Solo Sailing on a 90-Year-Old Gaff Rigged Boat: Hoisting and Lowering Sails

Really enjoyed watching this. You are a true sailor and handle your boat with such ease.

I always loved being in command of a ship and having a well organised and safe way to “manage ship”, with practice it’s possible to do well but I am getting rusty now in mid life and an electric winch for the tougher jobs is really appealing! Looking forward to learning something new from you in future lessons. Fair sailing, SkipRay, Kenmare Bay, SW Ireland.

Well done. I love traditional gaff rigged vessels and you are obviously very competent in this vessels operations. A lot of physical activity to keep you fit! It helps that traditional, heavy displacement, long keel boats steer themselves when under sail to some degree. This would be very difficult to do in a large modern, fin keeled, Cutter Ketch without the engine and auto pilot holding a course just a few degrees off the wind, because the vessel would round up or fall off instantly, depending which sail was hoisted first. I'm not taking anything away from your ability and skill - you do it well, under control and safely. Also, ignore the comment below regarding being "illegal & irresponsible". This is the internet and it attracts a lot of people making negative comments. I am a professional sailor, yachtmaster instructor and ex Maritime Officer - you performed the task safely and under control. You were constantly scanning the waterway 360 degrees keeping proper lookout and the sailing vessel that overtook you was the 'give way' vessel. Many sailors and powerboaters do not understand completely the ColRegs regarding 'right of way' - there is a hierarchy and blanket rules do not always apply! For example, Power gives way to Sail is the case in many scenarios but not when Overtaking, not in a designated shipping lane, not when a vessel is constrained by draught or restricted in maneuverability (usually large ships), not when commercial fishing boats are engaged in fishing, etc. Interestingly, a sailing vessel must give way to a power vessel it is overtaking. A lot of sailors don't know that. Anyway, I loved your video and I will keep an eye out for more videos from your channel.

Great stuff! I'm always on the outlook for single-handed sailing stories, tips, tricks... Thanks, looking forward for more!

well done. takes me back .I have always sailed single handed. Keeps the brain in full power.

Awesome excercise! Great boat as well.

Fine to see such responsible and careful sailing - you have the stuff very well in hand. I have had several different size boats and as always a good skipper takes the wind, other boats, waterway etc in consideration just as you do.

Keeping very fit, lovely workout.

Nice to see, so much routine

wow CLASSIC!

Lol only try this only at home not on your boat. Anyway great job. Greatly organised.

Great Job! It is a pleasure watching you handle your boat. By the way - don't listen to the nay-sayers commenting negatively on your video, they obviously couldn't do what you can do.

I don't have sails on my home, so no worries.

Good job…good learning,video…thanks

I single-handed my Alpa 42 in the Gulf. The hardest part was manually reefing the mainsail when the wind picked up. There must be a way to do it single-handedly and safely during a storm. I still need to figure out how to do it.

Nice work mate. What timbers is the boat made of I reckon I saw a little Huon Pine in the cabin. I notice you flying the Norwegian flag but is it a Norwegian built boat? There was a lot of Gaff rigged boats down here in Victoria and Tassie (Australia) so without seeing a side profile cannot see the style of boat. Thanks for sharing great videa. Subscribed!

As an example of surviving alone: ​​super like! On such a heavy boat, you need full mechanization, or a dedicated orangutan sailor with quick reflexes, maximum obedience and knowledge of good seamanship. Mechanization is cheaper - bro!) Or a well-coordinated crew, or an orangutan sailor)

It's surprising how much a drone makes a difference in these video's, people want to be able to see the boat your talking about just setting up cameras on deck does not show the boat as it is under sale.

Hoist main in to the wind?

It was painful to watch you work so hard, single handed.