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Cruising America's Great Loop and other inland routes
View all threadsSngle handling locks on the loop
John Foltz gave a good treatsie on handling a boat in the locks yesterday.
However, singlehanding is much less about boat handling then it is about time
management and socialization concepts.
If single handling obviously one is doing everything, and in general living
aboard is a two person job. before getting underway each morning one must
make provisions for fuel, food, chart selection, routing, boat prep, bodily
functions and a host of other things that are difficult to impossible for one
person to do while making a passage. At the end of the day there is still
boat maintenance, dinner, next day routing and finding time to explore and
enjoying the benefits of cruising.
The actual boat handling is a piece of cake compared to the day in and day out
routine tasks.
Sure it can be and is accomplished, but it takes planning, pre-meditation and
a strong desire to be on ones own. I personally, don't have a reason to live
that way, though there are a few out there that do. We know personally three
single handed female sailors and know of five male single handers. Each
prefers not to be alone, but find the adventure too appealing to dismiss
because of loneliness.
Wayne & Lynn Flatt
MV Skinwalker
What a terribly insensitive e-mail! Some of us like to be alone sometimes
and I agree with another comment that there are many wonderful people you
meet along the way. I often handle the boat myself along with my dogs and
find it totally enjoyable. I think we all know what's involved in the
daily chores of life! Let's stay focused on boat and loop issues rather
than personal advice. Thanks!
Steve Lattmann
"Tranquility"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne & Lynn Flatt" mvskinwalker@hotmail.com
To: great-loop@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 8:56 AM
Subject: GL: Sngle handling locks on the loop
John Foltz gave a good treatsie on handling a boat in the locks yesterday.
However, singlehanding is much less about boat handling then it is about
time
management and socialization concepts.
If single handling obviously one is doing everything, and in general
living
aboard is a two person job. before getting underway each morning one must
make provisions for fuel, food, chart selection, routing, boat prep,
bodily
functions and a host of other things that are difficult to impossible for
one
person to do while making a passage. At the end of the day there is still
boat maintenance, dinner, next day routing and finding time to explore and
enjoying the benefits of cruising.
The actual boat handling is a piece of cake compared to the day in and day
out
routine tasks.
Sure it can be and is accomplished, but it takes planning, pre-meditation
and
a strong desire to be on ones own. I personally, don't have a reason to
live
that way, though there are a few out there that do. We know personally
three
single handed female sailors and know of five male single handers. Each
prefers not to be alone, but find the adventure too appealing to dismiss
because of loneliness.
Wayne & Lynn Flatt
MV Skinwalker
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop
To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address,
unsubscribe, etc.) go to:
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Excellent advice by all. I disagree about one of the posts being insensitive.
Twas a dose of reality...navigating the loop and life is more difficult solo
than with a compatible partner. I got a dose of this for three long weeks
when my wife visited her missionary sister in Kenya. During that time, I
managed life and even our 22' boat by myself. That led me to this post. What
if, God forbid, something happened to my wife before our dream of loopin the
Loop comes to fruition, 6 years from now. Could I carry on and do it myself?
Truly I don't know, but given the excellent advice given here, I know now it's
possible. I think it would require the right boat, like a 25 Rosborough,
which has side doors.
-Greg
----- Original Message -----
From: Stephen Lattmann
To: great-loop@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 5:28 AM
Subject: Re: GL: Sngle handling locks on the loop
What a terribly insensitive e-mail! Some of us like to be alone sometimes
and I agree with another comment that there are many wonderful people you
meet along the way. I often handle the boat myself along with my dogs and
find it totally enjoyable. I think we all know what's involved in the
daily chores of life! Let's stay focused on boat and loop issues rather
than personal advice. Thanks!
Steve Lattmann
"Tranquility"
----- Original Message -----
From: "Wayne & Lynn Flatt" mvskinwalker@hotmail.com
To: great-loop@lists.samurai.com
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 8:56 AM
Subject: GL: Sngle handling locks on the loop
John Foltz gave a good treatsie on handling a boat in the locks
yesterday.
However, singlehanding is much less about boat handling then it is about
time
management and socialization concepts.
If single handling obviously one is doing everything, and in general
living
aboard is a two person job. before getting underway each morning one
must
make provisions for fuel, food, chart selection, routing, boat prep,
bodily
functions and a host of other things that are difficult to impossible for
one
person to do while making a passage. At the end of the day there is
still
boat maintenance, dinner, next day routing and finding time to explore
and
enjoying the benefits of cruising.
The actual boat handling is a piece of cake compared to the day in and day
out
routine tasks.
Sure it can be and is accomplished, but it takes planning, pre-meditation
and
a strong desire to be on ones own. I personally, don't have a reason to
live
that way, though there are a few out there that do. We know personally
three
single handed female sailors and know of five male single handers. Each
prefers not to be alone, but find the adventure too appealing to dismiss
because of loneliness.
Wayne & Lynn Flatt
MV Skinwalker
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop
To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address,
unsubscribe, etc.) go to:
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/options/great-loop
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/listinfo/great-loop
To modify your Great-Loop subscription options (change email address,
unsubscribe, etc.) go to:
http://lists.samurai.com/mailman/options/great-loop
Greg:
I agree on access to lines from the side making things much easier
for the singlehander. I believe Fred (Tug 44) takes his boat through
the locks singlehanded quite a bit.
As for the life, don't let being single prevent you from doing what
you want to do. Get out there and go for it before dying behind a
keyboard.
MM
http://www.youtube.com/flagold
On Mar 9, 2008, at 1:56 PM, Greg Schoenberg wrote:
Excellent advice by all. I disagree about one of the posts being
insensitive.
Twas a dose of reality...navigating the loop and life is more
difficult solo
than with a compatible partner. I got a dose of this for three
long weeks
when my wife visited her missionary sister in Kenya. During that
time, I
managed life and even our 22' boat by myself. That led me to this
post. What
if, God forbid, something happened to my wife before our dream of
loopin the
Loop comes to fruition, 6 years from now. Could I carry on and do
it myself?
Truly I don't know, but given the excellent advice given here, I
know now it's
possible. I think it would require the right boat, like a 25
Rosborough,
which has side doors.
-Greg
Greg
Safe Boating requires the constant use of the word PRUDENCE. Its not prudent
to take on a trawler trip single handed IF it can be avoided.
In your theoretical scenario, it would be prudent for you to get another
companion....a friend, relative, whatever, even if you scheduled them for
segments of the trip. There have been people who have done it this way, and
one grandfather comes to mind who had his grandson with him for part of the
Loop. It provided a good time for each of them to become closer as well.
I dont think I would enjoy doing The Loop by myself. The workload is
significant as it is with a companion. You have maintenance and repair to
deal with as well. Safe singlehanding requires it to be well thought out and
the boat needs to be rigged with a lot of extra equipment and systems to
accommodate it. Even so its never as good as having another person on board.
Should you ever get injured, even a deep cut, being by yourself is not good
and has the potential to escalate a minor problem into a life threatening
one. Having a heart attack while alone on a boat would probably be fatal.
R.
From: "Greg Schoenberg" dene@ipns.com
Excellent advice by all. I disagree about one of the posts being
insensitive.
Twas a dose of reality...navigating the loop and life is more difficult
solo
than with a compatible partner. I got a dose of this for three long weeks
when my wife visited her missionary sister in Kenya. During that time, I
managed life and even our 22' boat by myself. That led me to this post.
What
if, God forbid, something happened to my wife before our dream of loopin
the
Loop comes to fruition, 6 years from now. Could I carry on and do it
myself?
Truly I don't know, but given the excellent advice given here, I know now
it's
possible. I think it would require the right boat, like a 25 Rosborough,
which has side doors.
Well said Matt. A heart attack can hit you in front of a computer, on the
freeway, etc. Why not die doing something you love?
My father died at 56 of lung cancer. He and my mother were very happily
married, looking forward to retirement of travel and adventure. She was
devastated by his early death but nonetheless, she forced herself to travel
anyway, and thus she slowly healed in the process. I'd like to think I would
and could do the same, although I much prefer the notion of dying
first....around 94.
-Greg
----- Original Message -----
From: Matt Mattson
To: Greg Schoenberg
Cc: Grand Loop
Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2008 11:37 AM
Subject: Re: GL: Sngle handling locks on the loop
Greg:
I agree on access to lines from the side making things much easier
for the singlehander. I believe Fred (Tug 44) takes his boat through
the locks singlehanded quite a bit.
As for the life, don't let being single prevent you from doing what
you want to do. Get out there and go for it before dying behind a
keyboard.
MM
http://www.youtube.com/flagold
On Mar 9, 2008, at 1:56 PM, Greg Schoenberg wrote:
Excellent advice by all. I disagree about one of the posts being
insensitive.
Twas a dose of reality...navigating the loop and life is more
difficult solo
than with a compatible partner. I got a dose of this for three
long weeks
when my wife visited her missionary sister in Kenya. During that
time, I
managed life and even our 22' boat by myself. That led me to this
post. What
if, God forbid, something happened to my wife before our dream of
loopin the
Loop comes to fruition, 6 years from now. Could I carry on and do
it myself?
Truly I don't know, but given the excellent advice given here, I
know now it's
possible. I think it would require the right boat, like a 25
Rosborough,
which has side doors.