Swift 18 Owners

any thoughts on these topics, would be handy.! When raising the main,who ties off the rope at the base of the mast on a small cleat,OR feeds the line back via small pulley fitted at base of the mast to a cleat mounted on the coach roof nr the sliding hatch,is this a mod for single sailing.? ALSO.does anybody use cam cleats for speed or convenience when hauling in the genoa.?some of the photos I have show a cleat mounted on the left, (PORT) side nr the seat/deck/cockpit corner ? and how about backstay tensioning ? a small cleat mounted on the stern inside face using a couple of blocks,?OR a small main sheet organiser complete with becket ,pulleys and cam cleats.looking at these cam cleats they seem a good idea for single handed sailing,? REGARDS MIKE

Cleat on port side you refer to is for the furling line on the roller reefingI tie off the main halyard if I am crewing we don't feed the lines back to the cockpit because we sail together so Phill may be on the helm. The lines fed back are good for single handing.We don't use a cam cleat on the Genoa, just use the winches & jamming cleats that are standard. Others may know better but I would think the forces that can go through the genoa sheets would be too much for cam cleats.Your idea of backstay tensioning should work, if you mean to anchor the tensioner to a metal plate I'd get a pair of size 8mm double blocks and have a cam cleat on one so that it prevents slippage when you tie off. This would really do the job at one end...http://www.jimmygreen.co.uk/chandlery_p ... becket.htm

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Hi Mike
I do a lot of single handing so I’ve brought my main halyard back to a Spinock jammer on the starboard side of coach roof and have the topping lift on a jamming cleat on the port side. The genoa sheets go back to the winches and are cleated in the usual way but I never needed to use the handles. I’m experimenting with lazy jacks at the moment but haven’t got this quite right yet (I’ve used bungee cord to stop the lines getting hooked over the spreaders and to help with clearance when hoisting the main but, at the moment, I‘ve got this too tight.)
As for the back stay, I think I have the conventional set up so if you look on my picture called ‘yours truly’ this should tell you all you need to know.
Regards
Terry

Mike,

I've sailed my boat more often single handed than not. I can raise & lower the mast single handed (using an A-frame) and have not made any modifications to the standard running rigging. For the Genoa once or twice around the winch (depending on wind strength) and tucked in under the standard wedge-type cleat provided on the coach roof. It's as good a system as any. I raise the main by standing in the companionway and cleat it onto the cleat on the mast. I haven't used my cruising chute yet (only realised other day it was an asymmetric) but will install a tack line from bow sprit to a cleat opposite where the genoa furler cleat is. Probably a standard cleat rather than a jam cleat as I find these gradually wear out. I may require a snuffer for comfortable single handed chute flying but I won't know until I experiment without it first.

However, the one thing you do need for comfortable single-handed sailing is a tiller pilot. I have sailed without one and it's a complete pain. I tried lashing down the tiller but the swift is so light as you move around you change its course anyway. I use a Raymarine ST1000+ and have found it is quite good as long as your sail balance and boat balance is reasonable.

I originally intended leading everything back to the cockpit with deck tidy's and clutches but have found that as the swift is so small I can do almost everything standing on the keel case in the companionway and with a tiller pilot you've all the time in the world to set things up.

My advice: invest in a tiller pilot (ST1000+ is perfectly adequate) cost ~€390.

Joe

I have been single handing for some time and have managed with and without a tiller pilot (Simrad TP10) but I have only just modified Seren by bringing some of my lines aft. So far I'm quite pleased with the new arrangement but I would only be interested in doing it with the main halyard and the topping lift. I can reef easily from the companion way. The pilot works great when under power but somtimes has trouble coping under sail especially close hauled ( I then have to resort to stearing with my foot again.)
Terry
Ps There is a god! I've just heared on the news that the police have admitted my speeding ticket is not enforcable and I'm going to get my fine back and the points removed from my licence (I know it's nothing to do with sailing but I'm that chuffed I just had to tell you all.)

I keep reading references to a Tiller Pilot, which seems an expensive piece of kit.

I sailed a Skipper 17 before I got the Swift which I'm now renovating.

I didn't have a tiller pilot but I did have a length of Bungie cord lashed across the rear cleats and wrapped around the tiller. It worked well for long enough to do the odd adjustment and only cost coppers.

I'm also wondering about a suitable outboard engine for the Swift.
It had a long shaft Suzuki DFL6 which weighed a ton (64 lbs) and as I sail in shallow water would be an embarrassment. I sold that and now have an old evinrude 4hp twin short shaft which is light enough to handle and won't drag in the mud. Only problem is that the throttle is on the top of the engine and my outboard well has a lid. What is the minimum sized engine I should be looking for? Light / Short Shaft / reliable but not too attractive to the local rogues and vagabonds. My mooring dries out twice a day.

John

I use both bungie & tiller pilot, the latter is for the swifftie that has everything else! Quick jobs like reefing and raising the keel I use the bungie but the tiller pilot is more useful for long boring bits under motor. I did manage to get the bungie to steer the boat unaided for 5 miles on one occasion last year, only taking over to change course (I've not managed this since.)

As for the outboard, In tidal places I would have thought 4hp minimum. 2 strokes are generally lighter and are easy to stow in the cabin but you have to be careful how you position a 4 stroke

John, 4HP Short shaft is the min you could get away with .Some have invested in the(new)5HP four stroke, depending on where you sail(for the extra power)But a 5hp will be a tight fit, you might have to have a cut out in the stern engine bay GRP !