Single-Handed Ariel

I'm new to sailing and have learned a lot from reading the message board. I need some advice and help for techniques to sail Mariel (# 162) single -handed. What have you learned to help a novice to sail single-handed.

I searched the message board and have already gotten a solution to my first problem: I found that you can manage sails and keep the tiller steady by rigging bungee cords to steady the tiller. I also found a couple devices which work to hold the tiller firm (tiller tender is one, but too pricey for my budget)

Self tailng winches are a must .

Has anyone used Winchers. They're rubber disks that convert a regular winch to a self tailing. If they work, it would honor the "Fun on a budget" creed of the Palmer household and keep the accounting department from sending the dreaded "Not-In-budget" memo.

Safety is one of the biggest concerns, which also affects gear selection and establishing cockpit sail control. For an introduction, click on the search button and search for "single hand" (partial word). You should get 12 thread hits worth reading.

Welcome aboard.

Singlehanding is a good subject, but a general one. So here's a general answer.

Just do it.

Many people don't singlehand because they're not comfortable doing so. Since they need to line up crew, they don't sail often enough to ever get comfortable.

Since you're willing to do it, everything else is easy.

Docking and sail-handling is mostly a matter of practice and developing routines.

Upgraded equiptment can make sailing easier and more enjoyable. But, if you really hunger to sail, you don't need anything. Everyone strikes their own balance between cost and convenience.

Once fully infected with the sailing disease, boat purchases seem rational and necessary. I believe life is barely worth living without real self-tailers. Come over to the dark side.

I think single handing is a must for any boat/boat owner.
One thing, you never really get to know the boat as well if you don't sail it alone.
Another, overriding concern, is that of the crew overboard. If all one can do is to sail the boat competently with crew, and that crew goes over...well...it's on you to get 'em back. I feel that it is a matter of good seamanship and responsibility to learn to sail the boat alone.
Please be responsible to yourself by rigging a set of jacklines and investing in a good harness. Unless your crew can sail the boat well by THEMselves, wear it at all times. There is no issue of exposure or recovery attempts if you stay with the boat.

The Ariel and Commander are kind, zoomy, magic little boats. Really miss mine...anyway, they are exceptionally easy to sail alone, so worry not. Very predictable.
Rather than adding more complexity, I'd work to un-complicate things as much as possible. Unless you are particularly short (and I am only 5'7") you shouldn't have much worry of reach for coming about or sail trimming. I have a strong personal dislike for self-tailers myself, but that's just me. They might have been nice on the Commander a few times as it was a bit of a reach...but you learn real fast to steer with your foot while trimming.

The first complexity I'd add would be a simple and inexpensive sheet-to-tiller self-steering setup (see "self Steering for Sailing Craft" by John S. Letcher, Jr. or "Wind and Tide" by Jerome W. FitzGerald) which will allow you to make a sandwich, take a leak, or just ride on the side deck with your feet hanging over all by your lonesome. Another distinct value of this system is the detailed knowlege of your boat's balance, trim and performance you will rapidly acquire in the process of getting the system dialed in.

I have used the "wincher" and don't think they fit winches as small as most Ariels have.
They sort of work, but not like real self tailers.

I find the comments about self tailing winches interesting. I don't have any, have done extensive single handed sailing, and until now never saw a reason for them, other than they are sort of neat (I don't really see the reason for them now). I simply cleat the jib sheet - no big deal.

I used a Davis Tiller Tamer (available from West for less than $30 as I recall) my first year soloing, , but that was good for about 15 - 30 seconds before I had to rush back to the helm to make a correction - and then back to the mast or wherever. I now consider an Autohelm an absolutely mandatory safety device for the single hander (It doesn't make any difference whether it is the Raytheon or Simrad). This is not just a convenience matter, but a safety matter - although its use as a convenience is important as well (I sailed the length of Lake Michigan once with just the Tiller Tamer and would never do it again, if I had a choice).

I also tried to use non-stretch dacron line to hold the tiller in place (nylon stretches and slips too much). About the same results as the Tiller Tamer, but a pain relatively (Much more of a pain than the difference between cleating a sheet and using self tailing winches). Again, the line would hold course for perhaps 15 - 30 seconds.

There are times you have to leave the helm for at least several minutes (raising/lowering sails, fixing things, getting out of the cold/rain, getting food, and you have to know that your vessel will stay on course. Even if you don't leave the helm, there is relaxation in not having to concentrate on where you are headed over a lengthy course of time. The only way this can be done is with an autohelm.

The second mandatory item, which was discussed on an earlier occasion, is a collapsible ladder to get back on board in the unofrtunate event you go over the side so you have some hope of getting back up again.

The last item, which I this past year I have been doing, is to have a handheld VHF radio clipped on to my inflatable so that I can call for a mayday, if I get bounced overboard. Although short range, they are still better than yelling.

Sailing solo is great. You go where you want, when you want, under the conditions you want - and don't have to concern yourself with whether someone else is enjoying themselves.

Capt. Theis,

I spent most of last season quietly arguing with myself about autopilots - you know, one more gizmo to malfunction, sailaway if you fall overboard, battery drain, "hunting" while running downwind, and so forth. But I really kind of want to fit one to my Ariel and get into singlehanding. My halyard winches are on the mast and will stay there. So now you got me autopilot thinking again -

You have some pix, maybe? Suggestions, anecdotes, cautions?

I too am happy with standard winches/cleats. This all probably belongs in "Technical" but I'm too stuffed with turkey to think straight.

I'll see if I can get some pictures and post them for you later.

As for your concerns, you sound like me. Those are the very things I thought about, and the reasons I did not initially install one - thinking an autohelm more a luxury than a necessity.

A little background. I relaunched Solsken (Ariel) in 2000, having spent five years rehabing it (a lot of time to think about those things). I had sailed it for many years in the 60s and 70s without an autohelm so I knew what I was dealing with and what to expect - sort of. When I rehabed it, I tried to keep it as true as possible to the way it had been and avoid a lot of glop, i.e. keep it a true classic.

Like you, all my running rigging, except for the sheets, goes to the mast. I have hank-on sails. I like going forward because that is the fun, the exercise, the thrill, the challenge. I also do a lot of long distance cruising on the Great Lakes.

With all that said (I apologise for the long introduction - but different strokes for different folks), when I go on the foredeck, it is so much more enjoyable and relaxing to take my time getting sails up and down, or to go forward and take a picture or read for a while with the autohelm maintaining my course (based on a compass setting). Incidentally, I get a lot of reading done when I am cruising because of the autohelm. At lunch time, I can make myself a decent lunch, or perk coffee without being concerned about the course. It is a real blessing.

But they do break down, and then you realize how much of a blessing the autohelm is. Mine is a Raytheon Autohelm 2000 ( I got the larger unit because a) it is faster reacting and b) I don't want to be underpowered). The first year, 2001, it failed after about twenty hours - right at the beginning of a cruise. The second year it went for about three weeks, failing only near the end of the cruise. Then Raytheon replaced it and the device seems to work fine now. I do think that they had a batch when I got mine, because others also had problems with units acquired about the same time.

Falling overboard and the autohelm are real problems. I haven't resolved that one yet That is a concern.

Hunting while running downwind or in high seas. Going down wind is a problem, only in seas, because the hunting can be severe enough to threaten a jibe. The alternatives are to take the helm manually, or head up a bit so that the boat never falls off enough to reach the jibe point (that is better sailing anyway, and probably faster, even without an autohelm). Remember the autohelm can also be fixed - no movement - just as if the tiller were lashed down - fall back position but one I have never used. In high seas, I often do take over some of the time, but still use the autohelm when I need a break.

Battery drain - yes that is an issue, but at least in the Great Lakes there is enough motoring (my Yamaha 8hp has a 6 amp generator) that the battery has not yet run down significantly while cruising. However, when day sailing, I do need to pay attention to that issue, although it has not yet been a problem. I have installed a battery charge volt meter to keep me informed of how much the charge in the battery has run down. Also, when the inside lights seem a little low, I know the time has come to recharge. In other words, it has not been a problem, any more than running overnight with the running lights/masthead, GPS etc. But when running overnight with the autohelm and the lights, I do need to be concerned. Of course, the juice the autohelm draws is dependent on the extent to which it has to correct course i.e. the wind and seas.

I will look for some pictures.

Capt. Theus,

As they say "ignorance is bless and I'm a happy fella". Since I'm new to sailing, there are terms I think I know but I'll ask anyway.

Hanked-on sail (as opposed to what other kind of sail)?

The alternative to a hanked on sail is a roller reefed foresail, the size of which is controlled from the cockpit. When I change foresails, I have to go forward, grab the replacement sail out of the fore cabin through the hatch, and put it on. It takes a little work - but it also makes for more fun.

I think if you do a search of this bulletin board on "roller reef" you will pick up a dialog that was carried on last fall in regard to roller reefing and hanking on of the foresail.

As for the "terms", there was also a discussion of some of the terms last fall, such as "lazarette", "standing rigging" and "running rigging" as I recall. But checking out the meaning of terms is something everyone always goes through - and it is never ending. In this sport, you are always learning something, unless you are afraid to ask or are misled to believing you already know it all.

Self tailing winches can be kind of neat but the boat sails the same with or without them. I don't have them and have never really thought they were necessary and I sail single handed most of the time. (with hanked on sails)
A very useful steering control I do have on board is a single 1/4" nylon line run outside the stanchions along the deck from the cockpit to a block at the base of the forestay and back down the other side of the boat to the cockpit. I attach the loose ends to the tiller, forming a closed loop so that by pulling the line one way or the other I can steer from anywhere on the boat. It isn't as efficient as an autopilot but it uses no electricity, if virtually unbreakable and cost about ten bucks. It works wonderfully for sitting on the bow on a long reach or when you are motoring and want to get away from the engine noise, and helps considerably with boat control when raising/lowering/reefing sails or any time you need to go forward.
I also use a Davis tiller tamer but I wouldn't want to be without it. It won't keep the boat on course for a long distance if you are moving around on the boat. It wasn't designed to do that. I use it to absorb some of the load and motion from the tiller and to hold a general course, which it does very well, making often longs days a lot less tiring. And when the boat is balanced it makes it easy to lock the rudder so you can just let go and enjoy the ride.

Self tailers come into their own when you are short tacking in a tight situation or need to make a gradual sheet adjustment/course change.
Anything that frees up one hand, to me is considered "safety gear".( so less chance you will need that ladder )

I didn't think much of them either until I raced with them .
They make tacking faster, which is also a safety issue, as it gets you back to minding the helm and keeping a better lookout.

Mike:

Your comments about self tailing winches were good. On long cruises there is not much to do with adjusting the foresail, but when beating somewhere, I could use them. With the helm in one hand, the winch handle in the second and the tail end of the sheet line in the - whoops - there is a problem. So I use my knee for the tiller freeing up one hand, but it is still a hassle - particularly coming about.

Putting a beer can holder in the cockpit has freed up one hand and made life easier.

Actually the self tailing winch might be most applicable when there are guests on board because then it is a pain moving everyone around while the sheets are changed/adjusted.

tcoolidge (Tom?)

Your idea reminded me of a solution to another problem addressed earlier in this thread. I had been thinking of running a line around, much as you have, but with a different purpose. My idea had been to have the wrap around line connected a) to the autohelm shaft, and b) the outboard emergency shut off string. If I fell overboard, I would be dragged along by the side of the boat and could reach up and grab the line ringing the edge of the boat (which I think I could do). I could jerk it, the motor would shut off, and (if sailing) the autohelm would be pulled off the pin on the tiller, disabling the autohelm. The Ariel would then head up wind and stop.

By the way, yours is a good idea, and one a lot less expensive than an autohelm, although perhaps not as effective in that it still depends on the helmsman to hold a course and make course corrections.

tpalmer (Tom?)

My idea had been to show some pictures, as you requested. I went through my archives since I had the autohelm and found none. When I took pictures looking aft from the foredeck, the autohelm was always blocked by the cabin hatch. I have no pictures looking down into the cockpit. Sorry. If you decide to go that route, let me know and I will give you some ideas regarding the installation. I have redone mine once already, and would like to redo it a second time.

Just my plug again for the sheet-to-tiller setup...
This is an arrangement that very few people understand or try, which is a shame because it works so well. Here's the point: to a large degree, the boat steers herself in order to keep load on the sails. In this sense, it is similar to a vane gear as the goal is the same. Instead of using the vane gear to supply input, you are using a simple tackle and instead of measuring a relative angle to wind you are measureing and driving with sheet load...

Think of it this way--for a given amount of loading on a sheet (usually it is easiest to use the mainsheet), a certain amount of helm pressure must be maintained. What the S2T rig is doing is balancing sheet tension vs. rudder pressure. A lightweight (and rather inexpensive) snatch block from the mountaineering store is used to take up a "fool's purchase" on the sheet in question and a certain amount of bend induced in the standing sheet at the point of the purchase. One end of the running tackle (thru the snatch) is made fast in an adjustable fashion(cam cleat is nice, right on the winch base or coaming), the other end thru a turning block and to the tiller. A length of line with a bit of surgical tubing is attached to the tiller in opposition. By balancing the elastic vs. the running purchase, you balance the efforts of the system and steer she will...for hours.

Weight and friction are the big enemies...so think airblocks and amsteel here. Similarly, you will benefit from airblocks or similar low-friction goodies in the mainsheet tackle, and low-stretch line in the mainsheet. You wanted that anyway!

The beauty of it is that you can set the whole mess up for 75.00 or less and it stows in a small bag until you wish to set it up, which after you are good at it will take about 2 minutes, give or take.

Doesn't work too well dead down, but neither does a vane. The accuracy does change somewhat with balance of weight on the boat, but not badly...and if you are quick, you can set it up to steer while you reef!

There are some pictures of this type system set up on my friend's Renegade on the OarClub web page ( www.oarclub.org ) in the articles on various topics under "self steering"., along with some much better instruction than mine as to setting it up and dialing it in.

Next best thing to a vane, and a lot cheaper and lighter weight than one, too. No batteries needed<G>

Dave

Way back about 20 replies ago this started with someone "new to sailing" asking about single-handed sailing and self-steering. All the tech-talk has been great but speaking as another relatively "new to sailing" person I'd like to add more weight to the personal sailing skills side.

I learned to keep in mind that the main piece of technology on my boat is me. It's up to me to decode the relationship between the wind, the water and set the course. Things starting going better when I realized that there is already a lot of technology in-between me, the wind and the water in the form of sails, sheets, blocks, hull shape, rudder design, etc.. I was confusing being able to sail the boat with sailing it well. I'm convinced that adding more machinery just adds to my confusion and slows down my learning.

For those of us "new to sailing" I think the trick is to become the best decoder of the natural elements you can be SAFELY before selectively adding technology--very selectively. And I think the trick to doing that is to pick your days carefully and go out alone as much as you can. I've learned more in any given solo hour than in almost all the on the water classroom hours I put in 5 years ago when I started this. Adrenaline is a wonderful focus enhancer! Some of those hours have been pretty dull too since I deliberately chose days with light winds so I couldn't get in too much trouble. My second choice is to go out on livelier days with someone who sails way better than I do (they usually have a lot of dinghy experience).

My most recent discovery was that by relying too much on a Davis Tiller Tamer I was failing to learn how to balance the sails so the boat virtually steers itself. I accidentally ended up with the boat steering itself one day and could not believe a.) that I had done it, b.) that the boat sailed so much better and c.) that I had known it was possible but hadn't taken the time to learn how to do it sooner. The Tiller Tamer is still on the boat but I use it less.

I'm not sure where the line is between necessary safety technology and stuff that gets in the way. I guess it depends on the individual sailor. Even in 3 knot winds I always wear my PFD, the VHF radio is always on, the swim ladder is down, I have a full tank of gas and I'm tethered to the boat whenever I leave the cockpit. If the wind goes up I'm tethered all the time. Safety technology is a good thing.

On the other hand after spending most of a summer sailing on a friend's 35' O'Day with big self-tailing winches and roller furling I became convinced I needed those things on my boat. Now that I can change a headsail and reef the main by myself with simpler technology and more sensitive judgement about when to throttle-down, I'm comfortable I can get along without it and get more out of sailing. I've been more frightened on better equipped boats being sailed badly than on my low-tech Commander with an experienced crew to guide me. I'll be even more comfortable with more sailing experience.

I see now how easy it was for me to get roped in by the mystique surrounding "single-handed sailing" born of great ocean-crossing adventures. The truth is that most us need to master single-handed DAY-sailing since willing crew can be hard to come by. There is a big difference between 4 hours on the Chesapeake and 4 weeks on the Atlantic. I intend to sail the length of the Chesapeake and back to Baltimore in a year or two. I'll probably do it in a couple of legs mostly with crew. By 2005 I should be ready to do a leg or two on my own. Probably with cleats on the sheets and hanks on the forestay. And if necessary hiding out in a marina for a day or two while something nasty blows by. It's like I'm trying to be less of a gear-head and more of an air-head. For once that's a good thing.

From the Chesapeake,
Skipper Jer

Captain Dave and Skipper Jer,

First, thanks for your comments. I had seen a description of a sheet-to-tiller rig in a book but your explanation and going to www.oarclub.org has really helped me. When I get a chance I'm going to rig one up and play with it. The best part of this thread is that I've learned that people do just tie off the tiller to a cleat or steer with leg while furling the headsail (whatever works)

Second, one of the best things about this message board is when someone mentions a new website. I've found two good ones in www.oarclub.org and sailboatowners.com

Last, Skipper Jer's comment about there's a lot of technology in the basic boat and sail (with most of the the technology being between your ears). I'm 3.5 hours away from my boat trying to make a once a month schedule to get my sailing fix. If I could sail every day, I'd "Just do it" but since I've got to get my kicks vicariously through the thoughts of others, this is a great message board. Thanks for everyone's patience with my ignorance

TP

The coolest thing about the computer is the ability to exchange information and even establish friendships with people from all over the place. To me, this is still amazing stuff...I remember when it was a big deal to take the optional BASIC programming class in high school, and the first warehouse I worked in we still did everything with pencils and paper! This is an terrific vehicle, and threads like this are a good example to me of why!

The one thing I haven't soapboxed on here that I just realized I should, since we are talking among other things of safety, is ground tackle.

Yep, ground tackle. Safety gear.
Very few boats carry enough scope. I like to have about 600' for the head anchor, and it will fit in the A/C chain locker just fine!
Make sure you have a good hook that is a size bigger than what the maker suggests, adequate chain, a couple hundred feet of nylon. The rest can be polypro from the fishboat store that has the appropriate strength but is much smaller and lighter thatn 1/2" nylon. In places where you can't sail, or where you have encountered a current that the iron oar can't get you anywhere against current, you can lay out the parking brake and wait...if you have one that works. I've held for hours on a 1:1 scope even in rather deep water, as long as it was fairly flat. (I gotta wait for wind sometimes)

Some of the worst "excitement" I've ever had, I would have avoided if I had had more than 150' of scope at the time.

Best,
Dave

Hi there tpalmer,

Single handed sailing is just plain unsafe. Any serious human being will tell you that, however I can't remember the last time I took someone else out with me. Perusal of my log tells me that 68% of my sailing days on Augustine (Ariel hull #330) thus far have been solo. A crew is usually nice to have, but the Ariel is a great boat to single hand. I have all sorts of fancy do-dads, like custom lifelines, jack lines, emergency boarding ladders, a hand held VHF that I keep in the pocket of my sailing jacket etc. to make a single handing accident more survivable, but venturing out to sea alone is a high risk endeavor. Then again, so is backcountry skiing alone, and I have done plenty of that also. You have to understand the risks.

As far as the rigging on my boat, however, I didn't have to add self-tailing winches or any other expensive hardware. Except when I am raising the jib, I keep my winch handles below. I don't really need them. I have a jam cleat atop the coaming board on each side of the cockpit beside the standard sheet winch that came as original equipment on my boat. I run the working jib sheet to the cleat on the opposite side of the cockpit where is within easy reach as I steer the boat. I can usually set the sails where I want them by hand without the aid of a winch. Therefore, self-tailers would be of little value.

The 35-foot cutter that I sailed for years had self-tailing winches and they were great. I can't imagine why I would want to install self-tailing winches on my Ariel. It just doesn't take that much strength to pull the jib in tight with the working jib. If one was accustomed to sailing in stronger winds with a Genoa, that would be another matter. I would probably also change my mind if I were racing my boat, since you do lose time in a tack in heavy wind if you can't set the jib where you want it without luffing slightly to slack the sheet.

If I were to spend money on winches, I would spend my money on a couple of halyard winches and mount them on the aft end of the cabin top. It would be nice to be able to raise the main from the cockpit. Staying in the cockpit is desirable. Reefing single handed is a bit of fun. It can be a real adventure in winds over 25 knots and a big swell. I have to go forward to the mast to lower the sail, but I can operate the reefing lines and secure the reef points while sitting on the top of the cabin. The attached photo was on one of those days.

I do use a bungee cord for self-steering when I go forward or below. I also installed pin rails on my lower shrouds. The pin rails make good secure leaning posts when working at the mast in addition to their various other uses. They are shown in the attached photo.

Well said there, Skipper Jer.

We boys like our toys. Technical, mechanical, practical; simple or complex, store-bought or homemade. That's the kind of stuff that seems to generate interest among sailors, here and elsewhere.

Very rarely do we discuss the simple pleasures of sailing, the fulfillment which comes from challenging ourselves.

But most sailors are romantic dreamers at heart, especially those who would adopt an old boat like ours.

I had saved two articles on singlehanded sailing. One was the tech/gear approach


http://dan.pfeiffer.net/p26/singlehand.htm

The other had a more philosophical approach, by David Guenther



... the six best things about singlehanding (in no particular order):

1. Bill Gates insists on it. Harried mothers plead for it. Throughout history, individuals have endured privation and hardship in search of it. And singlehanded sailors have found it. Well, that too. But I'm talking about solitude; a momentary respite from the distractions and demands that occur when other people are around. It's a time of peace and quiet, a chance to think and reflect, which refreshes the body, revitalizes the mind, and restores the spirit.

2. Whether you call it "communing with nature" or "feeling at one with the world," there are times singlehanding can only be described as a spiritual experience -- days when you marvel at the sea and sky and are awed and humbled by the majesty of nature, days when you savor the interaction of the boat with wind and waves and say to yourself "It just doesn't get any better than this." According to an unpublished study by Dewey, Kahn, Yu, and Howe, these moments are covered by the inverse square rule -- the intensity of the experience decreases by the square of the number of people aboard.

3. Always sailing with a crew is like taking your relatives along on your honeymoon and having them move in with you afterwards. Getting away by yourselves provides an unparalleled opportunity to become intimately familiar with your boat. You discover its likes and dislikes, its strengths and weaknesses, and its quirks and limits. You come to appreciate the good, change what you can for the better, and accept the inevitable. Over time, your initial apprehension fades and is replaced by a feeling of comfort and trust. Your ability to handle your boat improves until it becomes an extension of yourself; your senses become so attuned that you pick up on everything and react properly without thinking.

4. Ask a sailor to identify the allure of sailing and a common answer is "freedom and independence." If you buy into this, singlehanding will give you the most for your money. With no responsibility for and no need to accommodate others on board, you can indulge yourself. Take the provisions you want and nothing you don't. Use all the stowage space for your stuff. Always sleep in the best berth. Go where you want when you want or go nowhere or nowhen at all. Do things your way and when (if ever) you are inclined to do so. Be messy or neat, noisy or quiet, lead a spartan or decadent existence. It's your toy and, for a while at least, you don't have to share it with anyone else.

5. Singlehanding is unlikely to kill you. But it offers plenty of challenges that can make you stronger and better. Not just a better sailor, but a better person. Having to do everything yourself necessitates learning which increases self-sufficiency. Self-interest will motivate you to anticipate what could happen and plan for contingencies. When (not if) the unexpected occurs, necessity will stimulate the resourcefulness and creativity needed to deal with the situation (and, occasionally, prompt a few prayers and promises to change). Your ability to both endure discomfort and appreciate the little things in life will increase. Facing your fears and pushing your limits will boost your self-confidence; while the reality you experience will keep you humble. And, ironically, what you learn about yourself while singlehanding will make you a better companion.

6. Another irony is that singlehanders meet a lot of people. I think part of it is that, after being alone for a while, they are more inclined to reach out to others for companionship and conversation. But it also seems that others are more inclined to reach out to singlehanders. Maybe one person is perceived as less of a threat or burden than a group. Maybe it's curiosity, the mothering instinct at work, empathy, or pity. Whatever the reason, the willingness of others to extend an invitation and helping hand to a singlehander and the generous degree of hospitality provided is a commonplace, yet unique and priceless, gift.

Beautifully said, Pete!

I also admired much the pix of 376 that were just posted, and echo the comments of so many that it's a shame when we hear of one of these boats getting cut. They're simple, honest, multi-tasking little workhorses...like an old Chevrolet!

I may be preaching to the choir, here, but how many boats are there out there that are easily and completely rebuildable by a person of average skills and modest means which can be had so affordably? Let alone boats so versatile. These boats have heart.

When I get correspondance from fellows looking for a single-man livaboard, or go-places boat, the Ariel and Commander are at the top of the list. For 10 grand a fellow could be off to parts unknown in a fully found and very seaworthy Commander, if he spent wisely and applied himself. These are little dream machines...show me another boat that can do that!

Just to make Mary feel better, a friend of ours who is a Mathematics professor (and engineless small-boat sailor--in his case a Cheoy Lee Cadet or "offshore 27" which is also his home) crunched the numbers, and the odds of getting killed single handing on extended passages--let alone daysailing--were incredibly lower than the odds of living a "normal" life ashore for an equivalent period of time. Life, after all, is inherently dangerous! When we sail, I think we are just that much more alive, and perhaps that much closer to reality so that the "threats" are up close and personal, instead of things we do everyday, take for granted, and have become desensitized to. After a bit, we just adapt the same way to life on the vessel.
The most dangerous thing on the boat? Our fellow crewmembers, if we have them. This works out both in statistics and experience...let that one roll around in your mental "what-if" and "why" machine for a bit, it may make some sense.

Much like Pete, I grew up on sailing craft...so I was/am in many ways desensitized to the inherent hazards in the same way that we get to things like driving a car, working, crossing a street, showering, etc...
When I started sailing alone, my awareness of those things was altered a bit, as somehow I realized the truth of life anyhow--it's all on me. I teach junior that regardless of anything else, she is ultimately responsible for her own safety in any setting or circumstance.

Some folks are afraid of sailing alone, but then I see them at work on the street as a police officer or working on a roof! I think it is really just a matter of becoming familiar and comfortable with the boat itself...which is only done by doing!

Life, after all, is inherently dangerous.<G>
The beauty of the boat, and of that communion with nature that she allows you to have, alone...is that we are brought face to face with that reality, are forced to come to terms with it, and become stronger, calmer, more thoughtful, and better people for it. Still, you don't face it alone.

This may sound silly to some, "out there", romanticized, etc...I don't care. I'm a pretty open minded but simultaneously skeptical person...and this is just my experience.
You share those moments and experiences with the boat, and in some way or other she is a real live entity. A good old boat will appreciate the heart and soul you put forth on her behalf, and she'll pay it back 10 fold. She'll take care of you, and if you are listening or paying attention to what is going on, she'll warn you before you screw up badly and caution you when its' time to look sharp. You do not build this relationship with her unless it is just the two of you out there. You may find yourself talking to the boat!

If it is of any reassurance, once you take on the responsibility to the boat, and once you show sincere effort and intent, she's on your side...and these particular little boats are incredibly brave, true and strong.

A good friend of mine makes his living restoring wooden boats, and has a great story about doing a bunch of replanking on a nice old ChrisCraft. New owner had plenty of money, the "preeminent" woody-type surveyor in the area had been over her and allegedly found the faults. Every day, he kept finding himself glancing at the beautiful transom of this boat which was no where near his job. Last day, he walked up to the (varnished) transom and jammed an awl straight thru that spot...the one that everybody had missed, and that someone had done a lovely job of veneering over--in strips!--after packing the rot full of polyester several years before. Took pics of the whole thing just so anyone who wasn't there would believe him later. His comment, "She was talking to me all that time, and I just wasn't listening". I never really took the "boat-as-an-entity" thing seriously until I started hanging out with him, and then met a few old fishers too. One old Slavic guy, he was so superstitious he'd go on short rations if he had to to put on that new coat of paint...on a WORKBOAT! He'd been raised with this belief, you see, that if you treated the boat well, she'd never let you down, but if you sleighted her in any way, well, she's a lady after all...
That fishboat, inside, was beyond most "yachts". Nothing fancy, but everything nice and clean and seamanlike. All the gear in perfect order, always. I have to say, when I first stepped inside that boat I was surprised, because she didn't feel like a 60 year old fishboat. Instead, she felt warm, inviting, like home.

Sorry to subject y'all to my philosophical ramblings here...I guess there's really no good way to explain my feelings about it, or to show the deal to another person, so I'll just say this:

Take the boat out. Do it alone. Be reasonably cautious, but don't be afraid..because you're not going to be alone. You'll see.<G>

Dave

One other thing that you should know about single handed sailing: Your worst enemy is cold - and I am not talking about hypothermia, which is cold to the extreme. When you cool, you stop doing things you would otherwise do, and you can't think as clearly as you normally do. You just will not act right, and do dumb things. Avoid the cold - and that does not mean that you should not sail in cold weather (which I do regularly), but it does mean your head is covered, and you have a pair of longjohns, and some decent body wear. You can get chilled when the temperature is in the seventies, if there is a good wind. And wind and rain compound the problem of getting cold. When you start having to take a whiz more frequently than usual, or begin to get the chills, you are too cold. Always put warm cloths on before you reach this point because it is difficult to recover. The way to recover, incidentally, is by eating something (and getting dry if you are wet), assuming you can't get out of the weather.

my two cents
Make sure you know what an uncontrolled jibe is, why they happen and how to avoid them. Avoid them like the plague. Other than collision they are one of the few things I can think of that can really hurt these boats.
Figure out a way to attach yourself securely to the boat. You will probably never need it but it provides peace of mind and lets you concentrate on other things.
Go sailing remembering that the boat will easily handle conditions you don't want to deal with yet. And they are very, very hard to tip over. Unless you are sailing with an experienced sailor, you will learn more and faster sailing alone. There are fewer distractions and you can spend your time experimenting to find out what works best. Reef early. If you have any doubts, reef, until you get comfortable with the fact that these boats like wind and can carry a lot of sail. Never trust lifelines to save you. Think of them more like safety tape along a cliff marking where not to go. Don't be too proud to crawl if the conditions call for it. Don't think about falling overboard- think about how you are going to stay on the boat. It's really not that hard. You will find that as conditions get more interesting your attention gets more focused and survival instincts kick in so you always have a firm grip on something. When the outcome of carelessness could be deadly, it's amazing how careful one gets.
Eventually you will get to all the other stuff that has been mentioned earlier. And it's worth every bit of the effort it takes to get there.

Tom

I singlehand sail most of the time. I have a autohelm 3000, and wouldn't know what to do without it. Yes it is a battery drain, but my Ariel has a Volvo MD6a (10hp inboard diesel) so the batteries get topped up a the beginning and end of a trip.

On one trip upon entering a harbor, an old man came up to me and after giving me a nod on the nice docking job went after me for not having a harness on. Up in the Great Lakes the water is about 50 degrees. He told me it really wouldn't do me a bit of good to be floating around in the middle of the lake (I wear a floatation jacket). I'd be dead in 30 - 60 minutes! (He had spent 50+ years single handed sailing the area, so he knew what he was talking about.) So, you HAVE TO be able to rescue yourself. And the only way I know is to stay attached to the boat. Even a handheld marine band would be a challenge - due to distance limitation and response time. If I'm out in the middle of the lake, either they would never get my signal or it would take them 1-2 hours to get to me. Either way, I'd be dead.

I have a lot of lines running back to the cockpit (main & job sheets, jib & spinnaker halyards). (and yes, self tailering winches on the jib sheets) I even have a downhaul for the jib to douse it from the cockpit. The biggest challenge I have is reefing / dousing the main. Have lazyjacks, but you still have to stand on the cabin to get to the main halyard. Ideally, I would like roller furling for the jib and redo the main halyard so I raise / drop it from the cockpit. The later item would be pretty cheap to do. The former would be quite expensive. I'll work on being more conservative on the jib size / changing, and save my money on a furler.

When I was 16, I single-handed Chalupa (#57) in shorts and barefeet and without so much as a life-preserver or anchor on deck. As someone said in one post -- life is inherently dangerous. As John Wayne said, "life is hard -- its even harder if your stupid."

Now at 40 and after a 20 year separation from Chalupa, I am back and singlehanding her again. The first things I did, in this order were:

1) made sure the engine was reliable (muy importante, as it is a challenge to sail home to the slip in heavy traffic, drop the sails, and glide into the slip when the engine doesn't run)
2) built a dirt cheap rope/wood ladder with trailing line (what's the fancy word for dragging a line?) so I could climb aboard if I fell off and could catch her! (haven't use that yet)
3) hung two anchors on the bow pulpit with rode and line ready (I've used those a couple of times!)
4) added safety lines and hung docking lines on them
5) ran a temporary jack line from each aft cleat to the forward bow cleat and started wearing a harness and preserver in conditions that warrant it
6) set up an easy tiller tie down system - I just run a line between two cleats and wrap it around the tiller twice. If sails are set well then one can make very minor adjustments by rotating the line where it wraps around the tiller like a motorcycle throttle -- in good conditions it gives plenty of time to run forward or below decks for at least 5 minutes and sometimes a half-hour -- if conditions are bad, well - you should've planned ahead and dropped sail area sooner!
7) Last but not least, I ahve started dreaming about routing downhauls to the cockpit, adding single line jiffy reefing, tiller tamers, auto-pilots, etc.

Keep up the single-handling -- it is the best of sailing and the only way to become truly in tune with your boat.

Ted

Just had to let you all know that. Having this assoc. to go along with the boat is priceless. And the internet is like having the library of congress in the living room.

When I decided to get Ariel #350, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to single hand her. But this is very encouraging. I have a bunch of pad eyes, blocks, fairleads, and who knows what all on my boom--for reefing I assume--still have to figure that all out. Going through this ''new'' boat is like Christmas. I find something new everyday! Same with this site!

I've sailed 16' plywood wanna be's, and took basic keelboat on 22' santana's, which I highly recommend--along with the wife, so she knows what you're talking about! No yelling allowed! It's supposed to be fun!! And I've spent some time in 54 degree water wondering if I'd ever get back alive. You get VERY cold, and can't even think.

The learning curve is steep, but worth every bit of it. Moving up to the Ariel was a dream come true for me. I plan on giving her the best care I possibly can, so she can take care of us.:cool:

You'll never be sorry to have gotten that boat, Willie!

FWIW, the first of our family's boats that I can remember sailing on was our old Ariel, #357. For all the boats that had come before her and for all that came after, Dad always compared to the Ariel with some amount of longing...he missed her.
The Ensign that preceded her, and the P30 and old Alberg 35 that followed...none measured up.

After I got my old Commander, I knew why.
And, although the Triton is a good boat, having seen what both of them look like out of the water--the fineries of the A/C hull are really not as meaningful on paper, or without another boat to compare to close by on the hard--well, I think I'll always miss my "Ariel", too.

Dave

PS--I had an equipment question for you, give a line at commander280@yahoo.com if you have a chance?

Happy New Year Everyone....This is one of the great sites...

I had to chime in on this. Valhalla has the original sails as well as a 175% Genoa. My winches are original Merrimans??? (anyone have a source for handles in case one goes swimming?). Even with my wife on board, I tend to do most of the work although it is nice to be able to hand the helm over once in a while.

No one has mentioned the easiest way to trim the sails and it's almost automatic. Just let the tiller go and as the boat heads up trim the jib to where you want it. No muss no fuss. I think about getting self-tailers every year, but haven't done it yet.

I have an ancient TillerMaster, and I cannot find a place where I can get enough throw for close hauled work. Off the wind and motoring, it sails a better course than I do, and I would not be without it. I made a bracket that drops over the coaming so I could move the mounting point fore and aft. If I go aft, the throw gets so short it is almost unworkable although the TillerMaster seems to have enough power to handle the helm.

John G.
Valhalla
Commander No 287

Capt. John,

I've never tried letting go of the tiller and just trimming the jib but look forward to trying it next time I'm on the water. Does this tactic have a name?

TP

TP,


Drum Roll please.....It's called luffing... when you luff like that, you can grab a couple of inches on the jib sheet very easily. Then just fall off. Even if you are racing with a crew, it is a quick way to sheet in that last bit...instead of grabbing the winch handle.

FWIW, another technique is to tail the jib sheet with one hand and pull the section of sheet between the winch and jib clew at right angles to the sheet. Then take up what you have gotten with the other hand. This works in light and moderate air but you can't get much if it's really blowing.

If it's really blowing out and you need to take the sheet up a bit, and you have an extra person looking for an adventure, have them stand on the jib sheet right at the clew and jump up and down. You can take a good bit up that way and not have to touch the winch handle.. This was more fun on the NY 32 that I crewed on way back when.