The art of solo cruising

Toby Heppell looks at the art of sailing alone and considers what constitutes good seamanship when it’s only you on board

- Toby Heppel

Singlehanded sailing is often something we associate with feats of adventure and endurance, bringing forward ideas of the lone sailor heading off across oceans. Setting off on a significant offshore voyage on your own is a truly specialist activity where you are likely to experience sleep deprivation, the stresses of being alone for long periods of time and the possibility of facing inclement weather by yourself.

That may well not be for all of us, but closer to home, many of us are likely to sail alone – be it regularly or just the odd occasion, a short coastal trip or a longer voyage, or when a crew member is laid low by seasickness or another ailment. You might end up without a crew and face the choice of leaving the boat in a distant port or taking a fair wind home alone. You may be a couple sailing with a young child that needs constant attention, leaving the skipper to handle the boat alone. Understanding the skills and kit necessary to successfully and safely sail by yourself is, if not an essential skill, certainly a useful string to the bow.

FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY

‘Sailing solo there is the dependence on oneself that is really appealing,’ say Mervyn Wheatley, veteran of many solo ocean races and trips. ‘A great deal of that appeal is that you know if something goes wrong then you are going to have to sort it out yourself. As a solo skipper, you are master of your own destiny, entirely free to run the boat exactly as you wish. With that comes total responsibility for everything on board: food, maintenance, sail choice, pilotage – it’s all up to you.