Sailing an Ultimate 20 single handed

[larry.taitel@verizon.net]

I am considering buying a U20, but want to sail it single handed.  I spoke to one person who said it it very doable in under 9 kts.

I am not a youngster anymore and am looking to have a good time sailing by myself upwind, and downwind with the chute up.

Can I get some more opinions about whether the U20 can be sailed single handed and at what wind speeds you think it would still be fun.

[Tac Boston]

I think it can be done in more breeze then that if you set the boat up right from the get go. I would put slugs on the mainsail with lazy jacks and a I would do a small top down furler on the Asail. The jib already furls and the halyards and all control lines all lead back to the cockpit. Might need a small auto helm or at min a string system to tie off the helm while you set and douse.

As long as you get a good furl on the spinnaker you should be able to keep it up while furled long enough to do a safe proper douse. I would probably let the tack line go, pull hard on the windward spin sheet and then smoke the halyard while continuing to whale on the sheet to bring it down and back far enough to grab.
Cheers

Tac

[Mike Josselyn]

I regularly sail my boat single handed on San Francisco Bay.  I have a tiller lock so I can handle lines while tacking, jibbing,or setting the spinnaker.  A number of boats also regularly race in the Singlehanded Sailing Society races on the bay.   Ability to reef the main is important as the wind builds and I led my main halyard to the cockpit as well.  I don't have lazy jacks, but they would help.  Definitely need a boom kicker. On another boat they have rigged the vang so it also can be adjusted on either side of the cabin top. 

It's not hard to sail single handed compared to any other similar boat.