Raising mainsail single handed book

Apr 22, 2020 quantums yannick lemonnier shares his single and shorthanded sailing experiences to help you get started. Basically so the boat can go around the mooring line or spin. I do a fair amount of singlehanded coastal cruising during the summer. I lock the tiller in a straight position by a piece of rope, i named the tiller rope that is nothing more than a rope tied between two cleats on the each side of the stern of the sailing boat. While still alongside, take off the mainsail cover and clip on the mainsail halyard. Therefore the top of the sail is trimmed freer than the base of the sail. Singlehanded sailors must demonstrate ability to right boat alone and climb back. Centerboard down for stability, i raise the main first. As a result i am slowly developing techniques and set ups to allow me to safely sail single handed. I must admit it there were scary moments that left me slightly panicky.

I bought this book thinking that i would be learning new techniques to improve my single handed sailing. Here youll find current best sellers in books, new releases in books, deals in books, kindle ebooks, audible audiobooks, and so much more. Gybing a sailboat single handed sailing blog by nauticed. Single handed does not imply nonstop, so a single handed circumnavigation counts as such even with stops, as in joshua slocums voyage. Single handing a catalina 22 sailboat owners forums. I am particularly unlucky with my friends and family.

If you can properly flake on board, i take my hat off to you and would love to know the secret. Interesting that some are worried about the size of the mainsail, if the rig is design for furling, the sail area should be design as such. The perfect solo mastraising system for small sailboats. This subject touches upon another one that is currently active here the maximum size of boat that a short handed or single handed crew can handle. The singlehanded community is fairly small and a few names are well known. Most reefing systems are designed for full crews, but there are things you can do to make reefing the main singlehanded much easier. Their combined affect is to adjust the sail angle to the wind and the amount of twist in the sail.

With a couple of rigging modifications you can make your boat even easier to single hand. Aug 02, 2017 when you first start to singlehand your boat, its a good idea to set only the rollerfurling genoa. The boom needs to be held up when your reefing anyway. For easy handling, the imexus 28 redirects all halyards, downhauls and uphauls, the mast laying system and the operation of the keel to the cockpit, so that single handed sailoring is easy. It self stows beautifully because its set up well and has decent cars on the mast track. Pull the halyard down by hand until the luff is tight. Folding sails single handed onboard sailing forums, page 1.

Once youre comfortable sailing alone, hoist the mainsail. One hand ought to take care of the flyingjib sheets on a schooner not over 100. Without a topping lift of some sort you cant take the load off the mainsail while raising, lowering or reefing it making these evolutions more difficult and putting a strain on the mainsail that will stretch and distort it, possibly tear it. All suffer from the same problems for solo sailors, and i recently came across a system that solves all of them neatly and for a fairly low price. There are many variables here, like your starting point, the direction and strength of the wind, so lets take a closer look. When you first rig the boat, you feed the slides into the mast and lock them in with a sail stop so they dont come back out. Lowering sails single handed and other sailing discussion in the seabreeze general forums, page 1. This book is about how great it is to singlehand a sailboat under challenging conditions. I sailed es and gp14s in my youf much preferred gps because in those days the e had a seat only right at the front and right at the back of the centreboard case very uncomfortable. Shortening sail single handed practical boat owner. Yes, this is a race boat, a single handed forty footer from the 2009 o. I leave the jib sheets loose, and the main sheet loose during raising.

What im getting at is my no1 is way bigger than the fore deck and trying to organise the mass of dacron into smooth folds once its been lowered ie on my boat its not possible to lower bit by bit and fold single handed it all comes down that will fit into the sail bag is my first question, difficult because of the lack of space on the deck. A larger schooner with enough crew may want to raise the main first, because raising it will head the boat towards the wind and it is easier to raise the sail the closer to the wind it is the larger the sail, or the more problems it has with friction, the more you care about the force involved to raise or lower it, and to keep the boat head. Of course, other factors may come into play, not least of which would be that your masts isare probably in the wrong place for it. If you dont have a spinnaker yet, or even if you do have one but you dont want to raise it for short runs, one of your best options when sailing dead downwind is to set your sails wing. Rigging simplicity the con of leading lines aft sailing. A system that allows you to set and furl sails from the cockpit is a huge advantage. The two padeyes with blocks on the transom are part of the three part purchase this boat has. Get an old laser for single handed kicks or one of the other uk single handers. The blue cordage crossing forward of the starboard stern rail is the last fall prior going to the winch through a clutch at the very edge of the image. The simplest possible system involves having the risers of the lazyjacks 14in prestretched line secured to padeyes about 5060 percent up the mast, or just above the spreaders. On a foreandaft rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest and often the only. Reefing the mainsail is like partly furling the jib when your boat has a furling jib. A reefed sail reduces heeling of the boat and makes the boat easier to manage. The yacht is also equipped with side walkways and a guard rails to facilitate access on deck.

This video explains how to raise the mainsail on a cruising sailboat. I spray at the beginning of the season and it makes raising the main way easier. This shift is caused by excess pressure on the mainsail, which overpowers the windward lateral resistance generated by the jib or other head sail and keel or centerboard. Shorthanded sailors should reef their sails early and often, as the old rule advises.

Let off one line, pull another and the mainsail should disappear like. Alan lucas looks at seamanship skills that keep short handed sailors safe. The less time it takes to get to lines needed to control the boat the less apt one is to loose control by not being at the helm. I have an autopilot, an extra long shaft motor, and all control lines lead aft. Godforsaken sea goodreads meet your next favorite book. Thanks very much, but i am confident in my own competence, i dont need you to tell me this or that is a better way of doing it. The mainsail was built with a wire luff, and until the. If your c320 is relatively new, raising the main from the cockpit should be easy. Wind speed increases and frees a little with height. Singlehander andrew evans learned the hard way how to sail and race alonewith lots of mishaps, including broaches and a near tumbling over a waterfalland in singlehanded sailing he shares the techniques, tips, and tactics he has developed to make his solo sailing adventures safe and enriching. Tacking single handed if you hadwere crew, you would tack by turning the bow through the wind, release the sheet of the genoa just as it begins to luff, and draw in the opposite sheet at the same time that the bow is swinging through the wind. Single handed sailing is a good book, but for my interests it was bent to much towards raceing but that is not authors fault but my own, i was hopeing to find out more about those who may cruise singlehanded but still in all it was well written and informative. The halyard may also rise up through the mast to reduce windage aloft, as in the boat shown in this photo, and exit at a point near the deck. How to sail a spinnaker stepbystep guide to sailing duration.

In a previous article, i described how to rig a cruising spinnaker in 4 stingy stages. I ised to muscle it up but find that its too dangerous to do single handed. They are lightweight, easy to rig, easy to launch, and easy to sail all by yourself. For a large mainsail, raising it single handed can be hard work, the aframe can get around that. Weve used a slab reefing main as found on many boats, but inmast furling and singleline reefing mains will obviously make life easier, although these systems do have their drawbacks. Not reading all the responses, when i first bought our 1995 mkii, the mainsail had issues raising and lowering easily as well.

The autopilot, and motor are one answer and the easiest to getting the main up. Shorter vertical battens, on the other hand, can leave the sail. In order for any mainsail reefing system to work correctly with a mast that has a slug opening for bending on the mainsail, there should be a way to prevent the sail slugs from falling out of the opening when you reef the sail. Weather helm is the result of a leeward and aft shift of a vessels vector center of effort the direction to which the force generated by the sails is pushing. Singlehanded sailing by andrew evans overdrive rakuten. The topping lift also acts as a back up mainsail halyard.

The mainsail is raised up the mast by the main halyard, a rope or wireline that rises from deck level to the masthead, through a block, and down to a shackle that connects to the top corner of the mainsail, the head. Aug 02, 2017 the simplest possible system involves having the risers of the lazyjacks 14in prestretched line secured to padeyes about 5060 percent up the mast, or just above the spreaders. This was one of those books where when i started it i was already sad knowing id have to finish. Lowering sails single handed sailing forums, page 1. The jib will now be flapping around, sheets will be flying around too creating a hazard on dock. Loosing control during a race is definitely slow and can in some circumstances be quite expensive. This is not always possible single handed or otherwise. The jib can be hoisted or unfurled on any point of sail. Along with routing the halyards back to the cockpit, sail slides or slugs help make raising the mainsail a oneline pull. Maybe halfway thru the season ill tip the boat on its side and reapply to the luff track if it starts getting harder but usually the first applications lasts all the way through late sprint to early fall. If you think about this in reverse, it is the best way to put a reef into the main sail.

Look in log book before rigging for notes on boat condition or repairs required. Oday 192 mast raising my 2 cents jc192 i owned an oday 19 for about 10 years and i now own an oday 192. I have seen lots of different techniques and contraptions used to raise and lower the masts on small sailboats. The kind of reefing system depends on the boat and the mainsail. Reefing the mainsail involves lowering the sail part way to reduce its size when the wind increases. I usually manage to balance the boat with the genoa and let go of the main so i can take it down. When raising the mainsail your boat needs to point into the wind. Even when sailing on charmed juan with the admiral or the first mate wife or son, i am still basically single handing. Single handed sailing has become a major competitive sport, and there are a number of prominent single handed offshore races.

There should alsobe a short length of line or elastic tied to one of the gaff jaws. Raising the mainsail is one of the first steps in setting sail. In mast furling mains the good, bad and ugly cruising. Unfortunately almost all the content is general sailing information and tips that are essentially generic sailing information if you have done asa classes youll have most of that info already.

My office has autographed posters of dame ellen macarthur and sir robin knoxjohnston. Insert it into the groove, pull the halyard to raise the sail a little, and then insert the next slug. Had set whisker pole and was on wingandwing going great in about an 8. By the way, there are great books for single handed sailing, which also have many tips for single handed sailing, read them and try out some things beforehand. The legs are secured to the boom about twothirds of the way abaft the gooseneck, taken up about 6ft and through small blocks or stainless steel rings on the falls.

Folding sails single handed onboard and other sailing discussion in the seabreeze general forums, page 1. You have my sympathies on the short shaft outboard, i had that setup on two previous boats. Ease the mainsheet and vang and then tension the topping lift. If you have a gunter rig, slide the head of the mainsail into the slot in the gaff by the gaff jaws and then slide it up the slot and fasten the head about 76mm from the top end of the gaff there should be a painted band at this point with a short length of line. Notice you can put a lot of weight into this raise. If you unfurlhois the jib first, you will then have to head into the wind to hoist the mainsail. Sailing the enterprise single handed dinghy anarchy. Care must be taken, a gybe can be dangerous in higher winds. Plenty of other people sail single handed and enjoy it in their own way.

One of the most difficult thing to do is to keep the boat pointing in the wind long enough to take down the sail when it is quite windy. Apr 27, 2016 with clear illustrations, diagrams and photographs it makes learning to sail short handed or single handed easy. The books homepage helps you explore earths biggest bookstore without ever leaving the comfort of your couch. If the passage of time has increased the friction of slides in the mainsail.

Its effect is to increase materially the resistance experienced by the upper blades. I love stories about the sea, and i am obsessed with stories about reallife adventure and survival. Sailing single handed, tips and ideas christine demerchant. I single hand a 39 boat with fully battened mainsail and a stackpack. Know your limits and consider any sail with inexperienced sailors a single handed operation. Sail to the mooting and grab mooring line with main up and depowered. Individual ties work fine to snug the sail to the boom, but the process is laborious and less practical for the singlehanded sailor. The san juan 21 is a great boat for going sailing even when you cant find a crew. Association forum raising mainsail single handedcatch 22. The schooner has a fore and aft foresail and mainsail, both usually laced to.

A tiller tamer is a must i dont have one, but use a bungee. This is something i looked at in my singlehanded tips book. A tutorial with hints tips and techniques to make it nice and easy duration. This book is described as a single and short handed sailing guide. A mainsail mainsl is a sail rigged on the main mast of a sailing vessel on a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast on a foreandaft rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest and often the only sail rigged aft of the main mast, and is controlled along its foot by a spar known as the boom. If they fall out, somebody has to guide them back in when you let the. Most sailors mistakenly think that there is only one way to raise and lower sails. Easiest sails for single hander since it is pretty much established that a boat with compact dimensions or a monohull meets the need here, the question on how to strike the mast is the next logical one like it might be a good idea to avoid a rig that requires a crane to lift the mast when the boat has grown to full size.

Raise the mainsail first, or just let the genoa out. Either they are phobically afraid of the water, are extremely busy or hate the idea of sailing. They do make for exciting reading but do not help people like you or me with our type of sailing. A side view of the sailboat with the mast raising system ready for use.

It seems that of any activity in the world, singlehanded sailors have the best odds of. Trimming the mainsail boat handling sail cruising tips. Back in 1978, dad and i build a wood mast with inmast furling on our 41 foot tri. Its purpose is to help the sailor who wants to win singlehanded races. Roller, slab, jiffy and single line reefing are among the choices. Allows singlehanded reefing from the security of the cockpit. Raising sails single handed albert, i also single hand a lot. The book, all 146 pages 70,00 words is formatted to be easily printed doublesided.

Update your reefing traditionally, all sailboat mainsails were reefed by simply pulling down the reefing lines through cringles in the luff and leech of the mainsail, then securing the reefing pennantsoften permanently attached to the mainsail to the boom to tidy the sail up. Cruising caribbean singlehanded sure squalls on passage are an issue. Sailing alone is not that much different to sailing with crew in that the basic techniques of sailing and navigating are the same. Traditionally, all sailboat mainsails were reefed by simply pulling down the. Nov 11, 2016 single handed sailing new zealand to fiji duration. Will raising sails, reefing etc be easier, will all around simplicity be a plus. Most single handed sailing books are about epic stormlashed frightening long distance ocean voyages. Is single handed sailing something the average person can.

On a squarerigged vessel1, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast. Also if you sail back to your mooring with the mainsail only and you have a soft sail, hauling in the topping lift and raising the end of the boom will scandalize the mainsail and reduce the power so you can control your approach. Now in preparation for sailing i have to get out in open water using my kicker. Yes, if boat wont track, otherwise its not the right tool from the box. Weve used a slab reefing main as found on many boats, but inmast furling and single line reefing mains will obviously make life easier, although these systems do have their drawbacks. Single handed sailing is filled with the pleasures of selfreliance, responsibility and challenging situations, foremost amongst the latter being the ability to establish a balance between good watchkeeping and adequate sleep. This book is about how great it is to single hand a sailboat under challenging conditions. Main sail only with centerboard raised 4 until slight weather helm on tiller. Perhaps major concern is falling overboard and having boat sail off into sunset without you. Most reefing systems are designed for full crews, but there are things you can do to make reefing the main single handed much easier.

A jackline on the luff provides a way to reef a mainsail or a jib without having to fuss with removing slugs from the mast track. The autopilot is a useful aid for single handers, but never turn your back on it especially when you need it most in heavy seas and winds. Advertisement advertise with us the book is targeted at couples, individuals and parents who need to handle a boat safely and efficiently, without help from guests or other crew. After a gybe the sails are on the opposite side of the boat. Shorthanding alan lucas looks at seamanship skills that. When the mainsail is lowered part way for reefing, the line gets looser, and the mainsail can pull away from the slug. So here is how to gybe a sailboat when you are operating single handed. The mainsail is primarily set and controlled using the mainsheet, kicker vang and traveller.

During a gybe, the aft end of the boat turns through the wind. With 12 to 15 knot winds and slight seas i sailed her single handed for the first time this weekend but i found it difficult to maintain control of the boats head to wind whilst raising and lowering the mainsail. These seem to be the advantages, performance is going to be less. Plenty of other people sail singlehanded and enjoy it in their own way. On november 8th, 2020, 17 registered singlehanded sailors will set off on the most challenging sailing endeavor in the history of yacht racing. You dont need to feed the boltrope of the sail into the mast while raising it. Assuming you have organically internalized the sailing skill set, single handed sailing is actually easier than crew sailing. Using the kicker, mainsheet and traveller to best effect. Sailing single handed, part 2 christine demerchant. That might not seem obvious but from experience its most often the case. May 02, 2019 best mainsail if ease of use single handed were your sole criterion would be junk rig. When you enjoy something so personal, to be faced with another persons assertions invites a defensive stance. I want to thank the members of the sailing community who have contributed to the book.