MacGregorSailors.com

When people ask why you go sailing alone, tell them because it's easier.

Terry wrote:You guys are being awkward about it, all you need to do is make a short loop with a piece of line, put one end of the loop somewhere on the furling drum or on the end of the forestay

I definitely will try that out the next time I rig her! Thanks Terry!

...Doug

School House Steve wrote:When people ask why you go sailing alone, tell them because it's easier.

I LIKE THAT!!

Thanks for the many replies to my question about solo sailing. Sounds like there's quite a few things I can do to make things easier. That todo list seems to get longer not shorter.
Many thanks, Ray Jones.

When I am by myself;

I wear my auto-inflatable PFD with built-in harness, and clip my safety-line from the PFD to the jack line. My jack lines are one inch flat web, and run from the bow cleats to the back stanchion plates (near the winches). I find if I run the jack lines all the way back through the cockpit to the stern-cleats, it makes for more trip-hazards, and line tangles in the cockpit. So when in the cockpit, I clip on the the stern-cleats.

Also:

When Sailing Alone - I drag a 50 foot yellow float-line, with a yellow float ball near the end, and a 3 foot loop in the very end of the line. If I do go over and my saftey line fails, I have one last change to grab the drag-line. Pulling myself 50 feet back to the boat sailing at five knots would be a chore, but better that watching her sail into the sunset alone. I don't use this method when in traffic, but will when making a longer transit.

When Motoring Alone - I try to clip the motor kill-switch to my PFD. If I go over, and my safety line fails, the motor will stop. This also forces me to stay at the helm, and not sneak below when underway. (learned the kill-switch issue the hard way, earlier this year)

Darry

Windchime I know dragging a dingy slows down your boat but it is better to be able to climb in a dingy than find you later being dragged behind your boat dead from cold water. At least in a dingy you can pull the dingy back to the boat better than trying to swim against a 5 knot current of your boat in 50 deg F or less water temp in the Salish Sea. I have dragged a knotted line before when single handed but in almost 70 deg F water on a 100 deg F day and did get knocked off by the boom and climbed back on board, but NO more, especially in cold unswimmable water. I spent too mutch time sea kayaking and doing rolls gives anyone brain freeze even in 50 deg F water

I agree with ya Bubba,

... and when ever possible I have our tender in tow, but when I do not I drag the safety drogue in it's place.

Many thoughts on this topic, mine is I have a better chance by dragging behind the boat, than floating alone, and can always just let go.

LET GO !!!!!! in cold water!! GOOD BY