Sailboat without engine?

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by Benz

I cruise with a relatively small outboard. It would be possible to cruise without, but very inconvenient, and there would be places I wouldn't dare go. There would be inlets I'd never have made it out of under sail or sculling (you can't hog a channel by kedging yourself along it--technically it's anchoring), that with fifteen minutes of motoring I was through and able to hoist sails.

Yes, it limited my choice while anchoring too. I generally had to choose anchorages with enough leeway to maneuver out under sail, and to be pretty far from land to avoid having boats anchored behind me that would make that difficult.

[thomm225]

The point is that sailing engineless can be done but you need experience and patience

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by thomm225

The point is that sailing engineless can be done but you need experience and patience

Definitely. It's a skill worth learning - rather learn how to do it before you need to - but you should already have mastered the basics.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Captn_Black

Definitely. It's a skill worth learning - rather learn how to do it before you need to - but you should already have mastered the basics.

Which goes back to the reason why it's good to learn sailing on a small, engineless boat.

In my case, it was racing beach cats for 15 years which do not have engines.

The annual 100 mile race was interesting depending on the wind as were the 30 mile races if the wind was really light.

[sanibel sailor]

I keep my boat on a canal. I can either sail in or out of my slip but not both. If engineless, I would be forced to a mooring or marina which costs twice as much and is an area of strong currents, limiting things further.

Having had a periodically unreliable engine is great practice. Always keeps you thinking what your next step is if the motor craps out. My two worst moments have been when I allowed myself to get into a position where I was reliant on the engine and it stopped. Fuel starvation both times, two different boats, different causes.

It’s a paradox- engineless makes you a much better sailor, but you better be a good sailor before you go that route. I am not there yet.

[pressuredrop]

7 years and 15000 miles on a 30' allied seawind here, with no inboard diesel.
I built a motor well into the stern counter and had a 6h.p. tohatsu, woefully underpowered for a 15000lb laden boat. The engine couldnt tilt up in the well so it mostly lived on the stern rail. I dont think i burned 20 gals of gas in 7 years. It was great for shifting anchor in harbors and getting under bridges (but the mainsail was always up anyways. It got me across the gulfstream from the bahamas once when the wind died so i didnt end up in georgia and across the stream motor sailing to outrun a big front in early december off hatteras heading south offshore. It stilk caught up with me but i got 30 to 40kts instead of 50+ if i hadnt used the motor.
Sailing on and off the anchor is no problem but like mentioned i could always anchoring under sail in a much tighter spot than i could sail out of
Engineless will get you respect and free beer and introduce you to the right people...
When i sailed into bequia a few years ago we tacked up to the head of the harbor, doused the jib, and ran down under main and anchored in a tight sweet spot off the beach halfway down... a local guy came screeming over in a dinghy and i was thinking, ohh great what does this boat boy want... well he was a local well know charter captian, captian baker, and he just came to say " i saw what you did there and it was ****ing awesome, heres some weed (a fistful) let me know if you need anything else while your here."
Hone your skills and have fun. It makes the cruising experience infinetly more rewarding....

[rbyham]

Haven't read every post of this thread so forgive if already mentioned. But I read in a recent insurance discussion on SA that if you are engineless do not call Towboat US for a tow. Even if you have a policy, it will not be honored if you are engineless even for just a race. Of course it goes without saying that the "purist" who sails without engine will also reject a towing policy. Right?

[Captn_Black]

Originally Posted by rbyham

Haven't read every post of this thread so forgive if already mentioned. But I read in a recent insurance discussion on SA that if you are engineless do not call Towboat US for a tow. Even if you have a policy, it will not be honored if you are engineless even for just a race. Of course it goes without saying that the "purist" who sails without engine will also reject a towing policy. Right?

I was engineless for the same reasons I can't afford a towing policy
Though on a junk rig there would have to be a pretty serious failure for me to not be able to get myself out of it - most likely steering failure, and I already have a back-up for that - emergency tiller - and am planning an auxiliary rudder windvane pilot.

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by rbyham

Haven't read every post of this thread so forgive if already mentioned. But I read in a recent insurance discussion on SA that if you are engineless do not call Towboat US for a tow. Even if you have a policy, it will not be honored if you are engineless even for just a race. Of course it goes without saying that the "purist" who sails without engine will also reject a towing policy. Right?

This makes no sense. IMO it would not be much different if your motor stopped working or a rigging malfunction and you needed a tow. Engine-less racing sailboats usually have their own tow boat to get them at least out of the marina.

Seen many boats getting towed in when the owners/crew determined the weather was too much and they were not making headway (boat was not "disabled")

If you get too many tows in a short period, they may cancel your tow policy.

Please provide a reference from Boat US indicating they do not honor a tow if you don't have a motor.

[S/V Adeline]

Originally Posted by Bill O

If you get too many tows in a short period, they may cancel your tow policy.

We ran up some $10k in towing in a two week period on the intercoastal, fuel then transmission problems, not only did they not cancel us, they keep begging us to renew...ymmv, but as soon as she splashes we are renewing

[Bill O]

Originally Posted by S/V Adeline

We ran up some $10k in towing in a two week period on the intercoastal, fuel then transmission problems, not only did they not cancel us, they keep begging us to renew...ymmv, but as soon as she splashes we are renewing

Did know a fellow who did get canceled from too many tows. He had a lot of bad luck, so maybe there was more to the story why his policy was canceled than what I was told.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by S/V Adeline

We ran up some $10k in towing in a two week period on the intercoastal, fuel then transmission problems, not only did they not cancel us, they keep begging us to renew...ymmv, but as soon as she splashes we are renewing

Sailing engineless isn't for everyone.

Some folks don't need an engine on the ICW or anywhere else while others do

[S/V Adeline]

Originally Posted by thomm225

Sailing engineless isn't for everyone.

Some folks don't need an engine on the ICW or anywhere else while others do

I'm sure an old salt like yourself can sail dead into the wind.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by S/V Adeline

I'm sure an old salt like yourself can sail dead into the wind.

Thats when not having a schedule comes in handy..
Gotta schedule.. Getta engine..

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Thats when not having a schedule comes in handy..
Gotta schedule.. Getta engine..

gotta schedule get a power boat .

Sailboats are no fun with a schedule to keep to .