Hi All.
I sail single handed quite often.
I have no autopilot.
What is the best way to lower my sails when I want to motor back to my mooring?
I have tried motoring into the wind. However the boat always turns before I can get them down.
Currently I let the headsail off, motor into the mooring directly into the wind with the main sheeted in tight. Works fine in light winds. Bit tougher in heavier winds.
I have an Endeavour 26.
Thanks.

Having the same problem, I have spare block on the foot of the mast.
I set up outside the mast pull down halyard.
Droping the main in 3 sec. No matter you have or not autopilot , it's much better control without it anyway.

Set up a downhaul on the headsail with the downhaul line sitting beside the halyard in the cockpit. Let off halyard and pull on downhaul so you don't have to leave the cockpit. Easy to set up and works a treat. I intend to put on some lifeline netting up front to ensure it does not slide overboard even though it has not to date.
lazyjacks for the main are recommended . I have slugs on the main as well so it falls down just about all the way when head to wind.

Do you have a toping lift and lazy jacks? Also sail slugs.They can make it a lot easier to bring the main up and down by yourself. You just un cleat the halyard and pull down hard. and voila! If no lazy jacks and only a topping lift same thing but don't worry too much about folding the sail. Just two or three sail ties to secure the sail around the boom then fold away once your safely moored or docked. The trick is speed and technique as your well aware it all needs to be done whilst the boat is still nose into the wind and that widow can be quite narrow at times.Off course the stronger the wind and swell the harder it gets. Don't be tempted to try and do it all by yourself to make it look neat in strong weather. It doesn't take much for something to go wrong and fall over board. WAIT until your safely moored or docked or at least in calm waters. The sail slugs are also a great advantage over a bolt rope on the luff of the sail. It makes raising and lowering a lot easier as well. Not the greatest if your a very keen racer, however not many Endeavours are raced like Etchells.

Thanks.
I'll set up a downhaul on the headsail.
No lazyjacks or topping lift though.
I have a piece of rope and shackle on the backstage that holds the boom up while I lower the main.
Might have to look into getting them.
They will have to be able to be lowered though.
I like to lay my sails over the boom to roll them up instead of flaking them.
Yes have slugs.
Thanks again.

Jib downhaul and slides for the main plus topping lift are the essential bits of hardware.

1/ Heave to. Stabd tack is preferable.
2/ Start the engine and leave in neutral
3/ Ease the sheet so that the main is in the lee of the backed jib.
4/ Lower and secure the main at your leasure.
5/ Ease jib sheet, let the halliard go and pull on the downhaul.

Slip her into gear and away you go.

I just head to wind, ease sheets right out, dropping vang as I get forward to the mast, drop main, drop heady. Use the same technique to sail onto moorings too, though if its a stronger wind, I'll be lazy and grab the mooring and secure it on the aft cleat first instead.

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Yara said..
Jib downhaul and slides for the main plus topping lift are the essential bits of hardware.

1/ Heave to. Stabd tack is preferable.
2/ Start the engine and leave in neutral
3/ Ease the sheet so that the main is in the lee of the backed jib.
4/ Lower and secure the main at your leasure.
5/ Ease jib sheet, let the halliard go and pull on the downhaul.

Slip her into gear and away you go.

I understand it all except for 5.
What stops the jib from blowing over the side as you lower it?

Also
Wouldn't lazy jacks act as topping lift?

Most lazy jacks are run up to the spreader and that's not really designed to take the weight of the boom. So lazy jacks as a topping lift are a bad idea

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valo said..

Yara said..
Jib downhaul and slides for the main plus topping lift are the essential bits of hardware.

1/ Heave to. Stabd tack is preferable.
2/ Start the engine and leave in neutral
3/ Ease the sheet so that the main is in the lee of the backed jib.
4/ Lower and secure the main at your leasure.
5/ Ease jib sheet, let the halliard go and pull on the downhaul.

Slip her into gear and away you go.

I understand it all except for 5.
What stops the jib from blowing over the side as you lower it?

You keep the sheet tight as well as the downhaul. You can also go forward and loop a couple of sail ties around the jib, once everything is lowered.

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valo said..
Also
Wouldn't lazy jacks act as topping lift?

No. You need a topping lift and or a boom strut. The topping lift also acts as a back up mainsail halyard. The boom needs to be held up when your reefing anyway. Also if you sail back to your mooring with the mainsail only and you have a soft sail, hauling in the topping lift and raising the end of the boom will scandalize the mainsail and reduce the power so you can control your approach.
When I drop my mainsail I pull in the topping lift slightly which reduces the weight on the slides. Throw the halyard out into the cockpit so there are no hitches. Tighten the lazy jacks, round up into the wind and let the halyard go. The fully battened mainsail just drops into the stackpack. Unless there are a few spectators then I regularly screw up! I do have to leave the cockpit to tidy up the sail a bit before picking up the mooring.
I just installed my new boom strut this morning. It's laminated carbon fibre and epoxy over clear pine. The photo is my old one which fractured near the boom.

I sail the sydney 38 solo quite a bit including deliveries.
there is no auto pilot.
simple trick when windy.
pull on the top reef line on as you start to drop halyard so that all have to deal with is that part of the sail above the top ref point.
i have three reefs in the delivery mainsail I use cruising.
also means I can reach the sail from the cabin top not cockpit floor
cheers

Also it can help if you have 3 reefs in the main to reef each one in turn before you drop it as it stops the main falling all over the deck and you only have a third of the luff to pull down.
Its a pain having to free all those reefing lines next time you hoist the main though

Have you tried RSVP. Sailing with friends can be rewarding.

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valo

I understand it all except for 5.
What stops the jib from blowing over the side as you lower it?

Firstly on a 26 boat you will only need about a 4 ml line as it is not under much strain.dont forget to make sure you have enough line for the downhaul to go all the way up and still lead back to the cockpit.
When you have pulled the sail all the way down cleat off the downhaul tightly so that the wind cannot lift the luff also pull the sail over to one side ,I always go on starboard , with the starboard sheet and cleat off the sheet so that the foot of the sail is firm. I have never had it blow over the side but as I said above I intend to put some lifeline netting on the lifelines for the first couple of metres. You'll look like a pro dropping the headsail .
Aseveryone has said you really must have a topping lift. I leave mine permanently attached to the end of the boom with the line cleated ( jammed) off next to the main halyard which also comes back to the cockpit. After I raise the main I loosen it right off. I can pull it on when needed .

I have all of that, topping lift lazy jacks jib down haul etc etc to work from the cockpit.

But I also have a short line rigged up which I can clip onto the headboard of the mainsail when its down,
then I know the main is not going anywhere until I can deal with it in calm waters.

I usually find I only use this in windy conditions

Why not drop / raise sails in the lee of an island or shore? In Sydney Harbor, Shark and Clarke Islands are perfect for this. Pick the right spot and you can wander around the deck of your boat in total calm. Drop sails at your leisure. Pack up then motor back to mooring.

Has anyone mentioned a tiller lock? I have a clip on the tiller like a peg. Rope going across cockpit. Easy to lock the tiller. Perfect for single handing.

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lydia said..
I sail the sydney 38 solo quite a bit including deliveries.
there is no auto pilot.
simple trick when windy.
pull on the top reef line on as you start to drop halyard so that all have to deal with is that part of the sail above the top ref point.
i have three reefs in the delivery mainsail I use cruising.
also means I can reach the sail from the cabin top not cockpit floor
cheers

No reef points. No topping lift

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Madmouse said..
Has anyone mentioned a tiller lock? I have a clip on the tiller like a peg. Rope going across cockpit. Easy to lock the tiller. Perfect for single handing.

I actually bought one.
Need to install 2 cleats for it though.
I will have to get onto it.

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Cav30 said..
Why not drop / raise sails in the lee of an island or shore? In Sydney Harbor, Shark and Clarke Islands are perfect for this. Pick the right spot and you can wander around the deck of your boat in total calm. Drop sails at your leisure. Pack up then motor back to mooring.

I do that now when it is an E to NE wind.
Otherwise no shelter close to the mooring.

Thanks everyone.
I have a good idea of what to try and see what works for me.
Cheers.

I find interesting, that not one of the members mentioned lubricating the main track regularly? My fully battened main is sliding up and down on the sliders without much help when raising or dropping the sail.
As a single hander, l have to do all and sundry on my own and a sticky main track could ruin anyone's day. Silicon, dry lube spray will do the job once a month.

Also, sailing without topping lift, l find puzzling.

Personally, being methodical most of times, l plan and organise each job on paper first and experiment with it until perfect.
Whatever procedures worked out for each job to be done, should be worked out with the roughest conditions in mind - wearing a harness and tether - for example, how to slide the tether forth and back on the Jack line when leaving the cockpit!
Experiment with it and make it your second nature also thinking of night conditions and when rough.
To learn tying knots in the dark just by feel or behind one's back help too.
Each person is different, this methods work for me on my 28.

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Ramona said..

valo said..
Also
Wouldn't lazy jacks act as topping lift?

No. You need a topping lift and or a boom strut. The topping lift also acts as a back up mainsail halyard. The boom needs to be held up when your reefing anyway. Also if you sail back to your mooring with the mainsail only and you have a soft sail, hauling in the topping lift and raising the end of the boom will scandalize the mainsail and reduce the power so you can control your approach.
When I drop my mainsail I pull in the topping lift slightly which reduces the weight on the slides. Throw the halyard out into the cockpit so there are no hitches. Tighten the lazy jacks, round up into the wind and let the halyard go. The fully battened mainsail just drops into the stackpack. Unless there are a few spectators then I regularly screw up! I do have to leave the cockpit to tidy up the sail a bit before picking up the mooring.
I just installed my new boom strut this morning. It's laminated carbon fibre and epoxy over clear pine. The photo is my old one which fractured near the boom.

+1.
As I don't get the main up very often nowadays it can be sticky in the tracks. I will sometimes sail into wind on the heady, ease the mainsheet so the main is luffing and then drop it. The boat sails on with the heady while I pull the main down into the lazy jacks. I then furl the heady nearer the mooring.

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valo said..

lydia said..
I sail the sydney 38 solo quite a bit including deliveries.
there is no auto pilot.
simple trick when windy.
pull on the top reef line on as you start to drop halyard so that all have to deal with is that part of the sail above the top ref point.
i have three reefs in the delivery mainsail I use cruising.
also means I can reach the sail from the cabin top not cockpit floor
cheers

No reef points. No topping lift

I would be getting at least one set of reef points.

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sirgallivant said..
I find interesting, that not one of the members mentioned lubricating the main track regularly? My fully battened main is sliding up and down on the sliders without much help when raising or dropping the sail.
As a single hander, l have to do all and sundry on my own and a sticky main track could ruin anyone's day. Silicon, dry lube spray will do the job once a month.

Also, sailing without topping lift, l find puzzling.

Personally, being methodical most of times, l plan and organise each job on paper first and experiment with it until perfect.
Whatever procedures worked out for each job to be done, should be worked out with the roughest conditions in mind - wearing a harness and tether - for example, how to slide the tether forth and back on the Jack line when leaving the cockpit!
Experiment with it and make it your second nature also thinking of night conditions and when rough.
To learn tying knots in the dark just by feel or behind one's back help too.
Each person is different, this methods work for me on my 28.

Ok.
I'm showing my sailing ignorance by asking these questions.
How do you lube a mainsail track?
Do you just spray the slugs as you insert them into the track?
Why puzzled over no topping lift?
Heaps of boats around mine don't have one.

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valo said..

sirgallivant said..
I find interesting, that not one of the members mentioned lubricating the main track regularly? My fully battened main is sliding up and down on the sliders without much help when raising or dropping the sail.
As a single hander, l have to do all and sundry on my own and a sticky main track could ruin anyone's day. Silicon, dry lube spray will do the job once a month.

Also, sailing without topping lift, l find puzzling.

Personally, being methodical most of times, l plan and organise each job on paper first and experiment with it until perfect.
Whatever procedures worked out for each job to be done, should be worked out with the roughest conditions in mind - wearing a harness and tether - for example, how to slide the tether forth and back on the Jack line when leaving the cockpit!
Experiment with it and make it your second nature also thinking of night conditions and when rough.
To learn tying knots in the dark just by feel or behind one's back help too.
Each person is different, this methods work for me on my 28.

Ok.
I'm showing my sailing ignorance by asking these questions.
How do you lube a mainsail track?
Do you just spray the slugs as you insert them into the track?
Why puzzled over no topping lift?
Heaps of boats around mine don't have one.

Without a topping lift of some sort you can't take the load off the mainsail while raising, lowering or reefing it making these evolutions more difficult and putting a strain on the mainsail that will stretch and distort it, possibly tear it.
With my new main it isn't possible to get it hoisted without the weight of the boom being taken by the topping lift.

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valo said..
How do you lube a mainsail track?
Do you just spray the slugs as you insert them into the track?

i make a cloth slug by rolling up a strip of rag, held together with a couple of small cable ties, with two more small cable tie loops.

i then saturate the cloth in lube, and hoist and lower it up and down the track using a halyard and a second line...

Well, most of the questions are answered, however, l could add a suggestion to get your butt up that mast to first, clean the track, second, to lubricate it.
One should inspect one's mast all the way up every six months, the least. (here l am talking of boats which are being sailed regularly, not mooring minders or arm chair sailors boats!!) Otherwise, nick the corner off of a sponge from the galley, saturate it with wd40 silicon, put it above your top slider, raise the main and presto!
Going up the mast for a fit person is nothing. Any person could and should do it regularly.
I honestly do not understand the aversion of most, going up masts or to the fore-deck. It is part of your boat, why should it be any less travelled than the galley or the heads is beyond me.
Get a harness and a Jack line and go, when rough get on your knees.

Locking off parts of one's boat as 'no go area's ' is an idiotic notion of lazy people or sybarites, which notion l utterly reject. If l was physically challenged, l would not be sailing. If one gets caught out there in a blow and does not know how to thread on one's own fore deck but must, one's going to get hurt or worst.

The topping lift is like a reef, a wang, a traveller or a barber hauler, many boats got neither. I would not touch them with a sixty foot barge pole.


PS: get an auto pilot! They are independent units with fluxgate compass, only need power.
The most arduous task on a yacht ever, is helming the boat constantly. ! Yuck!

As described above, and in the free book here: www.sfbaysss.org/resource/doc/SinglehandedTipsThirdEdition2.pdf

Heave to (either tack is fine)
Ease the mainsheet a long way.
Start the motor and leave in neutral.
Drop the mainsail at your leisure
Drop the jib. Because it is already backwinded over the foredeck, it will mainly drop onto the deck. You might need to stop the top from dropping in the water.
Walk back and put the motor in gear.

I have used this method hundreds and hundreds of times.