Steve wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:48:32 -0400, Jim22
wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:39:41 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...
No doubt in my mind.
Trouble is, a minimal crew is needed for any kind of a sailboat.

Yup, a crew of at least one.
Not even. My sailboat would continue along just fine if I fell off
while singlehanding.
Do you have wheel steering?

Yes
It would be much harder to do with tiller steering.

On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:39:15 -0400, Jim wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:48:32 -0400, Jim22
wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:39:41 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...
No doubt in my mind.
Trouble is, a minimal crew is needed for any kind of a sailboat.

Yup, a crew of at least one.
Not even. My sailboat would continue along just fine if I fell off
while singlehanding.
Do you have wheel steering?

Yes
It would be much harder to do with tiller steering.

Not really if you tie the tiller off, something that's common for
singlehanders to do if they need to leave the tiller for a bit.
There's even a knot called a tiller's hitch just for that purpose.

And if you have a tiller pilot, all bets are off.

Steve wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:39:15 -0400, Jim wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:48:32 -0400, Jim22
wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:39:41 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...
No doubt in my mind.
Trouble is, a minimal crew is needed for any kind of a sailboat.

Yup, a crew of at least one.
Not even. My sailboat would continue along just fine if I fell off
while singlehanding.
Do you have wheel steering?
Yes
It would be much harder to do with tiller steering.

Not really if you tie the tiller off, something that's common for
singlehanders to do if they need to leave the tiller for a bit.
There's even a knot called a tiller's hitch just for that purpose.

And if you have a tiller pilot, all bets are off.

Right on both counts. What I had in mind is setting sails to give you a
neutral helm. I wasn't able to do it too often but when conditions are
right you can hold a course for a long while. I think it involves
running wing on wing but it's been so long, I really don't remember.

On Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:37:44 -0400, Jim222
wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:39:15 -0400, Jim wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:48:32 -0400, Jim22
wrote:

Steve wrote:
On Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:39:41 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

"Don White" wrote in message
...
No doubt in my mind.
Trouble is, a minimal crew is needed for any kind of a sailboat.

Yup, a crew of at least one.
Not even. My sailboat would continue along just fine if I fell off
while singlehanding.
Do you have wheel steering?
Yes
It would be much harder to do with tiller steering.

Not really if you tie the tiller off, something that's common for
singlehanders to do if they need to leave the tiller for a bit.
There's even a knot called a tiller's hitch just for that purpose.

And if you have a tiller pilot, all bets are off.

Right on both counts. What I had in mind is setting sails to give you a
neutral helm. I wasn't able to do it too often but when conditions are
right you can hold a course for a long while. I think it involves
running wing on wing but it's been so long, I really don't remember.

I don't have an autopilot on my boat yet I have it set up so that it
has the proper rake of the mast and with the proper trim of the sails
I can go for miles and miles within a few degrees of my intended
course with the wheel locked unattended.

It doesn't work wing on wing. Wing on wing is a real pain in the ass,
requiring constant attention. Especially when there's waves involved.
Even autopilots don't work well, or at all wing on wing. It also
doesn't work well close hauled. Wing on wing requires attention so
you don't jibe. Close hauled requires attention so you don't stall.

But on a reach or broad reach, works great.

On Wed, 17 Jun 2009 13:41:07 GMT, Steve wrote:

I think it involves
running wing on wing but it's been so long, I really don't remember.

I don't have an autopilot on my boat yet I have it set up so that it
has the proper rake of the mast and with the proper trim of the sails
I can go for miles and miles within a few degrees of my intended
course with the wheel locked unattended.

It doesn't work wing on wing. Wing on wing is a real pain in the ass,
requiring constant attention. Especially when there's waves involved.
Even autopilots don't work well, or at all wing on wing. It also
doesn't work well close hauled. Wing on wing requires attention so
you don't jibe. Close hauled requires attention so you don't stall.

But on a reach or broad reach, works great.

The old time single handed sailors had a self steering solution for
down wind sailing called a double head rig, essentially two jibs
hanked to a single headstay or sometimes to twin headstays, with a
whisker pole for each jib. They'd drop the mainsail completely. The
sheet from each jib was led to the tiller which would stay centered
when each jib was pulling equally, and self correct if the boat
started to head up.