Sailing.........motoring, what ratio?

[matt1]

Sadly I have nowhere near that many miles this season and in many ways it has been dissapointing, however we took a decision to try and sail more and motor less; changing our outlook quite a bit. So now we set out with the intention of having a good sail and seeing where we get to rather than in previous seasons where we have set out with a goal of getting somewhere specific. This has sometimes limited our miles a bit but meant we have sailed much more (including up the river and into our mooring several times). As a result we have got a lot more enjoyment and achievement out of the limited sailing we have done. It's reflected in the engine hours too so I give myself a "green" pat on the back

 

[lw395]

I have just been writing up this summer’s cruise and have had my suspicions confirmed that we spent less than 20% of the time under sail.

Our route was from the Forth, to Stonehaven, across the North Sea to the Bergen area, up a fjord or two, back to Shetland, then Fair Isle, Orkney, Peterhead, Stonehaven and home to the Forth


Distance travelled............................c1035 nms
Longest passage...............................290nms

Hours sailed....................................c35
Hours engined.................................c172

Nights on the boat...........................30
Days underway...............................20
Full days voluntary tourism...............5
Full days storm induced tourism.........3
Admin/boatwork days.......................2

I am disappointed by the ratio of sail to engine hours.

I picked weather windows for the North Sea to avoid strong winds but ended up motoring most of the way there and back: in Norway the wind, light and fluky. always blows the wrong way up or down the fjord: and after we left Shetland we faced a southerly or south easterly 4/5, or no wind at all, on the way home. If we had sailed it I may still not yet be back at work.

I will admit to not being the most patient of sailors; I’m happy enough to day sail slowly but if the plan is to go 40 or more miles in a day, the engine goes on when the boat speed drops below 4kts.

I think you are doing some fairly ambitious passages in a fairly modest boat. Good for you! If you want to reduce engine use, you will be lucky to get so far, unless you can be very flexible about time and destinations. You've probably done as much sailing as most of us this year, just more motoring.
I'm somewhere in the middle, I like to get places, but if I can lay an alternative port in one tack rather than beating to my original destination, I tend to stick with the sails. I rarely set off knowing I will motor cross channel, but if the wind dies, I don't turn back, I motor.

I have cruised with no engine, years ago, most of the coast from Chichester to Helford, with the RYA. It's great, but you need to accept not always getting where you intended. And you need a boat that is effective upwind. And a kedge!
I don't think I will give up motors.

 

[mikehibb]

We have "going places days" when we will sail if possible, if little wind then motor sail or just use the donk.
We try and fit those in at the beginning of a holiday with the boat, especially if we have friends/guests aboard, ie we have planned a day out (for them more than for us), bit of sailing to a certain bay for lunch and a swim etc. If no wind then the donk comes on to make sure all have a good day out.

We also try and reserve a couple of "Sailing days" for ourselves, that means if the wind is strong enough to make any headway undersail then that is what we do, we might spend a most of the day just pottering around with no particular place to go. On these days we are just happy to have the sails up and sail in silence.

So all in all I would say about 50/50.

But hope to get the sailing hours up higher next trip.

 

[Danny Jo]

I knew, when I set the target of a passage 90nm in daylight off the West coast of Ireland, that it would be motorsailing whatever the wind, and so it proved. With a decent motorsailing setup (I have a Brunton Autoprop, which allows one to add a knot or two with the engine on little more than tickover), part of the problem is the opportunity that motorsailing offers to average 6 kts or more, so you start planning passages on that basis.

 

[dunedin]

How about one tank of diesel for a season - 5% engine 95% sail (ish)

Also returned a charter boat after 2 week in Med and fleet owner could not believe we had not filled the tank mid trip

Priorities for us
* buy a SAILING boat - ie lots of sail area (reef early type), good windward performnace, fun to sail
* get decent sails and know how to adjust the set - no furling mainsails
* consider wind bends on coastline to plan tacking points to windward
* avoid being a slave to pasage plans - the "dreaded must do 5 knots"

We have noticed a problem recently. Having to take avoiding action when overtaking slower yachts under motor, studiously motoring upwind or downwind in good breezes when we are going faster under sail ;-) Each to their own