Re Motor Sailer

[Darkmyst]

HI.

Sorry for a silly question.

But do you have the run the engine all the time on a motor sailor, Or will it sail undersails only.

Thanks.

 

[Tranona]

Not a silly question - just not a simple answer, except that if the boat has sails it will probably make some progress without its motor.

"Motor sailer" is just a catchall term that covers a vast range of different designs and combinations of motor and sail with an equally wide range of ability under sail alone. The skipper can make his decision on whether to use the motor, with or without the sails depending on the conditions and his desired speed.

 

[sarabande]

not at all. There are times when a bit of iron tops'l will help push wind over the sails and make them work, but if you draw a line somewhere around F2 to F4, that is where the M/S really starts to be comfortable sailing - right up to much higher numbers than most proper raggies will tolerate ( :exaggerateicon

 

[Darkmyst]

As an example i saw this on fleebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COLVIC-VICTOR-34ft-MOTOR-SAiLOR-/290686022889


Im still pulling my hair out on the right boat. (dont laugh, i dont have much left)

List:

Moody 31mk2 aft cabin
Nic 31.
Sadler 32.
Colvic 33 but i would be happier staying under 10mtrs.

 

[Tranona]

The Victor is a very popular liveaboard and is more at the sailing end of the spectrum. Many were home finished so will vary from poor to excellent. Bit old fashioned and cramped compared with more modern designs, but very sound. Very different from the other boats on your list.

 

[Darkmyst]

The Victor is a very popular liveaboard and is more at the sailing end of the spectrum. Many were home finished so will vary from poor to excellent. Bit old fashioned and cramped compared with more modern designs, but very sound. Very different from the other boats on your list.

Thanks, Yes, agreed its a difference, i just happened to come across it.

Theres bound to be, similar boats to whats in my list, that dont carry the premium price, but are just as good. Finding them seams to be the issue.

I saw a nic 32 sunday, It was falling apart, (rubber split in half no prop as example) owner wanted 30k. This belonged to a nice old man (early 70s) who has had the boat for 30 years, its been on the hard for 10 years, and all he ever does is pop down once every few months, and drinks a cup of tea on her. No maintance had been done for the whole time its been on the hard, if not longer.

It was described as immaculate. 500 mile drive for nothing.

 

[Tranona]

Yes, he probably imagines the boat when it (and himself) were in their prime and people would fight to pay £30k for that kind of boat. World has changed since then!

 

[LadyInBed]

Colvic 33 but i would be happier staying under 10mtrs.

You won't notice any difference handling a 32 to a 33!
A COLVIC VICTOR is a good sturdy boat.
Colvic Atlanta 32 and Colvic Countess are also worth considering.
The Atlanta is also on the sailing end of the Motor Sailer spectrum.
A good Countess 33 sells quickly.

 

[Ludd]

You won't notice any difference handling a 32 to a 33!
A COLVIC VICTOR is a good sturdy boat.
Colvic Atlanta 32 and Colvic Countess are also worth considering.
The Atlanta is also on the sailing end of the Motor Sailer spectrum.
A good Countess 33 sells quickly.

Berthing costs tend to rise fairly steeply above 10 metres,though.

 

[RupertW]

Berthing costs tend to rise fairly steeply above 10 metres,though.

I've found the cutoffs around 8m and 12m in the marinas who don't simply charge by the metre.

Living space for a 10% increase in length rises by 33% so each extra foot really helps for living aboard, as well as a chance of getting the same headroom for less proportional windage when sailing.

Of course people always say that a bigger boat costs a lot more to maintain - they're probably right but a couple of years into owning a secondhand bigger boat than I've ever had before, I find the gear is more substantial and hasn't broken or worn out yet.

 

[snowleopard]

The term 'Motor Sailer' is often thought to be limited to the Fisher/Colvic Watson type - heavy displacement, not much keel, small sail area, enclosed wheelhouse etc. Mostly they need a lot of wind to get them going and aren't too clever to windward.

There are lots of boats these days that have big auxiliaries that motor pretty well and sail well too. I consider mine a motor sailer - 10 bhp per ton, up to 10 knots under power and similar under sail without being gung ho. And I have a hard-top wheelhouse but it's open at the back. It doesn't have to look like an MFV with a dinghy rig on top.

 

[Windy Tonique]

As an example i saw this on fleebay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/COLVIC-VICTOR-34ft-MOTOR-SAiLOR-/290686022889


Im still pulling my hair out on the right boat. (dont laugh, i dont have much left)

List:

Moody 31mk2 aft cabin
Nic 31.
Sadler 32.
Colvic 33 but i would be happier staying under 10mtrs.

A Sailing Holidays boat - will be well used but well maintained - quite small compared to other boats on your list - large fore cabin - should have hot water. If you plan to use it in the Summer it could work. There is not as much headroom as a MacGregor though

 

[Whitty]

Dont forget Salar 40 designed by laurent giles, good sailing boat.

 

[LadyInBed]

The term 'Motor Sailer' is often thought to be limited to the Fisher/Colvic Watson type - heavy displacement

I reckon a Motor Sailer is more a state of mind!
Some won't start the engine even when SOG is down to a knot others start up at four knots.

 

[ffiill]

My Coaster 33 is classed as a Motorsailer.However whilst it has crossover lines between a classic yacht and MFV which makes it very spacious inside and tough it carries a large sail area in its ketch rig and sails more than adequately.

 

[Otter]

I reckon a Motor Sailer is more a state of mind!
Some won't start the engine even when SOG is down to a knot others start up at four knots.

Very true, we have a Colvic Watson, gently slipped along at 3 knots under genoa in 10 knots of wind - nothing to excite the owners of an x-yacht, but good enough. She sails faster with more sail and more wind - no "dinghy rig" either, the main mast is 38 feet on a 34 footer and the mizzen about 20 feet. We only start the motor when we can't sail, guess that makes us a motor sailer. But I haven't found a better yacht for a young family.

 

[Bobobolinsky]

Don't forget that a gaffer has greater sail area for any given mast height and is not a "dinghy rig"

 

[catmandoo]

The term 'Motor Sailer' is often thought to be limited to the Fisher/Colvic Watson type - heavy displacement, not much keel, small sail area, enclosed wheelhouse etc. Mostly they need a lot of wind to get them going and aren't too clever to windward.

There are lots of boats these days that have big auxiliaries that motor pretty well and sail well too. I consider mine a motor sailer - 10 bhp per ton, up to 10 knots under power and similar under sail without being gung ho. And I have a hard-top wheelhouse but it's open at the back. It doesn't have to look like an MFV with a dinghy rig on top.

I too have 10 bhp per ton on my Cat fisher 28and as you say don't get very far in a day with light winds with only sails . so at say 30 miles per day i motor all the way with as much of the sails up as possible going by the principle that the sails are there to reduce fuel consumption and if i get 22 knots of wind on the beam or stern then I don't stop the engine just get where I am going quicker with less fuel used .

Did nearly 8knots just past the Rhion bridge all the way to Corinth all sails up and cruising chute out 22 knots of wind chasing me followed by a thunderstorm which hit us just as we arrived at Corinth

 

[theguerns]

motor sailor

Hi we live aboard our Colvic Watson 32 motor sailor and do alot of sailing. We sailed her up from Alicanti in Spain in 2005 and as long aswe didnt pinch her closer than 60degs to windward we could get 6 knots in a F4 but at 70degs to windward we got 7.5 knots so realy aslong as you sail them not to close to the wind thay will sail the thing is they are heavier than sailing yachts so suffer in the sail area department. If you are looking for a good live aboard motor sailor look at this.
http://yachts.apolloduck.co.uk/feature.phtml?id=216755