If your final is of necessity downwind, be more prudent. Get the main down
and stowed out of the way and approach on jib only. Again, try for a 30-40
º approach and let the jib fly free 6 or more boat lengths. When you come
parallel, grap something and stop the boat. This is usually a one shot
deal, so be prepared to fend off if you can't get the boat stopped.
A mooring buoy approach is simpler, and I prefer to approach downwind, hook
the pennant with the boat hook, and let momentum spin the boat around into
the wind. Tie the boathook to a forward cleat so if you misjudge your speed
you won't lose the boathook.
General rules - plan ahead, go slow - ideally, the boat will run out of
speed and stop just as you turn parallel-and be prepared to scramble like
hell in close. After you practice some, you'll get a much better idea of
how long you have to get what needs to be done accomplished. A really good
practice drill is to take an old plastic jug, tie a line with a weight to it
and use it a buoy in some place where you have plenty of water on both
sides. Good man-overboard practice too.
Or buy a motor.
Regards,
Mac Davis, Kelpie, WWP19#804, Aripeka, Fl
-----Original Message-----
From: Richard Neumann <neumannr@gte.net>
To: wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Sunday, August 30, 1998 7:34 PM
Subject: Singlehandling a P19
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Group,
>
>Although I've been sitting here watch the Potter traffic for well over a
>year, I have never asked a question.
>
>The interesting thread on single handling the mast raising and my own
>situation in which I'm beached because I have no solo experience and no one
>I can call upon to cruise with me leads me to ask an open ended question
>about other aspects of singlehandling the boat.
>
>Simple sail handling appears easy enough once the sails are up and in place
>but how about the process of raising sails? How about approaching the dock
>or slip without another pair of hands? Anchoring seems a breeze next to
>docking. Oh yes, in the northwest we have a lot of buoys; how do I tie up
>on a buoy single handed? There have to be a lot of other, similar
>situations that I haven't thought of. Your answers as a group of
interested
>sailors would be appreciated and they may encourage me to get this boat out
>of my driveway and back in the water where it belongs.
>
>Dick Neumann
>neumannr@gte.net