How can I one hand sailing a LM 32?

[bojenjoe]

Dear LM owners,

I wish you a very healthy and good sailing year 2019.

My name is Josef from Germany, Bavaria.

I bought my LM 32 last year in England.

Now we stay in Ueckermuende, Baltic Sea.

And now I ask me, how can I sail my LM 32

one hand?

How can I change my position from the wheel house

to the tiller on the back side of the boat and back to the

wheel house, with out loosing the control of my LM 32?

The LM 32 has an automatic tiller steering controlled

only from the wheel house.

All posibilities I thought, I find no possibility with out

break in the control line of my LM 32.

Thank you very much,

for your ideas.

Josef from Bavaria

[Brian & Glenda]

I find that in stable sea conditions, and when the sails are well balanced for a given wind and course, our boat sails quite well without continuous steering, so you should have time to pop back and forth between the two steering stations if that's all you're doing. If you're trimming sails while out in the cockpit you'll definitely have your hands full trying to keep the boat on course while trimming. You may have to set an incremental course on your autohelm, then trim to suit, and repeat the process until you get on the new course.

You don't say what make and model 'automatic tiller steering' is on your LM32; so it is difficult to give any detailed advice; but our LM32 came with a Raymarine ST6001 Smartpilot and this device can be operated using a Raymarine S100 wireless remote control. On long runs in fine weather, we occasionally steer from the cockpit using the remote control to make any course corrections. You can also turn the Smartpilot on and off from the remote, and when the Smartpilot is off use the tiller to make any quick course changes needed.

We have on occasion, also been known to steer from the foredeck using the remote. However, as you can't see the engine gauges, or run the engine controls from the foredeck; you don't want to do that for a prolonged period.

Although it is not new; I suspect that our Smartpilot is too new to have been factory installed, so it is unlikely that you have this same model autopilot.

Although I've never used this capability, the ST6001 is capable of taking the boat through a tack, while you're out trimming the sails. It can also, if you have interconnected wind instruments, keep the boat on a specified angle to a shifting apparent wind, or follow a prescribed route making all of the necessary course changes at the waypoints as they are reached. It has many other features also.

Hope that helps,
Brian.

[alisdairjohnston]

Good evening Josef,

I assume you can disconnect your steering system using a valve( on my LM32) under the aft deck? I have found that, when the boat is well balanced under sail, there is time to move to the tiller. I can use the tiller to steer, even though the hydraulic system is engaged, until I have flipped the valve to go to manual steering.

The bigger question for me is berthing the boat single-handed. Easier with a pontoon, maybe more difficult in a "box" in the Ostsee!

[bojenjoe]

Sorry for my late answer,
I was ill the last three weeks.
Brian and Glenda thanks for your kind advise.
You have always a good hint for me, thank you
very much.

Alisdairjohnston,
thank you for your advise.
For easy bearthing in an Ostsee box,I find a video
from Guido Dwersteg "Einhand-Manoever" it`s very useful.

Kind regards
Josef

[pengwyn]

Single handed...

...in my opinion requires at least one autopilot, which can even consist of a device to fix the tiller and which allows to be engagend and disengaged fast and easy. A well trimmed boat under moderate conditions and a stable course will keep its course for a while, even if the tiller is just fixed and no autopilot is active. An autopilot extends the time, a boat might travel without direct control (but constant supervision). This has to be practiced in advance, so you know, how long the boat is stable under such conditions. Experience concerning the behaviour of the boat under various conditions, will gain faith to leave the cockpit if necessary and is helpful and required for all maneuvering (incl. berthing, which might also benefit from one or more boathooks, a number of fenders and a sufficient amount of rope - all prepared ready for use). Another important point ist safety, which will also contribute to a relaxed way of sailing. Sailing single handed and leaving the cockpit, I use a life belt and a number of fixing points. Knowing, that you can not be separated from the boat, helps to relax and get the work done quick and focussed, but without contraproductive hurry.

happy sailing 2019 on the baltic


Pen Gwyn

P.S. furling genoa and mainsail, operated from the cockpit also might assist the single handed skipper.
some people think, an electric anchor windlass also is indispensable for the same reasons.

[chrismunson]

With a push pull cable connecting the tiller to the wheel, one technique that helps especially in heavier wind is to leave the wheel engaged while steering with the tiller. When you let go of the tiller there is very little movement due to cable resistance. This makes it a lot easier to steer if the helm is not perfectly balanced. The boat will sail itself under a close-hauled or reach condition with a balanced sail plan. A traveler fitted to cabin top aft edge is a huge help in correct trim. An article about this is posted on this site. Fair Winds!

[petedg]

Hello Josef
I can’t really add anything to what’s already been said but thanks for the heads up on Guido Dwersteg and his berthing video, some useful tips! We have an LM30 and are also based in Ueckermunde. I hope you enjoy sailing in the Haff and surrounding area, just watch out for the fisherman’s nets!

[bojenjoe]

Hello petedg,

das ist ja ein toller Zufall.
Vielleicht koennen wir uns ja mal austauschen.

Gruss Josef von der TALARIA