Broom broom or chug chug chug

[deepsix]

Spent up to a week at a time on our Folkboat, I suppose it all depends on how much luxury you want. But, a good anchor and enough supplies to keep you going helps. Keeping things simple does have it's benefits... less to go wrong and interrupt your summer cruise.

 

[ProDave]

Okay I'm a raggie, so bear with me.

You are used to sailing but now seem to want a motor boat but seem happy with displacement speeds.

So why not look at motor sailors? A good solid motorboat, with the ability to switch the engine off and enjoy quiet engine free cruising when the wind is right and you are not in a hurry.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

So why not look at motor sailors? A good solid motorboat, with the ability to switch the engine off and enjoy quiet engine free cruising when the wind is right and you are not in a hurry.

Very fair question and one I've asked myself a few times. In my case the answer is that making provision for a mast and sails requires too much of a compromise to justify the few times I might actually be sailing. By compromise I mean things like reduction in saloon space to accommodate the mast and boom, loss of flybridge for similar reasons, a hull that has to be designed for sailing as well as motoring which may result in a reduction of below decks accommodation and decks which are cluttered with sailing equipment. Having said that, I could well understand if somebody else took the opposite view and decided it was a compromise worth making. It seems also that motorsailors suffer from an image problem in that sailors think they're not proper sailing boats and moboers think they're not proper mobos.

But all the same maybe their time will come in the future when undoubtedly rising fuel costs and stricter emissions regulations make motorboating even more expensive than it is now

 

[Piers]

So why not look at motor sailors? A good solid motorboat, with the ability to switch the engine off and enjoy quiet engine free cruising when the wind is right and you are not in a hurry.

Even Nordhavn introduced a motor sailor to their etablished line of trawlers - http://www.nordhavn.com/models/56/

 

[rotrax]

And for a smaller offering to the superb Nordhavn look at the Island Packet SP Cruiser.

I am biased-changed to one in June from an aft cockpit Island Packet.....................................

 

[Romeo]

So why not look at motor sailors? A good solid motorboat, with the ability to switch the engine off and enjoy quiet engine free cruising when the wind is right and you are not in a hurry.

Not an unreasonable suggestion, and one I have considered. Different people will have a different take on it, but for me the answer is no, principally because motor sailers are neither one thing not the other. Rather than having a boat that is half a compromised motor boat, and half a very compromised sailing boat my approach is going to be to keep my four other boats, two of which are rowing boats, and two of which are sailing boats. Different tools (er, toys) for different jobs. The more "utility" rowing boat might come with us as a tender, which would be a reason to go fully displacement rather than semi-displacement.

 

[oceanfroggie]

Very fair question and one I've asked myself a few times. In my case the answer is that making provision for a mast and sails requires too much of a compromise to justify the few times I might actually be sailing. By compromise I mean things like reduction in saloon space to accommodate the mast and boom, loss of flybridge for similar reasons, a hull that has to be designed for sailing as well as motoring which may result in a reduction of below decks accommodation and decks which are cluttered with sailing equipment. Having said that, I could well understand if somebody else took the opposite view and decided it was a compromise worth making. It seems also that motorsailors suffer from an image problem in that sailors think they're not proper sailing boats and moboers think they're not proper mobos.

But all the same maybe their time will come in the future when undoubtedly rising fuel costs and stricter emissions regulations make motorboating even more expensive than it is now

Yes an interesting option I too have wondered about. Wheel house motor sailers like the Fisher 37 gives a lot of mobo like internal space for a 37 footer. I sailed on one many years ago. Very pleasing vessel with a very spacious wheel house.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Even Nordhavn introduced a motor sailor to their etablished line of trawlers - http://www.nordhavn.com/models/56/

Yup they did and it hasn't sold very well for, I hear, the reasons that I gave above. It hasn't got the accommodation and deck space that the N55/60 model has and its a compromise too far many owners to save a few hundred litres of fuel a year when a favourable wind allows a few hours of sailing

 

[Piers]

Yup they did and it hasn't sold very well for, I hear, the reasons that I gave above. It hasn't got the accommodation and deck space that the N55/60 model has and its a compromise too far many owners to save a few hundred litres of fuel a year when a favourable wind allows a few hours of sailing

Agreed. I could be wrong, but I think Nordhavn tried a potential market and found in reality it wasn't really there.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Agreed. I could be wrong, but I think Nordhavn tried a potential market and found in reality it wasn't really there.

Also I think it was a bit of a nod to their sailing boat past but commercially probably not the best decision they ever made

 

[MapisM]

I fully agree that the N56 MS is far from being the finest product of all those clever guys in Dana Point.
But I have a general (and very simple!) theory about why motorsailers are pointless:
Any sailboat can be used under power - and indeed often they are.
What's the point of a poor sailboat which, under power, performs pretty much as a proper sailboat does - if not worse? :ambivalence:

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I fully agree that the N56 MS is far from being the finest product of all those clever guys in Dana Point.
But I have a general (and very simple!) theory about why motorsailers are pointless:
Any sailboat can be used under power - and indeed often they are.
What's the point of a poor sailboat which, under power, performs pretty much as a proper sailboat does - if not worse? :ambivalence:

Yeah but how many 56ft sailboats have 3000 litres of fuel onboard and 165hp to burn it with

 

[gordmac]

I fully agree that the N56 MS is far from being the finest product of all those clever guys in Dana Point.
But I have a general (and very simple!) theory about why motorsailers are pointless:
Any sailboat can be used under power - and indeed often they are.
What's the point of a poor sailboat which, under power, performs pretty much as a proper sailboat does - if not worse? :ambivalence:

Are you not outside all the time in a proper sailing boat, often cold wet and miserable?