# raising the main single handed



## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

I have yet to need to single hand my hunter 25, but some day I would like to. I have no autopilot, not even a rope to hold the tiller straight. I have a roller furler, but the main must be raised from the mast. For now I have my crew motor us into the wind while setting the main. 

If I single hand, are there any low budget tricks to raising the main single handed?


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## chris_gee (May 31, 2006)

Tie a line from the tiller to the boom.


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## Ulladh (Jul 12, 2007)

Line or bungee to hold the tiller, point to the wind, go to mast use the topping lift to lift the boom a bit above horizontal, haul the main halyard tight and cleat secure, release the topping lift and go have fun.

Lifting the boom with the topping lift makes the last foot or two of the mainsail easier to haul.


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## nolatom (Jun 29, 2005)

trim your jib in to close-hauled, and head up to as close to close hauled as she'll go (may only get to a close reach, but that's good enough

Tie your tiller hard to leeward. Let the mainsheet way out so the main will luff as you raise it. 

Then, haul away. Should work. All this assumes a moderate breeze.


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## deniseO30 (Nov 27, 2006)

Peter it's pretty cheap to route the Main Halyard to the cockpit. Remove the main winch from the mast mount it on the coach roof. get a turning block, a rope cleat or clutch, Longer halyard...


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

if you have a hiking stick, I sometimes can extend it such that it will hold the boat going straight while I do something else int eh cockpit.

But as Denise pointed out, routing the main halyard back to the cabin top is pretty easy and cheap all things considering. As is a couple of small jam cleats and a line to tie off the tiller. There is also a tiller minder kit from WM or equal for about $25 that works reasonably well too.

Marty


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

If you have a main that raises without binding, it only takes a few seconds. You can just head up into the wind, step up to the mast and pull the sail up, and step back into the cockpit. Maybe try with someone in the cockpit who just lets the tiller go. If you don't get is all the way up. Just head up and try again. For Dropping the sail, it will help to have lazy jacks, so you can just let it drop.

All you need for a tiller tamer, is a length of shock cord (or rope and a little shock cord). Wrap around the winch cleat or something, around the tiller a few times, and over to the other side. You can even make small adjustments while it is tied. Just remember, you now have a boat that is on auto-pilot. If you fall off, it will keep going without you.


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## Barquito (Dec 5, 2007)

> Peter it's pretty cheap to route the Main Halyard to the cockpit.


Compared to a lot of things on boats this is true. However, it can add up: New halyard (new sheeves in my case), stand-up block, turning block (or deck organizer), and a rope clutch. I don't want to actually add this up, because I am going to do it this winter.:laugher


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## captflood (Jan 1, 2011)

GREETINGS EARTHLING Are you having difficulty in putting up the main or just getin g the boat sitting pritty to do the job ? rub a candle (parafin wax ) along the the running slot and learn to tie a wogoners hitch this can be used as a handy billy on and of the haliyards and it comes undun neatly GO SAFE.


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## BigZ (Jan 3, 2001)

On a boat with a mainsail of your size you should have no issues raising/lowering the main very quickly. I have a 26 ft boat and single hand most of the time. I use this style tiller lock to hold the boat into the wind .
Tillerman Rudder Lock

Just point the boat into the wind, lock the tiller in place, then make sure all lines, mainsheet, outhaul, vang, and cunningham are loose then step up and hoist the main. Should go easy and quick unless you have some binding. I always hoist the main first, then the genoa. Just habit.

On a boat of your size I never saw the need for routing the lines back to the cockpit. At some point you still have to go forward to the mast to secure the dropped mainsail to the boom.


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## KnottyGurl (Feb 8, 2011)

With a triple deck organizer and triple clutch you can then have your jib, vang and main all in the cockpit this makes for simple and easy single handing


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

Hey,

You didn't state if your boat is on a mooring, slip, or trailer. Mine is on a mooring and I usually raise the main at the mooring, then cast off and motor / sail away. 

Otherwise, as suggested, I would use a rope to tie the tiller straight, then go forward and raise the main.

Barry


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## sawingknots (Feb 24, 2005)

if you normally single hand,beg borrow or steal a tillerpilot,they last for years and make life aboard so much easier


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## peterchech (Sep 2, 2011)

I'm in a marina. Thanks so much for all the good advice. I'll def try out a few of these ideas with crew in the cockpit just in case.

haha a tillerpilot is on the xmas list believe me. I have heard they die all the time though, you're saying they last a while?


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## KnottyGurl (Feb 8, 2011)

My AH800 was purchased in 2003, so its coming up on it's 9th season and I use it alot when single handed and in bad weather where i can sit under the dodger and watch, drink tea and stay comfy


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## CarbonSink62 (Sep 29, 2011)

I have the same issue with my C-18 (with an even smaller main).

On the lake, it is no problem to throttle the engine down to idle, tie off the tiller (I have a tiller-tamer), and go forward to raise the main. I worry that on the ocean, it won't be as easy and the consequences of falling overboard become too great to take the chance of leaving the cockpit.

I bought the gear to run the main halyard to the cockpit but haven't installed it yet. (The whole thing was about $160 at West Marine*)

If my plans work out, I'll have a long passage to open water next year, so raising sails at the mooring will not be possible.

Ken

*I have no affiliation with WM or any of their employees.


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## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

Don't see what the issue may be. Just ease the sheet enough to let the sail luff when hoisted, release the tiller, don't tie it off. One of the main safety principles on any sailboat is that when you let go of sheets and tiller, the boat will head up and luff. If it does not, it is dangerous. I singlehand my A35 all the time and see nothing to be concerned about in raising the sail alone, not an issue. Once you get back to the cockpit and haul the sheet in, the boat will fall off and gain headway on one tack or the other. Then set the headsail. Now raising a spinnaker single handed....


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## casey1999 (Oct 18, 2010)

smurphny said:


> One of the main safety principles on any sailboat is that when you let go of sheets and tiller, the boat will head up and luff. If it does not, it is dangerous. :


Which sheets are you refering? Main, jib or both?
Regards


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## smurphny (Feb 20, 2009)

casey1999 said:


> Which sheets are you refering? Main, jib or both?
> Regards


Both. It's one of the first things I learned about sailing: If in trouble, let go all the sheets and tiller. The boat will right itself, head up and come to a stop. The wind will eventually catch a side of the mainsail, even though sheeted way out, make the boat gain headway and head up to relieve the pressure on the sail. The sails WANT to be slack. Depending on the boat, it will either sit at some angle to the sea or come about repeatedly. If a boat falls off when the sheets and tiller are released it indicates a lee helm condition which can cause the boat to jibe in a strong breeze and do some real damage/rip the boom right off. Even with sails still sheeted, just letting go of the tiller/wheel should make any boat head up and fall off on the opposite tack or get in irons. The boat should always have some weather helm if sail and rigging are adjusted right for the conditions. Even under bare poles, the design of the hull and the small amount of pressure on hull and rigging should create some headway.

I have noticed that as soon as I hoist the mainsail, regardless of the wind direction, the boat will rotate around to face the wind very quickly. You can actually hold the boom into the wind to make the boat rotate faster. In a light wind, I just leave the boom sheeted in hard which accomplishes this faster. In a heavy wind, I'll let out enough sheet before I go up to the mast so that I'm not afraid of getting knocked over. In either case, the boat is usually making headway before I get back to the helm.


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## BigZ (Jan 3, 2001)

smurphny said:


> Don't see what the issue may be. Just ease the sheet enough to let the sail luff when hoisted,* release the tiller, don't tie it off. *One of the main safety principles on any sailboat is that when you let go of sheets and tiller, the boat will head up and luff. If it does not, it is dangerous. I singlehand my A35 all the time and see nothing to be concerned about in raising the sail alone, not an issue. Once you get back to the cockpit and haul the sheet in, the boat will fall off and gain headway on one tack or the other. Then set the headsail. Now raising a spinnaker single handed....


Depends on the boat and conditions. 
Like the OP, I have a smaller boat. I also sail in an area that has a lot of powerboats and their resultant chop. If I don't lock the tiller in place the pitching can cause the tiller to pivot pretty violently if left uncontrolled. This is more of an issue when dropping the main and securing it to the boom with sail ties. So locking the tiller while raising or lowering the main helps maintain some stability. 
All in all, just need to know what your boat likes.

An autopilot is overkill for simply raising or lowering the sails.


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

Running the halyard aft is one thing.... but if singlehanding then for true convenience/safety you'd need to run all reefing lines aft too. Now you're running into some costs, and possibly a higher friction operation.

A shock cord, line, or tiller 'tamer' of some sort should keep you on course long enough to go forward and quickly hoist the main on a boat that size. If your reefing lines are on the boom or near the gooseneck I'd be very reluctant to run your halyard alone aft. You'll need to have access to all three during reefing, better to do it all from one spot than have to run between mast and cockpit a few times to get the job done.

If there's two of you, then one can tend the halyard while you're at the mast.. but alone I'd rather have it all in one place.


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## fallard (Nov 30, 2009)

Smurphny has it right. Even when we have a crew, we ease the main sheet when raising the sail on our 35 footer. In our case, we have full length battens that can catch the lazy jacks, so it makes sense to keep the partially raised sail from catching the wind as we work out any interferences.

We once were luddites, but in our old age we had the main halyard and reefing lines led back to the cockpit as a safety issue. We also dumped our troublesome wheelpilot for a below-deck pilot. Our single-handed technique would include a slack main sheet, close proximity to steering, and the autopilot--if necessary.


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## sawingknots (Feb 24, 2005)

a tillerpilot has far more benifits than just this one,it frees you to do other things,use the head,make a snack even dose off a little during long crossings and i've never heard anyone complain about durability


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## RXBOT (Sep 7, 2007)

If going to the mast remember to clip on tether, that is the most important part . As long as you are on the boat you will deal with whatever happens.


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## KnottyGurl (Feb 8, 2011)

RXBOT said:


> If going to the mast remember to clip on tether, that is the most important part . As long as you are on the boat you will deal with whatever happens.


And if possible have your safety devices set to lift your auto pilot and kill engine if you go over, this way it wont sail / motor away from you. I did mine with bungee cord and ladder with painter line over side


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## CarbonSink62 (Sep 29, 2011)

Thanks to all for the advice and reassurance here. Maybe I'm just being a big sissy about it. No offense to Ms. Spacek intended. 

I'll still run the halyard to cockpit (I have the hardware) but I'll find something else to obsess over.

I guess my biggest worry is that the wind will build and I'll be trying to reef (or drop) the main and there will be an 'incident'.

I think a harness and tether should be on my list; especially since I want to get some night sailing in next year.

Thanks again; I'm really enjoying my time here! 

Ken


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## donlofland (Dec 8, 2008)

Go here for a pic of the "Cajun Tiller Tamer"-I used this method before getting my autotiller off Craigslist last year. It's a cheap way to hold the tiller steady while raising the main-I found it dicey raising and lowering the jib this way, due to the change in the balance of the boat as the jib went up and down, but for holding the boat into the wind to raise/lower the main it was fine.

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gear-maintenance/52609-low-tech-self-steering-tiller-pics.html


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