Is a Motor Sailor for me?

[Caer Urfa]

From anyone that has more experience of these types of vessel could you offer me any advice or even suggest some examples I should look at?
Many thanks
Tim
(Bristol)

Hi Tim

Have a read here, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cwowners/files/History/
Part 1 one I wrote is mainly about the history of Colvic Craft Ltd and G L Watson & Co Ltd, in part 2 is more about each of the Colvic Watson designs.

Also see:
http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/ADvBTl... sale/Buying a Colvic Watson Motor Sailer.pdf


For what you want to do the minimum size I would recommend is a Colvic Watson 28'-6", finding one is not a problem, finding a good one is the clever bit!

If I can help further send PM.

Mike

 

[Tim Good]

Hi Tim

Have a read here, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cwowners/files/History/
Part 1 one I wrote is mainly about the history of Colvic Craft Ltd and G L Watson & Co Ltd, in part 2 is more about each of the Colvic Watson designs.

For what you want to do the minimum size I would recommend is a Colvic Watson 28'-6", finding one is not a problem, finding a good one is the clever bit!

If I can help further send PM.

Mike

Thanks, Just waiting for my login to be approved.

You say finding a good one is the clever bit. Have you got a 'top 10' of the things to look out for most?

 

[Caer Urfa]

Thanks, Just waiting for my login to be approved.

You say finding a good one is the clever bit. Have you got a 'top 10' of the things to look out for most?

Hi Tim

Send me a PM with your e-mail address and a rough idea of your budget and I can send you some information.

Mike

 

[Seajet]

I'd think a deck saloon yacht might be a good idea too, not just for sailing performance, but economy & range which sound useful things for the sort of voyaging intended; and as previously mentioned, decent sailing ability is itself a primary safety feature...

 

[Sandyman]

Advantages of motorsailer over sailing yacht:

1. Wheelhouse for those cold, wet days
2. Big prop, big torque for easy low revs manoeuvrability
3. 5/6 knots all day long at 1200 revs
4. Safer for young children

Disadvantages (strictly my views only based on my experience):

1. You rely on your engine to get you off a lee shore. That goes, then...
2. Sailing performance is dismal even with the wind abaft the beam
3. Round hull form makes boat roll like a pig
4. Realistically you can't shut the engine off and hope to make much way
5. You can't enter family races
6. You rely on fuel stops
7. Getting from A to B can be boring as there's nothing much to play with in string terms
.

Glad you pointed out, and I hope the OP noticed, your comments are based on your experience. Not mine, far from it. In fact I would disagree with every one of the 7 points you mention as a disadvantage. But then of course, that's based on my experience & my boat.

 

[Halo]

I suiggest you make sure you like being indoors in a rolling sea before you buy. I prefer to be outside with a good sight of the horizon even if it is Bl**dy cold
good luck
Martin

 

[Tribute]

there's no such thing as a yacht that's:
1. fast
2. roomy
3. solidly built
4. close winded
5. big engine
6. all weather helming.

You say that but its not quite true, it all depends on the thickness of your wallet! A Moody 54 for instance is all 6 of them, fast, we overtake most vessels in any weather under sail, super fast racing yachts we tend to overtake at a slightly slower pace but we still get past them. Roomy yes tons of room! Solid, yes very. Close winded, yes very surprisingly. 100hp Yanmar, 10 knots that pushes us to without revving her to high. And everything can pretty much be done from the cockpit and with the canopy up its very comfortable and warm with the heating on I think you can pick one up for about £400,000 in reasonably good condition... I think perhaps not suitable for the OP though.. Good luck to you hope you get something nice

 

[All_at_Sea]

A vote for the Moody 42 ketch

Well l would as l own one. These boats are amazing, they sail superbly and have the advantage of the wheel shelter, but for half of the cockpit so you sun yourselves and stay out of the spray and rain when you want to. As for space, 6 dedicated berths and two more in the saloon.

Most come with all the gizmos you could possibly want and not too expensive - about 65k, unfortunately ours is not for sale but you are welcome to come for a sail sometime.

 

[Tribute]

Well l would as l own one. These boats are amazing, they sail superbly and have the advantage of the wheel shelter, but for half of the cockpit so you sun yourselves and stay out of the spray and rain when you want to. As for space, 6 dedicated berths and two more in the saloon.

Most come with all the gizmos you could possibly want and not too expensive - about 65k, unfortunately ours is not for sale but you are welcome to come for a sail sometime.

Moody's in general are fabulous yachts. Here's something that I think is a good option. http://www.findaboat.co.uk/boats-fo...units=Feet&access=Public&listing_id=1821&url=

 

[contessaman]

I've grown up racing higher performance mono hulls and done a little cruising. I also sail with my dad on his lifting keel Beneteau 21.7.

I'm now 30 and looking to get my own boat but my aspirations are to sail up to Norway, Greenland. Although I have no experience with motorsailors, the ones I have seen online appear to be very sturdy and roomy. I'm after something comfortable and easy to handle for a small crew in big sea.

From anyone that has more experience of these types of vessel could you offer me any advice or even suggest some examples I should look at?

Many thanks

Tim

(Bristol)

im the same age as you. just had our first baby. grew up racing lots so I bought a stripped out IOR racer. Didnt use it much as too much of a handful for me and wifey. We've just bought a benny evasion 32 and its great. Its a lot more sailing orientated than other motorsailers. Piece of cake to handle. Put it through some paces this weekend. to my utter surprise it woudl sail to windward under genoa alone and tack no problem. Under full sail will sail as well to windward as most cruising yachts. they are cheap too!

 

[Pleiades]

Best motor sailer?

Much as I like Fishers and Colvics, if looking for a good sailing motor sailer the LM 27 has much to admire. Long keel and enclosed wheelhouse, professionally well built, good sailing performance and great stability. It became the Scanyacht 290 in later years - they seem to hold their value well but there is a fresh looking one for sale out of the water at Lymington Yacht Haven (Ancasta Brokerage) for £39,950 which seems like good value to me. A boat which would cope with extended North Sea passages when you would not want to be running the engine for ever.

Robin
Pleiades of Birdham
MXWQ5

 

[Colvic Watson]

LM27 is a great boat and loved by it's owners; the lack of aft cabin put us off the range but they must be good as I think the average time per owner is about 20 years!

 

[EuanMcKenzie]

second HR Rasmus - but I'm biased - It is more of a yacht albeit a long keeled crusing yacht. Centre cockpit yacht might work better with kids

Moody 33 with a large spray hood and back half cover works well as a compromise and will sail well

 

[makingplansfor]

Glad you pointed out, and I hope the OP noticed, your comments are based on your experience. Not mine, far from it. In fact I would disagree with every one of the 7 points you mention as a disadvantage. But then of course, that's based on my experience & my boat.

+1

It would be really good to hear what boat those 7 points are based on - didnt find anything that bad when searching for my current motor sailer. Google a Seastream 34 for an example of something the inverse of those 7 points (sorry but a little biassed!). Also the Moody Eclipse is another M/S that I like alot.

 

[Shuggy]

It would be really good to hear what boat those 7 points are based on

You'll have to read my post then (all the information is there). It did say it was based on my experience. I stand by each and every one of them. But as I say, it was my experience of my boat. And I would not have another. In sailing terms my current boat absolutely wipes the floor with the previous one. Actually, my previous one was such a bad sailing boat that I can honestly count on one hand the number of times we switched the engine off while underway in four seasons.

I also think that claiming 45 degrees to wind is ignoring leeway to such an extent that it makes no sense in real terms. No offence intended.

 

[Sandyman]

You'll have to read my post then (all the information is there). It did say it was based on my experience. I stand by each and every one of them. But as I say, it was my experience of my boat. And I would not have another. In sailing terms my current boat absolutely wipes the floor with the previous one. Actually, my previous one was such a bad sailing boat that I can honestly count on one hand the number of times we switched the engine off while underway in four seasons.

I also think that claiming 45 degrees to wind is ignoring leeway to such an extent that it makes no sense in real terms. No offence intended.

No offense taken Shuggy. Was only pointing out, for the OP's interests, that this was your point of view from your experiences. Not sure how long ago you refer to but maybe motor-sailors in those/them days were old tubs. Could they have been refirb fishing boats? or gentlemans cruisers with masts ?? Not to sure on the history of motor-sailors. Someone will be.
So what I am saying is that my experiences of more modern motor-sailors is far different from your experiences. Granted they are not greyhounds but you seem to paint a far worse story than exists today. Horses for courses !!!!!!!!!!!

45 deg to the wind???? If that was all you could achieve then I can understand your earlier comments. Must have been a real pig of a boat. Was she square rigged ?

 

[Whitty]

salar 40 1970s

 

[Colvic Watson]

You'll have to read my post then (all the information is there). It did say it was based on my experience. I stand by each and every one of them. But as I say, it was my experience of my boat. And I would not have another. In sailing terms my current boat absolutely wipes the floor with the previous one. Actually, my previous one was such a bad sailing boat that I can honestly count on one hand the number of times we switched the engine off while underway in four seasons.

I also think that claiming 45 degrees to wind is ignoring leeway to such an extent that it makes no sense in real terms. No offence intended.

I agree that sounds awful, it must have been a real disappointment.

 

[BrianH]

So what I am saying is that my experiences of more modern motor-sailors is far different from your experiences. Granted they are not greyhounds but you seem to paint a far worse story than exists today. Horses for courses !!!!!!!!!!!
45 deg to the wind???? If that was all you could achieve then I can understand your earlier comments. Must have been a real pig of a boat. Was she square rigged ?

I too cannot accept Shuggy's 7 negative points - they certainly are not attributes of my motor-sailor (HR94). After 50 years of fin-keeled, performance-orientated sailing boats I saw the light and opted for a little comfort in my older days - I now wonder how I could have been so blind for so long. Even being based in the Adriatic the pilothouse is a boon - sun protection when fine, spray and rain protection when not. And she sails well, here she is tramping along at 5.7 knots with the wind at 50 degrees apparent at 16 knots with full sail set. At this speed and wind angle leeway is acceptable, circa 5 degrees.

 

[ITH]

I suiggest you make sure you like being indoors in a rolling sea before you buy. I prefer to be outside with a good sight of the horizon even if it is Bl**dy cold
good luck
Martin

With Nauticat, you have the choice.