Solo Sailing Cruising Catamarans ?

[webejammin]

I just got back from sailing solo on our Gemini 105Mc for the first time in strong breezes of 15 to 25.5 kt's. We've owned our cat for a year and I've taken my turn at running everthing but in light breezes but today was different as to keep the boat into the breeze to raise the main I dropped the anchor and it worked really great sence we have a power windless to hoist the anchor after I was back behind the wheel. I was sailing up stream on the Columbia so I had a 2 to 3.5 kt current and 1/4 to half mile channel width to deal with and my autopilot kind of worked while pulling out my 150 jib to about 110% on a broad reach and when heading more down wind I opened the 150% to buck the 3.5kt current at 6.5 GPS. I sailed up stream for about 15 miles and back to our marina 30 miles in about 4 hours with ease after averaging 9.5kt's down stream. I put the sails away but before I could get the sail cover on it started to rain so I guess I'll need to go out again tomorrow just to dry the main out Oh by the way my wife is out of town this weekend but it seams there's always good breezes when she's out of town so solo sailing may be std one weekend a month for me.

My QUESTION is how many solo crusing ( 3 state rooms ) multihull sailors out there? What tricks do you use ?

[Ram]

ive been doing it for years, no tricks just do what needs to be done to get from point a- to b- its nice to be alone out there at times , i also like time with friends - great speed you made by the way!

[Factor]

No tricks, apart from careful planning - I solo a fair bit.

But not as much as my mate with a Seawind 1000XL, who has just finished a solo circumnavigation of Australia, stopped in a few places and anchored most nights. He is in his late 50s, so a good effort by him I think.

[cchesley]

I do it fairly often on my MC 41. But it usually pis....es o.. (um, disappoints) the Admiral. As for tricks, I've recently gotten a new slip so have been leaving a few readily grabbable mooring lines on the dock to enable docking in unfavorable winter prevailing winds. Of course, an autopilot is essential to hold her into the wind if I'm not starting from anchor. As you found, hoisting the main while at anchore does ensure a pretty trouble free hoist. I very much enjoy anchoring and getting underway from anchor under just sail alone without even turning on the engine(s). Of course, I also know that they are still just the twist of a key available.

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by Ram

- great speed you made by the way!

Most of the time here on the river there is little or no fetch the river runs east west and with a south breeze maybe a hundred yards of fetch so no waves slowing me down. I better go sailing the breeze is about the same today

[simonmd]

Well done on going solo in the 105! I own a similar craft (30ft Cat) and have done some single handing myself with her, just a few short hops of about (4-5 hrs each) up and down the Spanish coast so far, plus lots of just going in and out of my local marina to get to grips with mooring singlehanded.

My main reason for buying her was to do some extended singlehanded cruising but weather and time have cut short my plans this year, I intend to get going properly in the spring.

Oh, loved the 'three staterooms' desription, AHEM.....

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by simonmd

.

Oh, loved the 'three staterooms' desription, AHEM.....

I was hopeing to hear from bigger multihulls not a Hobie cat day sailor.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Oh, loved the 'three staterooms' desription, AHEM.....

Yup, I guess I need to wear that gag-gift captain's hat afterall....

Tricks?

Planning. In the beginning it is good to play the whole passage through in your head, so that you understand the procedure for each action, from raising sail, to preparing food, to changing clothes if needed, to docking.

Autopilot. Given the description of using the anchor, you do not have a wheel pilot? Get one. It's like an extra crew that doesn't gripe or eat.

Reef earlier. Yeah, sailing powered-up is fun, but if anything jams it is less fun alone. You will learn your own limits. Remmember, you are alone, so there is no one to impress with daring do!

Do everything just a little slower. Don't fall off.
Sail Delmarva: Climbing Gear for Sailors--Jacklines and Harnesses for the Unemployed

[webejammin]

I like that line "Yup, I guess I need to wear that gag-gift captain's hat afterall...).

My wife had a gag-gift captian's hat and it blew off one day out sailing about 4 years ago she only looked back for a minite as it sank.

Yes an Otto pilot is a great tool unless the wind is gusting and space is small and the channel your sailing is half mile or less wide total max. I've put the main sail up at anchor lots of times when starting out in the morning, this time it felt more secure up on deck with the boat not moving around because of a 15kt gusty breeze, love my windless and helm switch.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by webejammin

I was hopeing to hear from bigger multihulls not a Hobie cat day sailor.

Ouch....
Guess size matters after all....

[Talbot]

Last time on my Privilege 37, I single handed Brighton to Cherbourg and back (approx 90nm).

I have done a lot of single handing shorter distances in my previous Catalac 9m.

IMHO the most important elements needed are

1. A very good autopilot.
2. a sailplan that can be reduced easily and quickly. roller reefed foresails are normal these days, but for ease of use, the main also needs to be easy to reduce in size. If coastal cruising, I believe an in-mast or roller-boom is the best. For longer distance sailing I prefer something a bit more robust, thus single-line reefing with the lines back to the cockpit. I like the look of the new selden boom, and am considering purchase of one of these.
3. In busy areas of the ocean (e.g. English Channel) AIS is a major advantage.
4. The single hander needs to be able to stay warm and dry in cold climates, and be able to shelter from the sun in hot climates.

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Ouch....
Guess size matters after all....

I just looked at your kewl multihull. Looks like all controls are in one central location and you don't have to move much to single hand.

[trinescape]

I just recently returned from a week of solo sailing in my 36 ft tri and i really enjoyed it, the only two draw backs i found was in picking up a swing mooring in 20 kts of breeze it took me 3 attempts to get that loop over my bollard but i got there in the end !the second problem was when a strong wind change came in at 3am instead of midday the following day trying to reset my anchor which would not hold in the mushy bottom despite 5 attempts even adding an extra 2 x kedge anchors we just slid backwards and i found trying to set the anchors hard when normally my wife would be motoring slightly ahead to give me time to set the anchors because when its blowing 30 knots your being blown backwards at a great rate of knots perhaps a drogue would have slowed me down enough to set the anchors but when the bottom is sludge i dont think any thing would have held, but apart from those two things i enjoyed my solo sailing and will do it again and i would encourage every owner do give it a go cheers andy

[Factor]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Last time on my Privilege 37, I single handed Brighton to Cherbourg and back (approx 90nm).

I have done a lot of single handing shorter distances in my previous Catalac 9m.

IMHO the most important elements needed are

1. A very good autopilot.
2. a sailplan that can be reduced easily and quickly. roller reefed foresails are normal these days, but for ease of use, the main also needs to be easy to reduce in size. If coastal cruising, I believe an in-mast or roller-boom is the best. For longer distance sailing I prefer something a bit more robust, thus single-line reefing with the lines back to the cockpit. I like the look of the new selden boom, and am considering purchase of one of these.
3. In busy areas of the ocean (e.g. English Channel) AIS is a major advantage.
4. The single hander needs to be able to stay warm and dry in cold climates, and be able to shelter from the sun in hot climates.

Endorse that with the exception of in mast or roller boom main sail management. I can slab reef at the helm singled handed in less time than it took to type this sentence.

[webejammin]

Originally Posted by Factor

Endorse that with the exception of in mast or roller boom main sail management. I can slab reef at the helm singled handed in less time than it took to type this sentence.

And I thought I typed slowwww . I don't think I could do without my full battened main sail.