Remove mast/sails fulltime on a Westerly Centaur 26.

[Gunblade]

Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice and opinions from people with experience of Westerly Centaurs or similar boats.

I’ve recently been looking at a Westerly Centaur 26 and my plan is to use it primarily for motoring rather than sailing. I don’t currently have any sailing experience, so I would not be using the sails at all.

Because of that, I’m considering removing the mast and sails completely and running it more like a small motor cruiser.

My intended route would be coastal from Fleetwood down to Dover, then crossing the Channel and heading straight into the French canals system.

The boat would have a diesel inboard as the main propulsion, and I’d also carry a spare outboard as an emergency backup.

My main questions are:

• Would removing the mast make the boat more stable or suitable for coastal passages and a Channel crossing, or does it actually make little difference?
• Is there any downside to removing the mast completely rather than just lowering it and keeping it onboard?
• For someone not planning to sail at all, is this a sensible setup for this kind of trip?
• Would you consider this safe and practical for UK coastal cruising and a Channel crossing?

I’m trying to keep things simple and reliable, but I also don’t want to make a decision that could negatively affect safety or handling in rougher conditions.

Really interested to hear real-world opinions, especially from anyone who has motored a Centaur long distances or done similar trips.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Tranona]

Hi all,

I’m looking for some advice and opinions from people with experience of Westerly Centaurs or similar boats.

I’ve recently been looking at a Westerly Centaur 26 and my plan is to use it primarily for motoring rather than sailing. I don’t currently have any sailing experience, so I would not be using the sails at all.

Because of that, I’m considering removing the mast and sails completely and running it more like a small motor cruiser.

My intended route would be coastal from Fleetwood down to Dover, then crossing the Channel and heading straight into the French canals system.

The boat would have a diesel inboard as the main propulsion, and I’d also carry a spare outboard as an emergency backup.

My main questions are:

• Would removing the mast make the boat more stable or suitable for coastal passages and a Channel crossing, or does it actually make little difference?
• Is there any downside to removing the mast completely rather than just lowering it and keeping it onboard?
• For someone not planning to sail at all, is this a sensible setup for this kind of trip?
• Would you consider this safe and practical for UK coastal cruising and a Channel crossing?

I’m trying to keep things simple and reliable, but I also don’t want to make a decision that could negatively affect safety or handling in rougher conditions.

Really interested to hear real-world opinions, especially from anyone who has motored a Centaur long distances or done similar trips.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the forum

Doubt you will find anybody with direct long term experience of motoring a Centaur. Fine in the canals at low speed but not practical at sea as without the mast the boat will roll all over the place. If you want a motor boat buy one. They are fundamentally different in design from a sailing boat.

So, basically forget it. A Centaur in sailing mode is quite capable of doing what you plan as a sailing boat. Nothing difficult about learning to sail and in many ways much more suitable for your plans than a motor boat of similar size

 

[KevinV]

As above - removing the mast makes the (righting) motion uncomfortably quick - very tiring.

 

[Gunblade]

Thanks for the welcome.

Noted. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Refueler]

I have a Sunrider 25 .. very similar to Centaur ... and I can say that I do not 100% agree with replies ..

Yes - the righting moment is quicker without mast as the weight is low down in the keels ... to counter the sails .... but without sails up - the righting monment will not be much different to no mast ...

I often have no mast on my Sunrider and in light weather - it is stable as a rock ... as the waves / swell increase - then the boat fights it .. and as it gets bigger - the righting moment sharpens up.
But at that point - the boat is getting into weather you probably in OP's level of boating experience - would not want to be in anyway.

A mobo unless its a full displacement type - gets its seakeeping ability from 'riding the waves / swell .. and I can honesly say that I have had a more uncomfortable ride in a MoBo in a seaway than a dismasted sailboat !!

I do agree though that the OP's choice could be better served by getting a displacement MoBo instead ...