Motor Sailing Dos and Don'ts

[capnorv]

Motorsailing is quite common on Northwest summer mornings, and yes, I always hoist a steaming cone off the bow. But then, I'm a little crazy, because I raise an anchor ball when anchoring too. It's in the regs and helps keep the ticket!

[Sabbatical II]

Originally Posted by boasun

Motorsailing is fine for those who wish to do it.
It would be better for other captains if the motorsailor is flying the cone with the apex down. That way there would be no confusion on that HE IS A POWER DRIVEN VESSEL WITH HIS SAILS UP. This day signal is of prime importance in crossing situations and so forth.

I don't mind having a cone on board now and again. Very relaxing!

[Badsanta]

Originally Posted by theway

Im going up the ICW austin

Motor sailing is fine, but you wont do much in the ICW

[acheron]

Originally Posted by Lancerbye

Welcome aboard. Acheron. Not cheating. Using available resources.

If you say it

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by boasun

The next question would be: How many of you even have a cone on board your boat?

I have a motoring cone and use it selectively.

I use it for sure when motorsailing in any kind of crowded waters. Forget the rules -- it is simply rude and inconsiderate to confuse other skippers about your status as a vessel under sail.

I don't use it if there's no one around.

I admit that using a motoring cone is honored in the breach. I hoisted one motorsailing across the Channel last year and one crewman, a very experienced old veteran of multiple Atlantic crossings, who has been sailing since before I was born, told me in astonishment that he had never seen one used before.

I don't care, however -- I will continue hoist mine if there are other boats around.

[twellsjd]

I enjoy motorsailing in many of the situations described here and have completley overcome the feeling that I am cheating. Tacking is only so much fun. In 45 or so years of sailing I too have never personaly seen a cone, nor have I used one. Not a bad idea but one that is alas gone the way of the horse and buggy.

[Bash]

My Yanmar manual says that the engine shouldn't be operated over 17 degrees of heel, but I'm wondering why anyone would be motorsailing with 17 degrees showing on the fun meter.

Can't help but observe that West Marine doesn't even carry inverted cone day shapes.

[skipmac]

In theory I am in favor of using all proper signals, including balls and cones. And if I had a masters ticket I would if just as a CYA policy.

In practice if an area is that crowded I would probably not be motorsailing. Plus I have never had a problem avoiding a collision as I always give any boat plenty of room, regardless of size, course, stand on, give way, who's right or wrong, so don't see the real need for a cone to assist the other vessel in making a decision about my intentions.

Then it's just on more thing to find a place to store for that once in a blue moon when I would want or need it. So, with a slightly guilty conscience I will probably not carry one. Also, have never seen either cone or ball on a recreational vessel in 35 years.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

... I admit that using a motoring cone is honored in the breach ...

What do you mean?
Strictly speaking, this phrase refers to an unjust rule that is better broken than obeyed. When Hamlet described his stepfather's boozy carryings-on as a custom "more honoured in the breach than the observance," he meant it was a bad custom;, more honoured when violated, than when followed.
His words have since been twisted around to mean something like "more often disregarded than adhered to".

[Lancerbye]

LMAO. Only Gord could find a reference with a Shakespearean quote to this Energizer Bunny thread

[Bash]

HAMLET

The king doth wake to-night and takes his rouse,
Keeps wassail, and the swaggering up-spring reels;
And, as he drains his draughts of Rhenish down,
The kettle-drum and trumpet thus bray out
The triumph of his pledge.

HORATIO

Is it a custom?

HAMLET

Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here
And to the manner born, it is a custom
More honour'd in the breach than the observance.

[Badsanta]

I have seen the cone in use and I have two but have not used it, I am either sailing or steaming. Have not had the chance yet. But after reading all this I will surely hoist it up. I also raise two Balls when anchored and leave the boat just for grins.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by GordMay

What do you mean?
Strictly speaking, this phrase refers to an unjust rule that is better broken than obeyed. When Hamlet described his stepfather's boozy carryings-on as a custom "more honoured in the breach than the observance," he meant it was a bad custom;, more honoured when violated, than when followed.
His words have since been twisted around to mean something like "more often disregarded than adhered to".

A very erudite and interesting comment.

However, although I respect your interpretation, I don't think I agree with it. The word "to honor" does not only mean "to respect"; it also means "to obey" -- as in "to honor one's obligations". So I would submit that the popular use of the phrase -- to describe a rule, like the rule requiring motoring cones when motor-sailing, which is more often broken than followed -- is not a distortion of Shakespeare's meaning.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by Get-a-Life

We too do a lot of motor sailing here in the Southern regions.

At the moment we own a racer cruiser and have never heard of a single boat in the Cruising Yacht Club having an "alignment problem."

I can say however, that quite a few years ago I read an interesting article titled "1 + 1 = 3" the gist of the article was if you were motoring at 1 knot or sailing at 1 knot, combining the two propulsion sytems together would give you 3 knots.

I can certainly say that this may not hold up mathematically correct, but it would not be far wrong.

If conditions are too boisterous, we often motor sail with only a small headsail out and no main.

Works for us.

Ken

1+1=3 makes sense to me, depending on where the wind is coming from. It's about apparent wind. You're sailing in two knots of wind in a small boat. The wind is barely enough to give your sails shape, but you're limping along at about 1 knot. You are close reaching with an apparent wind of 2.5 knots. If you start the engine and give enough thrust to increase your speed from 1 to 2 knots, then the wind will swing forward somewhat and increase to 3.5 knots (rough vector sum of 2 knot wind speed and 2 knot boat speed, given we didn't specify exact angles). Now your sail has 2 times more force on it (force increases by square of apparent wind speed). You accelerate by an extra knot based on the doubled apparent wind speed and you're now doing 3 knots. 1+1=3

Chris

[markpierce]

Originally Posted by Badsanta

I have seen the cone in use and I have two but have not used it, I am either sailing or steaming. Have not had the chance yet. But after reading all this I will surely hoist it up. I also raise two Balls when anchored and leave the boat just for grins.

Display two balls if the boat is not under command (unable to maneuver) while underway (as when adrift) but only one ball if you're anchored whether you're on the boat or not, please.