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Old 07-08-2014, 03:01 PM   #12
ghost
Guru
 
City: Anacortes
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1,189
I single hand my 48 Tolly almost exclusively. Never ever leave the boat unless it is secured. For me this rule certainly includes at the dock, I don't leave the vessel until I have at least one line secured so worst case scenario, I can still get back on. If you need a stern line to anchor, lots can happen once you leave the boat, so this rule most certainly still applies.

My strategy would be to find a solution that allows me to get situated in some kind of leisure. I would put my hook down in the fairway, get a decent set and then pull in to a short scope, but not so short she could come loose. She might be sitting square in the fairway, but so what, safety first. I'd then take my line to shore, typically doubled so I can later release wholly from the boat later. To do this you obviously need a rather long line. Nothing says you can't stack the deck in your favor. Then, you can pull the line in and start pulling the boat where you want it. Keep in mind, since the scope was pulled in, you will gradually let the anchor line out as you pull the stern line in. Might take some jockeying, but you will eventually get it there, most importantly without drama.

If for some reason there is too much wind, seriously consider whether stern tying is a good strategy. Nothing worse than trying to un Charlie Foxtrot a situation when single handing, so your primary thought process is to ensure you don't get into one in the first place. When an anchor drags when stern tied, it brings you parallel to shore quickly, both not good. You would not pull your stern line in you would abandon it in a hurry to focus on getting the pointy end pointing towards safety. Sound like fun? It's not. So having your anchor with a decent scope in the first place will only help. Don't get caught with 2:1 on a stern tie trying to drop it close to make the shore tie easier, bad mistake.

As a single hander, I'd much rather get that nice protected spot, often with the stern tie. Maybe that means I get up early and really know when tide changes are coming and always have the jump on my fellow boaters. I can't afford not to. I also carry a full 400 feet of nice 3/4 rode behind my usual 200 foot of chain. Being able to safely put out a full 600 foot of tackle means that I can actually get hooked up in spots people avoid because of the depth (no even that won't help in Princess Louisa), so if I get in late I can probably find a spot in the outer fairway in 75-100 foot of water. I might not like it, but I can do it and make it til morning when I can snag a better spot when somebody leaves.

A few years ago I came into the laconner channel at dead slack, leisurely mosyed up to the dock and put out a few lines with my flip flops. Some grouchy old fellow comes over and openly gripes that I would not have had such an easy time if I tried that a little while earlier. I just smiled and said I must have gotten lucky. The luck was rousting my butt out of bed 6 hours prior and knowing when slack was coming. If you single hand, you simply must account for more things than most of the folks you are typically with. If you do, life is grand.

Personally I would not hesitate to head to desolation. Heck, I'd even plan a night in Prideaux Haven, but I'd also be the early bird and plan my arrival accordingly.
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