Dan Best wrote:

The windvanes are great for long passages, but since you've got a
tiller, if I were you, I get myself a tiller pilot.

I should have said that I get the tiller pilot also. I'm afraid that I
didn't make that clear in my earlier post and it could have been
construed to be that I was recommending against the windvane. I am not.
I would strongly recommend that you have BOTH a tiller pilot and a
windvane. Not only does the tiller pilot make it easier to go forward
when single handing, but when the wind dies and you choose to motor, the
windvane is of no use, so if unless you want to hand steer, you'll need
the TP.

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear the first time

Check http://www.thesailingchannel.com/uss...rn_ussbs05.htm

"Dan Best" wrote in message
...
Dan Best wrote:

The windvanes are great for long passages, but since you've got a tiller,
if I were you, I get myself a tiller pilot.

I should have said that I get the tiller pilot also. I'm afraid that I
didn't make that clear in my earlier post and it could have been construed
to be that I was recommending against the windvane. I am not. I would
strongly recommend that you have BOTH a tiller pilot and a windvane. Not
only does the tiller pilot make it easier to go forward when single
handing, but when the wind dies and you choose to motor, the windvane is
of no use, so if unless you want to hand steer, you'll need the TP.

Sorry if I didn't make myself clear the first time

On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 11:54:14 -0800, Dan Best
wrote:

I would strongly recommend that you have BOTH a tiller pilot and a
windvane.

That's a good plan for serious cruising.

Power is not an issue because typically the engine will be running in
the conditions where the tiller pilot is most useful.

NE Sailboat wrote:
Tom ,, after all the posts here and the usual fun arguing ( Roger and Me )
,, I got to working on my single hand sailing whatevers.

So far .. get some lines with set up for docking by myself. And I am
searching for some method of self steering. I've looked at all the usual
suspects. Monitor, Aries, etc. I also ordered and read John Lechers book
about the subject. The sheet to tiller setup. I did this last summer a
little but I will give it another go this summer.

The windvane system is more tricky. For a boat my size, 32', weight becomes
an issue. I don't want to have hundreds of LBS sitting on my stern. Heck,
my stern isn't that big.

Since I have a tiller .. that is a good thing ...... I can set up a very
simple system with a pendulum. Run lines through blocks to the tiller.

The question becomes ???????? what system.

Working on that one.

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

ps.. I won't use an electric self steerer. Don't have the power and I hate
the whole thought of them. Gotta go narural.

--
"Tom Lightbody" wrote in message
...
JohnM wrote:

...single handed cruising...
look first to your self-steering device
the boat should be pointed at both ends
then look at your strength: no sail bigger than
500ft^2 (uffa fox)

tom



Keep us informed.
G

A pair of bungees will hold the tiller near center. A long light line
tied to the tiller, led around the gunnels to the forepeak via blocks
and back again, tied to the other side of the tiller, will give you a
very handy monkey to keep the tiller more or less centre or enable a
correction from anywhere on the boat. Going forward, you can pull the
line along the gunnel fore and aft to pull the tiller one way or the
other. So, you can steer from the foredeck, standing on the tiller line
while you work if needs must. Could also work for a wheel.

I saw this first in a rented motor launch in 1956 in Horseshoe bay. I
was a boy.

A similar setup could handle the gearshift, no?

At sea, you would do best by also having Annie Lectric helm, if only
for dire straights when you really want a backup.

My short bilge keel setup seems to have a mind of it's own, the rudder
is overbalanced in all conditions, she veers as soon as you let go.

Perhaps I should shave the leading edge of the rudder, or stick on a
tail?

Terry K

In article . com,
"Terry K" wrote:

My short bilge keel setup seems to have a mind of it's own, the rudder
is overbalanced in all conditions, she veers as soon as you let go.

Perhaps I should shave the leading edge of the rudder, or stick on a
tail?

That would make it worse. Our original rudder was *very* heavy and gave
me a good work out in even moderate conditions. I built a new thinner
one, with the leading edge about 20% ahead of the pintles and now have a
very light helm.

Re-reading: If she veers when you're close hauled, you probably have
the main sheeted in too hard. Ease out until the efforts are balanced
out. Even our Xan, who has basically zero directional stability, will
hold close hauled on her own for a while.

--
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/

John,

I just got back from a few days of singlehanded deer hunting. I look
forward to reading this thread. Being quick to jump in I'm going to
answer without waiting to see what others have said.

I started sailing a couple of years ago. I bought a Murray 33. It is a
steel sloop designed by Ted Brewer. They are reasonably priced and
there are two on the market right now. Do an advanced search on
Yachtworld.com for hull=steel, length=33 to 33 feet, anywhere, anytime.

Ted Brewer recommends the cutter rig for blue water. Design particulars
are on Tedbrewer.com.

I have 1,200 miles singlehanded with her by now. Southwest Nova Scotia
to Newfoundland and back to Sydney. Not an ocean crossing but several
overnights and enough weather to make me take the question seriously.
If I can do it, with my very limited experience, then the boat is OK.

My recommendation is based not upon my experience but the previous
owners. Without going into detail, he was recently rescued from a much
larger fiberglass yacht that was "breaking up", mid-Atlantic. His words
to me were that he really wished that he was on his old boat (mine) as
he could trust her and knew her strength.

The basic hull and design are fine. The outfit needs to be checked as
on any boat. Ted Brewer recommends the cutter rig for blue water.
Design particulars are on Tedbrewer.com but he omits the cutter rig
which was a later modification.

Howard


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.

John,

Having read the posts to your question I offer you this advice.

Read "Singlehanded Sailing" by Richard Henderson. It is an interesting
book that covers many aspects of singlehanded sailing including the
psychological motivations. The anecdotal stories themselves are worth
the effort.

He describes many solo boats, and some of their short comings.

He also describes what, in his opinion, makes an ideal blue water
singlehanded boat. In short (all approximations):
35 feet LOA
28 feet LWL
Bean 9.5
Displacement - 17,000 lbs
Draft 5.7
Cutter rig
Full keel
Vane steering

You will find that the Murray 33, a steel boat, comes very close to this
description. A fact I happily discovered AFTER purchasing the boat. I
got lucky.

There are other steel boats of similar description, the Ganleys come to
mind.


Howard wrote:
John,

I just got back from a few days of singlehanded deer hunting. I look
forward to reading this thread. Being quick to jump in I'm going to
answer without waiting to see what others have said.

I started sailing a couple of years ago. I bought a Murray 33. It is a
steel sloop designed by Ted Brewer. They are reasonably priced and
there are two on the market right now. Do an advanced search on
Yachtworld.com for hull=steel, length=33 to 33 feet, anywhere, anytime.

Ted Brewer recommends the cutter rig for blue water. Design particulars
are on Tedbrewer.com.

I have 1,200 miles singlehanded with her by now. Southwest Nova Scotia
to Newfoundland and back to Sydney. Not an ocean crossing but several
overnights and enough weather to make me take the question seriously. If
I can do it, with my very limited experience, then the boat is OK.

My recommendation is based not upon my experience but the previous
owners. Without going into detail, he was recently rescued from a much
larger fiberglass yacht that was "breaking up", mid-Atlantic. His words
to me were that he really wished that he was on his old boat (mine) as
he could trust her and knew her strength.

The basic hull and design are fine. The outfit needs to be checked as
on any boat. Ted Brewer recommends the cutter rig for blue water. Design
particulars are on Tedbrewer.com but he omits the cutter rig which was a
later modification.

Howard


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.