Today I got my first dose of single-handing. I picked up the wife at the docks to head out for the boat show, but she wasn't there for the fun parts and couldn't help anyway as she was holding Katie.

I wanted to share my first couple of lessons learned and ask anyone for their own for my future excursions.

First thing I learned, have everything that you need right where you need it before you let go of the mooring line. When I was approaching the docks I realized my dock lines were below deck and my fenders were in the aft lazarette.

Second thing was that docking is a lot harder singlehanded than a mooring stop. You need speed to steer in the tight confines of dock areas rather than when approaching a mooring you approach slightly off the wind and use the windage to gently push you into position. Thankfully someone was on the dock both times to grab lines for me so there were no problems.

Third thing, check your ground tackle before you leave the mooring if you plan on anchoring out. I was trying to anchor out for the airshow and my wife wasn't comfortable keeping us off other boats. Thankfully, we found our neighbors and tied off the back of their boat but upon checking my anchor rode and chain, the rode wasn't attached to anything under the deck. Glad I checked! What the hell do you attach the anchor rode to?

I welcome any additional things you other singlehanders have learned as it'll save us all some mishaps undoubtedly.

Chris, glad you guys got out. Deb and I went out Saturday and spent the night on the boat. My brother and his family came out. The Raptor is an incredible aircraft and the Blues always put on a great show. Finally got that weather window and we enjoyed today's show a great deal.

As for single handing, you've already figured out the docking stuff. I did it the same way (forgot to bring out the dock lines AND the bumpers). Keeping lines organized goes from nice to a must do.

The autopilot is your friend. Don't trust the boat to hold course while you tend to something on deck (even though yours is WAY better at that than mine). When I've tried to "run up there for a second", a powerboat wake or a freak wave seems to know it and comes to get me. At least with the autopilot you don't have to worry about an abrupt change of direction.

When you get a chance, practice going in reverse under power. It really helps to be able to throw her in reverse and swing the bow where you want it when landing at a dock single handed or even making the mooring.

I sail single handed more often than with others and find it very enjoyable. You do have to plan ahead a lot, but that goes for any kind of sailing really.

It's worth practicing, in safe conditions, letting go of the tiller and see what your boat does. Then try with sheets released. Knowing how your boat reacts under different conditions is very important.

I also like to make sure the mainsail comes down quickly. A little wax on the sail track when the mast is down over the winter really helps (Orca has external track and slides). Also remember, no 1/2 hitches on your main halyard. You should be able race up to it and throw it off the cleat fast (with the mainsail quickly falling down the mast).

On the mooring I have found those floats with the f.g. spar that hold your pennants are great for picking up the mooring single handed. I use 2 pennants w/ eyes and tie them together with the float line. Haul up the float and throw the eyes on the cleat and you can tend to your sails. Then go back up and separate the eyes to either side and secure.

Ha, ha, ha! Chris, I've actually seen people throw an anchor over the side, only to THEN realize they hadn't shackled the rode to the chain, lol's! In Canada last summer, I saw a guy throw in his hook, and watched the entire line pay out, go right over the side with it. To damned funny. Yeah, hold onto the line, or cleat the bitter end. But it's usually just because someone is distracted, not thinking ahead (like approaching the dock, suddenly realizing you didn't have your lines rigged... makes me laugh, but only because I do the same thing every year or two

Never lost an anchor, though!

Chris,

I have the end of my anchor line tied to a piece of oak. Large enough to not fit through the hole.

Don't be discouraged if you can't control your boat in reverse under power. Full keeled boats in reverse have a mind of there own. But do practice. As Todd says it's important to know what to expect in all conditions.

Definitely going to practice that. I have become proficient at docking by myself now. I keep the stern line handy and run the bow line back to me in the cockpit. As I go past a cleat I throw the stern line around it, hop off with the bow line in hand and stop the boat. Granted, I have to be going at a near crawl for this to work.

Today's challenge was operating all the sails and sheets around my wife who had to hold Katie. It would be easier to singlehand the boat if she wasn't there because I not only had to do everything myself, but also work around her and Katie. This all not withstanding her desire to not "tip it" too much and keep her in the sun so she could catch some rays.

Catching rays is the most important part of sailing, Chris.

chris-
did you get blown away last night? seemed like the wind was picking up as the evening progressed.

Yeah it was blowing pretty good. I should've reefed from the start, but I wanted to see how she'd do with full sails up in that wind. I had my neighbors out with me who had never sailed before. They got a little freaked out, but I was able to balance out the boat with the main traveler and sucking in a little bit of the genoa. There were a few puffs that buried the rail, but wasn't too bad. They wanted to cruise by summerfest so after an hour of sailing we just motored around by the grounds. Hard to dock singlehanded in that wind. Mooring stop was easier with the wind tho

Yeah, that west wind was puffy yesterday. I got out for an hour or so with just my #1 genny. Had fun. Got the rail wet and felt lucky that I made my mooring on the first try, even w/ the motor.

I liked the reach to the north but was aware of the reef off North Point and didn't want to get too far east and have too many tacks to get back so I swung her around just south of that reef (and east of it) hardened up to point well north of North Gap and was able to make it in on a single tack as the wind danced around 20 degrees or so in the puffs.

A couple of tacks inside and I was up near the wall off off the park, north of the Art Museum, a nice spot with enough lee on a puffy west to allow a single hander to drop their sail and get the motor running (motor 1st of course).

BTW, I surf off that reef that's just south and east of the Linwood water filtration plant. I've been 400 yards or more out and have found spots where I can stand on the bottom. One time I was sitting on my board between sets and a big cutter came cruising south on a nice NNW wind towards me. It must have seen me, on my surfboard, as it gibed around and headed way out before returning to its southerly course. I was almost within shouting distance of it when they spotted me. Between sets it looks like deep water, but once you see a nice set roll through, peeling rights with gorgeous faces, you realize that its no spot for a boat with a keel.