I carry a big single pulley block (home made) which if attached to the boat/trailer can haul it up a slip of around 1:10. Make sure the boat is tied directly to the hauling pulley with a safety rope so it can’t slip off. I sometime tie a plank so it drag behind the wheels, you can then stop and rest any time without it running back.

Don’t forget you can always use the car to pull, with long ropes.

When towing I always put a safety chain between the car and trailer, and I carry the mast heel forward with shrouds attached, so all is nearly ready to erect when arriving at the launching site. I also have an extra support in the mast position when travelling. This is just clear so the mast is really only supported at both ends of the boat but is stops any whip.

At home I jack the trailer up onto blocks so no load is on the suspension. This also allows you to spin and check the wheels after every trip.

Always carry spare trolley and trailer wheels, a jack, tools, and a spare bearing for long distance trips.

I use a plastic sheet that I’ve put eyelets in, the whole lot costing less than £10, it looks like it you may say, but it keeps wind and rain off, lasts 2 years , and it rolls up easily and stuffs under the side bench. The only problem is condensation after September, but it’s not used much then anyway. It is secured by a girdle of rope around the hull. For driving rain I usually tie the girdle down tight by connecting a rope under the hull. But don’t restrict the centre board if you leave it in position. The boom end is held in a crutch, and to ensure the other end stays on the gooseneck I fix bungy around the mast to the boom. The rope girdle is also very handy if you capsize as itiis just the right height to enable you to crawl over the side.

I also use a spray dodger, this is very useful to seal the tent front ends, as I always try to settle into the wind.

I sleep with my head to stern, and use a lilo or a carrimat if it’s just for one night (save 8 mins. Pumping) I find a pillow is a must, even if it’s made from lifejackets and jumpers but it must be comfy.

Useful Additions

Some additions I have found useful are:-

An uphaul on the rudder, use when coming ashore etc.

A topping lift – which I wouldn’t be without ( best thing since Wayfarers)

Slab reefing similar to as outlined in Wayfarer news No.58. I consulted Jerry Eardley as to which sail to use to put the reef points in as they are not cheap, my cruising sail or racing sail, He suggested the biggest possible. I’m glad I took his advise as there are a lot of times even single handing when you can use all the sail you have got.

Jib furling drum- very handy for getting rid of the jib in a hurry

A lot of different length bungy with hooks useful for tying sails, boxes etc.

Masthead buoyancy, to stop inversion – I use a big plastic bottle but you can get it attached to the sailhead in the for of polystyrene sheet.

I always wear a rope safety harness if I’m away from the shore and always at night, as I think the boat could sail away without me.

I carry hand held flares, smoke and pinpoint red. I buy 1 new one each year, but carry the out of date ones also. A personal strobe light is kept handy and I also have a hand held VHF (Swiftech 198)

My first aid box only contains plasters and anadin. But even these have had to be used before now.

For chart work I copy parts of the chart onto A3 paper and put them in plastic folders. I also copy down all expected lights, buoys, bearing etc. You can’t be doing navigation on a full sized chart when sailing on your own, you will find it hard even to take photos when on the move sometimes. I carry the chart to look at in the evenings, it is in a cardboard roll under the foredeck.

Practice heaving to and reefing, which is a must for single handing, as is listening carefully to the weather forecasts, as without the extra crew weight I wont venture out in anything over 4. (if you’re caught out, and you will be, then that’s a different matter – there are some excellent weather maps on the web now)

Single handing, you probably use the anchor a lot more than if you had a crew, so it is important that it is right for the job and easy to recover. I use a 6Kg Danforth with 2 m of chain type and have never had any problems holding in sand. Fir rocks I carry a fisherman’s. Don’t bother with those folding grapples, they’re next to useless unless you can hook it in another boats rigging or a tree.

The main problem for single handers is that the boat starts moving as soon as the anchor breaks out, and in any wind it shoots off where it wants to. I have the cable going out through a fairlead on the bow and then it goes through a big plastic thimble which is roped back to the cockpit. The cable then leads correctly from the bow but on hauling, after the anchor has broken out and is some way off the bottom, I haul on the cockpit cable and pull the lot quickly over the side before the boat has chance to turn broadside on. Letting go is just the reverse – safely from the cockpit.

You must give yourself more sea room when single-handing so spend a bit of time thinking about swinging room etc.

Just before the boat dries out, even at 3 in the morning, unless you know what’s under you, check around with an oar, to ensure you won’t settle in a gully or onto a rock.

For cruising breakfasts I use the small individual cereal packets, just tip the milk in the packet – no washing up or open packet to knock over.

I use a small single burner Gaz cooker, you can’t cook single handed under way unless it’s calm or you can heave to and hold the pot on the stove.

A good large torch is a must, I also carry a hurricane lamp but it does mean you need to carry paraffin (125ml plastic bottles from Body shop, with 5 ml grads scratched on the side, are ideal for carrying small amounts of paraffin, engine oil and washing up liquid, usually enough to last a week) For sailing at night I use a small bulb/battery combination tucked inside a clear plastic baby’s bottle pulled up to the spreaders. I use the big torch to shine towards an oncoming vessel and then on the sails if I think it needs it. A watch with a light is also extremely handy.

I also carry a Johnson 4hp engine, a bit over powered but sometimes it has to pull a shrimp trawl. It is clamped to the stern all the time, covered in a big plastic bag ( a paperboy’s sack). This stops the main sheet getting caught when tacking.

My oars are exactly 8ft long, they feel right and they stow with now problem, blade toward the stern, either side of the centreboard case.

All my food etc is carried in plastic boxes which just fit under the seats, the anchor and rope is also put in one. For chandlery I use a small plastic tool box. My compass sit on the centre board casing protected from being caught by ropes buy 2 wooden side pieces, it’s hard to see at night but I’m thinking of ways to illuminate it (when you use the torch it destroys your night vision for a while)

Make a check list out and cross off every item on it before setting off. I once took a mirror 70 miles to the coast and forget the rudder. You live and learn .

Other items I carry include sunglasses, wide sticky tape, sail repair kit, a 9 part tackle (the rope type for removing car engines – very light but will come in handy for hauling the boat up a beach on your own), a knife, binoculars, LW radio for forecasts, spare bungs, fenders, biro or china graph pencil and paper for notes ( write the log up in the evening) bin liners and plenty of rope.

Boat jumbles are a good source of items and ideas.

It may sound morbid, but I leant a lot from reading about other sailor’s mistakes . I asked myself how I could’ve prevented that then strengthen or add things to suit that situation. You can see now why I always sail single handed. With all the above equipment there is no room for a crew.

. The Bay – when you miscalculate the tides