Electra

I am about to convert my boat to Electric Power

Here are some photos of others who have done it

Find more photos like this on Electric Seas

Soft Shackle

My genoa is 150% and so tacking is a menace for any single handed sailor
One problem is the twin bowlines, that attach the sheets to the clew of the jib, catch on the shrouds.

so one answer would be to directly splice the lines onto the sail.
I would not like to be near that thing when it flogs around....

then I saw the softshackle idea which should help to reduce the clutter at the jib clew.

This vid below tells you  how to make one

and the link below is

 Instructions how to Attach Jib Sheets With a Soft Shackle

Sheet to tiller self steering

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Single Handed Anchoring

single handed anchoring?

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Here''s my method. I usually know where I am going to anchor and in what depth. Before I arrive on the spot I pull out the scope I need and cleat it. I then motor to the spot I want and then stop the boat, go to the bow and drop the anchor. I then return to the helm. Whenever possible I let the wind straighten out the rode and initially set the anchor. I''ve seen counless people try to power their anchors into the bottom unsuccessfully. After the rode has straightend and the anchor has begun to bite I then set it in reverse. First slowly and then with increasing power.

I single-handedly anchor with out running the engine quite frequently. My technique is anything but textbook. Typically I will get rid of the jib and prepare the anchor rode so that it will feed out easily while I have sea room. My boat sails quite well under mainsail alone. Then I pick out a spot where I want to anchor and will make a couple passes through the general area where I want to drop the hook trying to get a sense of the water depth and any sharp changes in the bottom contour. Once I have picked the spot where I want to drop my anchor I sail across that spot on a close reach turning up into the wind roughly where I want to drop my anchor and as soon as I turn head to wind I go to the mast and I pull down my mainsail quickly as I can. I then walk back to the helm an put it hard over dead down wind and over the spot that I want to put my anchor. The boat will be moving quite slowly dead down wind by this point. I then walk to the bow and when I get maybe 10 feet from where I want my anchor to set I lower it to the bottom and slowly feed out the rode being careful not to snub it until I have maybe 8:1 to 10:1 scope out and then I slowly snub the rode against the momentum of the boat. At first you will feel the rode and chain stretch out along the bottom but as you start to feel the rode snug up put more an more pressure against the rode. As you do the boat will start to veer. Before you snub hard you want to make sure that the rode is not caught on your keel or rudder and that is streaming clear to one side or the other. It is at that point that you sunb up with increasing tension which should set the hook. You will feel the boat round up sharply when the anchor grabs. I usually wait until the boat swings head to wind an then using the inertia of the boat set the anchor by pulling the boat forward fast enough to get a little speed on then letting the line feed out as the boat veers off. I then snub the line against the momentum as the wind carries the boat down wind again. When all of that is done, and the boat is settled bow to wind, if you have any doubts about how well the anchor has set, you can back down the engine to set it a bit more. 

Regards
Jeff
More to the original question of setting the anchor single-handed using the engine:
It has been mentioned that flaking out your estimated scope on the foredeck and cleating it off will eliminate the need for a bowman.

An alternative is to run the rode through (by this I mean under the horns and between the legs of a cleat, employing it as a fairlead, rather like a footballer running between the goalposts in the endzone) or fairlead on the bow, then carry the line back to the cockpit and throw a couple of turns around a jib winch. Now you''re both bowman and helmsman, but can stay in the cockpit where the engine controls are.

Using the "pre-cleated" technique, it''s all automatic, as long as the rode runs off the deck freely and doesn''t foul on anything; using the "bowman/helmsman" technique is a bit messier, but you can let the rode run right out of your hand and snub as you choose as you back down.

Hope this is helpful,
Jeff


I single hand quite a bit in the Chesapeake. What I do, though not elegant, works very well... I put my #8 Danforth in a plastic bin and keep it in the cockpit with me. When I''m ready to anchor, I drop it off the stern and cleat it at the coaming. I set it manually (the bay is full of primordial mud), then walk it to the bow and let out the desired scope.

If I feel the need to set two anchors, I use a similar procedure, but set the first from the stern, then motor near to the spot where I wanna put the #13 down, chop power and move forward to set the second anchor - knowing I won''t drift farther than the rode I have out at the stern already.
Having the anchor line flaked down on deck while motoring seems like pretty risky business to me. I''ve heard of more than one boat ending as a total loss after the engine was stopped by line in the prop.

If you don''t have a chain locker or a deck locker near the bow that the line can run from, I recommend stowing the line in a cockpit locker or the lazarette. Shackle it to the anchor on the bow just before entering the anchorage, making sure it is stopped in the cockpit and don''t let the stopper go until the last minute. As a last resort dump the line in the cockpit well (neatly) and let it run from there. And watch your feet!

As an aside, I''ve never found it necessary to flake or coil a synthetic anchor line. As long as it''s piled fairly carefully with the running end on top, it runs smoothly with rarely a hiccup. My experience has been (since 1970) that coiled line is more likely to tangle when let go. When in doubt experiment, before crunch time.

Have fun.

Frank
On my old boat I kept the anchors and rode in a cockpit locker since I didn''t have a bow locker. I would put it on a cleat in the cockpit and set it, then walk it up to the bow cleats then release the cockpit cleats.
On the current boat I try to be going slowly backwards downwind or the direction that I think will be downwind when the wind blows hardest. Then I go forward and drop the hook before the bow falls off. The key thing is to always be sure that the anchor line is clear of the boat before I take the motor out of neutral.

I have looked at two boats this summer that had electric windlass with a remote up/down switch in the cockpit. A nice thing if you had an electric windlass. They also had anchor washdowns which also looked nicer than my seeing how long I can dip the anchor before I have to go back to the cockpit and control the boat. If its really windy or crowded I throw the whole gloppy thing in the locker and try not to touch anything (mainsheet,steering wheel) until I can at least rinse my hands off.

Ken

Anchoring under Sail

 So here are techniques to ensure a good night swinging “on the hook” after anchoring under sail.

Find a safe anchorage in heavy weather

When heavy weather hits, anchoring in a protected harbor may be your best way to avoid the worst of the storm. When the weather is fair, a night in a serene anchorage may be part of your planned itinerary. When you are ready to anchor, several decisions come into play.
Look for sheltered, calm water where there is not much wind or current.
Never anchor in a channel.
Check the chart to make sure there will be enough water under your keel at low tide.
Choose a spot with enough room to swing without hitting other anchored boats, obstructions such as submerged rocks and shallow areas, or swinging too close to shore.
Your anchor is either kept in an anchor locker on the bow or stored in a lazarette in the cockpit. Bring it out on the foredeck, coil the anchor line so it will run free, and secure the end of the anchor line not attached to the anchor to a cleat on the boat. You may think this is a silly, unneeded directive, but many anchors are lost because someone forgot to tie it to the boat.
Since you will be sailing right up to the point where you want to anchor, your halyards should be ready to drop and crew members should know they will need to ease the main and the jib as soon as you head into the wind. It is actually preferable to roll up the jib completely or (if you don’t have roller furling) lower and clear it off the foredeck so you have a clear area to work with the anchor.
Look around and decide where you want the bow of the boat to be when you are finally anchored. Check the depth of the water in the vicinity of that spot to determine how much anchor rode (the amount of line attached to the anchor) you should use. You should eventually let out enough rode to equal seven times that depth of water. The ratio of anchor line length used to the depth of water where you are anchoring is called scope.

The ratio of anchor line to depth is called "scope"

Head into the wind when you reach the spot where you want to anchor and allow the boat to coast to a complete stop before the anchor is lowered. It is always good practice to lower the anchor over the side, as opposed to throwing it overboard. Anchors have flukes that allow them to dig into the ground below; if the anchor line is tangled around these flukes, the anchor may not hold. Make sure the flukes are clear and the line can run freely.
When you head into the wind, release the mainsheet and the jibsheets. As the boat starts to drift backward, feed out your rode until you have let out five times as much line as the depth of the water. When you do this, your scope will be 5:1. For example, if the water is 20 feet deep, you should let out about 100 feet of line at first. In many cases, a scope of 5:1 is adequate for small boats when the bottom is good for holding, there isn’t much wind, or you are anchoring for a short time. For peace of mind, increase your scope to 7:1 in a lot of wind and anytime you want to ensure you won’t start dragging, or drifting backward.
As you let out more rode, the angle the rode makes with the bottom gets smaller; this in turn gives your anchor greater holding power. A smaller angle allows the line to pull the anchor against the bottom, which cause the flukes to dig in. With a larger angle, the rode will lift the anchor up, which can release the flukes.
This sailing lesson is excerpted from Fast Track to Cruising: How to Go From Novice to Cruise Ready in Seven Days written by Offshore Sailing School owners, Steve and Doris Colgate. No one is more dedicated to sailing education than Steve and Doris Colgate, and our books are an extensions of that dedication. Published by McGraw-Hill in 2005, Fast Track to Cruising is available in bookstores, on line and in e-book format. To order a copy of this book and others written by the Colgates, visit amazon.com or bn.com, call 800-221-4326, or emailsail@offshoresailing.com.
See you on the water!
Doris Colgate, President and CEO
Offshore Sailing School 

The Groove

In a close hauled point of sail the sailboat is trying to sail into the wind.
It is a contest between the boat and the wind and the boat tries to beat the wind.
This point of sail is also called beating.
If the sailboat heels too much from a strong gust of wind, the boat can go slightly into the no-go zone, reducing heel and changing the course a little closer to the desired destination.
This is called feathering.
As the wind dies the boat bears away ( turns away from the wind ) and resumes sailing in a close hauled point of sail.
Sailing efficiently close hauled is also called sailing in the groove.

Trimming the Sails on a Close Reach

When sailing on a reach, the experienced sailor, trims the sails based upon the apparent-wind. This is important because sails cannot be efficiently positioned based upon the point-of-sail or the direction of the true-wind. An extreme example is ice-sailing on a broad reach, a sudden strong gust of wind can cause the craft to reach high speeds and cause apparent-wind conditions similar to a close reach.

On a close reach, one method of testing mainsail and jib position is to let the sail out until it luffs (the leech starts flapping) then pull it in (or trim the sail) until the sail is steady. It is easier to tell if the mainsail and jib are let out too much, than if the sail is over trimmed (pulled in). Telltales may also be used as a guide. Telltales are small pieces of yarn attached to the sail. Although telltales are helpful when sailing on a reach, they are not useful when running (sailing directly downwind). In a run, the wind should be perpendicular to the sail.

Whenever the sails are trimmed using the sheets a change in sail shape occurs. Other lines and the "fair lead" may have to be adjusted to maintain sail shape.

Sailor's Tip:  If the outside telltale flutters, let the sail out.   If the inside telltale flutters, sheet the sail in.



When you are sailing in steadier winds it's more important to maintain maximum
boat speed, and individual spurts have less significance. In this case you must
search for an upwind groove. When you have found it the boat will nearly sail itself.
It should have a very slight weather helm, and be sailing nearly flat.

Small changes in wind velocity and heeling moment will hardly change this feel
at all. But remember this steering groove is only made possible by the shape and
position of the sails. You must continually try to flatten your sails more to the
high speed, high pointing sail shape.

And if you start to sail too fat off the wind, the boat will gyrate quickly
from the weather helm to a lee helm as the boat becomes level again from its
former heeling angle.

But if you try to sail to windward this way you will be sailing more by
observing the leading edge of the sails than by really feeling the groove.

Sailors talk about sailing the groove.
When you are Close Hauling sailing and get too high (i.e. boat to direct into the wind) the boat will stall - sailing too low (i.e. too directly downwind), the boat will catch too much wind and heel excessively.

In high winds the groove becomes smaller – constant vigilance is needed in order to prevent the boat from stalling.
Stalling means loss of control - you don't want to be lying broad side to big waves.
If you do stall, be prepared for excessive heeling forces as the wind initially catches the sails - be at the ready to let the sheets out.
If you fall out the groove by bearing away too much, (turning the boat too far down wind), the sails will catch more wind and the boat will heel excessively. This requires letting out the sheets quickly, to regain control and then heading up to find the groove again.

Sail Trim and Shape

	Wind:  The wind is what powers a sailboat.  Both the direction and strength of wind is important in setting the sails and maintaining control of the boat.  True-wind direction is different from apparent-wind direction.  The true-wind is the direction of the wind which makes the waves.  The true-wind is perpendicular to the waves.  The apparent-wind sails the boat.  When the speed of the boat and the velocity of the wind are close, the difference between the apparent and true-wind is the greatest.  The apparent wind is forward of the true-wind, except when sailing directly into or away from the true-wind.  As one sails faster, the apparent-wind is drawn further forward.   When sailing with the wind the apparent-wind has less of a force that the true-wind.  When sailing against the wind, i.e., in a close reach, the apparent-wind has a greater force than the true wind. In general, the closer you sail to the wind, the closer the sails are pulled or trimmed to the midline of the boat.  As you sail away from the wind, the sails are progressively let out.  The exact position of the sails are based upon the direction and speed of the apparent-wind.  (The direction of the apparent-wind is determined by the sailboat's tack [or  relationship to the true-wind] and the relationship of the speed of the true-wind to the speed of the boat.)   For the beginner sailor, it is easy to remember the five basic directions of sail (points-of-sail) each of which has its distinct characteristics of speed, heel and sail position.  Go To True & Apparent Wind Calculators	Point-of-Sail Point-of-Sail Wind Direction In Irons Into the Wind Close-Hauled (Beating)  30-40 Deg Close Reach 60 Deg Beam Reach 90 Deg Broad Reach 135 Deg Running 180 Deg Click to Enlarge !!
	Go To National Geographic's Sail Trim Simulator:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/volvooceanrace/interactives/sailing/index.html   It is easy to think of three basic sailing conditions    Sailing on a Close Reach:  All directions except heading directly into ( in irons ) or away from the wind.  A close reach is one of the fastest points of sail.  When sailing on a close reach, the sails should be bowed (having a draft) and have the appearance similar to an airplane wing.  The apparent-wind travels parallel to the sail. The wind actually pulls the sails similar to an airplane wing with the air passing faster over the longer leeward curvature of the sail.  In this point of sail, the apparent wind is stronger than the true wind and the boat has increased heel. More Information Go To Physics of Sailing http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/~jw/sailing.html In a close hauled point of sail the sailboat is trying to sail into the wind.  It is a contest between the boat and the wind and the boat tries to beat the wind.  This point of sail is also called beating.  If the sailboat heels too much from a strong gust of wind, the boat can go slightly into the no-go zone, reducing heel and changing the course a little closer to the desired destination.  This is called feathering.  As the wind dies the boat bears away ( turns away from the wind ) and resumes sailing in a close hauled point of sail.  Sailing efficiently close hauled is also called sailing in the groove.     Sailing on a Broad Reach refers to sailing at an angle with the wind.  In this point of sail, both the jib and mainsail are on the same side of the boat and are filled with wind.   As one turns directly downwind, the mainsail blocks the jib's wind and one is then sailing on a run.    Sailing on a Run refers to sailing with the wind directly behind the boat and the sails let out almost 90 degrees.  One must be careful the spreader (a spar or pole which holds the shroud [sidestay] away from the mast) does not place too much pressure on the mainsail.  Often a spinnaker is set; or the jib is placed on the side opposite to the mainsail (Sailing Wing and Wing).  In a run, the wind should be perpendicular to the sail.  A steady course must be taken to keep each sail full of wind and to prevent an accidental jibe (the mainsail swinging quickly from one side of the boat to the other.  This is very dangerous and can also damage the rigging.  A  strong line called a preventer can be attached from the end of the boom to prevent rig damage and injury during an accidental jibe.   This line runs forward to the bow and then backward being secured in the cockpit.  Never have the boom touching the shrouds.  If you do and an accidental jibe occurs, the boom may snap the shrouds on the opposite side as it forcefully swings around.  Having the crew sit on the same side of the cockpit as the boom will help prevent an accidental jib which may occur if the boat is hit abeam ( on the side ) by a wave or wake.   When sailing wing and wing, a whisker pole can be positioned from the mast to the jib's sheet.  This pole will allow the jib to better fill with wind.  For more about whisker poles  GO TO  Forespar.COM . Heeling is minimal when sailing on a run and the apparent wind is less than the true wind.  The sails are not trimmed since the wind pushes the sails similar to a parachute.  In a run the wind should be perpendicular to the sail.  The speed of the boat is mainly dependent upon the amount of sail hoisted and, in a hull displacement boat, the length of the hull at the waterline.  Finally one may turn the boat directly into the wind or In Irons:  Since a sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind, this is usually done to stop the boat.  In this position the wind cannot power the sails.  A sailboat cannot sail directly into the true-wind.  Most boats can only sail 40 degrees to the wind but some boats can sail as close as 30 degrees. Trimming the Sails on a Close Reach   When sailing on a reach, the experienced sailor, trims the sails based upon the apparent-wind.   This is important because sails cannot be efficiently positioned based upon the point-of-sail or the direction of the true-wind.  An extreme example is ice-sailing on a broad reach, a sudden strong gust of wind can cause the craft to reach high speeds and cause apparent-wind conditions similar to a close reach.  On a close reach, one method of testing mainsail and jib position is to let the sail out until it luffs (the leech starts flapping) then pull it in (or trim the sail) until the sail is steady.  It is easier to tell if the mainsail and jib are let out too much, than if the sail is over trimmed (pulled in).  Telltales may also be used as a guide.  Telltales are small pieces of yarn attached to the sail.  Although telltales are helpful when sailing on a reach, they are not useful when running (sailing directly downwind).  In a run, the wind should be perpendicular to the sail.   Whenever the sails are trimmed using the sheets a change in sail shape occurs.  Other lines and the "fair lead" may have to be adjusted to maintain sail shape.  See section on sail shape.

Jib:  The jib is let out and trimmed using a line called a sheet which is attached to the lower back corner or clew of the sail.  As a general guide, the windward front jib telltale should stream aft (backwards) with an occasional lift, the leeward front telltale should stream aft.  The picture to the right shows the shadow, through the sail, of the jib's leeward telltale and a slight lifting of the jib's windward telltale.  (Often there is a plastic window in this position so one can easily see both telltales.)  In some high wind conditions it may be desirable to have the the windward telltale fluttering.
The picture on the right shows a poorly trimmed jib with the telltales turning downward.  If the windward telltale flutters, sheet in the jib or bear away (turn the boat away from the wind).  If the leeward telltale flutters, let the jib out or head up (turn the boat into the wind). Sailor's Tip:  If the outside telltale flutters, let the sail out.   If the inside telltale flutters, sheet the sail in.
Mainsail:   Mainsail can be let out and trimmed using two different lines:  The mainsail's sheet and the traveler.  The telltales are on the leech (back edge of the sail) and should be streaming backwards.  If they go in circles or flutter, the sail is not trimmed properly.         The picture on the right shows a poorly trimmed mainsail with a "Luff Bubble" forming just behind the front edge or luff of the sail.

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