# Solo Sailing Colgate 26?



## GregStephens (Jun 18, 2019)

I'm member of a club in Boston with Colgate 26s. At times I need to solo. Any SOURCES of tips, techniques, equip., etc.??? Thanks, Greg


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

I have soloed the Colgate 26 several times while moving one of the boats from Captiva to Fort Myers Beach (Estero Island) or visa-versa. When you start out, just raise the main until you get the feel of it. The boat won't point as well as it should, but it is a lot easier to manage. You will use the ratchet setting of the mainsheet block. If this is going well, then use the tiller extention and get a feel for that - you will need it when you unfurl the Jib. Lastly, unfurl the jib and take one or two turns around the winch, but do not use the self-tailer. Try to keep both jibsheets with at least a turn around the winch drums. When I am single handing I hold the jibsheet in the same hand as the main 85% of the time. Fuggedabout raising the spinnaker or any hank-on sail. 

BTW - if the club is BlackRock (the only "club" that I know of in Boston with Colgate 26s), the last that I knew they did not allow anyone to solo sail ANY of their boats. Two people were required to be aboard to leave the mooring or the slip. You may want to doublecheck this policy with Cap'n. Paul. 

BlackRock also didn't have tiller extentions aboard their boats. They also had at least one Colgate 26 with a hank-on jib.


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## Tanley (Aug 20, 2009)

In addition to the good tips from eherlihy, there's another member here with extensive experience on the Colgate 26; and I've witnessed him single-hand that boat in some pretty high winds (note what I believe to be a tiller extension). Hopefully he'll chime in too.








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## sailingfool (Apr 17, 2000)

Ha ha. Sweet sailing for sure. As the picture indicates, the Colgate is an easy boat to single hand. While the sheet winches are a bit o a reach forward from the tiller, they are only a few feet apart so tacking is pretty easy. There should be a tiller extension...if you use it, keep a very careful lookout as there's a big blindspot to leeward from the winward highside.

Operating under power single handed is very tricky as it's hard to reach the OB which tends to rotate when running... Practice before you get into close quarters.

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