Solo sailing demands a different kind of seamanship. Everything that a crew divides among itself — watch-keeping, sail handling, navigation, cooking, repairs, and rest — falls to one person. These guides cover how experienced singlehanders manage that load: the techniques, the safety systems, the preparation, and the sailors whose voyages established what is possible.
Singlehanded Sailing Techniques
Reefing alone, heaving-to, anchoring without crew, docking on a spring line, and why cockpit-controlled furling systems change everything for the solo sailor.
- The pre-rigged reef sequence
- Heaving-to: the singlehander's best friend
- Spring line docking without crew
Solo Sailing Safety: Staying on the Boat
Jacklines, tether discipline, sleep management in shipping lanes, PLB placement, AIS transponders, and the overboard reality every singlehander must accept before leaving the dock.
- Short tether (1m) vs. 2m offshore
- PLB on your person — not in the grab bag
- AIS guard zones + 20-min alarm
Famous Soloists: The Sailors Who Defined Solo Sailing
From Joshua Slocum's founding voyage aboard Spray to Bernard Moitessier's philosophical detour, Robin Knox-Johnston's pure seamanship, and the Vendée Globe generation.
- Slocum 1895–98: the founding voyage
- Moitessier: why he kept sailing
- The Vendée Globe's defining races
Singlehanded Passage Preparation
Sizing your autopilot correctly, one-handed provisioning, solo weather windows, the float plan, scheduled check-ins, and the mental preparation no passage guide talks about.
- Add 20 kts to your comfort threshold
- The float plan — exactly what goes in it
- Autopilot sizing for offshore
Choosing a Singlehanded Boat
The right boat makes solo sailing manageable. Cockpit-led lines, roller furling, a well-positioned companionway, and a reliable autopilot drive system are not luxuries for the singlehander — they are the difference between a functional setup and a dangerous one. Our guide to singlehanded boat selection covers what to look for, which designs have proven themselves offshore, and how to evaluate a production boat for solo work.
About These Guides
These are editorial resources intended for sailors who are past the daydreaming stage and need information they can act on. Regulations, equipment specifications, and racing records change. Always verify safety equipment requirements with the relevant race authority or coastguard for your passage area.