your opinion. Single hand sailing is hard work,
dangerous, lonely, etc. Just leaving whatever mooring, dock you might be
attached to is tough. Unless you have more than two arms?

I think you're right that leaving and returning are the hardest... that's
very much dependent on the conditions and also the size of the boat
(bigger typically is harder).

I disagree that it's that much harder, especially when you're relieved of
the people underfoot when trying to do something. It's certainly not
lonely. It can be dangerous, but that's dependent upon how you treat it.

Then, once released, the project of putting up the main, getting
everything together ,, et all.

Ummm... autohelm?

And the big issue is the helm! Unless you are the first person on earth
who can be in two places at once. Someone, must steer.

I get very frustrated. One minute I'm pulling on a sheet, next I'm back
resetting the helm

Invest in an autohelm. I have a remote for mine. I can be on the bow and
drive.

After everything is done, and a course is set, with a steady wind, then
things aren't so bad. But :::: the helm! That rotten helm.

If my boat had a windvane, and the windvane worked, then I suppose I
would be able to take a rest.

At the end of the day .... the docking, mooring. I hate this. I end up
anchoring out most of the time because there is no one to help with dock
lines, etc.

Takes practice/is never perfect/is highly dependent on adverse conditions.

The one area I agree with you on is the self confidence factor. There is
a certain feeling of "I can do it" when you are the only one doing it.

Also,, when I screw up ............. there isn't someone sitting in the
cockpit screaming at me.

I also end up preparing for most trips ahead ... Always knowing I need
more room because I am the only one on board.

I'd rather have a crewmate. Someone to help out.

I'd rather have a competent crewmate. Incompetents make things worse than
single handing.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"I got involved in 40 foot waves with a 27 feet sailboat. ..."

I don't believe this for one moment. 40' waves? And you were in a 27'
boat?

Total nonsense.

================================================== =========

If you are to post, at least post something rational

================================================== ====



wrote in message
...
Some of the older single handle great sailor like Moitessier, Hasler,
James and many others appear to have made good with average size sailboat.
Moitessier suggested that the ideal length for around the world voyaging
is around 32 to 34 feet.
He claims that it has better control in heavy weather sailing.
Although these suggestions were made with the traditional sailboat design
from 1960 to 1980 it gives me food for though.
I got involved in 40 foot waves with a 27 feet sailboat. One of the
raison I think I made it is because the boat and I were like a single cork
going up and down the waves. I do not know if I would have been able to
make it with a boat in the 40 foot range?

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:gXneh.61$Li6.56@trndny03...
Roger ,, I don't think the poster is talking about a day sail. I also
disagree completely with your opinion. Single hand sailing is hard
work, dangerous, lonely, etc. Just leaving whatever mooring, dock you
might be attached to is tough. Unless you have more than two arms?

I think you're right that leaving and returning are the hardest... that's
very much dependent on the conditions and also the size of the boat
(bigger typically is harder).

I disagree that it's that much harder, especially when you're relieved of
the people underfoot when trying to do something. It's certainly not
lonely. It can be dangerous, but that's dependent upon how you treat it.

Then, once released, the project of putting up the main, getting
everything together ,, et all.

Ummm... autohelm?

And the big issue is the helm! Unless you are the first person on earth
who can be in two places at once. Someone, must steer.

I get very frustrated. One minute I'm pulling on a sheet, next I'm back
resetting the helm

Invest in an autohelm. I have a remote for mine. I can be on the bow and
drive.

After everything is done, and a course is set, with a steady wind, then
things aren't so bad. But :::: the helm! That rotten helm.

If my boat had a windvane, and the windvane worked, then I suppose I
would be able to take a rest.

At the end of the day .... the docking, mooring. I hate this. I end
up anchoring out most of the time because there is no one to help with
dock lines, etc.

Takes practice/is never perfect/is highly dependent on adverse
conditions.

The one area I agree with you on is the self confidence factor. There
is a certain feeling of "I can do it" when you are the only one doing
it.

Also,, when I screw up ............. there isn't someone sitting in the
cockpit screaming at me.

I also end up preparing for most trips ahead ... Always knowing I need
more room because I am the only one on board.

I'd rather have a crewmate. Someone to help out.

I'd rather have a competent crewmate. Incompetents make things worse than
single handing.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

wrote in message
...
Some of the older single handle great sailor like Moitessier, Hasler,
James and many others appear to have made good with average size sailboat.
Moitessier suggested that the ideal length for around the world voyaging
is around 32 to 34 feet.
He claims that it has better control in heavy weather sailing.
Although these suggestions were made with the traditional sailboat design
from 1960 to 1980 it gives me food for though.
I got involved in 40 foot waves with a 27 feet sailboat. One of the
raison I think I made it is because the boat and I were like a single cork
going up and down the waves. I do not know if I would have been able to
make it with a boat in the 40 foot range?

"Capt. JG" wrote in message
...
"NE Sailboat" wrote in message
news:gXneh.61$Li6.56@trndny03...
Roger ,, I don't think the poster is talking about a day sail. I also
disagree completely with your opinion. Single hand sailing is hard
work, dangerous, lonely, etc. Just leaving whatever mooring, dock you
might be attached to is tough. Unless you have more than two arms?

I think you're right that leaving and returning are the hardest... that's
very much dependent on the conditions and also the size of the boat
(bigger typically is harder).

I disagree that it's that much harder, especially when you're relieved of
the people underfoot when trying to do something. It's certainly not
lonely. It can be dangerous, but that's dependent upon how you treat it.

Then, once released, the project of putting up the main, getting
everything together ,, et all.

Ummm... autohelm?

And the big issue is the helm! Unless you are the first person on earth
who can be in two places at once. Someone, must steer.

I get very frustrated. One minute I'm pulling on a sheet, next I'm back
resetting the helm

Invest in an autohelm. I have a remote for mine. I can be on the bow and
drive.

After everything is done, and a course is set, with a steady wind, then
things aren't so bad. But :::: the helm! That rotten helm.

If my boat had a windvane, and the windvane worked, then I suppose I
would be able to take a rest.

At the end of the day .... the docking, mooring. I hate this. I end
up anchoring out most of the time because there is no one to help with
dock lines, etc.

Takes practice/is never perfect/is highly dependent on adverse
conditions.

The one area I agree with you on is the self confidence factor. There
is a certain feeling of "I can do it" when you are the only one doing
it.

Also,, when I screw up ............. there isn't someone sitting in the
cockpit screaming at me.

I also end up preparing for most trips ahead ... Always knowing I need
more room because I am the only one on board.

I'd rather have a crewmate. Someone to help out.

I'd rather have a competent crewmate. Incompetents make things worse than
single handing.



I think single handing is reasonable (especially docking) up to around 40
feet. After that, it becomes more hassle than fun. At least that's my
experience. The biggest boat I've ever single-handed was a Bene 39. Docking
was a major deal, but doable. Now, I have a 30 foot Sabre... much, much
easier.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

In article ,
"JohnM" wrote:

I'm looking for a suitable boat for single handed cruising the Bahamas for a
year then up the East coast and eventually across to the Mediteranian. I
realize many sailors single hand with guests or spouses aboard but I will
have more than myself aboard only on rare occasions, and perhaps in port. I
was thinking of Beneteau 35 or similar. Would this be enough boat to be safe
and comfortable.Thanks in advance for the help.

Some good points in the thread. One consideration I would have is that
most Beneteaus draw 6', which is a little deep for the Bahamas and
Chesapeake, even parts of the ICW. There an amazing number of fantastic
anchorages that have 5' entrances, and it's certainly nice to be able to
tuck closer to land to get away from the crowds. With our 4'2" draft and
a willingness to plant the keel in the mud at low tide, we get a lot of
privacy, even in the most crowded harbors.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

NE Sailboat wrote:
"I got involved in 40 foot waves with a 27 feet sailboat. ..."

I don't believe this for one moment. 40' waves? And you were in a 27'
boat?

Total nonsense.

================================================== =========

If you are to post, at least post something rational

================================================== ====



Not really. One of the most fun/exciting times sailing was me, my cow
dog, a six pack, and my 15' sprit sail dory.............. oh, and 25'
seas. Okay, we call em swells here. How know 25'? USCG Sea State and in
the bottom it was twice the length of myh unstayed fir mast.

Might want to ask where the guy in the 27' boat does his sailing.

NOw I did not mention other conditions but the 25' seas sure sounds
grande, no?

Start by reading, reading, reading. Old Joshua was pretty experienced
before he headed off.




Captain Joshua Slocum: A Time-line
a.. Born February 20, 1844, in Annapolis County, Nova Scotia, by the Bay
of Fundy.
b.. Ran away at age of 14 to be a cook on a fishing schooner, but returned
home.
c.. Left home for good at 16 (1860) when his mother died, shipped as
ordinary seaman on deep-water sailing ships, merchant vessels to Europe and
the U.S.
d.. Obtained his first command on the California coast in 1869, and sailed
for 13 years out of San Francisco to China, Australia, the Spice Islands,
and Japan.
e.. Married an American girl, Virginia Albertina Walker, on January 31,
1871, at Sydney, Australia.
f.. Built a steamer for a British architect in Subic Bay, P.I., in 1874.
g.. Bought shares in and commanded the three-skysailyard ship Northern
Light in 1882, considered at the time by many to be the finest American ship
afloat.
h.. Sold the Northern Light and bought the bark Aquidneck in 1884. In the
same year, his wife Virginia died (July 25) and was buried in Buenos Aires.
i.. Married Henrietta M. Elliott ("Hettie") in 1886.
j.. Made several voyages on the Aquidneck before she was lost in 1887 on a
sand bank off the coast of Brazil.
k.. The Libergade, a 35-foot sailing canoe, built after the stranding;
Slocum sails with Hettie and his oldest and youngest sons to Washington,
D.C., 5000 miles away.
l.. Voyage of the Liberdade published in 1890 at Slocum's expense.
m.. In 1892, a friend, Captain Eben Pierce, offers Slocum a ship that
"wants some repairs" Slocum goes to Fairhaven, MA to find that the "ship" is
a rotting old oyster sloop propped up in a field. It is the Spray.
n.. Slocum prints Voyage of the Destroyer from New York to Brazil in 1893,
again at his own expense.
o.. Slocum departs from Boston Harbor, MA on his famous circumnavigation
on April 24, 1895, at the age of 51, in the rebuilt 37-foot sloop Spray.
Click for Map of his Journey
p.. Slocum returns, sailing into Newport, RI, on June 27, 1898 in his tiny
sloop Spray and after single-handedly sailing around the world , a passage
of 46,000 miles. This historic achievement made him the patron saint of
small-boat voyagers, navigators and adventurers all over the world.
q.. Sailing Alone Around The World published in book form in 1900 by The
Century Company. It describes his experiences on this adventurous voyage and
became an instant best seller. It has been translated into many languages,
and is still in print today.
r.. Slocum buys first home on land in 1902, a farm on the island of
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.
s.. Slocum sails each winter to the tropics, 1905 - 1906, returning to New
England in the summer.
t.. On November 14th of 1909, at the age of 65, he set out on another lone
voyage to South America leaving from Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard,
but was never heard from again.
================
Here is some more info.

Modern ocean racing has its roots in open ocean sailing. The first person to
complete a solo circumnavigation was Joshua Slocum. Slocum was a retired
Master Mariner, originally from Canada, but subsequently a citizen of the
USA. He sailed in 1895 on a route that took him across the Atlantic, down
South America and through the Strait of Magellan, and then on to Australia,
South Africa and home. He had rebuilt his 35 foot sloop Spray by himself
before he sailed and proved a good and safe sailboat bringing him safely
home in 1898.

Even with the publicity gained by Slocum there was no attempt to repeat his
voyage for more than 20 years and this, again, was also in a boat built by
the sailor. In 1921 Harry Pigeon set off from California in his 35-foot yawl
Islander and completed a fairly uneventful circumnavigation. Alain Gerbault
of France followed in 1924 in his 39-foot cutter Firecrest. The year 1942
would appear an unlikely time to try to circumnavigate the world, but that
was when Vito Dumas set out from his home in Argentina in his ketch Legh II,
making the voyage completely in the Southern Hemisphere.


More than 20 years passed before anyone attempted another solo
circumnavigation. This time it wasn't a cruise like the previous voyages but
an attempt to beat the sailing times of the great Clipper ships. Francis
Chichester set out from England in his 56-foot ketch Gypsy Moth IV taking
107 days to reach Sydney. After a re-fit he continued his voyage, which
totaled 274 days at sea. Even as he returned Alec Rose was setting out in
his 36-footer Lively Lady and completed his circumnavigation, with two
stops, in 11 months.

After Francis Chichester brought Gipsy Moth IV back to Plymouth in 1967, he
challenged all single-handed sailors and adventurers. In his mind a nonstop,
solo circumnavigation was the only voyage left. Although a non-stop voyage
was seemed an impossible achievement, people were soon announcing their
plans to make the attempt.

Chichester's challenge manifested itself in the 1968 Sunday Times Golden
Globe. In January of 1969 Robin Knox-Johnston answered Chischester's call in
his 32-foot ketch Suhaili, after a 9 month beating though the Southern
Ocean. Knox-Johnston proved that what once was though impossible, was indeed
possible and in fact possible with one of the slowest boats to have actually
crossed an ocean.

After the Golden Globe most of the circumnavigators were cruises. In 1970
21-year-old Robin Lee Graham made history by becoming the youngest person to
solo circumnavigate the globe. He completed most of his 5 year journey in
the 22-foot Lapworth sloop Dove. After Graham completed his journey many
people realized that a circumnavigation or even a journey across an ocean
was possible and in fact within reach of people with just a little bit of
sailing experience.

Not much was to happen to ocean sailing until a large man by the name of
David White had an idea while having a drink in a Newport, RI bar. White had
just returned from sailing the Bermuda One Two, a single-handed,
double-handed race from Newport to Bermuda and back. While at sea he had
thought about the idea of a solo race around the world, and that night,
after a few too many beers, he proposed his plan for a new race, which he
called the Around Alone. His idea was met with inebriated enthusiasm. A
course was quickly sketched out on a napkin, plans for a new design were
floated, and a set of rules devised.

After securing sponsorship for the event from the British company BOC, the
inaugural BOC Challenge finally got away at the end of August 1982 with a
fleet of 17 boats setting sail for South Africa, the Southern Ocean and
beyond. They were a rag-tag bunch, but among them one entry stood out, an
unknown Frenchman by the name of Philippe Jeantot. He arrived with a
purpose-built 56-foot sloop named Credit Agricole, and went on to win all
four legs of the race with an overall elapsed time of 159 days, 2 hours, 26
minutes and 1 second.

Around the same time the Vendee Globe got it's start in France. The Vendee
Globe is probably one the hardest races out there right now. It features no
stops and forces the skippers and boats to be tough as nails; pacing
themselves as they journey down the Atlantic, around Antarctica and back up
to the finish line to the Vendee coast in France.

Some aspects of ocean sailing haven't changed since the days of Joshua
Slocum. Other aspects have changed; the boats and gear have taken huge step
forwards since the turn of the 20th century. Slocum's boat Spray was held on
course by tying the helm in place, while Chischester's boat used a
self-steering wind vane to keep his boat sailing as fast as possible.
Bluewater sailboats didn't change much from the days of Chistester until
Jeantot's Credit Agricole. Credit Agricole closely resembled today's Open 60
sailboats.

That pretty much brings us up to speed. Of course I left out a lot of lesser
events, but as this is a brief history I chose only the events that had some
significance to the big picture. Feel free to msg me if I have left any very
important details. Again this is a brief history.

===============



As to draft.... I just looked on the Spray Society of Australia site. The
average draft for Spray look a likes, copies .. is 5'.

These are boat of considerable size... 40' to 50'. .. yet they are very
shoal draft. Something to keep in mind. Big beam, shoal draft.

------------------------------------



I still think you should see if Paris Hilton will come along with you on
your single handed cruise. She and I have broken up. It was the
toothpaste, she was always squeezing the tube from the top.



================================================== ==







"JohnM" wrote in message
...
I'm looking for a suitable boat for single handed cruising the Bahamas for
a
year then up the East coast and eventually across to the Mediteranian. I
realize many sailors single hand with guests or spouses aboard but I will
have more than myself aboard only on rare occasions, and perhaps in port.
I
was thinking of Beneteau 35 or similar. Would this be enough boat to be
safe
and comfortable.Thanks in advance for the help.