Conference unifix::sailing

Interesting question. 

First suggestion: Get a GOOD safety harnes (eg, Switlik, Lirakis, 
Survival Technologies, etc) and ALWAYS use it. If you fall overboard, 
your wife will almost certainly be a grieving widow. Install a strong 
padeye in the cockpit, and a strong trolley or jackline around the deck. 
1/4" 7x7 stainless steel wire or 1/2" dacron rope works well. The 
rope is much cheaper. Be sure the padeyes for the jackline are strong 
(eg, 5000 lbs safe working load). Get two lanyards for the safety 
harness so that you can always be attached to the boat. You will need to 
unhook to move around the deck, and with only one lanyard you will not 
always be attached to the boat. 

My second suggestion is get a reliable autopilot (eg, an Autohelm) if
you don't already have one. Without self-steering, singlehanding is
extremely difficult and more dangerous than necessary. With 
self-steering you are now a crew of two, which is sufficient for your 
boat in any weather you should be out in.

My third suggestion is to go sailing. Think about everything you will
need to do and decide how to do it alone. This will tell you what
changes you will need to make. Go look at boats prepared for
singlehanding -- any long distance cruising boat should be able to be
sailed by one or two people. Richard Henderson's "Singehanded Sailing"
has some useful information. 

I've singlehanded our 32 foot cutter occasionally. Very challenging, 
and a bit lonely. 

Alan

PS Has your wife sailed on larger, stiffer boats? Perhaps sailing on a 
boat she feels secure on would help her overcome her fear. Do you know 
any experienced female sailors she could talk to? Even after more than a 
decade of ocean sailing Julie and I still feel more than a little 
apprehensive on many occasions. I've decided that some fear is part of 
sailing. 

    The most practical thing you can do right now is to get the book
    written by Tristan Jones entitled "On hand for you, One for the
    ship."  It is written with the singlehander in mind and will help
    you understand several aspects of handling a boat by yourself. 
    
    
    The singlehanders that you read about don't face a lot of the basics
    that those of us that take a boat out by ourselves face each time,
    such as, trying to get to dock in a stiff wind without anyone else
    around to grab a line.  You will find a wealthof value in this book.
     Use it as a bible.
    
    Alan has made a crucial point.  You are it when you're alone.  If
    you go over the side, BYE, BYE!  So be sure you have a good (and
    this is very subjective) harness and use it.  I have insisted that
    my crewmembers use harnesses and they seem to think they are invincible
    and sooner or later they have a close call.  Thank God there have
    not been any serious accidents.
    
    The other point that Alan made about self steering relates to
    everything on board.  Your need to take a different look at things
    like winches, sail handling, mast climbing, cooking, sleeping, and
    steering when you're alone.  There are many products in the marine
    market that can do a job, BUT very few that are really designed
    for singlehandling.  Be selective and try to consider that you will
    not have someone else to tail a line, tend some boiling water, steer
    the boat, etc.  The objective is to give yourself as many "extra"
    hands as you can without making life more complicated.
    
    Remember that too many gimmicks may cause as many problems as they
    can solve.  Make sure everything is as reliable as you can and thet
    it is easily repairable if broken.  Keep plenty of spares on hand
    and make sure you get an understandable manual with each item.
    
    Good luck and welcome to the REAL world of sailing.  There is no
    experience like depending on your own capabilities and facing the
    elements without others to lean on.
    
    

    I am in the process of modifying my Freedom 32 (already easy for
    one person to sail) for singlehanded sailing, I hope to do the Bermuda
    1 - 2 in 1989.  I have created a very long list of work items to
    make the boat safe for a singlehander.  Some of the work is based
    on requirements for offshore racing some is based on the idosyncracies
    of my particular boat.  
    
    I agree with everything mentioned so far, a stout safety harness
    must be worn at all times even in light air, and reading what other
    singlehanders have experienced is a must.  I would include some
    of the books on transatlantic and round the world single handed
    sailing (not all of those boats were real hi-tech).
    
    I prioritized my work load making safety the foremost on my list.
    My boat has all running rigging leading aft through two gangs of
    stoppers.  Only those stoppers were real stoppers and could not
    be released under load without back winching.  Those are being replaced
    with spinlocks.  I'm even modifying the traveler so that the control
    lines go through stoppers and to a winch to keep me in the
    cockpit as much as possible.
    
    My main is fully battented with four reef points so when it kicks up 
    the main can be lowered quickly with the reef lines coming aft to the 
    winches.  I do have a problem to solve this spring and that is how to
    add two more reef lines and have them return to the cockpit also.  
    
    I have read in more than one place that jack lines of 3/16" 1X19
    plastic coated wire is the best.  I have sailed on boats using rope
    and there is a tendency for it to roll out from under foot
    and more than once I came close to loosing my footing completely.
    I just installed three jacklines on my boat, one along each deck
    hugging the cabin top, and a short one in the cockpit which I intend
    to hook to before leaving the companionway or after entering the
    companionway.  It has been recommended that the jackline run down
    the center line of the boat if at all possible, if you do start
    to go over you may not end up in the water, a difficult place to
    get out of alone.
    
    I am installing fasteners on all opening lockers so that if I were
    to capsize the contents will not force the doors open; this goes
    for the floor boards and under seat lockers too.  The cockpit lockers
    will have a hasp and the edges will be gasketed.  I'm installing
    lee clothes on the settee and will sleep there instead of the aft
    cabin for safety reasons and to be closer to the electronics.
    
    An autopilot, as Alan mentioned, is a must.  I am moving the conrol
    unit of my autohelm 3000 belowdecks so it can be used from the
    companionway.  This is to keep it out of any seas that decide to 
    board.  I talked to autohelm and there is no problem lengthening the 
    wire to the wheel control unit as long as I follow the rules for 
    distance and wire size. I plan to build a seat in the companionway
    from which I can steer the boat, watch the loran, and hear the vhf.
    
    I've sailed alot with one other person and first thing this year
    when the boat gets launched plan to practice docking the boat alone,
    getting away from the dock alone (both in a variety of wind conditions),
    anchor alone, retrieve the anchor alone, and just puts around the
    area ALONE.  After getting comfortable with the basics of sailing
    alone I intend to venture offshore to get myself qualified for the
    races I'll do.  The important thing for me is doing it a little
    at a time so I don't scare myself to death.  Docking in a cross
    wind is the most terrifying experience I've had to date and I've
    sailed through a number of gales in very heavy seas.
    
    So, make sure you protect yourself from going overboard.  Make sure
    that the systems on your boat don't sap your energy (or at least
    try to modify them so they won't).  Part of my plan is to get myself
    physically fit so I've changed from Nautilus to free weights and
    it has made a significant difference in my strength; endurance is
    what I'm going for.
    
    A friend of mine started singlehanding two years ago and ended up
    doing the Bermuda 1-2.  He started out easy, gained confidence and
    went for it!
    
    Good luck, and most of all have fun.  Real sorry about your wife.
    I have found that there is a tendency among sailors (myself included)
    to keep too much canvas up for too long.  There is nothing wrong
    with reefing down and it has been my experience that when I finally
    decide to give in and reef that the boat is much more comfortable
    to move around on and is generally moving at close to the same speed
    as it was prior to the reef.  Just a thought, maybe over time she'll
    get over her fear (and it does take time as well as determination,
    I know, that's why I'm going to be singlehanding).
    
    Pam Rickard

re -.1:
>>    I have read in more than one place that jack lines of 3/16" 1X19
>>    plastic coated wire is the best.  I have sailed on boats using rope
>>    and there is a tendency for it to roll out from under foot
>>    and more than once I came close to losing my footing completely.

Pam is correct. 3/16" 1x19 wire is recommended by many people. However,
it is NOT (repeat, NOT) strong enough. Some simple vector analysis of
the loads on a jackline shows that the 4700 or so pound breaking
strength of 3/16" wire is quite easily exceeded under certain very
likely assumptions. Worse, the usual 3/16" wire lifeline fittings have a
breaking strength of only about 2200 pounds. This is totally inadequate.
1/2" dacron rope or 1/4" wire (both with a breaking strength over 8000
pounds) with standing rigging wire end fittings are the minimum I would
consider safe. If a rope jackline is stretched tightly, its tendency to
roll underfoot is minimized. We didn't find this a problem during our
trip to Bermuda. If I were embarking on an extended cruise, I'd probably
use 1/4" wire. For occasional use, rope is adequate in my opinion. 

By the way, lifelines are subject to the same loads as a jacklines. I
considered replacing our lifelines with 1/4" wire tensioned by rigging
turnbuckles. The cost of doing this is $600 to $1000 if done right
(eight turnbuckles alone are over $400). Plus significant strengthening
of the pulpits and stanchions is needed. 

As an aside, the vast majority of used boat buyers are not willing to
pay for safety improvements or quality equipment (so brokers tell me).
Any investments you make in your boat are likely to be unrecoverable
when you sell the boat. A really depressing thought. 

Alan

    My wife had the same problem with heeling.  Through patience and
    experience she is slowly improving.  It isn't easy to be reefed
    down when wind conditions don't warrant it but I enjoy her 
    company and her differing perspective on sailing enough to take
    the effort to help her enjoy herself more.  I can always go alone
    so when the wind is up I do.
    Rather than spending money on re-rigging and adding do-hickeys
    which may only serve to make her feel more ill at ease on the
    days she does accompany you how about checking out a top-rated
    sailing school?  A week's worth of sailing/learning may give her
    the confidence and understanding and skills that would make her
    more valuable than any piece of equipment.  Besides, then you 
    can suggest the gear stuff to make it EASIER for her (if you get
    my drift...).
    Anyway, good luck.
    Tom
    

    One further note on singlehanding -
    
    Singlehanding has been booming over the last couple decades, spurred
    by the success of singlehanded ocean races and the writing of Tristan
    Jones. Its possibilities have been clearly demonstrated, and is
    accessible to far more people than any seaman would have guessed
    at the beginning of that period. There is a legal/seamanlike drawback
    would should all remember.
    
    It's not possible to stand continuous watches while singlehanding.
    Racers and serious cruisers deal with this in various ways, from
    cheerily sleeping for hours at a time to taking continual catnaps
    and going on deck for a look around every 20-30 minutes. Coping
    with the requirements of keeping a proper lookout should be a serious
    concern of anyone who singlehands. Not only is your life on the
    line if you are involved in a collision or accident, but you may
    be liable under marine law if you are involved in a collision while
    asleep (or even below deck). Marine law essentially requires
    a proper lookout to kept at all times, and it's just not possible.
    
    For this reason, I have heard several extremely experienced sailors
    inveigh heatedly against singlehanding as the essence of bad
    seamanship. I've always wanted to try it myself (and am building
    a boat explicitly designed for the possibility), but also am aware
    of this problem and will have to think of some way to minimize the
    hazards.
    
    Ross Faneuf
    

re .6:

Good point, Ross. One of the biggest problems in coastal singlehanding 
is keeping watch and avoiding collisions. Just finding enough empty 
space around you to have time to make a bowl of soup can be difficult 
when daysailing. The consequences (legal and otherwise) of a collision
between two small boats can be serious. 

Offshore is perhaps another matter. I think that the legal question of 
keeping a proper lookout is over emphasized. There is a large area 
around a ship that cannot be seen from the bridge of the ship, 
especially forward. I greatly doubt that any ship keeps a lookout that 
meets the letter of the law. And how many vessels, large and small, 
really reduce speed enough in limited visibility to stop in time to 
avoid a collision? Given the stopping distance of large ships, I would 
venture that the answer is none.

If a large ship and a small boat (even a steel-hulled small boat)
collide, the ship is unlikely to suffer more than a small scratch to the
paint, and the ship's crew may be totally unaware that the collision
occurred. The small boat's crew should keep a good lookout for their own
safety, not because they are worried about liability lawsuits. There are
risks in sailing small boats offshore, and everyone going offshore,
singlehanding or not, must be willing to take some risks. The amount of
risk one is willing to accept govern one's watchkeeping, sleeping, etc, 
procedures. I am willing to have only one crewmember on watch when
sailing, both coastal and offshore. Others insist on two or more. 

The improvements in electronics can make singlehanding much safer. 
Recent radars with guard zones are a good example. 

Alan

    I have been monitoring the replies and printing them off as reference
    when I start working on the boat this spring.
    
    It appears from .1,.2,.3, and .4 that my first endeavor will be
    setting up the boat with an eye to keeping me on it.  I quess I've
    decided to run two jacklines from the bow down to the front corners
    of the cockpit to allow me to go forward as close to the centerline
    on the weatherside.  (1/4" 7x7 wire as I am 6' and about 230). 
    I'm also going to add two padeyes to the front corners of the cockpit
    below where the jacklines end.  this will allow me to attach the
    safety harness laynyards (2) to the padeyes before leaving the
    companionway and to be attached to a padeye while attaching to the
    jacklines prior to moving forward, as well as being attached to
    the front part of the cockpit wile at the tiller.
    
    The second adjustment to be made is a method of getting me back
    in if I fall out not wanting the  .1 "grieving widow" or .2 "BYE
    BYE".  I normally trail a ZODIAC  tied fairly tight to the sternrail.
    I think that perhaps it should be tethered further back and that
    I also should trail a float on the end of a 50' to 75' floating
    rope.  My stern ladder will be modified so that it can be pulled
    from its normal locked up position by a lanyard reachable from the
    water.
    
    PAM, re .3, if you have made up a list of work items would you be
    willing to share them???
    
    I haven't found books by Richard Henderson or Tristan Jones yet
    but did find one by Tony Meisel called "SINGLEHANDING - a sailor's
    guide", which I have been avidly reading during lunch hours.
    
    I also have a set of free weights sitting unused for a while in
    the basement...Guess I'll start putting them to use again before
    I have to try to do a chin up on the stern rail for real!!!
    
    

Safety harness or not, falling overboard is extremely dangerous, and
getting back on board extremely difficult, especially if the boat is
happily sailing along at 6 knots or so. Getting back aboard would be
much easier if there was some way to disconnect the autopilot or
windvane so that the boat would round up into the wind and stop. I have
yet to discover a good way to do this. (Six knots is over 10 feet per 
second, incidentally.)

The safety harness lanyard should be attached to the harness with a 
hook or shackle. Most lanyards cannot be disconnected with a load on the 
lanyard. This is thought by many to be very dangerous. I attach my 
safety harness lanyards to a spinnaker bail snap shackle (which can be 
released under load) and the snap shackle to the harness. 

Depending on the deck layout of your boat, a centerline jackline (which
I agree is preferable) may be impractical -- halyards, vangs, reefing
lines, liferafts, etc, may get in the way. You should have to
connect/disconnect as few times as possible. Before installing any
jacklines, try crawling around your deck with the boat heeled to
determine what gets in the way. On a small boat several strategically
placed padeyes may be more practical than jacklines. 

Running all halyards and mainsail reefing lines aft to the cockpit may 
not be the best idea for singlehanding. You will have to go on deck 
anyway to tie down the reefed part of the mainsail (at least with a
conventional mainsail), so why not just do the whole reefing process
from the mast? We have found another problem with running the mainsail
reef lines aft. The lines are rather long, and as the sail fills and
empties the load on the reef line in use varies, alternately stretching
and contracting the line -- ie, the line moves. And chafes (especially
at the sheet stopper). And eventually breaks. The only solution I have 
found (suggested by Hal Roth in "After 50000 Miles") is to reef the
main (getting the sail flat takes considerable clew tension), and, after
doing so, tie the clew to the boom with a short, separate line. Then
release the load on the reef line. Tying the clew separately is neither
particularly easy or safe, but it does eliminate destroying expensive
dacron line (which we've done twice now). 

Anyway, listen to anybody's ideas and then experiment. Every boat is 
different.

Alan

    I began doing some singlehanded coastal sailing last season. A couple
    points I would like to add are location and type of sheeting gear.
    
    I sail a wheel steered boat and when sailing (that is tending the
    trim, steering myself, tacking) I am behind the wheel.  To make
    life easier from here the mainsheet traveller is just inches forward
    of the wheel pedistal where it is very handy (to anyone in the
    cockpit).  The Genoa winches are also just forward of the wheel,
    where I can easily reach them.  I do not have selftailers, which
    I would prefer most of the time, but I would still retain the
    cleats, since the times I have used selftailers have shown me there
    are times when it is more convienent to just cleat it rather than
    wrap and unwrap.
    
    I agree that halyard and reefing gear is just as well off at the
    mast unless you have complete control from the cockpit (like roller
    furling main) and lots of storage places for the tails of all those
    lines.
    
    
    My motto when out alone has 2 parts:  Be conservative, and plan
    ahead. I mean more so than when you are accompanied.  Both will 
    help keep you out of trouble.  I enjoyed several outings last season
    on my own, and though I would rather have the company, there is
    a special reward having made a rugged passage yourself and safely.
    
    Walt

    re .6, .8 and others
    
    The comments regarding maintaining a watch is what has me the most
    concerned about singlehanding.  My plan is to get up and have a
    look around every 20 minutes.  I am also installing a Combi Watchman.
    Friends who did the Bermuda 1-2 last summer report that it is very
    good for detecting ships radar and differentiating between multiple
    ships. They were able to detect fast moving ships before they could
    see them on the horizon in clear weather giving them adaquate time
    to change course.  This, of course, only works for ships with radar
    so the problem of collision is not avoided but the odds are reduced.
    
    I decided to put my jacklines from the bow toe rail to the stearn
    cleat.  I figured that if I do go over that being able to work my
    way down the jackline to the stearn ladder (or trailing dingy) would
    be far better than trying to haul myself over 3+ feet of freeboard.
    In the cockpit I am installing a short jackline from the edge of
    the companionway to the transom (where I already had padeyes installed
    for my riding sail).  This way I can move freely around the cockpit
    from the helm up to the winches without unhitching.  Also, if I
    were to go overboard from the cockpit I'd be able to slide myself
    along to the stern.
    
    I agree with Alan (not sure which reply) regarding attachment of
    tethers to safety harnesses.  The Larikis for instance loops the
    tether through both d-rings so if you did want to get out of the
    harness it would be impossible.  I have chosen a climbing caribiner
    with a safety latch to keep the thing from opening if I were to
    hit it against something.  I realize that it would take some amount
    of effort to unscrew the safety mechanism and some more to remove
    the tension from the tether but I favored those alternatives to
    accidental opening of the latch.
    
    I've read that tying the clew to the boom is a good idea.  After
    four years with the same reef lines and a fair amount of reefing
    due to the size of my main (400 sq ft) I have had no chafing of
    the lines.  These new spinlocks, however, are not rated especially
    well when it comes to chafe so I'll have to watch them.  I still
    feel that if I ever have to set the 4th reef I won't want to be
    up on the cabin top to do it!  It is much better to tie in the reef
    since the sail tends to balloon, somewhat reducing the effect of
    reefing, however, with lazy jacks that isn't quite as necessary
    as it can be on conventional rigs.
    
    I'm happy to share my lists with anyone who wants them.  They are
    a compliation of two other singlehanders lists as they prepared for 
    the bermuda 1-2 as well as my own specific needs.  I found the other
    lists thought provoking and used some of their ideas but looked
    at how and whether they applied to my boat before deciding to do
    any of the tasks listed. 
        

    I have asked ships in the Chesapeake how my 37 feet of fiberglass
    and 50 foot stick shows up on various radars and found that without
    a reflector, the paints become intermittent in the one and a half
    to two mile range.  That is on a calm sea.  With some slop going,
    it is almost certain I would be lost in the sea return on the screen.
    
    Last October while on a cruise to Bermuda on a commercial ship,
    I checked the radar on the bridge and saw nothing.  The ships watch
    was routine.  A call on the radio brought to light a 40 foot yawl
    about 4 miles off the bow.  That was the first anyone knew she was
    there.  With the 8 foot seas the intermittent paints were not seen
    in the clutter of the sea return.  The vessel was easier to see
    with binoculars.
    
    The radar detector sounds like a good idea!
    

re .11:

>>>    I decided to put my jacklines from the bow toe rail to the stern
>>>    cleat.  I figured that if I do go over that being able to work my
>>>    way down the jackline to the stearn ladder (or trailing dinghy) would
>>>    be far better than trying to haul myself over 3+ feet of freeboard.

I'm a little unsure how you're planning on doing this. If the jackline 
is inside the stanchions, you won't be able to move aft if you go over 
the side without unhooking/hooking several times. If the jackline is 
outside the stanchions, you'll have to hook/unhook several times to move 
the length of the deck. This would seem to compromise safety a bit as 
well as being quite awkward. 

How about this as a solution: Run the jackline inside the stanchions. 
Keep a 1/4" line the length of your boat attached to your safety 
harness. If you go over the side, attach the free end of the line to 
the safety harness hook and then detach the safety harness lanyard from 
the safety harness. Now you'll be able to move aft the length of the boat. 
Probably much easier said than done.

By the way: At least one safety harness test demonstrated that if the
boat is moving faster than a couple of knots, getting enough slack in
the harness lanyard to unhook a mountaineering carabiner (or similar) is
quite impossible due to the load created by dragging the harness wearer
through the water. Hence my preference for a spinnaker snap shackle that
can be released under load. 

>>>    I've read that tying the clew to the boom is a good idea.  After
>>>    four years with the same reef lines and a fair amount of reefing
>>>    due to the size of my main (400 sq ft) I have had no chafing of
>>>    the lines.  

My main is only 204 sq ft. The chafing problem has only occurred during 
prolonged reefing (several hours) in rough conditions (seas over 10 
feet). 

Alan

    re.13, which is an re.11
    
    I figure that if I go over the top of the lifelines I'd probably
    be able to pull myself along nudging the tether along the jackline
    that is on the inside of the stanchions (remember a freedom has
    no shrouds to get in the way).  If I go under the lifelines I have
    two tethers and one can be rehooked around a stanchion before the
    other is released.  I don't see that this is much of a compromise
    since the chances of pullying myself back aboard may be rather unlikely
    if the boat is moving at a reasonable clip.  Having a long piece
    of line tucked in a pocket is another possibility and a good one
    only I'd worry about the breaking strength if I were to come to
    the end of it and get dragged.
    
    I've been towed at a good clip from a ski boat and was able to pull
    myself along the line without too much trouble.  A proper caribiner
    will most likely pull from the ends, not the middle, leaving no
    force on the release whatsoever.  I'd rather have to use a little
    muscle than to accidently be released when least expecting it, like
    as I go flying over the side and the release pull of the spinnaker
    shackle catches on something.
    
   Pam
     
    

re .14:

>>>    I figure that if I go over the top of the lifelines I'd probably
>>>    be able to pull myself along nudging the tether along the jackline
>>>    that is on the inside of the stanchions .....

Yes, but your safety harness tether will go from the jackline over the 
lifelines and down to you. It is certain that there will be considerable 
load on the tether, which will pull the lifeline wire well below the 
tops of the stanchions. My question is how will you get enough slack in 
the tether to get the tether over the stanchion tops?

>>> ..... If I go under the lifelines I have two tethers and one can be 
>>> rehooked around a stanchion before the other is released ..... 

What about your 3' freeboard? I can reach less than three feet above my 
head, and the jackline may be inboard a bit.

>>> ..... Having a long piece of line tucked in a pocket is another 
>>> possibility and a good one only I'd worry about the breaking 
>>> strength if I were to come to the end of it and get dragged.

Breaking strength of 1/4" dacron is about 2300 pounds. 

>>>    I've been towed at a good clip from a ski boat and was able to pull
>>>    myself along the line without too much trouble.  A proper caribiner
>>>    will most likely pull from the ends, not the middle, leaving no
>>>    force on the release whatsoever.  I'd rather have to use a little
>>>    muscle than to accidently be released when least expecting it, like
>>>    as I go flying over the side and the release pull of the spinnaker
>>>    shackle catches on something.
    
If you think you'll be able to get enough slack in the line to release a 
carbine hook, why worry about breaking a 1/4" line? However, for two 
reasons I'm very skeptical that you'll be able to release a carbine
hook. First, I suspended myself with my safety harness today, and tried
to unhook the tether carbine hook. Absolutely no way could I
do it. (Releasing the spinnaker snap shackle was easy.) The 1" wide flat
nylon tether is extremely slippery (even dry) and hard to grab. There is
no way I can lift my weight with one arm, even not wearing foul weather
gear. I think it is reasonable to assume that the drag load on the
tether could well equal my weight. Second, in a published test of safety
harness three different men were unable to release the harness tether
while being towed behind a boat at less than 5 knots. This test found
that the impact loads of falling overboard at 11 knots (surfing downwind
in a gale) reached 615 pounds. Note that storm waves travel over 30
knots. 

The more I think about falling overboard while singlehanding, the more I 
think that it is an accident with an extremely low probability of 
survival. Ugh. 

Alan    

    I couldn't find this topic covered anywhere, but I'm sure Alan will
    move it as appropriate if appropriate. <grins>
    
    Anyway, I started sailing a 21' Bayliner Buccaneer last July. I've been
    out in it about 15 times now. All but three of those have been solo.
    
    The way I do it is this:
    
    While the boat is at anchor, I rig the sails in preparation for raising
    them, loosen the tiller, and then pull up the anchor. 
    
    On my way back to the cockpit, I raise the main sail. Then WHOOSH into
    the cockpit, unclip the boom from the backstay, and ride the wind out
    into the middle of the cove.
    
    Then I go into irons and raise the Genoa. Then back into the cockpit,
    and I sail out of the cove.
    
    
    This has worked well enough each time. 
    
    I have a real nasty time coming up on the mooring buoy after the
    sailing jaunt, though. This little exercise preoccupies me for the last
    10 or 15 minutes of the session. 
    
    What I have ended up doing these last few times is dropping the main
    sail in the middle of the cove and sailing into a position upwind from
    the buoy using just the Genoa. When I'm just about where I think I
    should be, I drop the Genoa and then the anchor. I play out the anchor
    line until I'm next to the buoy, at which point I grab it and hook on.
    
    It's clumsy as all get out, though it seems to work.
    
    How do you more experienced guys manage to approach the mooring buoy
    and catch onto it when you're sailing solo?
    
    Thanks.
    
    John H-C

John 

My wife and I had a 20' Luger Southwind until this year.  The technique we used
for approachng my cosins mooring in Eel Pond Woods Hole worked both duo and solo.
Duo is obviously much easier as the helm is always manned.  Also, I preferred to
use the outboard instead of the sails.  However, I have done both.

Assuming you came in under sail, I suggest the following basic approach.

Essentially build up some way, and then come strait into the wind and coast up
to the mooring.  If you got speed and drag played off correctly, you will 
essentially come to a stop at the mooring.  Pick up the mooring pennant and 
tie down beofre the boat bears off.

With a little practice we found that we would rather lay down on the deck and reach
into the water rather than mess with a boat hook.

When I have come in on sail the basic approach is modified as follows.  I do not
claim that this is the best, just that it seems easier than what you are doing.

As I started to round up into the wind, I would sheet the boom as close to center 
as practical.  I would free the jib (which starts to luff like crazy).

Once going directly upwind, and pretty slow, I would leave the tiller and head 
forward.  A brief stop at the jib halyard would allow the jib clew to rest on
the fore deck and not flog me to death.

Crawl under the sail, with boat hook in hand, and get the pennant.  The Luger
is light enough that I could actually pull the boat towards the mooring in the
light breeze which prevails in Eel pond.

The main sail sheeted in helps keep the boat pointed into the wind.  I was never
ambitous enough to worry about the tiller.

If you miss, simply head back to the tiller, you have time to retensions the 
jib halyard good enough to try again.  It takes a little time to set up for the 
approach again.  Life is far easier using an iron sail which you take out of 
gear for the final coast.

The single biggest things were to clear the decks, prepare lines, etc. long
before you needed them.  I merely slipped on a rope once to induce enough 
panic on my part to totally botch the job.  Decided ahead of time just how you
plan on approaching, and how you plan on bearing off if you miss.  Finally when
actually going for the mooring, be willing to let things happen, don't rush them
or yourself.  For the most part I have found that quick reactions do not make
up for clear thinking when sailing.

Now it is time for the pros out there to tell you what I did wrong.  I am going
to have to learn all over again when I get my next boat.

Doug

     	I sail a 22 foot S2, but I don't think I'll ever get a boat I can't 
     single hand. A wonderful hand to help the single handing is the autohelm.
     frequently with non-sailing guests I may have other people on board, 
     but for the most part I'm still singlehanding it. 
     	Off the mooring, my main is up before I drop the mooring. Without 
     auto I'd tie the tiller about the middle, now I use auto on stand-by to 
     hold it for me. Then I uncleat the mainsheet and raise the main sail.
     With the sail up I go forward, drop the mooring and walk back to the 
     cockpit while my boat is backing up. I've actually tied the tiller not 
     exactly in the middle, it's off to one side a little so I start to turn 
     abeam to the wind while I'm backing up. Then I take the helm and sail
     under main alone till I'm out of the main mooring area. Then I raise 
     the genny while I'm sailing, most often very on the wind for the hoist
     and sheet it appropriately.
     	Returning I drop the genny and tie it down on the foredeck before 
     I reach my mooring. I do not use Auto when I'm picking up my mooring,
     You can't make it move fast enough. I tie my custom sized blue rope
     across the stern with two wraps of line around my tiller. This acts 
     as a brake to hold the tiller where I leave it, but not so much that 
     I can't put it where I want. I center the traveler and sail toward my 
     mooring, never dead down on it. When I'm at the exact right spot, 
     which changes from day to day depending on my speed and the angle of 
     the wind, I turn the boat up head to wind with my mooring float 
     directly up wind. I free the main sheet and walk forward to pick 
     up the float. After I have put my pennant over my bow cleat then I'll 
     drop the main, this way if I miss I can go back to the cockpit, grab
     the helm and sail back for a second pass. 
     	Once in a while I have a bad day and have to go back for two or
     three passes, but more often I can park my bow right on the float. 
     I never dump the main before I'm tied up, because I don't want to 
     find myself needing steerage and having no power. I don't worry 
     about having my main up while I'm on the mooring because as long as 
     the sheet is not cleated I should not start sailing anywhere. I find the 
     main easier to singlehand tack than the genny and I like to have the 
     tiller stay where I put it when I'm doing this. The key is judging 
     your momentum so that you are just about stopped and head to wind when
     your bow is at the mooring float. Practice will give you that feel and 
     it shouldn't take much to see that it works fairly easily.


     	Geoff

    I love to single hand stop at our old mooring even if my wife is on
    board.  It's fun!  
    
    I generally use the main coming in so that I don't dirty the genoa.  I 
    come cranking in toward the mooring at an angle off wind, turn her
    straight up into the wind and into the mooring, release the main sheet,
    go on up to the bow and pick up the painter.
    
    I NEVER drop the main (or genoa) first because I just might miss and
    might just need to power back up quickly.
    
    BTW, our harbor is a bit busy and there are quite a few boats around
    our old mooring, so, the people relaxing in their cockpits sometimes
    get a little nervous about the speeding Pearson (were the people taking
    pictures for the beauty - or to be able to collect on my insurance???).
    
    Well, those days are now over and no boats got attacked by the fighting
    Pearson.  And it was a lot of fun!
    
    	Regards,
    
    	Ron
    

    
    just one addition to the earlier replies... you might as well approach
    the mooring on a reach to keep more options open, otherwise a little
    shift may cause you to need an extra tack.  Also a good idea to take
    the headsail down to allow you to work on the foredeck.
    
    /jim