Single-Handed Cruising #247455

Let us pause for a moment to consider an average day's work in the course of a single-handed cruise round the coast. The yachtsman, awakened probably by the strong sunlight streaming through the cabin doors, turns out at, say, seven o'clock. He climbs on deck and takes down the riding light before going over board for a swim. After a brisk towelling he puts on the kettle to boil whilst he dresses. Then he makes himself a cup of tea and fills a pipe, and it may be remarked incidentally that no pipe tastes so sweet as that after a bathe in the early morning. The real business of the day commences with deck-scrubbing, to be followed by a little brass-cleaning. If he happento be jealous of the appearance of his craft he will also wipe over all bright teak fittings and the topsides with a chamois leather damped with fresh water. Before preparing breakfast the bedding and blankets will be put outside to air, the bedding on the cabin-top and the blankets hung over the boom. Then breakfast has to be prepared and eaten, and after the meal the things must be washed up and put away and the cabin swept out and tidied. Even then the preliminary work of the day is not quite completed, as there still remain the cabin lamp and riding light to clean and fill in readiness for the following night, for no methodical owner would leave them dirty. By the time he is ready to get under way the hands of the clock will probably point to half-past nine, or even ten, but if the weather be fine he may be able to take it easy for a few hours when clear of the anchorage. Should the wind be ahead he will have to stick at the helm, but when the yacht is reaching the tiller can often be lashed. It depends a good deal on the type of boat, however, whether she can be trusted to sail herself. If she has a fairly long straight keel a yacht will sail steadily on a reach for quite long periods. My old 7 -tonner Seabird was a craft of that type, and under such conditions she would sail herself for hours on end with scarcely any supervision. Given a boat of this type, fine summer weather, and a nice reaching breeze, and you have single-handed sailing in excelsz's. You may even lounge in a deck-chair with pipe and book, just casting a glance around every now and then to see that your course is clear.