Sailing alone

Ok, I need to break free of sailing with a crew,

I have never sailed alone, but am finding it harder and harder to get out, with people...
What do I need to sail alone, and any advice...
Stepping the mast,
Righting the boat,
Sailing in general.

Mostly Im afraid to tip er by myself, I weigh 170, and I know I cant get 'er right side up by myself... and also I've read alot about mast stepping but I cant quite figure it out...

HELP ME< I WANT TO SAIL!

luke

I'm pretty much always by myself when I sail. No one else seems to have days off in the middle of the week. So here are some tips for you.

I weigh about 160, and witha righting bucket and the right technique I have no problems getting my 16 back on her feet. The key is to not capsize in less than 10 kts. You really need to get the mast into the wind and use the wind to your advantage when righting. Maybe check out the pole righting systems that I have seen on here. Seems like that might be a good idea.

I also solo step my mast all the time. I just connect the shrouds in the highest hole and the step link and up I go. The "secret" is to point the boat downhill. Either swing it around so that it points down the beach, or leave it on the trailer and unhook from the hitch. That way the mast kind of leans into the shrouds.

I'm not sure if you are on the ocean or a lake, but here is my standdard safety checklist. I always wear a lifejacket, keyword wear, I see them tied to the tramp alot. I always have either a cell phone in a plastic bag, or a marine radio. I carry flares and smoke in my deck port just in case.

Feel free to drop me an email if you have any other questions. Maybe I can capture a short video of me stepping the mast next time.

_________________
Marcus
H16
Narragansett Bay, RI

thanks!

I have the same dilema, I have mondays and tuesdays off, and everybody else works! I will try that technique later this week and let you know how it came out!

Hello,
Most of the sailing I've done since I started has been by myself. It's really not all that hard to do unless the wind really starts to pick up and the gusts are just howling. In those conditions, it's a lot more fun with someone who can work the jib as it's alot to do in high winds. Tacking was a bit of trouble in high wind but I am a newbie and still figuring this stuff out for myself as well. I found myself being pushed into a gybe more times than I'd like but made it out without going into the drink.
I like the mast stepping tip. I'll be trying that this weekend. I always find it hard to get people to help me step it. This weekend really shouldn't be a problem as there is the Whiskeytown Regatta and tons of sailors to help but I do want to step the thing on my own.

Cheers
J

Hey, I finally found a Hobie sailor with my days off!! When do you want to go ?? And do you want to drive to MI or should I come there! I feel your pain, regattas are especially hard to get to.
To raise your mast,
1. Put a ring bolt or a U bolt on your mast support somewhere above the tramp height.
2. Get a 15 foot length of rope.
3. Tie your main halyard to a mast cleat, attach the rope to the other end of the halyard (wire end) and run it thru the ring bolt and then loosly to a mast cleat.
4. Make sure your trap/stays are not going to hang up on the boat and lift the mast.
5. With the mast up, grab the end of the rope from the cleat, pull it tight and cleat it well. The halyard and extension are holding your mast up now, so make sure it is cleated well.
6. Get off the tramp gently and attach the bridle and forstay.
7. Ease the extension until the mast is on the forstay and remove it.

Sounds like a lot of steps, but it is simple and fast. Hardest thing is making sure you don't snag a wire on the way up.

Get a righting bucket and have fun!

Dan

Using the method of attaching the main halyard to a line extension and runing thru a loop in the trialer. Where is the base of the mast upon hoisting. Are you to attempt to keep it in the step....or....raise it with the mast foot on the ground then shoulder it up to the step? I am going to attempt this for the first time, and dont wish to have a mishap. I have solo stepped a Laser II but that mast didnt weigh in like this one does.

THanks,
Jim

Pin the mast as I mentioned in your other post.

You asked about (1)stepping the mast, (2)righting the boat, and (3)sailing in general. The first two were adequately covered so I'll just address "Sailing in general". Since retiring about four years ago I sail a lot, mostly mid week, and about 70% by myself. I was a little intimidated at first, but I became more comfortable by pointing higher when the wind picks up. This saves you from having to constantly pop to main. Whenever you get a puff, push on the tiller & pop the main only if you have to. Learn to control your boat with the tiller & use the main only as a back-up. With practice you'll become more comfortable. I only weigh about 160 lbs.
Good luck!

One more thing about stepping and sailing solo. For stepping, check out the lengthy and detailed discussions on catsailor. It has been covered there ad nauseum. Solo sailing is great fun. It's easier to fly a hull, you accelerate faster, and you don't need to rely on anyone else. I actually find singlehanding the H16 easier than sailing with inexperienced crew. A few things to keep in mind, tacking is really not much harder than with crew. Fall off to gain speed, sheet in slightly as you come up on the wind. As you come head to wind, let out about 6 inches of main sheet. Keep the jib backwinded until the main battens pop across. Bring the jib across and cleat in place. Tend to the main sheet while getting the boat on course. Set the jib and continue on. When you become practiced this all happens very fast.

I sailed solo on my H16 almost 90% of the time. When I bought the H18 I had built in crew (my wife) and have not set it up solo yet. I am working on a system to do this so I don't always have to wait for her to go sailing. I also plan on installing a righting pole this spring so I can right it solo.

The H16 is a good boat for solo sailing, so enjoy it.

_________________
Nick

Current Boat
In the market
Previous boats owned
'74 Pearson 30
'84 H16
'82 H18 Magnum
St. Louis, MO

Nick, post your pole details on the H-18 forum. I will be working on a righting pole myself. I plan on sailing alone a lot this summer.

_________________
1989 Hobie 18 Worlds Boat, Magnum Wings & Spinnaker
1987 Hobie Holder 20 #273

dale.vanlopik"at"att"dot"net

Hey Luke,

Where do you sail around Redlands? This is my third year sailing, I live in Bellflower, sail out of Long Beach and sail solo (mast steppinging, boat rigging, boat launching, capsizing, boat trailering) 95 percent of the time. It started out pretty hard but now it's almost like second nature. I know nothing but ocean sailing. E-mail me and maybe you can come down to Long Beach one week-end or maybe I could come up to Redlands. Say, isn't that close to Palm Springs or do I have my directions backwards? Anyway, give me a buzz.

Happy Sailing,

David

someone said: "I was a little intimidated at first, but I became more comfortable by pointing higher when the wind picks up. This saves you from having to constantly pop to main." What is pointing higher ?

Pappastratos,

Pointing higher means sailing closer into the wind. "Pointing high," "beating" and "close hauled" are all different terminologies for the same thing.

Happy Sailing,

David

16's are great solo-easy to rig, too. I just left my method for solo mast stepping on a thread in the 14 forum. When I want to depower, I remove the jib, tighten the rig as you would a 14, and get a little extra purchase using the jib sheet. It does make it kind of hard to tack, though..... Dave

Believe it or not I think it's easier to step the mast on my Catalina 22 than on my H16. Lately I've been using a gin pole at my club for safety when putting up the big stick on the 22, but I can raise the mast myself using the mainsheet blocks between the bow cleats and the jib halyard. I just hand over had the sheet with the mast on my shoulder as I walk forward.

On the Hobie I extended the mast support on the trailer and added a pully at the top. I mounted a winch on the support too. So I run a line off the winch, around the pully wheel to the halyard and crank away. I usually stand on the tramp while the wife turns the crank handle. I guess a guy could get high tech and use a 12 volt winch with a wired remote and really put the mast up first class and solo!!!