Cape Dory 28 outboard motor?

[john61ct]

Thousands of years sailors had no engine other than oars.

Just another set of skills ( + increased patience ) to not get yourself into a fatal situation.

I won't deny sailors dying used to be more routine.

[Don C L]

The CD28 may be a good candidate for oars, that's true! Or a yuloh, for just getting into and around avery quiet harbor or anchorage, but it takes a little while to get 9000 lbs. up to walking speed. I wouldn't give up on the engine but the benefits of oars, for steerage at least if not for propulsion, can be considerable especially for a heavier full keel boat that doesn't respond quickly in close quarters in light air, or when in reverse. An oar off the stern to help kick the stern one way or the other at a crucial juncture could help save the day.

[gonesail]

if the cape dory is your dream boat then fix the yanmar. the 2GM and 3GM are great motors IMHO. and install a dripless stuffing box while you are at it.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Cadence

You said currently. I hope you don't find that 6HP is not quit enough when the tide and wind are running against you. Just food for thought.

I've had both wind and tide against me on many Sunday mornings returning home across the 20 miles of open bay here with my 5 hp 4 stroke Mercury extra long shaft outboard (which pushes my 6,600 lb displacement Bristol 27)

Some times I'll go straight into it, but if I can't get at least 3 knots or so I'll raise the main sail only, fall off the wind, and motorsail to gain leverage so I can tack and sail across normally. I'm motorsailing to the side of the bay the wind is rotating to also.

If the wind is strong enough, I'll just sail

Usually the wind is coming directly where I want to go on these morning so I either motor or spend all day trying to sail across.......again depending on tide and wind strength

[Don C L]

Just a few threads that may be of interest:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ar-145638.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ne-184799.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...or-158700.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...re-174513.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-121734.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ng-115725.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...at-103448.html
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-a-102832.html

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I've had both wind and tide against me on many Sunday mornings returning home across the 20 miles of open bay here with my 5 hp 4 stroke Mercury extra long shaft outboard (which pushes my 6,600 lb displacement Bristol 27)

Some times I'll go straight into it, but if I can't get at least 3 knots or so I'll raise the main sail only, fall off the wind, and motorsail to gain leverage so I can tack and sail across normally. I'm motorsailing to the side of the bay the wind is rotating to also.

If the wind is strong enough, I'll just sail

Usually the wind is coming directly where I want to go on these morning so I either motor or spend all day trying to sail across.......again depending on tide and wind strength

Excuse me! Open bay water and the tide working against you. Try a ria, cut or bite. Then say its enough power. Bristol is a nice boat so stay out of those conditions.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Cadence

Excuse me! Open bay water and the tide working against you. Try a ria, cut or bite. Then say its enough power. Bristol is a nice boat so stay out of those conditions.

I like to sail to a certain place where there is good hiking, fishing, etc (Kiptopeke, where the ferries used to load and unload back in the day before the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. It's now a state park with free showers!)

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti..._Virginia.html

Plus there's not a lot of choices from my location except to sail across the bay to one side or the other.... sometimes I'll sail out into the ocean and tack back to get across and sometimes it's all bay

I'm usually not worried about avoiding certain conditions although I have learned not to anchor there when 25-30 knot onshore winds are forecast especially those bringing in the ocean and bay wave mix.

It's not fun lying there at 1am and hoping the anchor will hold all night

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Don C L

Just a few threads that may be of interest

Wow, great knowledge base there, thanks.

Do you just use bookmark folders, or something that allows tagging?

[chris95040]

As someone who didn't get into "big boats" until my early 20s and made an awful lot of dumb mistakes (still do, don't get me wrong) by always assuming I knew better than the last guy, I'd think hard about this impulse you had: Before even bleeding the fuel line (so likely before even cracking open the operators manual!) you had visions in your head of slapping an outboard on that beautiful boat.

There are a million reasons not to do this, some of which would come into sharp focus as you hobby horsed in someone's wake, but the point I'm trying to make is more general:

Don't make radical changes before you know what you are doing.

Don't make radical changes before you understand why it is the way it is.

Don't make radical changes until you've really tried to use it in it's present configuration and experienced it's pros and cons.

This goes for your sail configuration, your engine, your cabin layout, your deck hardware, your running rigging, everything. Those of us with an engineering mindset like to jump onto a new toy like this and start solving problems- make sure there's an actual problem first!

[Chachere]

Originally Posted by Don55

.... Plus backing up would be a lot easier....

One other point: Unless you can actually "steer" the outboard (as opposed to a fixed transom mount), you might find the opposite to be true.
Our former boat, a Catalina 27, was powered by a 9.9HP outboard, and reversing under power was very tricky (slow speed maneuvers in forward were often so pretty, either).
When we got our current boat, a Catalina 36 (with an inboard diesel) I was amazed at how much more nimble it was, even though twice the displacement. In part, this is because of the physics of the location of the prop relative to the rudder.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Wow, great knowledge base there, thanks.

Do you just use bookmark folders, or something that allows tagging?

Nah, just "search" and cut and paste all applicable threads.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Chachere

One other point: Unless you can actually "steer" the outboard (as opposed to a fixed transom mount), you might find the opposite to be true.
Our former boat, a Catalina 27, was powered by a 9.9HP outboard, and reversing under power was very tricky (slow speed maneuvers in forward were often so pretty, either).
When we got our current boat, a Catalina 36 (with an inboard diesel) I was amazed at how much more nimble it was, even though twice the displacement. In part, this is because of the physics of the location of the prop relative to the rudder.

The comment on backing as you stated is non-sense. In either direction you have no prop wash past the rudder. With steerage by the OB it is somewhat better. leaning over the transom and trying to make a berth is lunacy. A cable control to the OB works but small OB generally have that option. Ask me how I know.

[flyingfin]

Originally Posted by Cadence

The comment on backing as you stated is non-sense. In either direction you have no prop wash past the rudder. With steerage by the OB it is somewhat better. leaning over the transom and trying to make a berth is lunacy. A cable control to the OB works but small OB generally have that option. Ask me how I know.

Check the size of a prop on an outboard, which may only be a few inches below the waterline, then compare it to the size of prop on a diesel inboard which is also 2 feet below the waterline and gets more bite in reverse. I will take an inboard over outboard on sailing vessel any day.

My powerboat has a 140hp and works great in reverse. A 15 hp outboard is made for jon boats, not 28 footers!

[thomm225]

I cannot argue every point above, but outboards are definitely better for the average guy that can sail

Think about docking in 20 knot winds with an old full keel boat like a Cape Dory

With a rotating outboard and the boat's tiller, you have total control.

As far as the rest out on the ocean or bay, you will have to be a sailor.

If you are not a sailor and are engine dependent, you will need the diesel.

[goat]

Originally Posted by thomm225

I cannot argue every point above, but outboards are definitely better for the average guy that can sail

Think about docking in 20 knot with an old full keel boat like a Cape Dory

With a rotating outboard and the boat's tiller, you have total control

This if you are a sailor.

If you are not a sailor, you will need the diesel.

Why would you need an outboard (or a diesel)if you were a sailor?