Ep 40: Raising the Mainsail Single Handed
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- čas přidán 19. 09. 2021
- Welcome to Episode 40 of Carpe Diem Sailing, the first in a new series on single handing. In this episode I start off by discussing various concepts relevant to single handing in general and then go over raising the mainsail. The concepts are important and will only be covered in this, the premier episode for this series. I would encourage you not to, but if you would like to skip ahead to raising the mainsail it comes at about the 12:00 minute mark.
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Thanks Marco. Also praise to you for listening to the earlier feedback and the courage to rethink your content. All credit to you.
Thanks Richard. I appreciate your comment. It was the right thing to do. I plan to use the video at some point in the future as a discussion of what I did and what I could have done better. In fact I plan to use some of the comments from the original video inc yours as they were critical but constructive
Totally agree. That’s true ‘captain’ behaviour right there.
I really enjoyed how there were some small ‘hiccups’ in the hoisting of the main, a reefing line getting caught up and an autopilot going on the fritz at the exact moment it did is SOOOOO damn real. I love how you didn’t edit that out of the video.
Thanks Mylo,
Yes so typical. Welcome to cruising hey? Glad you appreciated it
Awesome show. Recognizing one's own flaws, it's a great characteristic and demands respect. Good job. Fair winds.
Thank you Mo River
Thank you for creating a Single Handed series. Looking forward to an episode on heaving to for reefing and lowering sails and maybe taking a break.
Thank you very much...
Good clear practical advice...thanks
Really well done. Keep them coming!
Thank you Rideauview Construction. I appreciate the support and am delighted that you enjoyed the video
So me being a land-rat, from a country with only rivers and lakes, never set foot on a sailing vessel, I decide that my goal after the college is solo non-stop circumnavigation, and I find Peter Lawless who has set sail on his snsc journey just a few weeks ago (with a rough start, but I believe that's not gonna stop him) and Carpe Diem starts a series on single handling :D I like "impossible" challenges, but it seems that there's literally all I need to learn from at hand :D Taking notes, thinking ahead on everything. Thank you for making these. I'm excited for following content :D
Awesome. Thanks for the comment. I wish you all the best and hope my videos help you along your way. Where are you from BTW?
@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine They already are helping :D I am from Czech Republic.
@@inventiveowl395 Glad to hear it
Great as always Marco. I hope you are enjoying the new surroundings up the coast!
Thank you Daniel. Enjoying my new digs.
Thanks , good information about safety harness , Ipirb.
Enjoy listening.
Thank you
Great video! Thanks for explaining and showing so thoroughly how to raise the mainsail. Very helpful to see the process.
Glad it was helpful! My pleasure. Thanks for the comment
An excellent and informative video - looking forward to many more single handed sailing videos, thank you
Thank you for the kind comment and feedback.
Thank you for focusing on single-handing. I’m sure I will pick up some good tips. You sail in a beautiful area. My main issue is leaving the berth. I have to do a sharp turn before I get any way on and if the wind is moderate and in the wrong direction, its quite a challenge. 🙂
An excellent sailing instructional video
Thank you for the support and kind comment
Thanks Marco, really cool that you're including us in your instructional evolution as well, kudos. I'm pleased you're doing a single-handed series, as that's what I do most of and it's good to see different approaches. My boat is a gaffer so more strings to faff with but the same principles apply. I generally find that once I'm out there I feel more confident than just before I leave, but I do wonder about the day when something goes wrong and the possible domino effect.
Thanks for the comment Kayak Amy. I wouldn't worry too much about things going wrong. Like I said in the video, planning and thinking ahead go a long way to helping when something does go wrong. Being ready and anticipating problems minimizes the domino effect
Very interesting video, thanks Marco
Thanks for the comment Mark. Glad you enjoyed it
Love the singlehanding series! Greetings from scandinavia.
Greetings. Thank you for the support.
As always excellent content well explained.
Thanjs
Hi Roger.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks for watching.
Just a thought you may wish to pass on to newbies. When flaking the main i tie my reef points in - I've found it much easier to do that than to try to tie them in a blow. It's an extra step when raising the main, but i found it to be safer. If i wake up to an unexpected blow, usually a small storm, i only need to decide 1 reef or 2. Having them pre-tied makes this easy for me. Single handing is a fun challenge.
Thanks for the comment Ron. Good idea. In our neck of the woods the winds are generally fairly light especially in summer but if you sail in an area of high winds that is a smart idea
Entering my third year but still picked up a few tips from the video. I seen that you had posted the leaving the dock solo video but didn't get a chance to see it before you took it down, I'm actually sorry I missed it as that's an area I want to work on. Thanks for posting, broading exposure sure helps us rookies.
Thanks Montana Dan. I will be reposting the docking video in a few weeks as a case study of what worked and what didn’t.
Marvellous!
Thank you Keith
I just purchased my first sailboat. Small enough with plan to sail solo. Looking forward to these
Hope you enjoy it!
Another reason to single hand is that your normal partner has aged out of sailing and has become a passenger. When we got to that point I set the boat up so that I don't have to leave the cockpit except to anchor. Personally I love my roller furling main. It is a boom furler so the sail is a full batten main with excellent sail shape. That makes raising lowering the sail easy and reefing is just as easy. You are fortunate to have open water. Here in Maine you simply can't run on autopilot without the remote in your hand and a constant watch forward. A 2-3 minute run just on autopilot will almost always result in fouling lobster gear on your prop. Incidentally a small upgrade to a hard vang will let you get rid of the topping lift.
Thanks for the comment. We have a few areas like that here where the sea is littered with crab traps but nothing like you describe. Great point regarding the hard vang. That is exactly what I plan to do. I had planned to have it installed in May during a haulout but the universe had other plans for me. Hopefully soon.
Big respect Marco. It takes a humble soul to admit to fault. It hurts a bit but you have done well. Looking forward to further content. Thank you for your efforts and for putting all this together.
Much appreciated. Thank you Ricardo
Very well done taking the last one down. I singlehand a lot, and found myself saying "well that's how NOT to do it". I know that as an instructor you'd have pulled apart a student who did that even if they got away with it as you did. Makes me trust you more, knowing you can admit mistakes.
Thank you for the support heyheyjc. It was the right thing to do. I will be using the footage as a case study in an upcoming video outlining that no matter how experienced we are we still make mistakes and need to be vigilant.
@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine Thanks for engaging here. Don't know what conclusions you'll draw from it, what scared me most was that you had to commit to it before success was assured. Made me wonder what I'd have done, maybe spring off in reverse until pointing out past the rafted boat? Look forward to your take on it.
It’s definitely a situation that looked more dramatic on film than in real life. I knew it was going to be close but I was confident that I would pull it off. It was definitely a potentially “hero to zero” situation Not the best example for students.
Hi Marco. I would like to add one more reason for single handed training. It is a security reason. You might not wanted to be single handed in your boat, but an accident incapacitated your crew and suddenly you find yourself doing single handed navigation. Every crew member who has no intention to sail single handed should watch these videos. Thanks a lot for this material
Thank you Gonzalo. I appreciate your comment and agree completely.
Two ideas single-handers may find helpful…
1. Run your topping lift back to the stern via a block at masthead. Return line is held next to the backstay by two eye bolts a third of the way and locked off with a block and cam cleat aft. No need to go to mast.
2. Power your winches with a battery powered right-angle drill. I use a Milwaukee 18v “Hawg” with heavy duty battery and a winch bit called “The Cranker”. Can be used on all witches, preferably self-tailing.
I was planning to run mine back from the mast, along the deck because that way all my line are in one place but that sounds like something to think about... as for the electric drill, maybe in a few years. I still enjoy the workout grinding the winches by hand. Thanks for the comment.
Powered winches leave you with no feel when something is wrong. In this case he would have ripped his sails. If you cant raise a main on a 30' boat, you should not be sailing.
Yes, you need to be careful with powered winches. I’m over 70, soloing on a 39 foot sloop. It helps.
@@TOMVUTHEPIMP I agree, and I see the point of power winches making life easier as we age but for me, and I’m pretty much 60 years old I like the workout. Use it or lose it.
Great video. I did find the getting off the dock single handed interesting though.
Thanks Nikhil. I will be reposting that docking video and analyzing what I did that worked and what I could have done better.
Thanks, Marco. Seize the O'Day!
Thank you Cats Paw
Nice video, thank you, always keen to learn. I'd Like to hear sometime about the pros and cons of an in-mast roller furling and an in-boom roller furling system for the main.
Thanks Chile Sauce. In my opinion if I was to go with mainsail furling I would go with in boom. It is a lot more expensive but you still retain good shape and you can still have proper battens. Also if the system jams, you can still lower the sail and tie it down like a traditional mainsail. In mast is cheaper but you sacrifice sail shape and to some degree sail area. Both systems can be finicky.
@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine I agree, boom furling over mast furling. Both are GREAT for solo sailors "when they are working" but if the Mast furling system fails while soloing with too much sail up, it could be a sailors worst nightmare. For that reason alone, a mast furling system is not an option...and for most people with smaller budgets, adding a boom furling system is also not an option...it could cost more than you paid for your used boat.
@@timhardman4764 Absolutely Tim. Completely agree on all points.
In Mast Roller Furling Pros: NONE
In Mast Roller Furling Cons: IT WILL JAM AT THE WORST TIME AND YOU WILL BE SCREWED!
Great video. Can you add a part 2 for dousing the mainsail single handed? Without lazy jacks I often end up with too much sail on the deck!
Thanks for the comment. Great idea and I plan to but in the meantime checkout Ep 22: Lowering the Mainsail & Ep 23 immediately following on Flaking a Mainsail without lazyjacks. Here is the link to Ep 22. I would love to hear what you think
czcams.com/video/64LqNWU_970/video.html
The AIS MOB 1 pictured seems to have a label at the top that forbids crying. I'm not sure if that's trying to motivate you to stay calm, or it being a bit harsh considering the timing of when you need to use one.
Interesting observation. Thanks for sharing.
Bummer. Would loved to seen it
Thanks for the comment Heels and Wheels. Don't you worry. I will be re-publishing it. It's going to be my next video. I will be breaking it down with a play by play of what worked and what didn't. Also I had many comments about spring lines so will be talking about those too.
Thanks for the lesson. All good info and great to see it actually happening in real life with real "stuff" that happens even when well planned and rehearsed many times. I missed the first video on "Leaving the dock single handed" but would really like to see it. A video with examples of "what not to do" can be as valuable or more valuable than a video showing only "what to do". It takes a secure man with a healthy ego to post something with corrections so I salute you for this. Please put "Leaving the Dock" back up with additional notes in the "SHOW MORE" or Description area of the video that describe the "not to do's" with a time stamp in the video. Mention the commenters who had constructive criticism that you agree with. When you have more time later, then go back to re-shooting or re-editing the video with new audio and video shots mixed in (lots of work) with the old video. On this video my only question concerns your last trip up to the mast to relieve the topping lift at about 17:30 in the video. Can you think of any disadvantage to keeping the motor running for another 10 seconds, keeping the course steady directly into the wind (helping to maintain a more level deck in more windy conditions) while you make your roundtrip of (cockpit - mast - cockpit) to loosen the topping lift?
Thanks for the comment I plan to do just that. Great feedback
As for your last question. I see no disadvantage and probably safer. Good point.
How could someone one dislike this video! There really are some strange people in this world. Keep up the good work my friend and mentor. 👍😉
Wow Jonathan. Thank you so much. Yup I was wondering and thinking that myself. Thanks for the awesome support!
got it, thanks a lot! ;-)
Thanks Alex
Learning lots. I’m planning on taking sailing course next year and try and crew on a club boat next summer. Been looking at boats for Lake Erie where I live. As a first boat I have been considering 27 feet. The reasons, price, interior height, and just getting big enough for inboard diesels. I don’t really want to buy and sell a bunch of boats. Is this too large for a first boat? Should I look at 30 foot as well? Or am I way off and do I need to start smaller? The main concern is safety. Ultimately would like to buy one boat and grow into it for ten years or so. Thanks and great job on the videos.
Hey Erick,
Thanks for the comment. Given your goals I would definitely consider 30 feet. I started with a 25 and outgrew it really quickly. In my opinion it’s not the size of the boat but the gear and layout. My 32 is much easier to sail singlehanded than my 25
@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine thanks for the input. Many have said to start on a 20/22 then move up and then move up again. I just want to get out on the weekends safely with my wife. Not looking to sail to the Caribbean or go out racing. I have friends that their first boats were 30 feet and have safely enjoyed them for many years. Please keep up the great videos. You are very clear in your presentations and explanations.
@@Ericktuin1 Thanks Erick. I think you’ll be fine on a 30. Look for roller furling headsail, self-tailing winches, auto pilot, inboard diesel and wheel steering.
Where can I get hold of you original take on single handing and leaving the dock single handed?
Very keen to have a look.
I don't have it anymore
I have only ever sailed single handed.. interesting to get some professional advice.
Thanks for the comment. Hope you find it useful.
Such a pity some people see the need to enforce their fears on everyone else. Most skipers that did any form of training know that best practice is to use a good pfd, teather and well positioned jacklines.
When doing an ocean crossing or sailing in adverse weather, sure, it is unthinkable to not adhear to all of this.
But when I'm playing around in the bay in superb light sailing weather - why would anyone get their knickers in a twist when finding out I don't clip on!?
Not all sailing is a death defying spectacle. Folks should take a chill pill and enjoy their sailing, while being as safe as they see fit to be - for themselves.
Agreed!
Thank you for your series on "Single Handing". However, I am concerned that your sailboat is not optimally rigged for single handing.
Would the following single-handed approach to raising the mainsail be better?
[1] Autopilot engaged - essential kit for single handing.
[2] In the cockpit - boomvang released, mainsheet let out, toppinglift hardened;
[3] Forward to the mast - remove sail-ties, raise and tension the main halyard;
[4] Back to the cockpit - ease the toppinglift, set the boom as appropriate with mainsheet/traveller/vang, finally trim the sail with the outhaul.
For single-handed mainsail reefing 2 & 4 above would be the same.
[3] At the mast - lower the halyard, secure the tack cringle, harden the halyard, harden the reef line.
That is pretty much what I do. Running a topping lift aft or better yet having a rigid boom vang would eliminate going forward at all.
I'd be interested in a video on single handing with no autopilot. I only have windvane steering
Thanks for the comment.I will look into creating a video on windvane steering.
I don't understand something that I see a lot of people on videos do: when there is no tension on a line or a winch is not needed for its mechanical advantage, they have a wrap around a winch anyway, for example, when raising a mainsail. The halyard was wrapped once around the winch, creating friction and effort than necessary. I find it easier to pull on the halyard without a wrap and then wrap it when the winch is needed. Just sayin'.
Thanks for the comment Garry. I hear what you are saying and you are not entirely wrong. Having said that it is considered best practice to always have a single wrap around the winch when pulling on a line. There are several reasons for this. Number one is safety, when coming about you are ready to take up the load as the sail fills. When raising a sail unless you have a clutch managing the load the weight will increase and then it can be difficult and dangerous to try to add a wrap at that time. In summary having a wrap around a winch every time you pull on a line is a good safety habit that will prevent injury. As far as adding friction, the friction added by a single wrap is negligible. If there is that much friction from a single winch wrap the winch is direly in need of service. Thanks for watching.
Raising the Mainsail starts around 12:00
Thanks Luigi. I've added that to the description.
@@CarpeDiemSailingMagazine subscribed :)
God bless the full batten. There's nothing more annoying than trying to open reefed furler main, it always slides full and I don't know why...
Agreed
Why take the topping lift off
Because you can’t properly tension the main, especially the leech if the topping lift is too tight.
To be clear I don’t take it off as much as I slacken it so it doesn’t interfere with the set of the main.
Here's something that bugs me: people are always saying "always be tethered", and "one hand for yourself", but then they don't. It's all too easy to make exceptions, and perhaps we should just admit it, but the fact that the temptation is there is a real problem. I say establish your parameters and then stick to them. You are essentially like a rock climber without a rope. At some point, it's easy enough that it's silly to tether up, but everyone should do some hard thinking about just how grim your chances are of survival are overboard, even if you go over the side tethered. My parameters are to always be tethered outside of the cockpit if I'm single handed, always tether on deck when multi-handed if there's any boat motion at all, or the water very cold. And don't even stand up untethered in the cockpit more than briefly and carefully if there's a lot of motion. If you're sailing downwind and there's any chance of broaching at all, tether even when sitting in the cockpit. Also, the more you tether, the fewer mistakes you'll make like turning in the wrong direction when things get more challenging.
Thanks for the input. I actually have an episode on tethers and jacklines coming up in a couple of weeks
Pretty good video. Should have done it without the auto pilot though.
Funny enough if you watch carefully I did do it without the autopilot because it wasn’t working lol!
He technically did, it wasn’t functioning which is the story with my autopilot most of the time 😂
@@thatblokerob Get a CPT and throw that Raymarine in the trash and you wont have that issue.
I have to comment one man sailing there’s nothing rong sailing by your self.
Some people not ready for it. As a instructor best you do all the mistakes for them to see and learn from.
Please aseptic my apologies for there misunderstanding.
I try my windsurfing trick sailing on lots of sailboat wind principles the same
If you practice you can reverse the boat with the main sail only.
Intersect to your safe course bless up.
Thanks Collin, I agree.
same at 20knots please
It’s no different at 20, just noisier, bumpier and messier 🤣
The safest thing to do is not go out the front door.
-Uncle Bilbo
🤔