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saltydog47 · 02-09-2018, 10:37

Sailing single handed is daunting at first . While cruising through the Caribbean
A girl friend jumped ship , so I carried on alone . A first cruising in company with another Yacht . After a day or so I found it great , a challenge but very rewarding.
After sailing alone through the islands , some 500 miles , I needed to go into a marina , now that is a bit of a problem alone with 30 tons of Yacht. I anchored out side , then in the dinghy went to see if any one on the dock could take a line . When I came in the dock was full of helpers .
At the end of the season I decided to cross back over the pond , alone , now that was challenge but great fun . I was 60 then and would do it again . If my wife would let me .
Plan , and one step at a time , build up your confidence.

MJH · 02-09-2018, 10:38

In a word, YES!

When I started to sail (with my family) my wife would tell me never to sail alone. When the family lost interest I continued by saying I was going down to the boat to work on it and go out alone...it was wonderful.

Different strokes for different folks is the saying and I'm sure the super extroverts and party animals don't like it because they get all their kicks from the people and not the boat, not the sailing.

The downside of solo sailing is that there is no one to share the experience with DIRECTLY, only in your telling of the adventure; YouTube can help in that regard.

The upside is the total tranquility you experience. It helps if you challenge yourself to go somewhere that interests you. As I am from the Northwest I have cruised much of Northern Washington State, British Columba, and one trip to Alaska, all solo. They were all memorable journeys. I completed a roundtrip to Hawaii recently on my boat with a total crew of four (an insurance requirement) and it left a lot to be desired. Multiple personalities, diets, desires, personal requirements, music, take their toll. Solo, your supplies lasts 2, 3, 4+ times as long and its everything you like. Tools get put back where you left them, you sleep when you want and nature allows you to sleep. You learn more patience and more detail about your boat and yourself.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

Sparx · 02-09-2018, 11:40

A solo trip from the Hudson to Maine would be something I would greatly enjoy!

I am confident I can handle the boat. I would limit the time at sea to avoid severe fatigue, I like the 100 mile limit suggested. Like others I find sailing solo for long distances over multiple days deeply satisfying.

I also like pulling into new places, exploring and meeting people. I have no trouble starting conversations with strangers, and sometimes those conversations lead to interesting outcomes.

Dooglas · 02-09-2018, 11:45

A lot of people cruise single handed. Only a few take on long single handed passages. Single handing in popular cruising waters such as Chesapeake Bay, the San Juans, or the Bahamas typically involves passages of a few hours and nights at anchor or at a dock. Is that fun? Well, it certainly can be. Asking if long single handed passages are fun is like asking if mountain climbing is fun. I'm sure it has its high points.

freakytiki · 02-09-2018, 11:47

Never singlehanded...Always take your dog

Dooglas · 02-09-2018, 11:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by freakytiki

Never singlehanded...Always take your dog

And train him to bark when he sees a boat on the horizon.

jcgrey · 02-09-2018, 12:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Single handed cruising for me is the most beneficial time for learning how to handle the boat.
In rough weather, it good for learning what your able to do safely (at least in that moment), its a personal time for you and the boat.
Every one. Would benefit from single handing their vessel even when there are crew aboard, as this is the best scenario for safe learning.
Safety, requires you to not only be the crew, but the Captain in all decisions requiring the handling of the boat.
The "enjoyment" for me is usually later, when I look at the whole trip or adventure, not so much in the moment, which can be very difficult.
For all persons aboard, an experienced vessel owner is the best assurance of a safe and enjoyable voyage.

Excellent post. You captured the essence of single handed sailing. It's about self reliance, challenge, relaxation, getting away from it all, communing with nature, self discovery, sharpening one senses, and so much more...

thomm225 · 02-09-2018, 12:26

That's a very good question.

For me, it isn't about how to handle the boat since I raced beach cats in heavy traffic as a singlehander for many years. (many races of 30-100 miles, plus buoy racing) The boat handling is the easy part, and the most comfortable part that I really enjoy if the wind is up

For me, it's about the change from my normal life

I'm still bouncing around a bit from my weekend "cruise."

I sailed maybe 80 - 90 miles but the distance isn't the thing. It's the change

I work in an area of 6 million people or more. We have 6 mile backups on the weekend getting over the Hampton Roads Bridge or just getting into work. Then work is non-stop phones, decisions, questions, bills, health insurance, personnel scheduling, hiring, reports, etc

Example, I don't sleep worth a crap on the boat. Maybe it's because I cannot control it like I can on land plus all the creaks and squeaks and water over the hull and the anchor rope

Yesterday the wind died around 1030, and I had to motor while avoiding ships.

I anchored in an area where I could see three houses within a mile or 2 in 12' of water. It was a beautiful day and I used my tent peak cover as a bimini. I took a cockpit bath then had a few beers.

Then sleep and reading until 3am when I could actually sleep.

Waking at 0630 I already had a plan. I knew the tide was in my favor so over night my plan was to immediately pull anchor and start motoring the 30 miles home

After I got on deck I saw the clouds to the West but was really enjoying the Sun, Blue sky and white clouds to the East. I started pulling the anchor and kept hearing this shhhhhsh noise. I'm thinking that cannot be a rain squall because the clouds were a ways away, but all is quite at my anchorage......really quite as compared to my normal surroundings

There are no cars, police sirens, motorcycles revving way high, no horns blowing, or neighbors fighting/yelling. No loud Tv's or radios

Anyway, after I got the anchor half way up I saw the squall coming. I cleated the line and started closing hatches, rolling down and zipping the dodger, etc then it hit with hard rain and wind plus a little lightning and some thunder

I got a jacket and cap and continued. I needed a bath anyway after sweating all night. After I got drenched, I took off all but my shorts and got cool and clean

So soon I'm motoring and heating water for coffee (with a propane fire) and trying to see thru the rain, but now there are two ships coming that I will cross if I stay on course for home. After I make coffee, I raise sail and turn more South away from the ships but in a way that helps my sails produce. I have the tide but don't have any instruments on except autopilot because my inverter had worn down my batteries to 11.9 volts over night with my fan and light for reading

30 minutes later, it's over and the sky is lighter. My Victron MPPT starts blinking Bulk so I turn on my GPS. My speed is 7.3 knots because I'm motor sailing in the deep channel and the tide is going out....strong. My 5 hp outboard is at maybe 1/3 to 1/2 throttle

I stayed at high speed most all the way and made it back in 5 hours

Is it fun? Maybe. It's definitely a change and gives a person time to think and reflect. Tomorrow I think I'll either run or take a long bike ride and think it over...…..

belizesailor · 02-09-2018, 12:43

Single handed sailing is fun & challenging. I enjoy it a great deal for a day to a week or so. But for me at least, long term cruising (multiple contiguous months per year or longer) is much more satisfying when shared with someone.

OldManMirage · 02-09-2018, 12:57

it's definitely a difficult question to answer. You aren't going to get a consensus of answers. And as stated already there are different kinds of solo sailing.

I enjoy it very much. I've been doing it for years. I know I want to do more. I don't get bored with myself and I'm comfortable in my own skin so the prospect of longer periods of solitude on an ocean passage is something I look forward to. I've been on, in and under the water my whole life so I have a great love, respect, and healthy dose of caution for Mother Ocean.

I am married and my wife enjoys sailing but is not interested in longer passages, and going offshore out of sight of land she will not do. So I will hopefully get to sail my boat to distant locations and she will join me there sometimes. Best of both worlds ? Perhaps. Or maybe not. Time will tell.

The only way you will know is to get out there and try it. Start small and see how it feels. As the saying goes, experience is the best teacher. Only you can tell yourself if you like it, enjoy it, and have fun doing it.

And remember what Bob Bitchin used to say -
"The difference between an adventure and ordeal is attitude !"

svchinamoon · 02-09-2018, 13:14

The charm of singlehanded cruising is not solitude, but independence - so says Claud Worth

thomm225 · 02-09-2018, 13:29

It also allows your mind to wonder. So in my post above I was thinking all night since I didn't sleep well about my plan to get back but also of this music that was in the book I was reading.

The book is about a circumnavigation by father and son which involves pirates off Somalia, the Navy, Annapolis, Norfolk, the FBI and so on but also music. The Book is entitled The Tears of Dark Water by Corban Addison.

So they are talking about Clair De Lune in the book just before I went to real sleep at 3 am and then that played in my head until I awoke it seemed because my sister had to play this stuff continually when I was a young teen ….trying to do homework