There are simple techniques for coming in to a slip single handed that are just brilliant. With his yacht suhaili packed to the gunwales with supplies he set off on a. In this episode we leave caye caulker for turneffe, one of only four atolls in the. There are lots of opinions on that matter but luckily the distances involved in caribbean sailing are quite short so many of the potential pitfalls discussed there can be avoided.
He sails from england alone for several months and when it seems he is just about to winwell, i wont spoil it for you. David and daniel hays father and son around cape horn in a 25 foot yacht is brilliant. I would add that i met one fellow who would sleep for a couple of hours at a time during the day, when he figured that ships would not run him over if they could see his boat. Nevertheless 5 of 120 built made circumnav, at least one was solo in 40ties. Here are 20 classic sailing adventure books every sailor should read. In 1960, hasler competed in the first observer singlehanded transatlantic race ostar, from plymouth to new york. Sir robin was the first to sail single handed and nonstop around the world between 14. Is the ketch sailboat the best type of sailboat for offshore cruising.
Its just as much a favourite among longdistance single and double handed. Spontaneity does not work well once youve left the dock, simply because you have only one set of hands and it is very hard to multitask while under way in the often narrow icw. Shortening sail single handed practical boat owner. A small sailboat, with its modestly sized rig and shorter waterline, can be a delight to sail for couples and single handers alike. The race was controversial due to the failure of most competitors to finish the race and because of the suicide of one entrant. Books singlehanded sailing by way of the golden isles rushworthlund, a. Looking for opinions on the pros and cons of a ketch versus a sloop or a cutter. What i had done is to eliminate the topsls and raise the throat of the gaffs up farther, like on redpath and lucille. So who on earth but me would be interested in my version of singlehanded.
Single handed sailor berthold hinrichs sailing in hinlopenstretet. Sailing single handed wouldnt want to have to add the hike back to the cockpit to raise or lower a sail. Oct 04, 2018 atticus is off on an expedition sailing to the offshore atolls of belize. The race was founded by philippe jeantot in 1989, and since 1992 has taken place every four years. The spring sale must end on 14th april 2020 and all items in the sale are. It has many practical benefits and lets face it a pretty ketch, fully rigged and sailing peacefully on a beamreach, heading somewhere better than where it wasthats a defining image of what sailboat cruising is. It is named after the departement of vendee, in france, where the race starts and ends. Ive never been sailing on a ketch so have no idea what the differences are. His book sailing alone around the world is still considered a classic. Its a little big to single hand but it can be done. If it is primarily for racing and cruising with several people a hobie 18 might serve yoru purposes. Some 46,000 miles and three years later, he completed the first single handed circumnavigation of the globe in his 34ft sloop, the spray.
But the joy of solitude is not the same as singlehanded sailing. The vendee globe is a singlehanded solo nonstop yacht race around the world without assistance. By the same token, observing that my boat was single handed into the states from south africa, and that i routinely beat up our narrow channel, and single hand her into and out of her slip without using the engine, in and of itself does not prove that a fractionally rigged sloop is the best single handing rig either. It is the 150km long strait between spitsbergen and nordaustlandet in svalbard, norway and can be difficult to.
My wife would like to have a shower, a propane stove and oven, and refrigeration. A classic cheoy lee ketch sailing boat on the english channel about the cheoy lee warf. Or that its one of the easiest of all sailboat cruising. Its true that the ketch sailboat with its split rig can make an attractive cruising sailboat for a shorthanded crew, but. My wife and i are currently planning our retirement escape to mexico on our gulf star 50 ketch. Singlehanded sailing book recommendations cruisers forum. A tutorial with hints tips and techniques to make it nice and easy sailing with the foxwell family. Its the worlds most popular onedesign sailboat, with sailors on eve. I have seen quite a few ketches in the cruising dinghy category, and had been writing them off as overly complicated, but im starting to wonder if there is a valid reason for the extra sails that im missing. So, this is not a top eight sailing books, its just eight great sailing books. I did learn how to park my boat on my own wo making a fool out of myself, and this is a good thing, definitely worth the price of the book. It is the 150km long strait between spitsbergen and nordaustlandet in svalbard, norway and can be difficult to pass because of. Ketch versus sloop or cutter sailing forums, page 1. Learning to singlehand sailing to an offshore atoll.
Sail area is usually planned by boat designers based on the boats size, displacement weight, hull shape and configuration, not on the number of masts or sails. If you are primarily going to be sailing single handed then you want to try and get a boardlessboomless rig like a nacra 5. Ive single handled our 71 ft ketch a number of times one was racing 120 miles out into the. In 1986 it was converted into a cruising yacht for. Dec 01, 2017 looking to move up to a larger boat from a sloop to a ketch or yawl. Ketch rigs hold a special place in many a cruising sailors heart. Ann davison 1914 1992 was, at the age of 39, the first woman to singlehandedly sail the. I agree with alan, too many people buy boats to big to handle, especially if they like sailing single handed. Have been told a ketch is too slow, more like a motor sailor, but then a ketch is easier single handed if it is 40 or more as the sails are smaller. Nevertheless, the following boats, and similar models in each respective range, are all good choices for shorthanded sailing. Its purpose is to help the sailor who wants to win singlehanded races. Upgrade your sailing skills to enable single handed coastal or short offshore passages. As a result i am slowly developing techniques and set ups to allow me to safely sail single handed.
Single handed sailing has become a major competitive sport, and there are a number of prominent single handed offshore races. Sailing alone is not that much different to sailing with crew in that the basic techniques of sailing and navigating are the same. In 2009, she announced her plan to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single handed. The vendee globe is considered an extreme quest of. With the shortgaff rig as i modified it, as compared the other vessel of the same hull design but having a traditional longgaff rig and gaff topsls we could better their windward performance by around 5 degrees. Robin knoxjohnston was the first person to make a nonstop singlehanded sailing journey around the world. The three sails do not necessarily mean that the sail area on a ketch is larger than on a sloop of the same size, however.
On november 6th of this year, 30 singlehanded sailors will set off on the most challenging sailing endeavor in the history of yacht racing. Frank mulville gives dependable, sound advice on choosing selfsteering, adapting rigging and gear, what supplies to take and how to stow them, preparing for bad weather, and how to keep fit on an ocean passage. If you feel like we left a good one off the list then share your favorites in the comments the criteria is that the book is about a particular voyage or sailing adventure. Most of my sailing to this point has been single handing in a mid 2535 foot sloops.
Most single handed sailing books are about epic stormlashed frightening long distance ocean voyages. In force10 winds, 15 sailors ended up dying in a yacht race no one will ever forget. This book is only available as a free download from the singlehanded sailing society at. I am particularly unlucky with my friends and family.
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 idea of singlehanded sailing appeals to cruisers and racers alike. One hundred and fifteen people expressed an interest in the race, and there were eight entries, of whom five actually took part. Rigging simplicity the con of leading lines aft sailing. I single hand more often than not and the ketch rig is perfect for all wind conditions. Sailnet john kretschmers single handed sailing this is one of the best articles i have read. In terms of overall participation, id give yet another vote for the laser.
Because of the wind and sail dynamics involved, a sloop is almost always faster than other rigs in boats of comparable size, especially when sailing windward. They do make for exciting reading but do not help people like you or me with our type of sailing. Experiences with a ketch rig at the end of our first season cruising aboard speedwell of rhu it seems like a good time to write something about our experiences of sailing a ketch rigged yacht. Oct 26, 2015 sailing alone isnt usually quite that difficult and once youre out there, the sailing part of singlehanded sailing is relatively simple. The sport and practice of singlehanded sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one. She was designed by holmanpain, with a midship cockpit and raised saloonthe ancestor to todays oysters. Discussion in sailboats started by dannyjoek, sep 4, 2012. This book is about how great it is to singlehand a sailboat under challenging conditions. A dutch court stepped in, owing to the objections of the local authorities, and prevented dekker from departing while under shared custody of both her parents. The best sailing books are the ones that inspire you to get out there. Sailboat cruising secrets ketch sailing skippers guide. Ive single handed a 21 footer up through off shore in a 27. Top ten books about sailing nonfiction alerias adventures.
On friday june 14, 1968, suhaili, a tiny ketch, slipped almost unnoticed out of falmouth. With more and more young people getting into cruising and the liveaboard lifestyle, its no surprise that small, budget boats are experiencing a comeback ive been cruising with my husband ryan for the past two years. Single handed operation of the jeanneau yacht 57 by. In her first book, last voyage, she describes her life in the early 1930s as an. Quantums jay sharkey shares his singlehanded sailing expertise to help you get started. I have bought many books and researched weather and sea conditions best i can, but personal experience of others would be the best source. Sir alec rose july 1908 11 january 1991 was a nursery owner and fruit merchant in england who, after serving in the royal navy during world war ii, developed a passion for amateur single handed sailing. The sailing books spring sale offers great discounts on large numbers of nautical books, pilots, cruising guides, sailing dvds, nautical charts, chart plotting navigation instruments and nautical gifts. The sport and practice of singlehanded sailing or solo sailing is sailing with only one crewmember i. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read singlehanded sailing. These changes may be as simple as moving a halyard clutch or two or a little more involved such as converting to a single line reefing system. The sloop rig generally is simpler to use and cheaper to build than a ketch rig.
Im just guessing, but i imagine a typical ketch might go to wind better than a cat or cat ketch. The story of a single mother in the 1920s with 3 children and a dog, exploring vancouver islands inside passage. Sailboat cruising secrets ketch sailing skippers guide did you know that the ketch shares a likeness to the weather vane atop a house or barn. Her first two books were written to pay off debts incurred with her husband in refurbishing a 70foot ketch, reliance. But my wife has been reluctant about sailing down the coast with just the two of us. Shes fast, comfortable in all kinds of weather, roomy, and easy to sail, even single handed. Quantums jay sharkey shares his single and shorthanded sailing expertise to help you get started. Ive heard the crab claw is awesome, does anyone know where i can find out more about. In 1949 allcard crossed the atlantic ocean singlehanded, in 81 days, aboard his 35foot wooden ketch temptress previously sailed by ocean cruising club.
Mar 14, 2019 this is the book that inspired us to buy a boat and go sailing. Jun 16, 2017 looking for opinions on the pros and cons of a ketch versus a sloop or a cutter. There are a few single and short handed techniques, but i was left a bit underwhelmed with the number of techniques. Sir robin knoxjohnston clipper round the world race. There are a lot of single handed sail designs out there. What is the proper size of a boat for singlehanded sailing. I would like a boat set up for single handed or at least short handed sailing, a non bolted keel, and have bluewater capability. I guess i bought this book because of its subtitle. By definition, if i sail singlehanded, its just me. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. Single handed sailing is the book to consult when thinking of making a single handed passage and wondering if your boat is suitable. Radar target alarms and active radar target enhancers such as activecho or seame will help make your yacht appear larger on another vessels radar display. Hello, i am preparing to get a sailboat and single hand cruise the caribbean in about 4 months.
Great seamanship a true account of sailing solo across the. Sailing characteristics hallberg rassy 41 sailing anarchy. Jun 18, 2017 single handed sailor berthold hinrichs sailing in hinlopenstretet. There are lots of basic sailing texts on line as well as books, you may want to investigate. Looking to move up to a larger boat from a sloop to a ketch or yawl. Somebody may say complicated boat with ketch rig is not for singlehander, but im fed up with main reefing and genoareducing all the time. Or that its one of the easiest of all sailboat cruising rigs to balance to perfection. The spring sale must end on 14th april 2020 and all items in the sale are featured at the bottom of the home page in specials. Atticus is off on an expedition sailing to the offshore atolls of belize. Voyage alone, an adventurous cruise in a thirtysixfoot ketch, sailed single handed from the english channel to the caribbean sea and the river plate. All of my sailing over the past 5 years has been day sailing, often by myself or with a crew with very limited experience. What is more daunting is what happens when you get closer to land, or need to come alongside, and carry out the sail handling jobs on board which usually take a full crew. 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. Singlehanding a 48foot single engine trawler, or any large boat for that matter, takes a lot of advanced planning.
Hasler is known as the father of singlehanded sailing, owing to his invention of the first practical selfsteering gear for yachts. The only exception is if you rig out the boat for single handed sailing. Voyage alone, an adventurous cruise in a thirtysixfoot. Bernard moitessier was a french sailor who raced in the 1968 golden globe, the first singlehanded around the world race. All offer easy short handed sailing for a wide variety of owners, from those wanting a sedate experience to those seeking a fast and responsive, but ultimately safe, vessel. Roundtheworld yacht racing began with the singlehanded sunday times golden. The sunday times golden globe race was a nonstop, single handed, roundtheworld yacht race, held in 19681969, and was the first roundtheworld yacht race.
It might be more spacious andor stable than a sloop. Joshua slocum singled handed around the world in spray, about 36, in the 1890s. Jeanneau sailboat, power boats, yachts, trimarans and bali. Best singlehanded, bluewater sailboat not caravan on. And even if you dont have a cutter, this chapter can help you make your boat easier to sail and faster too. Hiscock, eric c 1957 second edition, hardcover with dustjacket 275 pages, with photographs. I have owned the same 25 foot boat for over 30 years. How to maintain colregs when sailing single handed safe skipper. I have single handed sailed my last boat, a sea wolf 40, but in the protected waters of puget sound and salish sea. Sailing alone around the world by joshua slocum in 1895, joshua slocum set out to prove that a man could sail alone around the world. The observer singlehanded transatlantic race of 1960 was a milestone in sailing, being the first single handed ocean yacht race. Either they are phobically afraid of the water, are extremely busy or hate the idea of sailing. The same boat you might sail from a community sailing center is the same one sailed in the olympics. I recently sailed in a hallberg rassy 35 and was impressed with the sail characteristics of the vessel.
So the ketch is a definitely a great choice for shorthanded cruisers. She was designed by holmanpain, with a midship cockpit and raised saloonthe ancestor to. Some of the best sailors in the world were participating and. There are few things better in life than reading a good sailing book while sailing. The joy of ketch home our boat log map photo galleries articles about us contact links. He took part in the second single handed atlantic race in 1964 and circumnavigated the globe single handedly in 196768, for which he was knighted. Im not looking for something to make a boat go fast, just be easy to operate and reasonably efficient.