Short-Handed Sailing

While relatively few cruise single-handed, many sail short-handed. It may be a couple sailing together or a skipper with a novice crew - he may have lots of people onboard but, in terms of the sailing, he is probably short-handed. They soon discover that there is so much more to short-handed sailing than a lack of crew. It demands a different approach, a new mindset. The skipper has a much greater workload but there are also fewer people, sometimes no-one at all, to consult during the decision-making process. Under these circumstances fatigue can be as dangerous as heavy weather: it creeps up on you, often unnoticed, destroying your morale and ability to make rational decisions. And when short-handed, the crew's limited physical resources must be watched over and zealously guarded. In this heavily illustrated book Alastair Buchan passes on the lessons of his hard-won experience gained short- and single-handed sailing in coastal, offshore and ocean waters. It will show you everything you need to know about handling a boat alone or short-handed, from choosing a suitable craft to passage planning, manoeuvring, sleep management and watch keeping.

Alastair Buchan began sailing on the Clyde in the 1950s. In a Hurley 20 (20ft!) he has sailed single-handed round Britain and crossed the Atlantic twice. In a Dockrell 27 (27ft) he made a single-handed Atlantic circuit, from Britain to the USA via Venezuela and Cuba - and back home.