Single Handed suggestions......

[johnma]

I single hand my Mainship 390 pretty regularly. The 350/390 are the same boat. Mainship just changed the way they were measured, hence the model # change. Docking is easy with the bow thruster. At the lower station with the starboard side door open I keep a boat pole to reach lines on the dock. If its not our slip I prep the lines before entering the marina. Again from the side door you can easily rig a spring line. once that is done. your in. If you have to dock port side to you need to use the back door. However that is not an issue as the boat walks to port when in reverse.
Good luck
John

 

[FF]

The key seems to be the ability to get from the helm quickly to a large mid ship cleat , so a breast line can be used.



This is about the only line that can be tossed to dock 'Helpers" that when tied tight will not screw up the docking drill.

 

[cool beans]

Agree with some of the other posters. Whatever boat you buy, practice on it and figure out how it handles in different conditions. I solo a 3870 a lot, and have a Plan "A" (which is when everything goes right), Plan "B" (try something different when I have to abort and try again), and Plan "C" (head back out and figure a new plan "A" & "B") :lol:

I would say, a heavier displacement boat would be easier to single hand than my light weight, high freeboard boat. The extra momentum would be nice to have.

 

[AusCan]

Yes, It's all about having multiple options and knowing when and how and when to use them. Every boat behaves differently, so what works best for one may not necessarily apply to another.
If you are used to smaller lightweight boats, you'll have to get familiar to the momentum of a larger boat. The inertia of a heavy boat is very useful if you use it to your advantage. It can also get you into trouble if you are not expecting the slower reaction times.

 

[Spinner]

My observation is that a sun deck model without any cockpit is rather more difficult for single handling. When all access is via ladders, the operator will need some speed and agility!

 

[dsherburn]

I did the same thing you are looking to do. I retired a few years ago at 59, bought a 1976 Grand Banks 30 and did the Loop. Trip of a lifetime and I can’t wait to do it again. I did it solo and no big problems. The locks were straight forward but docking in some of the tidal areas ( due to the current) provided a couple of challenges. My single engine diesel didn’t have any thrusters and I could have used them a time or two. My best suggestion is just practice boat handling so you can put it wherever you want in various wind conditions, etc.

In as far as boat selection that’s a huge topic. I can say I did like my small diesel as I spent less than $5k in fuel on the whole Loop. People have said buy the smallest boat you can be comfortable on. I concur.
Sherburnloopblog.wordpress.com

 

[jeffimac]

You might want to consider a Ranger Tug and I have one for sale

 

[Arch]

I did the loop single handed on my36 ft, single engine Marine trader. Trip of a lifetime. A couple of thoughts: You will do over 100 locks. Often several in one day. Make it easy on yourself. Dual helms with doors on both sides made a huge difference. The ability to quickly get around the boat was critical several times. I found myself standing at the lower helm with lines in my hands running through the door while I settled the boat in wind or strong current.

Having a fly bridge provided great views. Having a well protected prop saved me more than once. There are places on the loop where shops make a good living doing nothing but prop repair.

Imagine tying up to a canal wall after a tiring day, with sky’s darkening, heavy rain, and tornado warning. Now ask yourself how big a boat do you really want. Then imagine being on the hook in the most beautiful bay you can imagine, warm, crystal clear blue water, and white sand beach you can swim to and ask how big a boat do you really need.

For me the answer was 36 feet, a great sound system, a 42 inch tv, comfortable seating, and an ice maker.

Go for it, and have a ball!

Arch

 

[Ruffryder]

Yachtcontroller bow and stern thruster remote control hanging on your neck.

 

[CarlF]

I wouldn't start with the Loop.

Depending on where you buy the boat, I would first go to the Bahamas for the winter. Perfect place to slow down to "retired speed". Lots of islands to see. All the fun of a foreign country but lots of American cruisers for friends. You won't see everything in 10 winters (and many cruisers go back for 10 years trying). Lots of people single handing.

Then do a spring trip up the ICW to Maine in May and back south on the ICW in the fall to the Keys. The East Coast of the US is full of interesting cruising, great towns, and wonderful cities like Charleston. They have great facilities for cruisers and lots of maritime history.

In this trip, you'll have seen some of the greatest cruising grounds in the world with many fewer miles than the loop and many fewer long days listening to the motor.

Then do the Loop - if you feel like it.

For the Bahamas and Maine, good anchoring gear is a must. You'll anchor as often as you tie up. And anchoring is much easier for a singlehander than docking. Be sure you have good side decks to walk to the bow. Have a "new gen" anchor like a Mantus, Rocna, Ultra, or Manson Supreme with at least 150ft of chain and 150ft of nylon - with a good windlass you can operate from the helm. Have a salt water wash down hose on the bow to wash mud from the chain and anchor in the muddy areas.

 

[Nickair]

Posts 36, 38 & 40 say it great.

Also, burn fuel practicing in a safe place with wind and current complications.

Always be willing to abort and re-approach. Even if from 20’

These guys in the posts noted above, among thousands of others have proved you can do
The Loop single handed. You will enjoy getting good at it.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

My observation is that a sun deck model without any cockpit is rather more difficult for single handling. When all access is via ladders, the operator will need some speed and agility!

You are correct that sundeck models are a bit more difficult to single hand. I incorrectly posted on another thread that we have piloted 100% from the FB. A couple of time I've come down to lower helm, with starboard door, to single hand dock. Pre-set your fenders and lines and it's pretty easy, if you can get a starboard side tie up.

 

[foreverunderway]

Hi TF,

I can just about see retirement, and WOW does it look great!!

I am looking at doing the Loop, and taking some time in the Bahama's after coming around the keys.

Question: What type of boat in the 50-100k range would work if I am am going to be doing the majority of this solo? I have been looking @42' trawlers, but it seems that might be a little more boat than I can solo. The Mainship 35 looks OK and there are loads of them for sale. I have been boating for decades, but on smaller, single engine boats (Runabout,Pontoon). Is it a matter of just learning the boat? Has anyone done this solo? Seems like Docking, locks, etc might be an issue as I cannot line handle and navigate at the same time (unless I practice tossing dock lines out the window or off the flybridge.) Safety to myself and others must come 1st and I don't want more boat than can be used in a safe and responsible manner. Each boat is different, I know with the pontoons it is 2nd nature as I have decades of exp on them. Can the same be said with a 35-40 ft trawler, is it just a matter of time on the water with any particular boat?

A pontoon and a trawler, although both float, seem to be very different animals, the ability to have situational awareness on a pontoon is very easy as I have 360 degree open LOS, an 8.5 beam, and it weighs less than 4k lbs, and responds to inputs a lot faster than a 30k trawler would.

Looking for anyone that might have done solo looping on a trawler and what that experience was like.

Thx,

Len

The bigger the boat the more slowly everything happens. Wind and current take longer to move the boat and the engine(s) are the same.
However, I'd be picking my boat for it's livability rather than by it's size. After all, from what I've read in your post, this boat will be your home when you are aboard. So, a boat with a comfortable place to lounge around, a galley in which you can cook a nice meal, at sea, at anchor, or in port and plenty of storage are pretty important things to consider when purchasing a boat to go cruising on.
Another really important thing to look for, especially if you are heading for Fla or the Bahamas is a boat with great ventilation, unless you want to run a genset 24/7 and your A/C. Also, easy access to your engine(s), transmission(s), and genset are of major concern. Unless you are going to be a contortionist in your retirement, you will not be doing as much maintenance as you should without easy access to your mechanical systems.
As for size, I ran a 73' Hatteras TSMY for a couple on their summer cruise through New England, and by far the hardest part of running her was keeping her clean and polished to private yacht standards, alone. Driving and docking the boat was the fun part!

 

[catalinajack]

Monk 36. I know two guys who single-handled one doing the Loop. Worked well. However, a decent version will not likely be had for less than $100k.

I had not paid attention to the OP's budget. And we haven't heard, as someone else also questioned, is what the budget is after purchase. So I am going to default back to the great Skipper Bob dictum" Buy the smallest boat you can be comfortable on, not the biggest boat you can afford". If I was going to single-hand a boat on the loop and had that much to spend, I'd go with some sort of mid to high 20 footer with outboard(s), in a walk around or express style. A "camping boat" as Ann fondly calls them, and we're thinking of one like that as our next craft. That would actually be a lot of fun, and you could just enjoy the journey instead of futzing around fixing or fixing up the boat all the time. And it lowers the need for a dinghy in many places.

 

[Oldsarge]

I single handed (motoring) a 40' deep keel sailboat down the Illinois, Mississippi, and up the Ohio and part of the Tennessee rivers. No thrusters and high freeboard. I'm 80 and I will admit it was dicey at times. Some locks were hard, and some easy. Towboats were always a concern as my sailboat with it's 50 hp Perkins don't maneuver all that well, and docking sometimes proved a challenge with river currents. I agree with a lot of the advise and knowing your boat, planning, and skills are a big part of it. In dicey situations don't 100% trust your electronics. The old Mark 1 eyeball should be first, and the electronics second. doing the loop, try not to be out on the rivers at night, as the curves and bends can hide a tow boat even though you might know its there somewhere near by.

 

[denverd0n]

Several have mentioned it, but I will re-emphasize...


I think the single, most important thing, when it comes to single-handing, is to FULLY understand how to use spring lines! It just amazes me how many experienced boaters out there do not "get" spring lines.


Good luck.

 

[Spinner]

I would like to use spring lines (I assume you are talking about springing in to a dock), but many times circumstances don’t permit! For example, in our fine neighbor to the north, British Columbia, in lieu of cleats, docks are almost always equipped with “bull rails,” which are open railings about 3 inches off the dock surface. Our floating docks also lack the side pilings that I often see in diagrams of spring line use. Lastly, help at the dock isn’t commonly available. Given these circumstances, I feel that using spring lines to dock my boat is an unavailable technique for me as a singlehanded skipper in the PacificNW.

I have bow and stern thrusters to finesse the final approach to/from docks. And as others have already described, I set up lines and fenders well in advance. Fenders and lines are kept secured at their point of use in order to minimize the time required.

Different boat configurations and dock configurations drive us to different methods, but it’s all good!

 

[Codger2]

I would like to use spring lines (I assume you are talking about springing in to a dock), but many times circumstances don’t permit!....... Lastly, help at the dock isn’t commonly available. Given these circumstances, I feel that using spring lines to dock my boat is an unavailable technique for me as a singlehanded skipper in the PacificNW.

I have bow and stern thrusters to finesse the final approach to/from docks. And as others have already described, I set up lines and fenders well in advance. Fenders and lines are kept secured at their point of use in order to minimize the time required.

Works for me as I don't use spring lines either!

 

[Lepke]

Having a shore boat makes single handling easier. I only dock at my home dock or commercial fuel dock. Other times I anchor and run the small boat for groceries and supplies. If I'm going to be in an area long enough, I buy monthly dockage for my 16' boat. The big boat costs $80 to $100 a day for a transient spot last time I did it - 9 years ago. If you're making a long run, sometimes you can find crew that will do it for the adventure and food.

I'm on the other coast and my runs are from Oregon to places in Alaska.