41 singlehanded?

Hi, Ericsonians,

I've been admiring the Ericson 41 for a while now. My one question is, can the 41 be comfortably singlehanded? (Providing, of course, that it's been properly set-up with lines running to the cockpit, etc.)

Not that I'd always be sailing singlehanded, if I ever got a 41. But I need the option, given I'm the most fanatical about sailing in the family.

Thanks for your insight,

Doug in Portland

I thought I wouldn't be able to single-hand my E38 but its not as bad as I thought it would be. A good working AP is mandatory IMHO. All lines back to the cockpit makes it easy. RT

yea, i would think if you take your time w/things...run lines aft...have a good nav system interfaced to your auto pilot...things would be manageable...and pleasent. for most of the time....:nerd:

I disagree. Never have been on a 41, though. Anyway, when you envision sailing singlehanded you generally think of everything going just dandy. Doesn't always work that way, and when things get to going from easy to less easy (as they will) a 41-foot boat is a lot to handle. It sails fast. Its sails are heavy and hard to handle. If things break when you are alone you will have your hands full. In 5-10 knots, okay. Over that, you need an extra pair of hands (or two). I have a 27 foot Ericson. On modest days, I can do it. On less than modest days, I cannot.
Morgan Stinemetz

I don't think size has much to do with whether or not you can single-hand a boat. I'd say it's more a function of philosophy, and MONEY.

The Amel boats are perfect examples of this latter criteria. With good planning and plenty of money, you can design or retrofit a boat that is easily handled by a single proficient sailor. I have a friend who took his Amel Maramu (53 feet) transatlantic last summer. I spent a little time on the boat before he left, and wow. Those boats are thoroughly set up for offshore work, and very well adapted to singlehanding. Right down to the windlass controls at the covered helm station, and the anchor-chain washdown nozzle mounted on the bow roller.

None of this can replicate a full-crew, and give you the margins of safety that having enough sailors provides. Solo-sailing will always be more dangerous, more difficult, and more of a challenge. But that's the point.

The ultimate question is whether a person is attracted to that challenge, and comfortable with the compromises inherent in sailing alone.

Maybe I should clarify what I said.... I have singlehanded my E38 daysailing around Narragansett Bay in winds up to about 20kts. It really wasn't all that bad. Forethought and care about anything you do is required. I practice singlehanding when I have others on board, just have them sit tight, and do it all yourself. I thought that picking up a mooring pennant would be the most challenging but it was not nearly as difficult as expected. Granted as conditions deteriorate having help if a good and sometimes necessary thing. I still stand by my statement though. Actually I think the bigger boat is much easier. It reacts slower, and everything is delayed compared to a smaller boat. If I was singlehanding and left port in 10kts only to have the wind pipe up to 25kts during my cruise I would be much happier on the 38ft rather than the 22ft I had previously. Putting a reef in the main is the most challenging part of singlehanding. The reality is if I need to reef the main I can but I likely would simply roll up the genoa and/or drop the main and motor if necessary. Roller furling and a decent AP make it much easier. RT

Why not?

ALL boats are GREAT singlehanders provided they are set up for it.
Otto Von Driver must be with you (and maybe a back up driver), a properly designed sail inventory for the application, and a well thought out and executed deck layout, and maybe ground tackle are what makes the diff.

You see guys driving 90+ footers around the world alone all the time-the 41 is kids' play by comparison.

Have fun!

S

Doug - If you are off to go day sailing, you could set that 41 up and go for it. I used to singlehand a 40' trimaran and some of the "greatest moments in sports" happened while I was out thrashing all the gold-platers. I have a an E39B now and I singlehand all the time - like you, out of necessity. As for venturing offshore, I never had any desire to singlehand. I'm not much good at talking to myself. I think you have to be different kind of soul to be successful at sailing over the horizon by yourself. The happiest I've ever been offshore? Just me, my boat, and my wife - what a life.

What Lew Said

Of course you can!

You have to set it up correctly. Deck layout, good winches and well thought out.

Guy (Who single handed a 39 through a lot of weather..) and Melissa who did too.

Tonnage and "Fun-age"

Doug,
I have been single handing up and down the Columbia River for over 20 years. My previous boat for a decade, a 4000# Niagara 26, was actually easier than the prior Ranger 20.

For the last 12 years I have booked a lot of solo time on our Olson 34. What with constant course changes, ships, barges, and piling "wing" dams to dodge, our river is a very busy place. As noted by others here, Otto became our "best crew."

It's not like the Admiral does not steer, she does and is good at it, but the boat is set up one person to drive and do most sail evolutions. Docking is where things can get a bit sporty on a breezy day, if Murphy visits you at all.

I always stop before going into a harbor and rig coiled mooring lines on both sides fore 'n' aft. Expecially hairy situations will call for a midship line as well.
Fenders on both sides. Then I (or we) are pretty much ready for whatever dock dilemma is presented. In my limited experience out of sight of land, being short handed or single handing is much easier just because there is less for the boat to bump into... and so you have a lot more time to sit down and think up the answer you need.

Speaking very (!) much in general, as our boats got larger, they got easier to sail just because they became a lot more stable to move around on.

'Bout the only big change when you dock with any boat over a ton is that you have to accept some gel coat scratches from a too-enthusiastic docking, because possibly crushing a body part while pretending to be a fender is no longer an option!

An E-41 might be a handful sometimes, but like any, um, relationship, preparation and committment will see you through...

Keep us posted on your decision.

Best,
Loren

Thanks so much

Hey, All,

thanks so much for your thoughtful replies. It's encouraging to hear from those who've singlehanded some bigger boats (bigger to me at least). And good advice from all of you.

Yeah, Lew, my singlehanding would be day sailing or maybe a weekend. Not blue water stuff. I'm with you--I like company in the long haul.

Loren, really appreciate your docking thoughts. RWT--I agree about the reefing issue.

Once again, I'm jazzed at the online sailing community's willingness to share their hard-earned wisdom. Thanks,

Doug in Portland

I'll add one more tip about docking short-handed or solo.

When I've singled the Hinckley38 that we used to be partners in, I would always (regardless of crew) rig a short spring line from a large winch about 3/4 of the way aft of the bow, on the side that will be alongside the float/pier/finger, etc. As the boat motors into the slip (angled towards the pier about 10 degrees, then helm swung away from the float to push the stern towards it), the boat is quickly stopped with a burst of reverse, and that single line alone can be dropped over the nearest cleat on the end of the finger, and pulled taut. Then the aux is put in forward idle, and the boat will remain tightly hugging the dock, parallel, with bow and stern under control, while you calmly walk around and fasten your typical set of docklines.

Single-handed, you coil that line on the rail, within reach of the helm position, stop the boat in the slip, and toss a bight over the dock cleat. If the wind's blowing you've only got one shot, so make it good! Then you can just pull the working end tight, and put a loop around a handy deck cleat, as you shift into forward. In high beam winds, you need to apply a bit more throttle to keep the bow alongsides.

Double-handing, just have your crew stand by the shrouds, holding the dockline, and step off onto the float, and quickly loop that line once around the outer most cleat on the dock, and pull up all slack. This will even serve as an E-brake if you forget to stop the boat with reverse, or if your feathering prop decides not to pop into reverse! :eek:

You may have to experiment with the optimal position of this line. It has to be aft of the widest beam, so that it holds the stern in, but not so far aft that it can't keep the bow alongside the dock when the wind is up.

Sorry for the really long-winded explanation, but I thought this is worth sharing, because a fellow partner on the boat came up with this, and I've been amazed at how easy it makes docking, even alone.

I single hand my little E-27 all the time, even if I have crew I usually end up doing everything. Most of my friends that I sail with can't even hold her on course and that's fine with me. I would rather make my mistakes on my own. Of course all lines lead aft and I have a strong tiller pilot (most important) even though I was able to single hand before I had my little buddy, but it's a lot easier now. I agree with Seth, if the boat is set up right I don't think it would be a problem for me.

The only times I have wished I had some one else on board is in docking or picking up a mooring when I have the wind on my stern or a cross wind. I imagine if I had no motor and had to sail to my slip or a mooring I would wish I had help. Once I am away from the docks it's no problemo.

I look at this question another way. As the owner of any boat one should be able to single hand it with the possibilities of crew members getting sea sick, falling overboard or getting injured. You had better know what to do in any situation.

But what do I know, the largest boat I have ever single handed was a Islander 33.

Oh yeah, Reefing. I have a jiffy reefing set up with the line running to the cock pit as well. So far so good. I have reefed alone in close to 20 knots.

One other thing I think is worth mentioning. I have a self inflating PFD / harness I wear and I hook up to jack lines when ever I go on the fore deck. Actually I stay hooked unless I have to go below. You never know.

Go for it.

I singlehanded my 38 for a month long cruise a couple of seasons back. There were really only two things that gave me trouble. The first was docking in a strong crosswind without anybody to quickly keep the boat from being blow off (or onto) the dock. The second was getting the anchor up in a blow, without a windlass or crew at the helm. Which meant that I had to motor forward a boat length or two from the helm, then shift to neutral and run forward to take in the slack before the boat blew back down on the rode. A dependable AP is an absolute requirement, and I carried a spare just to be sure. If I had it to do over I would install a wireless remote for the pilot too.

I think you could - all other things being equal - for given all the other reasons cited here. My 35-3 was very straight forward - I went out by myself all the time - no thanks to those dead-beat friends of mine!...

The only real issue (besides heavy weather - which I dislike by myself on any boat) is docking. You would want to choose your slip carefully - a nice upwind (entering, you're coming into the wind) slip would be perfect. My slip in Tacoma had a nasty cross wind late in the day - which was a pain...

Speaking about pulling the hook - I went over to Quartermaster Harbor one night during the week - in late October (we get nasty windstorms here during the fall)... Set the hook, ate dinner, read and then went to bed. About 5 am I woke up to the halyards whacking against the mast like crazy. By 7 or 8 am there were whitecaps in the harbor...and I was by myself...

To get out, I put the helm on slow ahead, and put on the auto-pilot to head to deeper water - went forward and started pulling like crazy. She came forward, and once the chain went vertical, it popped right loose, and the helm turned toward deep water... I got lucky - I guess - but it worked.

I remember being at West Marine one time, and I was talking to this sales guy who was helping me. I mentioned something about single-handing, and he looked at me and said

That really stuck with me - and I always planned things so I could do (or have done) them myself...

I vote for the 41...with a good windlass, that is!

//sse