Engine-free Cruising

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by mousenik

who's this Lin Pardey dude and what does he know about sailing anyway?
p.s. I'd be glad to tow any engine free sailboat into harbor who wants a tow--thats what engines are for-short hauls- no big deal.

These 'dudes' have earned their stripes :

"Lin and Larry Pardey are among America's (and the world's) most knowledgeable and recognized cruising sailors. They are known as "America's first couple of cruising." Together, Lin and Larry have sailed over 200,000 miles, including two circumnavigations east to west and west to east aboard self-built, wooden, engine-free cutters under 30 feet. Author of a dozen books, countless magazine articles, and co-creators of five cruising documentaries, Lin and Larry have shared their sailing experiences with tens of thousands around the globe prompting many to take up the sport and live the dream of the cruising lifestyle. Their motto has always been, Go simple, go small, go now!"

[Jammer Six]

I've been reading As Long As It's Fun.

It raises questions.

[mousenik]

[robert sailor]

Not that it makes any difference but Larry Pardey is a Canadian as far as I know.

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Not that it makes any difference but Larry Pardey is a Canadian as far as I know.

If so, they must have jumped ship .
I just took that paragraph directly off their website.

Originally Posted by mousenik

Just wanted to get in before you had any less than polite replies.
SWL x

[Andrew Troup]

Originally Posted by robert sailor

Not that it makes any difference but Larry Pardey is a Canadian as far as I know.

I thought America (aka "the Americas") went from Patagonia to the Arctic?

Even "North America" includes Mexico, but some definitions, and Canada by all, no?

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

I thought America (aka "the Americas") went from Patagonia to the Arctic?

Even "North America" includes Mexico, but some definitions, and Canada by all, no?

Off topic but never mind...
Tell a Chilean that you are an american and they will just look at you and say.. 'so am I.....'
Bit like saying you are a european...no?

[minaret]

Originally Posted by El Pinguino

Off topic but never mind...
Tell a Chilean that you are an american and they will just look at you and say.. 'so am I.....'
Bit like saying you are a european...no?

Maybe if you were from a large country in europe called "The United States of Europe".

[Wulf]

Originally Posted by Lin Pardey

The real issue is - as stated in the article posted as the start of this thread- knowing how to use your sails when your engine quits could turn engine shut downs into a minor nuisance and might even save your cruise and your dreams.

So true and a great reminder in this age of convenience. However, regardless of the quality and level of regular maintenance, redundant systems etc we all know that "convenience" will (not may) let us down from time to time. Thank you Lin & Larry for an excellent post. It's the basics that just may save the day. If we take the time and make the effort to learn......and practice....practice. Cheers

[Andrew Troup]

Originally Posted by minaret

Maybe if you were from a large country in europe called "The United States of Europe".

I doubt if even the largest country in Europe would be so presumptuous as to name themselves that way, but if they were allowed to get away with that, I think Europeans from other nations would give them a PARTICULARLY hard time if they then took the name "European" for themselves.

It has always struck me as odd, to talk of
"THE United States",
given that there is another
"United States" in NORTH America,
namely Mexico.

Each of them can really only claim to be
"ONE of The United States of (North) America"

But I guess I must have a peculiar sense of what is odd, because I don't seem to recall ever hearing anyone else making this point.

[El Pinguino]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

But I guess I must have a peculiar sense of what is odd, because I don't seem to recall ever hearing anyone else making this point.

We are not alone..... I come across it quite often in the southern bit of america... usually when I say something like 'I have an american friend'....

[Andrew Troup]

Getting back to engine free cruising:

It strikes me that, for people like me who enjoy the problem-solving aspects of trying to do without an engine, within the bounds of what is sensible:

I've been thinking recently about engine cooling systems, and thinking I might arrange some sort of ad-hoc daytank as an alternative to the salt water inlet, for the occasional blockage situation (of which I've been involved in a couple over the last three weeks) where this might save the day.

And it struck me that an engine which is rarely used needs to be particularly reliable, and should ideally not require lots of maintenance, or be complicated to troubleshoot.

I've always liked the simplicity of raw-water cooling, but of course such engines don't much enjoy the way the cooling passages gradually occlude. Plus they tend to run too cold.

Nevertheless my next boat will feature a raw water cooled engine.

So it struck me that one possibility to get a reasonable outcome -- and a fringe benefit, from an ad hoc, but pre-plumbed 'daytank' such as the galley sink, would be to take advantage of how easy that would make it to fresh-water flush the cooling circuit, even at sea, after the rare occasions such a "show-pony" of an engine was used.

A person looking to really pamper their engine might even heat up some water prior to starting their little jewel !

This sounds like a lot of trouble to go to, but some might find that to be a way of exploiting their own natural tendency to seek the easier path, in order to tip themselves into finding ways of doing without that engine, when otherwise the 'convenience' of pushing the button might trump the potential satisfaction and learning opportunities of not doing so.

A bit like the more subtle arts of good parenting ... except this is self-parenting.

It's an extension of my intended strategy of fitting smaller engines than have become fashionable, which has the fringe benefit of discouraging their use when there is plenty of wind.

I'm not trying to force this mindset on anyone who doesn't find it appealing, so please save your injured rebuttals for someone who is trying to start a new religion.

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

I doubt if even the largest country in Europe would be so presumptuous as to name themselves that way, but if they were allowed to get away with that, I think Europeans from other nations would give them a PARTICULARLY hard time if they then took the name "European" for themselves.

It has always struck me as odd, to talk of
"THE United States",
given that there is another
"United States" in NORTH America,
namely Mexico.

Each of them can really only claim to be
"ONE of The United States of (North) America"

But I guess I must have a peculiar sense of what is odd, because I don't seem to recall ever hearing anyone else making this point.

If you were an American, you would realize that this is not odd. It's "manifest destiny". The rest of the Americas just THINK they are free and independent countries. Really they are ours or soon to be ours. We've always believed the new world belongs to us-all of it!

[minaret]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

Getting back to engine free cruising:

It strikes me that, for people like me who enjoy the problem-solving aspects of trying to do without an engine, within the bounds of what is sensible:

I've been thinking recently about engine cooling systems, and thinking I might arrange some sort of ad-hoc daytank as an alternative to the salt water inlet, for the occasional blockage situation (of which I've been involved in a couple over the last three weeks) where this might save the day.

And it struck me that an engine which is rarely used needs to be particularly reliable, and should ideally not require lots of maintenance, or be complicated to troubleshoot.

I've always liked the simplicity of raw-water cooling, but of course such engines don't much enjoy the way the cooling passages gradually occlude. Plus they tend to run too cold.

Nevertheless my next boat will feature a raw water cooled engine.

So it struck me that one possibility to get a reasonable outcome -- and a fringe benefit, from an ad hoc, but pre-plumbed 'daytank' such as the galley sink, would be to take advantage of how easy that would make it to fresh-water flush the cooling circuit, even at sea, after the rare occasions such a "show-pony" of an engine was used.

A person looking to really pamper their engine might even heat up some water prior to starting their little jewel !

This sounds like a lot of trouble to go to, but some might find that to be a way of exploiting their own natural tendency to seek the easier path, in order to tip themselves into finding ways of doing without that engine, when otherwise the 'convenience' of pushing the button might trump the potential satisfaction and learning opportunities of not doing so.

A bit like the more subtle arts of good parenting ... except this is self-parenting.

It's an extension of my intended strategy of fitting smaller engines than have become fashionable, which has the fringe benefit of discouraging their use when there is plenty of wind.

I'm not trying to force this mindset on anyone who doesn't find it appealing, so please save your injured rebuttals for someone who is trying to start a new religion.

Nice. Not engine-less, but less engine.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Andrew Troup

SNIP

And it struck me that an engine which is rarely used needs to be particularly reliable, and should ideally not require lots of maintenance, or be complicated to troubleshoot.


SNIP

Another solution is to start the engine once a week, or at least once a month. I do that not only with the engines on my boat but my Honda 2000 and the Honda on my diving hooka as well.