Is this true? Time under sail vs motor in Caribbean

[Group9]

I learned to sail, at 14, mostly sailing boats that didn’t even have motors until in my twenties. But, as I got older, I found myself using the auxiliary motor more and more until at age 59, I just went ahead and bought a powerboat.

On our last cruise, before that, down to the Exumas, it was almost embarrassing how much we motored, with my wife finally making the clearly obvious suggestion. “We should just go ahead and buy a powerboat.”

I just go sailing with friends now to get my fix!

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by LifeUnderway

Our reason for preferring sail, is duh, sailing.... we don't want to listen to a diesel engine all the time or be constantly worried about whether we have enough fuel. So this "you'll be motoring 90% of the time" thing has me gobsmacked. What percentage of time would you, who have infinitely more sailing experience than we do, estimate you spend under sail vs motor in the areas we're talking about?

I'll offer that both of those concerns can be very minor details for many trawlers. When we run at trawler speed, we hear water and wind noise from the bridge, not engine noise. Solvable during your boat-shopping phase.

And it's usually pretty easy to keep a decent reserve of fuel; 500-700 gallons goes a long way, generally means not much worry about fuel stops... unless you're intending a trans-oceanic passage. Ditto.

-Chris

[Gerrit Coetzee]

For me it is neither this or that. For me, I hate the noise or thought of running engines- I only hear money ticking away. Having said that, between too strong or too weak winds, or heading up wind or just a short haul to the next stop, or just needing to get to point B, etc I find myself motoring more than what my preferences are.

[Gerrit Coetzee]

I love the motion and rhythm between sails, wind and the ocean. It mesmerizes me. As much as a camp fire. About to replace my jib, furler and forestay, I flinch at the $10k expense.
Between motor noise of motor yachts, and the constraints of sailing, I cannot wait for the advent of sensible options with battery powered and solar recharging etc (which we are closing in on). I am in the cue to switch to long range battery capabilities on the battery engines, but with sails as add-on , as sails mystifies me and I like the flexibility and backup option thereof.

[Rasselas36]

My Hunter 36 was bought in 2005. Currently showing 485 hrs on engine and we sail probably 200 days per days and we are are on our second set of sails.

[nortonscove]

Sounds a bit skewed for me. I think I'm sailing a bit more than that. Six hours two days ago and about five were sailing in great conditions. I'm in a place where wind is too high on the nose more than no wind.

[skenn_ie]

Originally Posted by nortonscove

Sounds a bit skewed for me. I think I'm sailing a bit more than that. Six hours two days ago and about five were sailing in great conditions. I'm in a place where wind is too high on the nose more than no wind.

WInd too high for what ? Tacking ?
If you track at 45degrees to the wind you are still only covering 1.4 times the direct route. Most sailing boats will track a lot higher than that.

[Mickeyrouse]

My choice is to sail 95% and motor 5%- powering only that required for docking, canal locks, etc. The actual practice is far different. We recently returned from a 3 week cruise, and our sail time was unusually high- maybe 50%. We’re in our mid-seventies now and offshore passages tend to be much more select than 50 years ago- we want to see the anchor go down with the sun. Thus we spend much of our underway time in the Ditch ( as we romantically refer to the GIWW.) Day sails are that aspired ratio 95-5 ratio, but it takes a lot of those to equal a 3 or 4 week cruise. Sure, it’s loud and unchallenging, but it beats the BarcaLounger.

[Zanshin]

I think that those statistics apply to charter boats and not to cruising sailboats. Charterers usually prepare an agenda ahead of time and if the winds aren't conducive to that plan they will use the engine(s). I see a lot of that in the BVI - even on downwind sails the charter cats and monohulls will be under engine running at high revs and no sails so that they can reach their planned anchorage as soon as possible.

Cruisers tend to be more laid back and treat their vessels to less stress. Why pay for fuel when the wind will get you there just the same?

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by skenn_ie

WInd too high for what ? Tacking ?
If you track at 45degrees to the wind you are still only covering 1.4 times the direct route. Most sailing boats will track a lot higher than that.

I'm not referring to tacking at all but windspeed. My wife is still a nervous sailor and my crew. At 40-45 knots the beat was through shoals and islands and on a schedule as we are business owners. It's nothing to do with boat or abilities but time but maybe you've the answer to that as well.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by nortonscove

I'm not referring to tacking at all but windspeed. My wife is still a nervous sailor and my crew. At 40-45 knots the beat was through shoals and islands and on a schedule as we are business owners. It's nothing to do with boat or abilities but time but maybe you've the answer to that as well.

nortonscove, It's quite unfortunate to have a schedule that you need to meet. From my point of view beating in 45-45 knots, especially in shoals and islands, is simply not worth it. I'm a sailing fanatic and I won't do it unless forced to (and I don't mean by a schedule.

But nor will I motor into those kinds of conditions.

If you have 40-45 knots, find shelter! Don't persist in going to your destination unless it is really close. You are taking a big chance. What if the motor gives out? You'd better be prepared to sail, but best of all, seek shelter.

When you go out make a schedule which can deal with delays of a few days or you risk your vessel and your lives. (You call the office and you say, "Marge, reschedule my meetings, I won't be back before Wednesday.")

Now, learn to read your instruments. 40-45 knots of actual wind is quite (VERY) high. It is like getting a fish on which was six feet, LOL. Probably didn't happen.

[nortonscove]

Originally Posted by wingssail

nortonscove, It's quite unfortunate to have a schedule that you need to meet. From my point of view beating in 45-45 knots, especially in shoals and islands, is simply not worth it. I'm a sailing fanatic and I won't do it unless forced to (and I don't mean by a schedule.

But nor will I motor into those kinds of conditions.

If you have 40-45 knots, find shelter! Don't persist in going to your destination unless it is really close. You are taking a big chance. What if the motor gives out? You'd better be prepared to sail, but best of all, seek shelter.

When you go out make a schedule which can deal with delays of a few days or you risk your vessel and your lives. (You call the office and you say, "Marge, reschedule my meetings, I won't be back before Wednesday.")

Now, learn to read your instruments. 40-45 knots of actual wind is quite (VERY) high. It is like getting a fish on which was six feet, LOL. Probably didn't happen.

All sailors find themselves in undesirable conditions from time to time in both sailing and motor boats. In forty years of this in northeastern Newfoundland it's going to happen and you learn to cope. Or you buy the RV and use that method to see the world.

[Stewie12]

Cruising is about sailing when the conditions are with you. Otherwise stay where you are until the conditions are right.

[wingssail]

Originally Posted by nortonscove

All sailors find themselves in undesirable conditions from time to time in both sailing and motor boats. In forty years of this in northeastern Newfoundland it's going to happen and you learn to cope. Or you buy the RV and use that method to see the world.

If by "learning to cope" you mean, regardless of the conditions, you go anyway, that shows lack of good seamanship.

If you are in port, stay there. If you are at sea, you do your best to seek shelter.

It is not a sign of manliness to proceed into the face of 40-45knots of wind.

[AlanT]

Originally Posted by LifeUnderway

I'd love to get y'all's thoughts on a (scandalous?) quote I read yesterday when researching living aboard a sailboat versus motor boat:

But wait, I hear the sailors saying, “We sailboat cruisers don’t care about how fast we can go, or what our motoring speed is, we just capture the wind and go where it takes us.” To which my only reply is, “You must be new here.”

Are there exceptions to the rule—the rule that states that 90% of sailors will sail just 10% of the time? Sure. Every sailor thinks they are the exception, but experience, and truthfulness, will soon tell them otherwise. We’re all motorboaters in the end. (emphasis added.)

This is from the Bumfuzzle blog, and for context they have lived aboard a cat, a monohull, and now a trawler.

For a little context about us... we are currently full-time RVers, having reluctantly abandoned the full-time sailing dream several years ago. Now we're considering splitting time between the two. To say we are novices would be a grotesque overstatement of our experience. We would prefer to learn to sail, but given that we are not youngsters, I (less so my husband) feel we may need to be open to a trawler. We would be based in FL most likely, and would like to work our way up to winter trips to the Caribbean. We would of course get professional instruction but also are aware that there is no substitute for actual experience, of which we currently have next to none.

Our reason for preferring sail, is duh, sailing.... we don't want to listen to a diesel engine all the time or be constantly worried about whether we have enough fuel. So this "you'll be motoring 90% of the time" thing has me gobsmacked. What percentage of time would you, who have infinitely more sailing experience than we do, estimate you spend under sail vs motor in the areas we're talking about?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Mary

Everyone is different of course, and if you are the type of person who is dogmatic about destinations, schedules etc. you will find yourself motoring more than a person who is content to be more flexible. If you intend to sail the Caribbean you will be sailing as much as you choose to, certainly up to 90%. The Trades blow all year round and in a very predictable range of direction/windspeed. On the other hand if you make it across the Atlantic (sailing all the way no problem), you will find yourself motoring quite a bit in the Mediterranean. In our case at least 50% motoring. ~A