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Crewless cargo: the world’s first autonomous electric cargo ship 

The world’s first fully electric, completely autonomous cargo ship has successfully completed its maiden voyage.

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The world’s first fully electric, completely autonomous cargo ship has successfully completed its maiden voyage in Norway, but fear not, it’s a far cry from the dramatic movie depictions of ‘ghost ships’. Frankie Youd profiles the vessel and highlights the benefits of this new technology. 

The shipping industry has been pioneering new technology, ship design, and fuel types to set sail towards a greener future for shipping. Now, Norwegian chemical company Yara, has gone one step further by not only producing a zero-emission vessel, but one that is zero crew as well. 

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Giving us a sneak peek into the future of cleaner, greener, autonomous travel, the world’s first autonomous, fully-electric cargo ship – named Yara Birkeland – has set sail.  

The vessel, stretching 80m, with a deadweight of approximately 3,200 tonnes, contains sensors and computers that allow the vessel to operate autonomously or via remote control.  

The vessel is also doing its part for the environment , due to zero emissions being produced thanks to the electrical propulsion and battery system.  

How does it work? 

Departing for its maiden voyage on Thursday 18 November, the Yara Birkeland set sail on her first demo trip, sailing along the Norwegian coast from Horten to Oslo. Estimated to cut 1,000 tonnes of CO 2 and replace 40,000 trips carried out by diesel trucks per year, Yara is optimistic that commercial operations for the vessel will take place within the next few years. 

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The ship is powered by battery powered technology – provided by Swiss Lithium-ion cells and energy storage solutions company, LeClanchè – providing the ship with a capacity close to 7MWh. This is accompanied by sensor technology that provides the vessel with situational awareness.

The sensors come in the form of radar, infrared cameras, and automotive integrated solutions cameras. Combined, these give the ship the ability to discover obstacles in its path and avoid them. 

The vessel has also been fitted with automatic mooring arms from MacGregor to allow for unmanned docking and mooring at quays. 

Additionally, cloud solutions are also being used on the vessel and have been designed to provide the remote operation centre on the shore with data from the voyage and operation. 

Although the inclusion of this technology will allow the vessel to be remotely controlled from the shore, this is not the intention of its integration. The system has been designed so that the vessel is able to carry out the voyage itself without human intervention, with remote takeover only being needed should an event requiring human aid occur. 

Speaking on the creation of the vessel, Jostein Braaten, project lead of the Yara Birkeland says: “Yara is constantly seeking opportunities to improve not only the business but also safety and our environmental footprint. By introducing Yara Birkeland, Yara wants to show a dedication to improving the environmental impact from this transport of goods. 

“With the production plant in Porsgrunn, Norway, located by the sea and with close to 100% of the products to be exported by ship it seemed inconvenient to transport, what is delivered in containers, the first distance from the plant to the shipping port, by trucks. An opportunity to improve both the logistics and to reduce the traffic on local roads by establishing an electrically driven sea-going vessel seemed like an opportunity.”  

Further to the vessel carrying out its maiden voyage, the company has also undergone sea-trials that saw containers being delivered, loaded, and shipped via the ship.

The company has also tested the navigational capabilities, such as auto-docking and auto-crossing using the technology same technology in place on the Yara Birkeland on a double ended ferry in regular traffic crossing the Oslofjord.  

The company hopes that the regular operation of Yara Birkeland will begin in early Q2 this year, which will also start the test-period for the technology to become fully certified. With testing believed to take two years, the company has big goals between then and now.  

“We will spend the next years collecting and analysing data from the operation to learn and train the algorithm to perform as efficiently as possible,” Braaten says.  

“Simulator testing provides us with solid evidence of the system performance but getting live data from the actual voyages and operation area, such as currents, traffic, and behaviour of the surroundings is of great value to the further development towards autonomy.” 

No crew, no problem. 

One of the key elements that sets the Yara Birkeland apart from the rest is the full autonomy of the vessel – meaning that no crew is needed onboard. The full autonomous nature of the ship brings with it many benefits, such as reduced staffing costs, – although some will still be needed for the remote-control centre – as well as having more space for cargo on deck. 

Paired with this, autonomous shipping also improves safety for the overall voyage due to a large majority of maritime accidents occurring due to human error. The inclusion of computer systems on the vessel could prove to be significantly safer compared to crew navigating.

Braaten comments: “Generally for autonomous ships safety is improves as sea-men are not subjected to danger at sea, but also reduced incidents related to people-fatigue or other human error.” 

On the other hand, the autonomous tech can also result is some new challenges – such as the threat of cyberattacks, which if a vessel fell victim to, could see the loss of control and takeover of the vessel. Further to this, due to the technology being in its early stages of development, there are a limited number of regulations – meaning that at present these vessels are only capable of coastal and river routes instead of large ocean crossings.  

A crewless vessel brings with it many benefits to the maritime sector and with interest in this technology growing, it seems that they have a significant role to play for the future of the industry.  

“For selected purposes, autonomy can clearly provide improved economy, safety, regularity, and efficiency – for example, at harbour control. It can also improve the competitiveness for shipping compared to road transport in short-distance routes. Unmanned maritime operations can also be a great alternative to alleviate the situation with a shortage of truck drivers and congested cities.” Braaten says. 

“We see that autonomy in maritime has really picked up the pace after the news of Yara Birkeland were released. It is no longer a question of “if” autonomy is coming, it is a matter of “when”. Autonomy is an enabler and a potential catalyst for the green shift in maritime. We are delighted to be leading this shift and see that by realizing this concept – others are following.” Braaten concludes.   

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Crewless robotic Mayflower ship reaches Plymouth Rock

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A crewless robotic boat retracing the 1620 sea voyage of the Mayflower has landed near Plymouth Rock.

The sleek Mayflower Autonomous Ship met with an escort boat as it approached the Massachusetts shoreline Thursday, more than 400 years after its namesake’s historic journey from England.

It was towed into Plymouth Harbor — per U.S. Coast Guard rules for crewless vessels — and docked near a replica of the original Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to America.

Piloted by artificial intelligence technology, the 50-foot (15-meter) trimaran didn’t have a captain, navigator or any humans on board.

The solar-powered ship’s first attempt to cross the Atlantic in 2021 was beset with technical problems, forcing it back to its home port of Plymouth, England — the same place the Pilgrim settlers sailed from in 1620.

It set off from the southwest English coast again in April but mechanical difficulties diverted it to Portugal’s Azores islands and then to Canada.

“When you don’t have anybody onboard, you obviously can’t do the mechanical, physical fixes that are needed,” said Rob High, a software executive at IBM helping to work on the project. “That’s also part of the learning process.”

On Monday, it departed Halifax, Nova Scotia for a successful 4-day journey to Plymouth Harbor.

Nonprofit marine research organization ProMare worked with IBM to build the ship and has been using it to collect data about whales, microplastics pollution and for other scientific research. Small autonomous experimental vessels have crossed the Atlantic before but researchers describe it as the first ship of its size to do so.

The voyage’s completion “means we can start analyzing data from the ship’s journey” and dig into the AI system’s performance, High said. He said the prospect of such crewless vessels navigating the seas on a continuous basis will make it easier to collect “all the kinds of things that marine scientists care about.”

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Royal Navy Launched its First ‘crewless Pacific 24 boat’ USV

The first crewless pacific 24 unmanned surface vessel (usv) for general duties with the royal navy has been launched, ready for trials to see how it – and similar craft – might fit into the ‘fleet of tomorrow’..

Xavier Vavasseur 24 Jun 2020

Royal Navy press release

More than £3m is being invested in the crewless Pacific 24 boat – and other autonomous small craft technology.

The boats could operate individually – or in groups – racing over the ocean at speeds of up to 38 knots (nearly 44mph).

The Pacific 24 has been the backbone of sea boat operations from Royal Navy warships for more than a quarter of a century, with the latest variant, the Mark 4, introduced four years ago.

The boats are fundamental to life-saving search-and-rescue duties, serve as the springboard for commandos and sailors on board-and-search operations looking for drugs in the Caribbean and Middle East, and ferry personnel and stores between ships or from ship to shore.

But there may be occasions when a crewless vessel might perform the same, similar, or even entirely new missions.

“Commencing the trials of the crewless Pacific 24 boat is an important stepping stone in the Royal Navy’s development of its autonomous capability to ensure our fleet remains at the forefront of military innovation and technology, ready to meet the evolving threats of modern warfare.” Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin

The crewless Pacific 24 is sponsored by NavyX – the specialist wing of the Royal Navy dedicated to rapidly developing, testing and trialling cutting-edge and new technologies for use on the front line.

The team has worked in partnership with BAE Systems, who build the Pacific 24 in Portsmouth, to commission the new boat.

A prototype, controlled from frigate HMS Argyll, debuted at the DSEI defence/technology showcase in London last September, since when BAE and the Navy have pressed ahead with a working model fit for the front line.

While the boat’s hull and propulsion system remain the same, the control system and sensors have been changed/added to allow for autonomous movement – a sailor should be able to give the unmanned craft generic tasking, and the boat will decide for itself how it carries out that task.

The potential of the autonomous boat will only truly be realised when it is put “in the hands of the warfighter” – it will begin trials with a Royal Navy warship later this year which should determine whether the UK invests in a fleet of such craft or just a few for specific missions.

“The autonomous Pacific 24 is not just a step change for the Royal Navy in unmanned operations, it also ensures the Navy remains at the forefront of technological improvement and innovation,” Lieutenant Commander Rob Manson of the NavyX team.

“While initial tasks are likely to be familiar to those who already operate a Pacific 24, the autonomous nature of this craft adds huge capability and flexibility.

“Additionally, this capability can be constantly improved, allowing continuous updates and capability upgrades, resulting in regular additions to the toolbox of operational planners.”

Brooke Hoskins, Products and Training Services Director at BAE Systems said: “It’s fantastic to see the Royal Navy’s first autonomous Pacific 24 enter the water.

“This milestone has been a goal since we first demonstrated the unmanned capabilities of our Pacific boats to them last year.

“It is a key step in supporting NavyX, turning what was originally an innovative research and development experiment into a fielded capability for the Royal Navy.

“We are proud to support the Royal Navy’s autonomous requirements, which includes increasing its operational effectiveness whilst reducing the burden on, or threat to, its sailors.”

Trials with the new craft begin this month, followed by integrating it into a front-line warship’s combat and navigation systems later in the year.

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Royal navy launches pacific 24 ‘smart boat’ for fleet of tomorrow.

24th June 2020

The first crewless boat for general duties with the Royal Navy has been launched, ready for trials to see how it – and similar craft – might fit into the ‘fleet of tomorrow’.

More than £3m is being invested in the crewless Pacific 24 boat – and other autonomous small craft technology.

The boats could operate individually – or in groups – racing over the ocean at speeds of up to 38 knots (nearly 44mph).

The Pacific 24 has been the backbone of sea boat operations from Royal Navy warships for more than a quarter of a century, with the latest variant, the Mark 4, introduced four years ago.

The boats are fundamental to life-saving search-and-rescue duties, serve as the springboard for commandos and sailors on board-and-search operations looking for drugs in the Caribbean and Middle East, and ferry personnel and stores between ships or from ship to shore.

But there may be occasions when a crewless vessel might perform the same, similar, or even entirely new missions.

Minister for Defence Procurement Jeremy Quin said: “Commencing the trials of the crewless Pacific 24 boat is an important stepping stone in the Royal Navy’s development of its autonomous capability to ensure our fleet remains at the forefront of military innovation and technology, ready to meet the evolving threats of modern warfare.”

The crewless Pacific 24 is sponsored by NavyX – the specialist wing of the Royal Navy dedicated to rapidly developing, testing and trialling cutting-edge and new technologies for use on the front line.

The team has worked in partnership with BAE Systems, who build the Pacific 24 in Portsmouth, to commission the new boat.

A prototype, controlled from frigate HMS Argyll, debuted at the DSEI defence/technology showcase in London last September, since when BAE and the Navy have pressed ahead with a working model fit for the front line.

While the boat’s hull and propulsion system remain the same, the control system and sensors have been changed/added to allow for autonomous movement – a sailor should be able to give the unmanned craft generic tasking, and the boat will decide for itself how it carries out that task.

The potential of the autonomous boat will only truly be realised when it is put “in the hands of the warfighter” – it will begin trials with a Royal Navy warship later this year which should determine whether the UK invests in a fleet of such craft or just a few for specific missions.

“The autonomous Pacific 24 is not just a step change for the Royal Navy in unmanned operations, it also ensures the Navy remains at the forefront of technological improvement and innovation,” said Lieutenant Commander Rob Manson of the NavyX team.

“While initial tasks are likely to be familiar to those who already operate a Pacific 24, the autonomous nature of this craft adds huge capability and flexibility.

“Additionally, this capability can be constantly improved, allowing continuous updates and capability upgrades, resulting in regular additions to the toolbox of operational planners.”

Brooke Hoskins , Products and Training Services Director at BAE Systems said: “It’s fantastic to see the Royal Navy’s first autonomous Pacific 24 enter the water.

“This milestone has been a goal since we first demonstrated the unmanned capabilities of our Pacific boats to them last year. “It is a key step in supporting NavyX, turning what was originally an innovative research and development experiment into a fielded capability for the Royal Navy.

“We are proud to support the Royal Navy’s autonomous requirements, which includes increasing its operational effectiveness whilst reducing the burden on, or threat to, its sailors.”

Trials with the new craft begin this month, followed by integrating it into a front-line warship’s combat and navigation systems later in the year.

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Royal Navy's first crewless boat ready for testing

A crewless "drone" version of a boat that could help operations including search-and-rescue and drug raids has been launched by the Royal Navy.

More than £3m is being invested in the crewless Pacific 24 boat and other self-operated craft.

Boats could be sent on individual missions or in groups, reaching speeds of up to 38 knots (nearly 44mph).

The Pacific 24 has been used in sea boat operations from Royal Navy warships for more than 25 years.

It is fundamental to a wide range of operations including life-saving, search operations, and the more mundane task of ferrying personnel and stores between ships or from ship to shore.

However the new "drone" version of the Pacific 24 could provide a more streamlined way of carrying out these operations - and even open up some new types of missions.

• 'Drone' boats created for Navy carriers
• Navy seizes £3.3m of crystal meth in Middle East

The boats will be controlled from a parent ship, such as a frigate or destroyer.

Defence Minister Jeremy Quin said: "Commencing the trials of the crewless Pacific 24 boat is an important stepping stone in the Royal Navy's development of its autonomous capability to ensure our fleet remains at the forefront of military innovation and technology, ready to meet the evolving threats of modern warfare."

Potential tested

The crewless Pacific 24 is sponsored by NavyX, the specialist wing of the Royal Navy which trials cutting-edge technology for use on the front line.

The team has worked in partnership with BAE Systems, which builds the Pacific 24 in Portsmouth.

Its potential will be tested when it begins trials with a Royal Navy warship later this year. This will determine whether the UK invests in a whole fleet, or just a few for specific missions.

Lt Cdr Rob Manson, of the NavyX team, said the autonomous Pacific 24 "ensures the Navy remains at the forefront of technological improvement and innovation".

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Crewless robotic Mayflower ship reaches Plymouth Rock

Mayflower autonomous ship.

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — A crewless robotic boat retracing the 1620 sea voyage of the Mayflower has landed near Plymouth Rock.

The sleek Mayflower Autonomous Ship met with an escort boat as it approached the Massachusetts shoreline Thursday, more than 400 years after its namesake's historic journey from England.

It was towed into Plymouth Harbor — per U.S. Coast Guard rules for crewless vessels — and docked near a replica of the original Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to America.

Piloted by artificial intelligence technology, the 50-foot (15-meter) trimaran didn’t have a captain, navigator or any humans on board.

The solar-powered ship's first attempt to cross the Atlantic in 2021 was beset with technical problems, forcing it back to its home port of Plymouth, England — the same place the Pilgrim settlers sailed from in 1620.

It set off from the southwest English coast again in April but mechanical difficulties diverted it to Portugal's Azores islands and then to Canada.

“When you don’t have anybody onboard, you obviously can’t do the mechanical, physical fixes that are needed,” said Rob High, a software executive at IBM helping to work on the project. “That’s also part of the learning process.”

On Monday, it departed Halifax, Nova Scotia for a successful 4-day journey to Plymouth Harbor.

Nonprofit marine research organization ProMare worked with IBM to build the ship and has been using it to collect data about whales, microplastics pollution and for other scientific research. Small autonomous experimental vessels have crossed the Atlantic before but researchers describe it as the first ship of its size to do so.

The voyage's completion “means we can start analyzing data from the ship’s journey” and dig into the AI system's performance, High said. He said the prospect of such crewless vessels navigating the seas on a continuous basis will make it easier to collect “all the kinds of things that marine scientists care about."

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Crewless mayflower ship retracing 1620 journey arrives at plymouth rock.

A crewless robotic boat retracing the 1620 sea voyage of the  Mayflower has landed near Plymouth Rock .

The sleek Mayflower Autonomous Ship met with an escort boat as it approached the Massachusetts shoreline Thursday, more than 400 years after its namesake’s historic journey from England.

It was towed into Plymouth Harbor —  per U.S. Coast Guard rules  for crewless vessels — and docked near a replica of the original Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to America.

Piloted by artificial intelligence technology, the 50-foot trimaran did not have a captain, navigator or any humans on board.

The  solar-powered ship’s first attempt  to cross the Atlantic in 2021 was beset with technical problems, forcing it back to its home port of Plymouth, England — the same place the Pilgrim settlers sailed from in 1620.

It set off from the southwest English coast again in April, but mechanical difficulties diverted it to Portugal’s Azores islands and then to Canada.

“When you don’t have anybody onboard, you obviously can’t do the mechanical, physical fixes that are needed,” said Rob High, a software executive at IBM helping to work on the project. “That’s also part of the learning process.”

On Monday, the ship departed Halifax, Nova Scotia for a successful 4-day journey to Plymouth Harbor.

Nonprofit marine research organization ProMare worked with IBM to build the ship and has been using it to collect data about whales, microplastics pollution and for other scientific research. Small autonomous experimental vessels have crossed the Atlantic before, but researchers describe it as the first ship of its size to do so.

The voyage’s completion “means we can start analyzing data from the ship’s journey” and dig into the AI system’s performance, High said. 

High added the prospect of such crewless vessels navigating the seas on a continuous basis will make it easier to collect “all the kinds of things that marine scientists care about.”

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Crewless robotic Mayflower ship reaches Plymouth Rock

• The Associated Press

A crewless robotic boat  retracing the 1620 sea voyage  of the Mayflower has landed near Plymouth Rock.

The sleek Mayflower Autonomous Ship met with an escort boat as it approached the Massachusetts shoreline Thursday, more than 400 years after its namesake's historic journey from England.

It was towed into Plymouth Harbor — per U.S. Coast Guard rules for crewless vessels — and docked near a replica of the original Mayflower that brought the Pilgrims to America.

Piloted by artificial intelligence technology, the 50-foot trimaran didn’t have a captain, navigator or any humans on board.

The solar-powered ship's first attempt to cross the Atlantic in 2021 was beset with technical problems, forcing it back to its home port of Plymouth, England — the same place the Pilgrim settlers sailed from in 1620.

It set off from the southwest English coast again in April but  mechanical difficulties  diverted it to Portugal's Azores islands and then to Canada.

“When you don’t have anybody onboard, you obviously can’t do the mechanical, physical fixes that are needed,” said Rob High, a software executive at IBM helping to work on the project. “That’s also part of the learning process.”

On Monday, it departed Halifax, Nova Scotia for a successful 4-day journey to Plymouth Harbor.

Nonprofit marine research organization ProMare worked with IBM to build the ship and has been using it to collect data about whales, microplastics pollution and for other scientific research. Small autonomous experimental vessels have crossed the Atlantic before but researchers describe it as the first ship of its size to do so.

The voyage's completion “means we can start analyzing data from the ship’s journey” and dig into the AI system's performance, High said. He said the prospect of such crewless vessels navigating the seas on a continuous basis will make it easier to collect “all the kinds of things that marine scientists care about."

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Royal Navy to trial BAE Systems autonomous boat

The UK Royal Navy is set to trial BAE Systems’ Autonomous Pacific 24 Rigid Inflatable Boat to see how small crewless vessels could fit into the ‘fleet of tomorrow’.

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The navy said it is investing more than £3m in the crewless Pacific 24 boat alongside other autonomous craft that can support the fleet and take on dangerous missions without putting personnel in harm’s way.

The Autonomous Pacific 24 can execute missions by itself while being run from a warship where personnel can control the boat’s onboard weapons systems. The autonomous boat is capable of conducting anti-piracy operations, border control, persistent intelligence gathering, maritime security and force protection missions.

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The Pacific 24 is already used by the bulk of the Royal Navy surface fleet, with the navy calling the boat the ‘backbone of sea boat operations’. The current manned Pacific 24 vessels are fundamental to navy operations including search and rescue and board-and-search missions.

Commenting on the trials, Defence Minister Jeremy Quinn said: “Commencing the trials of the crewless Pacific 24 boat is an important stepping stone in the Royal Navy’s development of its autonomous capability to ensure our fleet remains at the forefront of military innovation and technology, ready to meet the evolving threats of modern warfare.”

Development of the crewless Pacific 24 is being sponsored by NavyX, the Royal Navy’s Autonomy and Lethality which is designed to rapidly test and develop new and emerging technologies.

At last year’s DSEI, the vessel was on show on the water outside the ExCel conference centre where it was being operated from the Type 23 Frigate HMS Argyll. Other autonomous vessels showcased at the event included one from the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

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“Ensures the navy remains at the forefront of technological improvement”

The autonomous boat uses the same propulsion system as its manned counterpart but includes a new control system and sensors that allow the vessel to operate autonomously. Personnel can give the vessel and generic tasking and the vessel can then decide how to complete the mission.

The vessel will begin trials with a Royal Navy warship later this year, pending the success of these trials the Navy will then decide whether to invest in a fleet of autonomous vessels or acquire a limited number for specific tasking.

Royal Navy Lieutenant Commander Rob Manson from the NavyX team said: “The autonomous Pacific 24 is not just a step-change for the Royal Navy in unmanned operations, it also ensures the navy remains at the forefront of technological improvement and innovation,”

Manson added: “While initial tasks are likely to be familiar to those who already operate a Pacific 24, the autonomous nature of this craft adds huge capability and flexibility.

“Additionally, this capability can be constantly improved, allowing continuous updates and capability upgrades, resulting in regular additions to the toolbox of operational planners.”

Trials with the autonomous vessel start this month; later in the year, the craft will be integrated with a ‘front-line’ warships combat and navigation systems for further trials.

BAE Systems products and training services director Brooke Hoskins said: “It’s fantastic to see the Royal Navy’s first autonomous Pacific 24 enter the water.

“This milestone has been a goal since we first demonstrated the unmanned capabilities of our Pacific boats to them last year.

“It is a key step in supporting NavyX, turning what was originally an innovative research and development experiment into a fielded capability for the Royal Navy.

“We are proud to support the Royal Navy’s autonomous requirements, which includes increasing its operational effectiveness whilst reducing the burden on, or threat to, its sailors.”

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• Thread starter Sherry
• Start date Sep 28, 2005
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I just learned how to heave to I have a Catalina 270 with auto pilot and I'm new to sailing. I do a lot of singlehanding and am trying to become less dependant on my auto pilot. One technique that I have learned is to "heave to". While close reaching, I center the boom and sheet in the mainsail. I then tack while keeping the genoa on the windward side, turn the wheel to windward and lock it at max. turn. My boat settles in at about 45 deg. off the wind and drifts gently to leeward with no heeling or pitching. Instant calm! Nice for trips to the cabin, lunch break etc. Next time out, I'm going to try dropping the main while heaving to. This technique is probably "old hat" to all you veterans, but a wonderful discovery for me.  

Solo 95% of the time I sail my C320 solo...this year I have been out almost every week and have had crew (in name only) on two occasions. It is very easy, and I actually prefer to sail alone. To answer your questions:- Don't have an auto pilot...don't want or need one. To come about, I move in front of the wheel (after applying some friction to it), slowly turn into the wind, release the lee sheet, move the traveller/main sheet, secure the new lee sheet...all the while controling the rate of turn by reaching around to the wheel. From my position in front of the wheel, I can reach all the lines and the wheel. Most important is to have all lines led aft, therefore, there is no reason to leave the cockpit.- I remain pointed into the wind when raising the main by applying friction to the wheel and keeping enough engine rpm to maintain headway.- Dousing the main (I have a Dutchman flaking system) is normally done by getting out of the wind by getting on the lee side of an island. If that is not possible, I douse it by the reverse method used to raise it.- I sail on a lake that runs north south, with the wind usually out of the south. I do lots of tacking!- If I need to go below for any reason, once again, I friction the wheel...and while below, keep an eye out to be sure I am maintaining a relatively straight course. If not, I go back up and move the wheel accordingly.- When docking...I have a slip with fingers on each side...I come in VERY slowly, cheating a bit to port. To disapate what forward movement is remaining, I put it in reverse, which results in prop walk which pulls the stern to the finger on the port side. I step out and secure my lines...all eight of them.All you can do is get out and play with your boat and try various things...and have fun!  

Lines at the Dock I almost always have crew - but when it is just me and my smallest one, basically it is single handing.To dock: 1. Rig a spring line from amidships (to a good sized winch or cleat), this line will be used as a forward spring. 2. Tie a doubled figure 8 in it to form a loop and lead the remaining end back to the stern cleat. A double figure 8 holds an open loop better than a bowline. This forms a combo spring and stern line. 3. Use a boathook to drop the loop on the dock cleat, the spring stops the boat. If there is any wind or chop - the boat can go back in gear at idle and she will just lay against the dock due to the effect of the spring line. 4. Take the slop out of the stern part of the line. 5. Now get the bow line on, which I pre-setup on the bow cleat, lead outside the stanchions and tie up to a shroud or similar convenient place where I can take it with me as I step off the boat.6. Rig long term docking lines at leisure with proper cleat hitches, repositioning the boat with the lines as needed.Remember to use fenders to keep the beam off the dock.The trick is to get the lengths of the lines correct so the spring stops you before you hit the dock end, and to come in slow enough that you barely have steerage. Use nylon 3 strand so it absorbs shock by stretching - keeping shock loads down on boat and dock cleats.I do this on a J22, but I think it will work on a larger boat as well.  

Single-handed sailing Crewing alone I find much easier, it's really a hassel to go with non-sailors, you create more work for yourself. I have auto pilot on a Cal 33, I run the engine and auto-pilot to hoist sails and for lunch breaks, make it easy on yourself, before you leave have food, snacks, water, close at hand, I also piss off the back of the boat, very refreshing. Plan your meals before you go,  

Thinking about..... ...a Wyliecat 30. Here's a boat that goes to weather like a sled and downwind without a spinnaker. A true one-man boat that can race in the spinnaker class without a spinnaker, and WIN! This boat can do it all and "no crew needed".  

Heave to in shifty winds? Phil R - I too learned heaving to this season. When single-handing, I can go forward to clean up the main halyard line, stow gear, pull seaweed off the prop, rudder, centerboard.BUT...I sail on a lake, with VERY shifty winds. The last few times I went out, the wind was pretty strong, and being alone, didn't have enough confidence in the stability.I know that the heave to works because the helm is balanced against the back-sheeted jib, but how forgiving is it when hit by a significant gust and / or shift?BTW, here is a video on heaving to.  

Heave To on a Lake Tereza: You are right about the problems re heaving to on a lake - normally I can get the J22 to heave to nicely - but if your hove to 45 degrees off the wind and get hit by a quick 90+ deg header - the boat will tack FAST all on its own. Allowing the boat to lie more off the wind can help - but as you have noticed - enough of a wind shift can still tack the boat. I find that the boat will follow a slow or clocking shift and stay hove too - but not follow large sudden shifts.My view is heaving to is quite safe against gusts - but you need to be able to get back to the helm FAST for the giant wind shifts.If it is too gusty - reef.I hope that helps?  

novice crew comment A buddy and I were hove to for lunch this summer, moving at about a knot. When lunch was finsihed, I uncleated the jib, hauled in the main and centered the tiller, and within a few seconds we were moving at four knots. My buddy commented that it was just like we had put it into gear from neutral. I thought that was a fitting analogy.Hove to is such an easy configuration to get into as well. Just tack without uncleating the jib, then align the tiller at the same angle as the jib (downwind), and you are hove to.  

advance preparation for most maneuvers Sailing writer David Shaw described his secret of singlehanding as preparing every operation in advance. I've found that to be very true, and practice it when I go out. For instance, when coming back to port for the night it makes sense for a singlehander to get the mainsail down and fenders over the side when you're away from the traffic in open water, not while you're maneuvering up the aisles in the marina. Forget the snob talk about real sailors not going around with their fenders over the side; the singlehander is exempted from all of that.The singlehander also needs to modify equipment if it's not working for their process. Lazyjacks for safely dropping the main and extra cleats back at the helm part of the coaming are examples.And for daysailing singlehanded I keep a cooler with all the goodies up at my feet in the cockpit, because finding a way to go below is problematic. The cabin is the lounge you get to sit in at the end of the day, not a part of the boat you can use if you're alone. Still, I wouldn't recommend the pissing over the rail idea for anyone but gentlemen from Cape Cod who are far enough from land...  

Tereza: Tereza: I should modify my response a bit given as you have a centerboard boat and not a keel. You ALWAYS need to be wary against capsize - crew weight position and sheeting always need to be watched. Still - experimenting with heaving to is a good thing to do - you will find out with experience how resistant your boat is to going over.I learned how to sail on Lasers in Southern California - in the summer a capsize into cool water was just part of the fun. A small boat sailor will capsize eventually - so know how to right it.If cold water capsize is a hypothermia issue - consider a wetsuit (dry suit is supposed to be better, but big bux). A 3mm waterski suit works well for sailing.Best o' Luck,OldCat  

Need a good dunking OldCat - 100% agree - I plan on dunking her (and me) next season. Have not righted a boat larger than a sunfish.2 days ago, a backing gust on an already very windy day heeled me over so far that the seat rail scooped water in as she flattened back out. While that is not my preferred sailing style, I was thrilled that she did not go over. I should've had either passengers - read 'ballast' (I'm glad to say that I do not provide enough ballast on my own), or a reef for that wind.I always wear my inflatable pfd, and the water temp is still warm. Thanks for the helpful words! I've been learning and re-learning lots from these forums.Cheers.  

drownings Ask the police or coast guard about how many drowning victims they find with their pants down around their ankles. Pissing over the rail is dangerous enough for us guys; I cannot imagine dangling my derrier over the rail to do my business, ladies. That is why I have a small bucket on board. I actually cut the top off of one of those plastic Tide detergent jugs. It sits at the back of the cockpit as a bailer, but doubles as my single hander john. I feel much safer and in more than one respect, much less exposed.  

Peggie Hall HeadMistress

Urban legend... There have been a FEW men found with their flies open...none with their pants down. All had been alone on small open fishing boats on inland waters. All had a high blood alcohol count...none were wearing PFDs. They became part of USCG stats because all boating fatalities are included in USCG stats.From this few has grown a legend of all of kinds of people who've supposedly fallen off everything from from a Sunfish to the QE II with their flies open. However, by adding a "pants down" element, you seem to have taken the urban legend to a whole new level...'cuz although I've heard the "fly open" version for decades, you're the first to claim that any were found with pants down.  

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Crewless sailboat stranded

It was no illusion.

About 120 miles off of Cape Lookout, the ocean raged with 45- to 50-foot waves and winds blew at 70 knots, topping out near 100 knots, said sailboat captain Chris Leitch.

Enormous breakers and ferocious wind ripped the anchors from the deck of the 67-foot Illusion ,and the sailboat began taking on water, Leitch said.

At 5:30 a.m., Leitch was forced to signal for help with an emergency position indicating radio beacon, or EPIRB.

The crewless vessel would entwine Leitch's life with that of Cape Fear residents - the Illusion washed up Wednesday south of Fort Fisher.

Leitch said he and two crew members, first mate James Coates and Jessica Youngblood, were sailing the Illusion to Newport, R.I., from the Bahamas. The sailboat's new owner had purchased it recently.

Leitch said this was his maiden voyage behind the wheel of the single-mast aluminium craft.

Leitch said the crew left Grand Bahama Island on May 3 and had 2 1/2 days of wonderful sailing.

By Saturday, the Illusion had reached North Carolina waters when winds began blowing about 30 knots, gusting at 50, he said. A knot is sailing shorthand for one nautical mile per hour, or about 1.15 miles per hour.

A storm coming out of the Northeast, which would become the year's first subtropical storm, stalled over the coast.

Running with sails in the increasingly powerful winds became fruitless. Leitch decided to switch to engine power about 40 miles south of Cape Hatteras.

The engine failed instantly. The crew, forced to turn away from land, headed 100 miles out to sea to avoid colliding with the coast and away from the Gulf Stream. A little lost and worried, Leitch said they ran with the wind heading south for about 16 hours. Then Monday at 4 a.m. the sailboat's steering system went out.

Waves 20 feet and higher broke over Illusion 's stern repeatedly, shadowing the captain's cockpit in the center of the sailboat.

"That's a boat-breaking wave," Leitch said.The crew waited for about eight hours in 40- to 50-foot seas after setting off the EPIRB signal; the Coast Guard arrived about 1 p.m.

Illusion crewmember Jessica Youngblood was the first to jump into the cool Atlantic waters with waves sometimes as large as a five-story building rushing around her, followed by first mate James Coates and then Leitch.

Coast Guard helicopter rescue divers braved the roiling ocean to pull the crew one by one to safety.

Leitch praised the Coast Guard; he said when he passes through North Carolina again, his rescuers will be the first people he sees.

The Illusion somehow made its way through the storm to Kure Beach by Wednesday. TowBoat U.S. out of Southport has made three attempts to pull the sailboat from its beached position a couple miles south of the N.C. Aquarium at Fort Fisher.

The first two high tides, Wednesday afternoon and late Wednesday night, proved unsuccessful with the first try capsizing the small craft. A tug was able to get the sailboat turned around Thursday afternoon, but then the tide went out, Leitch said.

He was hopeful the fourth attempt, after midnight Thursday, would be enough to free the Illusion from its stranded state.

He and the crew were ready to leave from Newport on Wednesday afternoon when they got word that the sailboat had been grounded. They canceled their flights and jumped in a car to Kure Beach.

Leitch said any boat that can take that kind of beating and still float deserves much credit.

"As long as there's no real damage to the hull, we'll bring her back to life," he said.

Brittany Butcher: 343-2075

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