5 Reasons why you CAN be a solo sailor! Sailing Q&A 15
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- Опубліковано 10 сер 2017
- Do you dream about sailing around the world? This is the all about how to solo sailing. Does the idea of sailing solo fill you with fear? Or is it something you embrace? Do you want a life challenge?
Going sailing solo is full of challenges but it's full of rewards too. Here Jamie gives 5 reasons to sail solo, and some solo sailing tips to help you slip the lines instead of getting comfortable in the marina bar.
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I'm 53, lost my wife last year to a very rare and painful bone cancer, on her deathbed she made me promise to here that I would realise my dreams. The main one was to buy a yacht and see the world.
Have just bought a 40'' steel ketch, Providence of Portree(the previous owner has uploaded 2 vid's on her), While I would like to find a ship and soulmate to complete this, I am looking forward the challenges ahead as a solo-sailer. I love watching and listening to all your great advice and knowing there is so much to learn, the main one, being solo is no small task, please keep your vid's coming, love your work!
Adrian
Hi Adrian. I don't know why but we missed your comment when you posted it. We were sorry to read about your wife but pleased to hear you took the step to realise her wishes and your dream. We hope that, despite current circumstances, you are making the most of your new life at sea. Peace and fair winds to you.
Adrian, if you have an update or a website I would like to know how everything went
God bless you Adrian
How is it all going?
I solo sail and love the sense of accomplishment. It makes me feel really alive.
When i first mentioned to my other half that I wanted to learn to sail and buy a boat she was horrified. I think I then realised that there are two types of people, those that embrace challenge and those that avoid it at all costs or at least prefer the status quo. People with itchy feet like myself don't shine unless we are trying or learning something new, sailing is just my next adventure, my last one was moving from the UK to Italy and before that starting my own business..
You and I sound very similar. My motivation is often the fear of getting bored!
@ಠ益ಠ ಠ_ಠ Wow reply to an old comment I had forgotten existed... Love Italy but not for the architecture or history, I usually just get rather bored of that, I love the countryside, nature, food & drink and most of the people. But I live in Sardinia in a Villa on the side of a mountain in a little personal bubble I built for myself, not a typical italian situation and Sardinia is not a typical Italian region either.
@ಠ益ಠ ಠ_ಠ I bought a boat over 2 years ago, a 42ft monohull from 2004, been sailing it for two seasons and hopefully a third if this virus will let us. :)
I also just moved to Italy - its beautiful but an adventure in bureaucracy! Im also buying a yacht with my limited experience and will probably end up mainly solo. Good luck
I admire 16-year-old Laura Dekker of the Netherlands who did a solo round the world in 2012. An exceptional feat for that young lady. Fair winds & regards from the UK.
Yes I realised I should have given her a nod in the clip, Gary. Well mentioned.
When I was young I had a 24 foot full keel sailboat and went out without a compass on the San Francisco Bay. The fog rolled in, the wind kept shifting and I was lost till I almost ran aground into a small island! I got within 20 meters! LOL I had a 30 foot sailboat after that and found it hard to get a crew. So I often went out alone, Everyone worked but these were some of my best days sailing. Anyway you guys are the best!
We've all been there, Will!
The timing of this post inspired me to describe my recent adventure.
My kid asked me the other day "Why do you like sailing?", I did not give the best answer, though I doubt he had the patience to hear it but said: "because it's difficult and challenging, and overcoming those challenges feels good".
My family and I were out on the Swedish west coast for a few days, sleeping over in natural harbors and a marina or 2. On the 3rd night, we ran into trouble with an anchor drag, fouled prop and blown motor, we were towed into a marina.
My family continued on with their trip on the bus and I resorted to dealing with the boat.
After arranging a towing in the middle of Swedish summer, I felt I needed a reward just for that. I had never dismantled an engine before, but there it was on the cabin floor in big cast iron pieces exposing the blown head gasket. Conveniently, we were only 100km from home so I could bus back, get the car get the parts home, clean them up, order new parts and gaskets and get back up there. I finished putting it all back together and to my surprise, it didn't start. Loosening the valve cover bolts for some reason did the trick and it started.
A quick drive home and another bus ride up the next day before a 50-mile solo sail back to my slip. It's an old boat, a small boat but a good boat, however no autohelm of any kind meant a constant hand on the tiller for 12hrs, I hove to for a few minutes but other than that it was nonstop.
It was difficult at times as ventured out into open water a couple times before seeking shelter from the archipelago. It was very educational and I gained much experience and understanding. All in all, I was faced with a task and challenge both new and difficult of which I overcame and today, a day after returning feel pretty good about - even though it was somewhat of a sailing disaster that got me in trouble in the first place.
[Liz] Absolutely brilliant and inspirational story, thank you for sharing it here! Yes, you don't realise it before you sail, but overcoming challenges becomes a huge part of the love of this life. Wait till you see next week's vlog (#76) we had to overcome a few challenges yesterday! Peace and fair winds!
Some of us are like faithful old dogs, we go to sea, get beat up, shell out big bucks to maintain it, and then happily go back to it.
for some reason, I've never thought about the fact so many people solo sail. We often let fear keep us from doing things that would bring such a wonderful new adventure in our lives. Great points!
It's very rewarding.
I am 69 and solo sail nearly all the time, love the freedom ,challenges,sense of achievement, not having to worry about the crew, BUT know your limits when you are older. Most people will give in before the boat will ( well maintained boat that is ). Planning is everything , having an alternative if things go wrong.
Having a backup plan is something we often discuss. Good to hear you're still out there doing your thing. Fair winds to you.
I am a relatively healthy, vigorous 84, and long ago came to the realization that most of the time when people were with me, they didn't know how to sail, so basically I was always sailing single handed. I recently bought my 4th boat, a 32' sloop, and am in love all over again! Don't know why I waited 10 years between boats, just the realization of what I was missing! So, cast off, Mate, Go for it!
Alternative? Backup plan? I remember about 50 years ago I was talking with an advisor regarding my law school application. He asked, what is your Plan B? I replied there is no plan B. The best way to do something is to have all your arrows shooting in the same direction. Give 100% of your efforts to your goal. He looked puzzled and I remember thinking this guy is a bozo. Backup plan…. Ha
Thank you for this video, we've just brought our first ever boat, like you, on a steep learning curve, absolutely terrifying but also, amazing and I cannot put into words how great it feels when we manage something a few months ago we would never have dreamed of doing
And now the dream is yours to live, Paul. Nice one!
Jaime,
You never cease to inspire. Watching your adventures is a balm. Thank you. I'd love to learn from you.
With admiration, Jeff
Laura Dekker is my personal solo-sailing inspiration. I'm saving up right now and when the time is right and the right boat comes along, I plan to be solo sailing around the world for the next few years!
Yes I should have mentioned her, Tristan.
Way to go, you are absolutely nailing these subjects.👍
Cheers, Norman!
90% of my time on and in the water is solo - which includes sailing and technical (including cave) diving. My wife isn't interested, so when I retire in 3 years, I will head out on my own, to wherever. Many of us prefer alone time, and we are now at a period in time when there is no longer a stigma to that. Also, learning how to be self reliant will make you a better captain when you have a crew; self reliance works for almost any endeavor, and that's always my goal.
Hi, great video Jamie, my partner left me several years ago and I have not been out on the boat since. All I do is work on it. After
listening to you I am going to have ago before the end of the session. you have just inspired me to have ago.
That's great to hear. Not the partner leaving you bit, but being inspired to get out there again. Please do it soon, it's too easy to get bogged down in the maintenance. If the boat is fit, then do it!
You have to be self-sufficient on a boat, regardless of your status, crew, owner or captain. The sea is a great leveller and we are all equal before it. So, we must all accept that at some time, anybody could be in the situation of being alone regardless of whether it was chosen or not.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who hangs a bunch of crap on the barometer and clock and whatnot!
Great video Jamie!
Hehehe. Gotta keep it real 😉
I'm 53 and been trying to find the right boat for "Single Handed" sailing. I hitchhiked across America, Canada, and Mexico when I was young, Drove 18 wheeler's for years. Now, my children are grown and it's time for me to move on 🙂
Good luck with the search, Eric. Have you used any of the Facebook sailing forums for your search? There's a wealth of knowledge and advice out there (not to mention a lot of bullshit too).
Sailing followtheboat - Yeah. I'm studying sailing terms and maneuvers, getting licenses for VHF, then pay for SSB. I'm also checking insurance (both vesicle and health). Crunching numbers for costs and sustainability (because, I'm not coming back). Sailnet, is a great help for learning the regulations and restrictions and climates of the different ports (along with others). My thing is, I'm going 65' or larger. So, I have to make sure all my P's & Q's are in sink (so to speak). It's going to be my home, forever.
I watch like the Maryland school of Sailing channel others to get the jest... I have to wait until next year to get the courses and classes. I'm doing everything on my end until then. Especially Passport work and getting rid of the "Couch" 😊
Thanks for the reply and as long as you 2 keep doing what you are doing, we will get the skinny on the facts. Fair Sails and Following Seas😊
Eric
Great subject! I have done almost all of my sailing on my own and have gone from Burnham on Crouch UK to Cape Verde with the intention of crossing the Atlantic this year. My boat Puffin was chosen for the size ( 30 foot) I felt I could handle in anchorages and Marinas on my own. When I finally got her in the water I discovered she would not steer astern at low speeds and entering and exiting Marinas still remains the biggest worry for me single-handed. I would say that reliable self-steering is the most essential thing to have together with AIS and ground tackle. It takes me 24 hours to get into the groove when doing longer offshore passages and I rarely sleep much the first night. How long does it take you to get into your routine when alone and what is your sleep regime?
Terrific video and all good points!!!
Totally agree. I have not sailed off into the sunset yet, but its in my 6 year plan. That said, I do love to single hand my Precision 23. Being alone with my thoughts, meeting the challenge of handling a 23 foot sloop all alone, reefing, helming, heaving to, docking, is very satisfying and soul-nourishing. I also love bringing friends and family along, but never have minded at all when there has been no one available to come with.
I'm so envious of you and the several other sailors whose vlogs I enjoy. I have never sailed; however, I've done a fair amount of fresh water power boating. I became interested in the live-aboard sailing lifestyle about 3 years ago. I was preparing to retire from my job and was looking into what would be next when I stumbled across the S/V Delos' vlogs. I was hooked almost immediately, at least conceptually. Not having sailed before nor boated on the open sea, I didn't know how I would actually take to it. But, I was game to give it a go.
My wife of 40+ years was not so enthusiastic. I think she said something like, "ARE YOU CRAZY? I think you need to talk to a psychiatrist." Which led me to believe that she was not entirely FOR the idea. In the time that has passed from then until now I've made little progress in persuading her to even try it as a vacation charter.
I'm not prepared to give up on the idea, yet. However, age is becoming a factor. I'm now 62. I understand that there are sailors sailing who are older, but what do think about one just starting your adventure at my age? And, by the way, I probably AM a little crazy.
Planning to sail RTW. Have done it on motorcycle in 2011RTW so ready for my next adventure . will learn a bit
I’m just about to do a solo sail from Amsterdam through the North Sea and the baltics so thanks for your video......
My family aren't into sailing like I am so I often go off for periods of time by myself on my 30' boat and enjoy that immensely as I feel it really makes you connected to the boat and the seas. It also makes you a far better sailor as you can't rely upon anyone else to help. On my last outing, I sailed up to a remote little crooked bay in the 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay on the Great Lakes and cooked up some ribs and corn on the bbq and anchored for the night. In the am, my starter wouldn't turn the engine over and I didn't have the right socket wrench handy to extract it to fix it (turned out to be oil in the starter motor which was easily fixed) so I was stuck. While the bay was very tiny (not even 100' wide) with a very bendy channel to get out into the main part of the bay, there was a bit of wind so I put up the main and let it weather vane on the anchor while I raised the anchor manually (no windlass), left it dangling down about 6' so that if I got into trouble, it would catch before my keel did, and tacked about 20 times to get the 3/4 mile up this windy channel and out into the main bay. I then stowed the anchor and sailed back most of the day to the marina. Not seeing anyone around to help, I sailed the boat 180 degrees into the breakwater, around a couple of 90 degree corners and then brought it to a dead stop right into my slip - all single handed. I never would have tried that if I had my family on board... I'd have called for a rescue boat to come give us a tow and I'd never have known that I could handle the boat that well when needed. I'd RATHER sail with other people but I'd also far rather be sailing solo than not sailing at all...
What a great story, Brent. I enjoyed reading that, I was there with you all the way. This is a useful reference for any prospective solo sailor, if not any sailor, single or accompanied. Thanks for commenting and fair winds to you.
Jamie, you follow me on FB and you recently commented on a post I did on "couldn't get this one off the boat fast enough", what an experience that was
I've been a full-time liveaboard and mostly solo (except for my crew cat Mr. Stubb) sailor of the Salish Sea and Puget Sound for 5 years and absolutely love it.
It's nice to have company onboard once in a while because I love to share this beautiful life we live, sometimes I get a flood of gratitude for having such freedoms and experiences I have enjoyed on a daily. Hopefully this winter I'll get video editing down and start sharing content.
Thanks for all your videos and safe travels my friends.
Nice to hear from you and yes, sharing is caring (unless you have crew like the one you described). Get filming and fair winds to you and Mr Stubb.
I spent the first 3 years of my sailing career single handed. It was great not having someone watching all my mistakes! Truthfully, I didn't want to risk anyone else (my kids) if something went wrong. Now I rarely sail alone and love the company. But I'm fully confident I could if I needed to. Anyone who's had crew get ill on passage will know how important it is to be capable solo
Well said, Alex.
Thank you for a great video. I was stuck after losing my first mate. Off I go to Alaska tomorrow.
I have sailed with others but I have never done a solo sail and I will have to go on a boat on my own yet!
Okay, my inspiration was Robin Lee Graham (S/V DOVE), then I was a kid in Argentina I learned about Vito Dumas (S/V Legh2). Who did a solo around the world voyage in the roaring 40's "the hard way.
Thanks for the thought of solo sailing, that's what I'm looking at now. You made it seem more doable.
Nice one. Good luck with the plans, let us know how you get on.
Well I agree. I'm writing from a beautiful anchorage in the Stockholm archipelago right now. My family is currently off for a birthday celebration abroad so I'm off sailing on my own. Not completely alone my trusted dogs are with me. I also enjoy my solo times even if it sometime is, as you said, a bit of a challenge. The tight quarters of the archipelago is my main challenge but I manage by sailing conservatively. Trying to avoid tacking between islands and shallows if possible. Mooring can be another problem and Sunday I have a friend meet me at the dock o take my lines. I still love my solo times!
Thanks for your great channel!
All the best!
Mats
Nice to hear from you, Mats. It sounds beautiful. Nice that you have the dogs too share it with. Fair winds.
I am at the beginning of the curve planning a solo passage from south africa to south america. I heard an interesting story about sailing being a points system - when you make improvements and maintain every inch of your boat you earn points-conversely you lose points for maintenance and improvements not done. I think gettiing your boat and youself ready for solo sailing earns big points . The converse caveat on that though, could mean the loss of your life if you dont.
What should we look for in a boat to make it easier for us to solo sail. I'm currently looking between the 40-46ft center cockpit morgans. I know everyone has their negative feedback but this is what I've narrowed down to being a best option for my needs. I wont always be single handing, but in the times where I need to solo sail the boat I would like to choose the vessel and setup that makes it easier on myself. I dont plan on spending my time in marinas not to save money, but I'm not buying a boat to keep it docked. Other than electric windless, auto pilot, windvayne, and furler. What should you recommend we look for to make our lives easier single handing?
Great video. Solo sailing really forces you to confront your weaknesses and grow. Nobody is going to do this stuff for us, or hold our hands while we are doing it because we are alone. It's not so bad out there, but it gets a lot more hair-raising closer to land. Docking and casting off are much more harrowing.
Absolutely. As you know I dislike coming into marinas intensely. Much prefer being out in the open ocean!
Marinas are the most difficult. Lots of traffic, lots of stuff to maybe hit. Getting a bigger sailboat on and off a pier or slip can be a challenge short-handed even in good weather. Unfortunately we have to do it almost daily here until we can untie the lines.
what a great motivation video - thank u i need it
Beautifully said. Thanks.
Cheers, Travis.
Just bought a boat. I can't believe it myself. I'll be doing a lot of solo sailing in the future, hope to see you out there!
Nice one, Symo! Fair winds to you and congratulations.
Symo hope to see u also. I solo sail
I solo sail all the time mostly at night on Lake Erie.
I sail a dockrell 27 sv truth out of Washington and solo sailing is the only thing I know. I have to sail with another person although I don't have my two pups on board with me.
Freedom--- responsibility --- self-confidence...and reduction of complexity of life to 4x 12 meters.....
Enjoyable as always. Thanks!
That's good motivation. I've hit a few challenges (not roadblocks) while trying to solo; getting on and off the dock in strong winds taught me I need to improve my dockline setup. (I need a midship cleat). Reefing the main is an easy double-handed job but realllly hard solo due to my clutches... again, difficult only in strong winds (when you need to reef). Finally, with the cooking and chores... more crew means fewer turns washing up. :-)
I'll admit I end up having one plate, one bowl and a knife and fork on constant rotation, Jordan. I dislike coming into marinas on my own and will often seek help if it's available.
Ya learn to reef before you need to! learn the signs so you can anticipate what;s coming. no shame in reefing early, and if the wind eases you can always shake it out, eh?
Also if I need to have a nap, I double reef, or if it's going to get ,I will even heave to.
Sailed solo from Australia to South Africa in a 22 foot boat in 2006 and still do some solo sailing now but recently have found it more physically and mentally challenging, as I am getting old, but if Chichester could do it in his late 60s "why can't I". I agree with all your points Jamie but it does get a bit lonely not having someone to share the experience with.
Impressive stuff, Greg. Hat's off to you for that journey. There is nothing like sharing the experience though.
I have been a sailor for over 20 years now and find this topic very interesting. I read of people who will NEVER sail their boat single handed under any situation. There are others who prefer it, myself included. I think if you are a cruising couple each NEEDS to be comfortable single handing your boat for safety reasons. What if you partner gets hurt and is incapacitated? Do you curl up in a ball, throw over the epirb and wait a week for a vessel to pick you up and abandon your baot when they do?
Keep up the good work, I like your format.
Yes, injury is a good reason for ensuring your partner can handle the boat. I don't Liz would be happy solo sailing but I am confident she can handle the boat should something happen to me. Very important. I like your user-name, btw. Very appropriate!
I've only ever sailed alone.
Went sailing solo today , dodging lobster pots and raising sails and tacking, its very gratifying !
Aghrh, don't talk to me about fishing pots. Too many round here!
Thanks for your very informative vids and comments. Can you get insurance when you go solo sailing?
Hey how ya doing ? I teased ya a while back , haha ! Im moving on my 30ft oday in next month solo , you are right face your fears move on! Another nice video , thanks,see you to out there !
Go Douglas! Great to hear, hope the transition goes well. Look forward to having a cold one with you on the high seas. Fair winds to you.
Thanks for answering my question.
Our pleasure, Phyllis, and thanks for getting involved.
I'm at that point. Finished all my skipper licences/training etc. I'm looking for a boat and want to learn solo sailing. I'm a bit anxious of getting a boat and doing it for the first time, but to learn I have to. Any advice?
Anchoring single handed I imagine is fairly straightforward as long as the conditions are benign. Picking up a mooring buoy is something I think would be a bit tricky if you were on your own. I helped with a delivery last year where the guy was panicking about picking up a buoy at night. I'm quite good with a boat hook so we got it straight away. I just had to tell him to put the engine in neutral and pay attention in regards to the speed of the boat, his panic wasn't needed.
When I buy my boat I plan to have it set up so it's almost idiot proof for those kinds of issues. I've sailed on quite a few small yachts where it was just two people and it was fairly easy except the lack of sleep that can happen if there is an injury. My most enjoyable sailing was just myself and the dolphins in Cardigan Bay at night (the owner was zonked out on painkillers due to a little accident). I just wish the damn autohelm had been working, I'd have taken some videos of it. Sailing, beautiful clear sky, full moon, loads of dolphins... What is not to love about that?
Picking up a mooring buoy? Lassoo it and deal with the complications later?
Hey Keith. I've taken a couple of mooring buoys on my own and it's fairly straightforward. Speed is key as you say and a well prepared line cleated to the bow is the difference between taking it easy and panicking. I tended to wait until the buoy was almost amidships before leaving the helm. If it's tidal you use that to your advantage too. That might trip of yours sounds idyllic btw.
Actually sailing alone doesn’t worry me nearly as much as solo docking or anchoring.
Is your boat to big for solo sailing? What size models do you feel are best for solo sailing?
It depends entirely on how they're set out, Fredrick. Esper is easy to sail single handed but I imagine fully battened sloop version of the 435 a bit more of a challenge.
Great content, but to do solo sailing without knowing fundamentals is quite challenging. I guess you had some RYA certification? Without my ASA certification (106) and a seaworthy boat ( Pearson 386) I would certainly not got to my destination, especially with offshore passages. Solo sailing is the most exciting thing a man or a woman can do. Go always well prepared and thinking always ahead. Fair winds.
What do you do if you are in deep water and have nowhere to "set the hook"? On an overnight...not so bad. On a multi-day crossing, I would imagine you would get a bit bleary-eyed?
Hey Bob. Good question. I've answered that on a post just above yours, take a look. Definitely bleary eyed!
Hi, I really enjoy your videos! I'm wondering if there was ever a time when you went back to the uk and Liz was left to sail Esper alone and if so, how does she feel about solo sailing? thx
+Sea Grrl [Liz] Yes, Jamie sometimes goes to the UK leaving me to look after Millie and Esper. So far I've always been in a marina. Haven't yet plucked up the courage to solo sail...but I could do it in an emergency!
Jessica Watson and Laura Dekker are among the most amazing world class sailors!!
Thanks. Finally got a world cruiser and my general plan is to outfit it and sail the world.
A common question is: will you go with someone. My answer is: I'd love to go with other(s) but I'll set it up to not have to depend on anyone.
That's sensible forward planning, Michael.
Jamie, another great topic and one I have thought about myself. My insurance actually prohibits me from singlehanding. Is that a problem for you?
+Tom Moss [Liz] You may have to look for a new insurance broker to help you. We know plenty of single-handers who have insurance. Sometimes by having a wind-assisted autopilot (Hydrovane, Windpilot etc) insurance companies will off solo sailors a policy...but always at a premium. 😑
For me as a small boy,I was taken to Buckingham Palace by my dad to see crowds of people cheering Francis Chichester who was there to be knighted. He had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer about ten years earlier, but I was unaware of what that meant only being six years old. Then in 1973 Claire Francis sailed the Atlantic solo, and I knew then that if a woman can sail solo, then I didn't have any excuses like...... well of course Sir Francis had been a pilot and been trained to navigate by the stars by the RAF.
My electronic aids are GPS, Depth sounder and a VHF Radio.
When I sailed the Atlantic all were turned off because my alternator was not making electricity. VHF only works line if sight, in 2 miles of water a depth sounder is not needed. I did however turn on the GPS every 24hrs to mark my position on the chart.
My course was a great circle route from Sal to St Lucia, so the GPS course maybe only changed 1 or 2 degrees.
My only mistake was taking a hitchhiker with no experience, so now I had the responsibility for another life, this I found to be stressful.
I won't make that same mistake twice.
Joshua Slocum is famous for sailing solo around the world. Then, he took his wife with him on a much shorter passage. They were subsequently lost at sea. I sometimes wonder if he was better off alone.
I have a question, it might be stupid haha, but how do you deal with sleeping? I've been thinking about sailing for a while so I'm learning about it know. But when you need to sleep, do you bring down the sail and just float or what?
With two of us on board, we take turn at watches, three hours on and three hours off. Solo sailors might heave-to on long passages or just take cat naps. With several crew it's easy. 😉 Liz
Sorry, just realised your comment is under an old video about sailing solo! Yes, heaving-to is a good option for long trips. But we do know someone who crossed the Atlantic on his own and set up a timer in the cockpit which went off every fifteen minutes so he could do a quick check and fall back to sleep. Radar alarms and AIS alarms are good too. Cheers. Liz
@@followtheboat Thank you so much for the swift response! :)
What would you do if a captain Phillips situation
Yes and Floke sailed to Iceland alone in a tiny boat over 1000 years ago.
[Liz] A lot of people do it! ;)
You shoud follow the series Vikings. Floke is a character there (based upon historical persons). Check out Vikings S5E02-S5E04.
[Liz] Yes, we have watched it, great stuff!
Excellent points, especially having the bed to yourself for a spell 😎😎😎👍🏿👍🏿
Hehe 😊
very inspiring
Cheers, Chris.
Solo adventures are great. You develop your personal compass. Freedom to do what you want, when you want. I engage the world more aggressively. I agree with video comments. I have solo sailed, solo canoe, solo hiked. All are similar!ar.
Hi Frank. I like the expression 'personal compass', that's quite apt.
How did you manage to get insurance with no sailing experience or qualifications?
[Liz] We have both!
another reason practiced for those situations when you may be there only one well enough to sail, on your own
Good point, Graeme.
Just found this n great story.
Great Answer ! Laura Dekker ... 16 years old ... around the world ... solo.
Yes, I'm kicking myself for not mentioning her.
Hi, it is funny you say you are worried about getting bored. We love aboard our boat and when one or other of us has to go away we have both done solo sailing. For me it just emphasises that I am on my own and there is no shared experience and it make me feel very lonely, for my wife it is a challenge, she doesn't have to put up with me and normally she will see or do something that will make me very envious that I wasn't there.
I enjoy your channel because you are more mature than the normal ones like la Vaga et al. With them especially there seems to be a very ageist narrative. We are still in the saving money stage to pull the hook up and turn right at the marina entrance. And not come back. Have you found that people have been friendly or is there a them and us between say under 40's and over , or big boats not talking to little boats, or racers not talking to cruisers? Where we are in Abu Dhabi, we don't find it, but we have noticed it a bit in other places?
Good question, Jonathan, and something I think we may tackle in another Q&A session. Short answer: not really. Boating is boating and it's quite inclusive. The only time I've felt it a problem is when we meet crews on superyachts. They're not being snobby, they're just harder to penetrate because they're such a tight unit. That said, we've made some great friends from superyacht crew. I think there is far more sexism than anything else, especially among the older men out there, but I don't wish to generalise. Down the bar we're all yachties and all have at least one thing in common.
+Jonathan Tithecott [Liz] There's no 'them and us' by demographic in our experience. But like any walk of life, there are those you get on with, and those...not so much! We have made friends with very young sailors of 17 up to those in their 80s. Some of our best times ashore have been with superyacht crews! We haven't met many racers, but those we have stumbled across have been great!
Sailing solo.. For me it's the leaving and coming back to the marina that's the difficult part, whether it be for a day or weekend. Anchoring dropping or weighing isn't a problem, neither the actual sailing. I guess on longer passages then sleep becomes more of a difficulty, to keep watch continuously depending on where you are is more problematic on your own but of course doable. So for me it's definitely the leaving and arriving, as for me this has to be done at some stage...
Warren
s/y Legend
Couldn't agree more, Warren. You know I dislike going into marinas, not to mention staying in them! I feel much more comfortable 'out there'.
How old is too old to start a sailing adventure?
[Liz] We'll cover this off fully in one of our two episodes over the 2017 Christmas/new year holidays. Look for our updated "How to become a liveaboard cruiser". In a nutshell. If your health's good enough, age is an attitude. Peace and fair winds!
I only recently got into the idea of learning to sail, or really boats in general (having grown up and spent almost all of my life in the middle of midwestern United States). Literally nobody I know has any interest in boats or sailing, and one friend is in fact entirely terrified of being on the water, so for me, the only real way I will ever get to pursue sailing will be primarily solo. Needless to say, the sailing community seems to generally think that solo sailing is the dumbest thing you could ever do unless you're one of the legends. I was almost put off of the idea, but I kept thinking everything you say in this video... Why couldn't I? If someone else can do it, why can't I learn to do it? They say that learning to sail is much easier than it seems, and the hardest part is learning the lingo (after just a few weeks I felt like I mostly got that already)...
So for me, the real challenge will just be to get out there on the water and learn. Get the proper training and spend time on the water. Seeing this video just affirms that as long as I take the time to know what I am doing, I can do it.
There are many solo sailors out cruising the world, none of them "legends". They are a big part of the cruising community, so I'd say the sailing community you've been talking to are the "dumb" ones. 😉😁 Liz
I am up to!!!
good video
I would prefer sharing the moment with someone ...just like you Jamie.........I would go bonkers on my own
[Liz] He goes bonkers when I'm here, I'd hate to imagine what he'd be like when I'm not! Thanks for the comment. 😄
Love reason 5
So.. how do you drop the hook on you own?
Most boats have a anchor windlass control at the helm and then you just need to check how much scope you have put out and set the anchor, not that hard really. Marina morning on the other hand requires a little more skill but again can be done with a little prep, although sometimes its easier just to ask someone to come help you. :)
Yes, having buttons in the cockpit for the windlass helps though they're was a time when they weren't working so doing it from the bow was required. Quite straightforward. If there's wind or tide the boat naturally pulls away from the anchor anyway. I'll put out 20-30m first, depending on the depth, put the boat in astern to bike the anchor and then pay out more as required. Weighing anchor can be more difficult, especially in bad weather. We have to flake the chain so you have to be at the bow. In shitty weather you also have to be at the helm so you end up racing backwards and forwards between the two.
Most boats do not have windlass controls at the helm.
Dropping is easy - you just put the boat in the right place, walk forward and lower the anchor to the bottom, they pay out the chain as the boat drifts back. Raising the anchor in deep water is harder as there can be a fairly long period between the anchor leaving the bottom and you being able to get back to the helm.
Let's not forget Robin Graham!
Can you really say solo sailing with a cat is sailing solo ? You’ve got company !!!
That's what Millie says too! 😁 Liz
Slocum did take a chronometer, also a crappy one. He used the "lunar distance" method for navigation for which does not depend on an exact chronometer.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_distance_(navigation)
Interesting, Horst. According to Wikipedia on his voyage aboard Spray it states: Slocum navigated without a chronometer, instead relying on the traditional method of dead reckoning for longitude, which required only a cheap tin clock for approximate time, and noon-sun sights for latitude. On one long passage in the Pacific, Slocum also famously shot a lunar distance observation, decades after these observations had ceased to be commonly employed, which allowed him to check his longitude independently. However, Slocum's primary method for finding longitude was still dead reckoning; he recorded only one lunar observation during the entire circumnavigation.
You're right, I meant the tin clock when speaking of a "crappy chronometer", my bad, wasn't aware of the proper lingo. But saying he used only dead reckoning is sort of misleading bc he only guestimated longitude which is not that important on his course, it only reports progress. The important bit is latitude to end up on your island of choice and not miss it accidentally. Doesn't matter, what I wanted to point out is that using only dr is stupid and that slocum was a heck of a navigator and far from stupid.
Two points against solo sailing: It get's quite lonely at times (like right now on the baltic where everybody around could either be my parents or my children. And you have to do all the chores yourself. Speaking of which, gotta fill up tanks, ...
How do you handle sleep when you are sailing solo?
John Rice , Maybe you know more than me and are curious about his particular techniques, but, I imagine he'll say: autopilot or heave-to and cat nap and possibly use other electronic warning systems like AIS.
Which means you'll set the boat to point the right way and depending on traffic flip on proximity warning devices and catch some z's with a timer.
Many miles from shore and shipping lanes you may not see another boat for days, even weeks but napping close to shore or in shipping lanes put you and others in grave danger.
Pretty much got it in one, Michael, though the longest solo sail I've done at night is 110nm, so only one over-nighter. I take 10 minute power naps. Wake up, look around, check the instruments, another 10 minute power nap. That particular trip was exhausting due to all the fishing boats and nets in the water. For longer distances offshore hoving to is an option, or longer power naps of 20 mins. Alarm clock essential.
That would seem to be more or less the "standard" approach. I have never overnighted solo but it is this aspect that would worry me most about it. I would be afraid of diminished capacity due to lack of a proper sleep.
please stop motivating me. My couch, and TV are not happy with you right now. xD
[Liz] Haha! Sorry to your couch and tv. Peace and fair winds!
And that is exactly the SV Uma slogan: 'Don't buy a couch' :D
When I build my Mālolonui (30ish ft oceangoing proa), it shall be designed to be singlehanded and spacious (and a bit boxy and perhaps somewhat lacking in windward performance). My wife is "disabled" (limited mobility/dexterity/strength neuromuscular difficulties) so I will be doing absolutely everything at all times, other than observing the ocean for hazards and great scenery.
Is that "solo sailing"? Not in terms of "being alone", but it is in terms of operating the boat.
..my vlog should be quite interesting, when it gets started (yikes!). :) (Not started yet, obviously [11aug2017].)
Aloha and mahalo to ya Jaime, Liz and the wee kitt' Millie. Keep servin' up the great info and entertainment to us til we get out on ke Kai Loa! (the big salt water) See 'ya in the Pacific, at some point.
Makani ʻoluʻolu, a me ʻau i ke kai loa maikaʻi īa ʻoukou!
Alapiko ma Mālolonui
Can I ask why you would build a boat rather than refit/moody an existing one? Time and cost seem to prefer benefiting from someone else's upgrades no?
In any case, rooting for you both!
Good question. I would say this is not solo sailing. You may be doing all the work but that's no different to a skippered charter. You have company and someone to talk to. Solo sailing is a much about the isolation as anything, the independence to do what you want, when you want. I hope your wife will be part of the decision making process on all manner of matters and that, despite her disabilities, you'll be working as a team. We look forward to you vlog, please keep us posted on when you go live. Fair winds to you!
+Sailing followtheboat
I agree. :) It's not sailing solo, as the "mental/emotional game" isn't isolation oriented. My wife will be involved in all decisions, following the "happy wife happy life" rule, as is necessary, of course.
I have a funny feeling that she will be MUCH more involved in "handling things" than might seem to be the case for someone with limitations. The design of the boat should, hopefully, make handling MANY of the control lines and/or levers something she would be just as good at as anyone.
I'm also not a very large person, rather hobbit-like actually, so by designing things such that I can handle them, which I have to do, of course, I'm making it easier for both of us. :)
..should be an interesting adventure, from building to staying awake for fear of cargo ships! Yeehaw! Auwe no, manaʻo au!
If you're interested in vlogging, why not start now following the whole design and construction of the boat? There's a lot of people out there who'd love to watch that.
+Denver Sailor
( ..leaving aside for the moment where one sails in Denver..? )
I have this CRAZY idea for a ludicrously inexpensive build to satisfy some simple but VERY UGLY (to anyone but me) "interior" space and length/performance requirements. I will most likely be skirting a bit too close to the safety margins, but weʻll be testing itʻs capabilities very thoroughly before flying our fish out onto the big salty.
Iʻm willing to gamble the dollars that the design may not work, in which case the fallback is to buy something cheap and minimally fit it up to make it to the tropics to live "the caravan life" in an ocean bucket. :) Money is FAR far from super abundant, but weʻre not actually suicidal in specʻing the boat for safety.
Thanks for na pōmaikaʻi! (..the good wishes, blessings)
sorry to hear about your breakup.
hope you find your way.
take care.
Thanks for the feedback but I think you may have misunderstood. No break-up here!
@@followtheboat
just saw a short bit and it was about your partners leaving etc. and didn’t want to hear the heartbreak of it all, as lived too much of it
@@Onlinesully hehe, no. Liz leaving me was temporary and only to go back and see her mum, leaving me twiddling my thumbs!
@@followtheboat
I’m sure you’re ok then.
just joking around about it then.
not funny in real life when your other half disappears pregnant and turns out she has a second life abs two years in court trying to see your boy ends with her abducting your child and getting fired from a great job whist doing that. it ends with mental and physical breakdown and people around you wanting you to go in somewhere to get better and stuff about the caring doctors will make you better
6th reason Slocum still didnt return. So must be good.
I would sail solo as I am retired and divorce with any children. Living in the northwest of the U.S. sailing the Pacific is a great dream. Do not want to sail Europe as they despise Americans especially France and the UK. Portugal and Greece and Turkey would be ok but Greece has so many tourists. Now with covid-19 the U.S. is banned from most country and the new regime wants us on lockdown until 2022. Not seeking to sail around the world but visit different areas and slowly enjoy it. Traveling by airlines you miss so much and just the large cities. Liz and Jamie has been to do many Asian countries. Just wish Vietnam had places for sailboats and the Philippines had safer areas. Chilies has not rebuilt there marinas after they were destroyed by a tsunami and Peru is not equipped for sailboats and Ecuador has gotten very expensive as has Costa Rica. Sailing is a great way to travel.
I say D
All of the above
Talk to me about safety equipment. What you have, what you think is necessary, and what is a waste of time.
Good question! Might have to bank this one to do in front of the camera.
..yes, please!! :)
Sailing followtheboat Please do a report on safety equipment for solo sailing.
You know all....
[Liz] You know more....
I'd love to, at first.... :D I'm not sure I'd want the whole bed, the whole time, around the whole world....There's a lot of people to meet and kindred spirits to stumble across I reckon.
Yep, and I guess that also depends on your predisposition to want to meet new people. I'm guessing some people just like being in their own. I find that quite difficult so will seek out company.
Assuming every one has a partner is funny lol
Great positive attitude, a big help so thank you
Our pleasure! Liz
(the hyjacking scene)