Motor or No Motor for Long-Term Cruising?

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by boatyard Pirate

We are looking into a sculling oar and will have a mount installed incase we decide to transit any canals.

How heavy is the boat? has anyone considered an electric motor for those "marina" situations? Charged by solar.

Last june we were heading back into the marina travelling down the typical 50 or so foot wide finger channel. The wind was straight down the channel. We were going slow but were overtaking this small boat tacking back and forth across the channel. We stayed behind him trying to figure out how to pass.

Finally we eased ahead and as we passed him he had to short tack to let us by. He gave me this really crappy look as I was under power and he had "rights." Aside from us there was traffic coming out.

I respect the purity of no engine but in a crowded marina? Look you don't take a moped on the freeway do you?

[Delezynski]

Alan,

Electric might be something to think about? Take a look at: RE-E-POWER Electric Propulsion for Marine Applications This system will also generate power when sailing.

There is a guy over on the "SailFar" board that has installed one. You can read some of his info at: Eric's electric propulsion & other electric motor discussion

I know of a guy who was converting his Nor'Sea to electric power, but we departed before he got it up and running and that was before any ready-made stuff could be had.

As long as you don't plan to do the Baja Bash, you would be OK with it.

Just an idea

Greg

[Triton318]

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

There are going to be places where you have to navigage tight passes into lagoons or narrow channels into harbors. Sometimes with no wind, sometimes with the wind and current against you. Without a motor, you are going to have to forego these places, or work really hard and place your boat at risk.

Why can't you just wait until the wind and tide are right for entering these lagoons and harbors? You don't have to forego those places--just have patience at times.

[David M]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Not sure if that was aimed at me? But if so, did I build that boat??? ROTFLMAO . Afraid that would be somewhat outside my skill set. Slightly behind by capability to perform Brain Surgery

It wasn't this David either.

[Minggat]

Was there life before novacaine, cell phones, the internet and motors?

Just a few things I'm thankful for. Other than the novacaine, I can see how the others may contribute to the complexity of life, but also help us along the way.

I read somewhere that running aground is not a matter of "if" but "when". Would a motor not be a plus in that situation? But the motor may be what put you in the wrong spot to begin with. Are boats without motors less likely to run aground? And if so, can we assume it's because the skippers are more cautious?

[David M]

I see having an engine as an option to get yourself out of a bad situation. You may never need it, but what if one day you absolutely need it? Nobody says you have to use an engine if you have one, until you really need it, and then you will be glad you had it.

This is similar to the liferaft debate we had some time ago.

[Minggat]

I am no minimalist. That's for sure. I have my aux engine to get me in trouble in the first place, then I carry 2 dinks. Each have a motor, (one is my sailing dink that sometimes is my shore boat, so it get a small outboard) but one is my "go fast" inflatable that I labored over choosing. One of the points of logic I used was, it's my tug. Very nice to have.

But really, I'm a sailor. Please believe me, even if I don't believe myself.

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by Minggat

Are boats without motors less likely to run aground? And if so, can we assume it's because the skippers are more cautious?

Sails and motors don't run boats aground. Sailors do - or will - eventually...

[Eleven]

GO ELECTRIC. There are some new ones that'll do a couple of hours on half throttle, light enough to do your dinghy too (do you have one? and clean and mains rechargeable if not solar. This will also make your dinghy a survival boat should it become necesary.
OR use a starter motor and car battery in your dinghy which will charge off the solar, and tow you boat into tighter corners. It's a lot easier picking up a bouy from a dinghy than over the bow.
Good Luck, (economy cruising needs a bit of luck now and then).

[imagine2frolic]

Just because you have a motor doesn't mean you have to use it. A time will probably come you wish you had one. Unless your caliber of sailing is along Street, and the Pardeys.......BEST WISHES in your choice.

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Talbot

Pete Goss used a sculling oar in a singlehanded transatlantic. IIRC, he and the boat ahead were becalmed, and Goss sculled over twenty miles until the wind picked up again, and overtook the other boat.

Not being a jerk about it, but I've heard a hell of a lot worse stories than that with people being stuck in some port waiting for an engine part to show up.

Having no engine is viable, and has some pros and cons. Engines are the same deal; you just have to pick what matters to you more. I'd really chalk it up to convenience vs. independence.

And in regards to needing to be towed around, I see plenty of boats with crapped out motors being towed around as well. Having an engine doesn't necassarily mean it's going to work for whatever given example we might entertain in our heads that the engine would be helpful.

Some poor guy in LA (I think? yellow-ish boat?) a few months back didn't have his mainsail up or ready to go, his engine crapped out, and 30 seconds later he was on the rocks.

[boatyard Pirate]

Thanks for all of the interesting insights. My favorite is the one who asked me not to sail in his harbor without my engine. Before selling my last boat I averaged well over 150 days per year on the water. I’d guess over half of those trips we sailed in and out of our slip. I don’t mention this suggesting that I am a brilliant sailor, I mention it because where I come from we all do that. Last Monday I got to work and there was a bit of a stir going on. One of our charter boats had thrown a transmission and was stuck on San Juan Island. We offered to have them towed into the main channel and enjoy the sail back but they did not feel comfortable doing that. Less than ten minutes after our conversation I jumped a Cessna for the 20 minute flight to Friday Harbor. It took six hours to deliver the boat back and had a beautiful day on the water. This was a well maintained boat less than ten years old. Any boat any place can loose power. If you don’t feel safe in your boat engineless than I would hope you would put it upon yourself to spend more time on the water practicing. I heard mentioned that I may miss out on many good cruising areas due to the possible lack of an engine. What would happen if I was on a well found boat off the beaten path and lost my engine while anchored off some atoll. I could sit and wait and hope some boat would show up to rescue me while I eat and drink al my stores and possibly eventually starve and die or I could sail out and continue my cruise. Right now I have 4 boats in our small yard all stuck with major engine issues. It’s not that I don’t like technology or luxury. It’s just that I love being independent an in complete control of my boat. We completely de rigged our boat to the point that we can fix anything from anyplace. What sucks more, being stuck half a mile off the breakwater with no engine or being at work paying for one. Fair winds and thank you all for your help and input.
Alan
S/v Roo

[imagine2frolic]

Obviously you have the skills to go without a motor, and that's great. If I was sailing in, and out of the dock all the time. I would still want some motorized hp available for the JUST IN CASE situation......BEST WISHES, it sounds like you have everything under control!

[Talbot]

I can only imagine that you have more space in your marinas that in UK.



When yoou add some significant tide and wind into this mix, no engine means a high degree of anxiety by your fellow boaters, and a significant restriction on the times that you can use your boat.

Your example of sailing aaway from an atoll is no more than a distracting froth - of course you can sail away from them based on getting wind and current right, and not having to worry too much about other vessels.

You add these problems with the significantly greater turning circle of a multihull, and the tendency to do what the wind wants rather than your own well laid plan means that I for one would not plan to sail in or out of a marina - but so what.

If you must due to circumstances do this, then it is very easy to get some assistance from the berthing master, to leave the marina, and also possible to berth on an outside hammerhead berth temporarily again until some assistance can be provided.

You may be the best helm in the world, and I consider myself to be pretty fair as well, but even the very best have off days, and when I balance my own pride against the possibility of damage to somebody else's pride and joy, it is no contest.

[imagine2frolic]

My slip was at the far end in the middle of the slip. I have had to numerous times have to sail into the slip. That was a my 30ft mono though. Sometimes the ole iron spinnaker just won't fire

The third dock away from mine. There was a 38ft + or - cat that I witnessed sailing into his slip