New to the site

[WaLiveaboard]

Im a newbie,
but I bring with me 8 years of mechanical knowledge and a couple years of marine mechanical or electrical. I've been livingaboard for over 2 years and sail engineless. This site rocks.

[GordMay]

The CruisersForum does indeed rock. Hope you can contribute to the backbeat, with your mechanical/electrical & cruising experience.
Welcome aboard !
Regards,
Gord

[rsn48]

I'm always surprised at how many sail engineless and I can never decide whether to admire them or worry about them. For example, what do you do when the wind drops and your headed to a lee shore with a nice shoal coming up? Here in sometimes sunny coastal BC, we have a fair number who sail engineless. Welcome to the forum.

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and Welcome Aboard. This is a great forum and hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
I avoid rocks as much as possible.
Kind Regards, --John--

[S/V Elusive]

Originally Posted by rsn48

I'm always surprised at how many sail engineless and I can never decide whether to admire them or worry about them. For example, what do you do when the wind drops and your headed to a lee shore with a nice shoal coming up? Here in sometimes sunny coastal BC, we have a fair number who sail engineless. Welcome to the forum.

Well, there are a couple of things that you can do. Drop anchor comes to mind as a temporary fix. Use that fancy outboard that you have on your dinghy and turn your dinghy and OB into an engine platform, which when properly secured to your boat, will get you about 2 to 4 knots depending on size and weight of boat, and, of course, the sea conditions. Kai would tell you to break out those sweeps that you should have aboard (since you are doing the engineless thang).

Thats three alternatives...have fun!

Wa, welcome aboard from another engineless sailor I find it interesting how many mechanics sail without engines (including myself). As Elusive mentioned, I am a big fan of sweeps. So far I seem to make it in and out, but I have had a few days where the wind was more than I could row against, and in the wrong direction to sail out.

[WaLiveaboard]

Towing a sailboat by way of rowboat and line in teeth is a lovely way to spend the day--- ok not really. but it is a way to spend a few hours without a breath of air in my sails. Use your teeth when you need more adrenaline, then go see your dentist.

quick story, in an enginless 1958 spencer 28 hull number 1, fiberglass sloop.
I remember one occassion last winter sailing into port townsend marina in 30 knots of wind to get a haulout for a sale. Came in hot at 6 knots on a beam with just jib behind the jetty. My friend and I had pre planned this half enibrieated event before we left in wind. But when we looked at the slip by the haulout before we rowed out to his boat an hour away from the marina in a different town, there was 80 ft of dock to come to. when we made a 90 to go strait downwind toward the haulout and saw a 50 ft sailboat with tire marks down the side we were more than suprised. So was he when he saw us. we dropped the jib as planned and a 30 lb cqr from astern with bare poles still moving 4 knots hooked the bottom and fetched lines to the dock after she hooked. Then parallel parked her in a 29 ft opening on the dock. Now it may have been nice to have an engine but being a mechanic I know of to many engines that like to quit in lousy situations.

It is amazing to me the difference in mentality when sailing enginless. No matter what Ive tried, when sailing with neighbors who have engines, I cant escape the thought that its there. Sailing without brings to me a sence of relaxation more than uptightness. It allows me to give myself more time to wait a week for the wind to shift in my favor.

I watched a "sailor" try to start his outboard all the way onto a beach in no wind and a nice current, and a beautiful anchor with a lovely delta sticker on the bowroller. (He ended up using it anyways)

With no engine, and no destination, anchors are your best friend. Ever use one in the marina?
More importantly, I believe sailing this way developes a sharp mind- Seamanship, is another word for thinking far ahead.... really fast.

what do you think,
sore jaw in wa.

[CaptainK]

Hey Wa. Welcome aboard crusiersforum.

Hey isn't Appletree Cove in the state of Washington. Just outside of Kingston?

If that's the same place. A buddy of mine used to live up that way.

Welcome aboard.

[WaLiveaboard]

Originally Posted by CaptainK

Hey Wa. Welcome aboard crusiersforum.

Hey isn't Appletree Cove in the state of Washington. Just outside of Kingston? A buddy of mine used to live up that way.

Welcome aboard.

Sure is, what is his name

[CaptainK]

Oh. His last name was Johnson.

I forgot what his first name was. We served in the Navy together. Many years ago.

He said he lived not far from there. Meaning he didn't really lived in the town. Just outside of it. I believe roughly 10 miles or so.

[WaLiveaboard]

maybe ill meet him

[CaptainK]

Last I heard from him. He mentioned he moved to Seattle.

He only mentioned that he was born and raised around that area. His mom moved to Seattle to be closer to her children. So I "assume" that's why he moved there too!!

Good luck trying to find him in Seattle metro area.

[SkiprJohn]

Was up your way last September for the Wooden Boat Festival and all the fun associated with rediscovering the PNW. What a beautiful place to sail, engineless or not.
I think most of us learned to sail on engineless boats and developed skills early on that we can remember. I used to sail on a Luders 44 yawl out of Coronado that did not have an engine. It was one of the old Naval Academy boats that was given to the Naval Sailing Association at Coronado. Amazing what you can do with the mizzen and rudder and backing head sails.
Regards, --John--

[S/V Elusive]

Aye - another good reason for a split rig!