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

NE Sailboat wrote:
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.

They are nowhere near that heavy. I don't have the specs here in front
of me, but having lifted our Monitor up over the rail a couple of times,
I'd say that it's gotta be about 50 lbs., possible less. The RVG
windvane we had on our Catalina 30 (no longer made) was about the same
and didn't noticeably affect performance. It just made those long
passages MUCH more enjoyable.

Since I have a tiller...

The windvanes are great for long passages, but since you've got a
tiller, if I were you, I get myself a tiller pilot. These are cheap and
make going forward to raise sails, etc., easy. Our Catalina (which also
had a tiller) could not have been single handed without one. Within
seconds after letting go of the helm while motoring, it would be in a
tight turn, sometimes to port, sometimes to starboard. The helm was
very light, but that boat just liked to turn. Using a tiller pilot made
it a snap to single hand.

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

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.

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.

On Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:00:47 -0500, Wayne.B wrote:

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.

I agree. After using an autopilot after years without one, it's
hard to go back. Sailing is different, but motoring without an autopilot
is like driving the Interstate without cruise control.

Matt O.

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.

Thanks for your input Ric. I must admit a 39 footer would be tempting. I'd
change one of the aft cabins into a workshop and the extra LWL would give me
more comfort.
Some of these posts have pointed out the difficulty of docking with a larger
boat but I have found Beneteaus, Hunters. etc. very manoeuvreable. No doubt
to do with the fin keel.

"Cap'n Ric" wrote in message
news:CZLeh.994$e26.857@trndny04...
I have a 2003 Beneteau 473 2 cabin and I single hand the boat all the
time.
With or without non-sailing passengers. If the boat is rigged for single
handed sailing 47 feet is not difficult to hande.

I'm a liveaboard with a dog so a Beneteau 35 would be cutting it close as
far as space goes. I'd look at the Beneteau 393 before I bought the
Beneteau 35. It is only a couple of feet longer and has a much kinder
interior design for staying on board for long periods of time.

Cap'n Ric
S/V Sezaneh

"JohnM" wrote in message
...
Thanks for your input Ric. I must admit a 39 footer would be tempting. I'd
change one of the aft cabins into a workshop and the extra LWL would give
me
more comfort.
Some of these posts have pointed out the difficulty of docking with a
larger
boat but I have found Beneteaus, Hunters. etc. very manoeuvreable. No
doubt
to do with the fin keel.

"Cap'n Ric" wrote in message
news:CZLeh.994$e26.857@trndny04...
I have a 2003 Beneteau 473 2 cabin and I single hand the boat all the
time.
With or without non-sailing passengers. If the boat is rigged for single
handed sailing 47 feet is not difficult to hande.

I'm a liveaboard with a dog so a Beneteau 35 would be cutting it close as
far as space goes. I'd look at the Beneteau 393 before I bought the
Beneteau 35. It is only a couple of feet longer and has a much kinder
interior design for staying on board for long periods of time.

Cap'n Ric
S/V Sezaneh




One point that seems to have been overlooked (either by previous replies or
simply me, in missing it) is: "What's the largest boat you can comfortably
maintain?" Larger boat means larger sails, bigger engine, more paint, more
brightwork (possibly)...all in all, it's quite a bit easier for a
single-hander to do the maintenance on a smaller boat than a larger one.