Your Longest Sail without Motoring

[EasyGoSailing]

Easy Go has been on passage, most recently, from the spring of 2007 until the middle of December 2009 when she was pulled in Lunenburg Nova Scotia for a few months. This has been completed without the assistance of a motor and completely under sail and yuloh. Two crossings of the Atlantic and all of the great places we stopped did not need a motor. As indicated, these are sailboats! Sailing more often develops better sailing skills. Engines consume the cruising budget with all their associated costs. We have observed boats with engines in very bad situations far more often than their engineless counterparts.

We have no intention of putting in an engine as we head out on a five year cruise starting in May 2010. The silence of no engine for propulsion or generating electricity enhances sailing and heightens awareness of ones surroundings. Sailing slowly and living at nature's speed is the way we enjoy life to the fullest.

[bloodhunter]

EasyGo,
Wondering how you meet your electrical needs (if you have any) . We have two big solar panels which so far have kept up with our electric needs but on the other hand we've never done a five-year cruise. Longest we've done is only from the mouth of the Chesapeake to Bermuda, Longest time is about two weeks without running the engine or plugging in anywhere. Another year and a half and we plan to finish selling everything and heading out so any tips on how you manage would be very helpful. Our main problem is we need refrigeration for medical reasons.

[EasyGoSailing]

Easy Go has minimal electrical needs. We have recently put a small (40 watt) flexible solar panel on board which we put on deck while at anchor. We need this to charge the new computer.

Previously we used AA batteries in the hand held VHF and GPS along with a couple of flashlights. Now we should be able to use rechargable batteries.

Lighting and cooking are with kerosene. Nav lights are also kerosene and work extremely well. The cooker is a pressure kerosene stove and only uses one gallon a month cruising full time making it more cost effective than propane.

Refrigeration has not been a priority for us in the past twelve years of cruising and we have managed to get along quite well without. That said, I understand the need to have refrigeration for storage of medical supplies for example.

We have looked at two systems that may be of benefit.

We met a couple in the Azores who had very good refrigeration without a motor. Their motor had packed it in while cruising the Bra d'Or Lakes of Cape Breton Island. On board they had a wind generator that could be converted to a towing generator in a few minutes. Towing the generator first to Newfoundland and then on to the Azores they had all lights and refrigeration performing at one hundred percent. Ice in the sundowners every night! Once at anchor they reverted to the wind generator. Quite impressive!

The second system was home built with a 100 amp alternator turned by a propeller through a gearing system. We did not get to see it in action but the owner indicated that he was quite happy with it.

Cruising with minimal systems will give more time to enjoy the cruise and less time maintaining the systems. On a previous boat we had, the electrical systems tended to deteriorate with the damp salt air environment and eventually need a rebuild. Refrigeration that is medically necessary should have a number of systems on board to ensure that it is operative all the time.

[bloodhunter]

EasyGo
That is just the kind of information I'm looking for. My solar panels work great -- infull sun -- and a few days of cloduy weather could cause a problem.I'm considering a wind generator but haven't heard of one that converts easily to a towing generator. Will have to google it.
Many Thanks