Duncan Kent looks at sail and power boats under 40ft in length that are easily managed by the single-handed sailor
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of sailing single-handed, providing your boat is easy to handle and well prepared. The perception that small is better for sailing solo isn’t always correct. What’s more important is the way the boat is set up, how she performs and how sea-kindly she can be in heavy weather.
It’s easy to assume that solo sailing is a choice but there are many occasions when the situation forces it on you, such as injury or illness inflicting your only other crewmember.
It’s also common to assume a lone sailor is a hardy character who sets off to circumnavigate the world, whereas many just happen to be on their own through unplanned circumstances.
Either way, if you plan to intentionally sail alone, then it makes sense to consider what might make a suitable boat for this purpose before you buy.
Reefing when the weather takes a turn for the worse is one of the most testing moments for the solo sailor, so a well-balanced boat that can be left to helm herself for several minutes while you get up on deck to sort the sails out is important. Better still, choose a boat that has all the important sail control lines led back to the cockpit, preferably within easy reach of the helm.
Full hulls, longish keels, balanced rudders and a conservative sail plan also help take the strain off single-handed boat handling in all weathers.
20-25ft LOA
Hot on the heels of the successful Leisure 17, the hugely popular Leisure 23 first appeared in 1970. She was solidly built with bonded bulkheads and furniture for extra strength. They were made with cast-iron fin or bilge keels and power options were a 10hp inboard or the standard 8-10hp outboard.
One of the main reasons for her enduring popularity is the accommodation space below. With a healthy 1.72m/5ft 8in of headroom, the dinette saloon made the most of the available area while providing a good size double berth to boot. She also featured a separate heads option with a proper sea toilet, although that reduced the size of the forecabin noticeably. She also has a reasonable galley, making her suitable for cruising with a small family or sailing single-handed.
In common with many small bilgekeelers, her sailing performance isn’t the swiftest and she tends to get blown off to leeward in a blow, but for simple enjoyment and safe coastal pottering, she’s hard to beat for her size.
The later Leisure 23SL model had a higher freeboard and a different deck, which added a further 50mm/2in of headroom below.
The British-built Hunter Medina was first launched in 1979 and, being a small boat that is easy to sail single-handed, immediately scored highly as both club racer and pocket solo cruiser. Okay, you’re not going to shoehorn a crew
