Can a 30-40 foot cruiser reach speeds of 18 knots w/ engine?

[Sailor_Jeff]

Can a 30 or 40 ft cruiser go 30 kts? Well, if you design and build it to that specification then yes. Talk to a marine design engineering company. If you have enough money, they can build it. But it may cost a lot of money and may be uncomfortable for daily living.

Originally Posted by Scraphound

I'm dreaming .... emergency.

[Grith]

Originally Posted by dawsonlong

I would look at the dragonfly 120. It can get up and go 18 knots with the 50HP motor as well as sail fast

Come on guys people are looking for some genuine information here not rubbish. The dragonfly 1200 with its largest fitment 80hp inboard diesel at wide open throttle won’t reach those speeds or even close according to the world renowned designer. You could probably outsail them in the right conditions but a 50hp outboard would be lucky to make it to the low teens.

[Cruthin]

The details of hull speed, planing, foils, etc are basically irrelevant as a plan to counter pirates. Many serious pirates use high-powered planing boats that can go far faster than most (all?) cruisers so there's no point planning to outrun them. Avoid them wherever possible. e.g. sailors going from Grenada to Trinidad or vice versa often take a long curved course out into the Atlantic to keep away from the Venezuelan coast and Venezuelan pirates, set their AIS to "receive only", and also turn off their lights at night. Pirates are often serious dudes. In the Caribbean, many of them are ex-military, with military weapons. They've already spent a fortune to fuel their boats so they don't want to come back empty-handed and they are desperate. It's so bad that they actually smuggle DIAPERS from Trinidad to Venezuela because they can make a profit. Then if the **** hits the fan you have to decide if you want to resist boarding or not. Thats a big decision, with serious consequences. You would be in a big stable boat, so ramming a skiff is an option. Firearms come with their own problems. I did ask the Police Chief in one Caribbean country if it would be OK for me to carry a compact hunting bow or Crossbow and he said "Sure. We're more concerned with illegal firearms being sold into our country and I've never heard of a bow and arrows being used in a crime here". Its illegal to make or carry Molotof cocktails but some would say that they are an effective deterrent at close quarters, and easily made. At anchor, it's pretty obvious to try to avoid dodgy places and stay close to other anchored boats. Here's another thing. I bet you don't worry about getting into your car and driving on the highway despite the fact that 30,000 Americans a year get killed on the road. So maybe its better to just be sensible - buy a boat that suits your needs, will carry you through bad weather, avoid dodgy areas and live the life without planning to outrun pirates

[chrisr]

Originally Posted by friz

Does the formula hold true on planning hulls (power boats)?

putting it simply : NO

cheers,

[Don C L]

Since the main issue here is avoiding pirates; the only time I was in an area known for pirates, Strait of Malacca and Singapore area, we were on a fast boat but we would have been out-run and out-gunned, if the rumors we heard about the Thai pirates were true. We kept a steady 10 knots or more the whole way, and never saw any boat that was suspicious. But this was 40 years ago. Staying out of the known areas seems the best call to me. Or a nice fast trimaran.

[sv.antea]

Once, decades ago, while motoring my first sailboat, Ericson 23, south in the Intracostal in Pine Island sound, I met what looked like a home built hard chine plywod sailboat, about 34'-36' long. It was doing about 5 kts when we were abreast and suddenly I heard the scream of a large V-8. There was a cloud of black smoke and the boat got promptly up on plane and zoomed off towards Cabbage Key. Hmmm.

[col50]

Originally Posted by sv.antea

Once, decades ago, while motoring my first sailboat, Ericson 23, south in the Intracostal in Pine Island sound, I met what looked like a home built hard chine plywod sailboat, about 34'-36' long. It was doing about 5 kts when we were abreast and suddenly I heard the scream of a large V-8. There was a cloud of black smoke and the boat got promptly up on plane and zoomed off towards Cabbage Key. Hmmm.

Just the kind of boat I would want to cruise across an ocean, I'm sure.

[CATJAVA]

I think ur looking at this from the wrong angle. I’ve been thru the Sulu Sea 2x, a known pirate area in the Philippines. I made Molotov Cocktails and had crew that could throw them! But I’m also x-Navy SEAL so that is effective for the FEAR factor. If u are afraid then don’t traverse known pirate areas. A sailboat that goes fast is a deterrent (I’m on a 48ft catamaran) because it can get thru the unsafe area faster, but you’re probably not going to outrun a pirate that has twin 120hp O/B’s! If it’s a real pirate and not just some looky-loo fishermen, they’re going to think twice if they see a flaming bottle coming their way! As for while at anchor, that’s why I have my dog Micro aboard; she’s got a good, rabid bark. Saved me 2x from getting boarded/robbed, once in Solomons & then in PNG. (the robbers picked another boat without a dog!)
Got the picture? Evan on cat JAVA

[Kiwi.]

Originally Posted by Grith

I am going to call out that speed in a Macgregor 27 as rubbish! 70 hp outboard and 30 knots! I think you need to check the log or gps for serious errors! LOL A friend has a Macgregors 26 with a 90hp and completely empty and at wide open throttle in perfect conditions barely cracks 20 knots. LOL

Sorry to tell you, but your friend has the wrong propeller for maximum speed runs in a MacGregor, but probably the perfect propeller for the same boat loaded up with food, fuel, booze, clothes etc. for a week away. He/She is trying to reach top speed in third gear, a "longer" prop can be like changing into fifth gear.

[Dave Isom]

I won’t address the speed issue which has already been well covered....but no, a sailing vessel will not out run a fast motor boat.
Re piracy and I speak having spent 4 years circumnavigating, the best advice I can give is to avoid lonely,isolated anchorages , lock your vessel and maybe get a secure metal grill made for your companionway and over a hatch which you’d keep open for ventilation at night. I have heard of intruders coming through hatches . There are areas to avoid but these are mostly documented on “ Noonsite” which you would do well to study regularly.Stay away from areas known for piracy. Many of the hotspots are well known, avoid ! Piracy is still quite rare and I would not let fear of it prevent you from embarking on your dream cruise. Theft from boats , dinghys, outboards and the like is more common. In some areas it’s prudent to stow your dinghy on your boat at night and lock your outboard to your boat.
Re carrying arms, being from Australia we don’t, mostly it’s criminals or sports shooters and farmers who carry them. I did not and would not! You will get asked at almost every port of entry if you’re carrying firearms and may get searched. If someone armed boarded your boat and you presented with a gun they will shoot you. This is what happened to Sir Peter Blake, sailing hero from NZ. Some kids boarded his boat up the Amazon and wanted stuff, he went and got a gun, they shot and killed him, for the sake of a few thousand worth of computers and cameras.
Piracy in the South Pacific is very rare and some of the world’s best cruising is to be found there. Nothing you’ll ever do is completely safe...remember..
“He who forecasts all the perils will never cross the seas !”
Just go !

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by Scraphound

I'm dreaming of a circumnavigation in the distant future. One thing that worries me is piracy. It's scary today and I can only imagine it will be worse 10 years from now.

I've read that one of the best defenses against piracy is maintaining a speed of 18 or more knots.

Is that possible to achieve with a cruiser? Could a Valiant 40 (or modern equivalent) be refitted with a new engine and be capable of reaching those speeds? Not for prolonged travel, but in an emergency.

Thats just silly..
Maybe staying home is safer, and you dont need to do 18kn.
Where is that 18kn nonsense comming from?

[Martkimwat]

Originally Posted by Grith

I am going to call out that speed in a Macgregor 27 as rubbish! 70 hp outboard and 30 knots! I think you need to check the log or gps for serious errors! LOL A friend has a Macgregors 26 with a 90hp and completely empty and at wide open throttle in perfect conditions barely cracks 20 knots. LOL

my apologies, I don't have one but was quoting from memory what another owner claimed. The point I was actually making was that in theory you can have a sailboat that is capable of planing speeds but it will be a sh*te sailboat and a not much better powerboat. Foiling may be the way to go in the future but at the moment they bring their own unique problems as witness the number of foil failures on high profile racing foilers. As a point of note though, 30knots from a 70hp outboard is perfectly do able in a lightly loaded 27 foot planing hull so suspect your friend had his boat loaded down and did not jettison the water ballast (recommended when powering)

[CliveCollett]

I find it interesting that all of the responses are assuming that the intention is to out run the pirates. Clearly that aint gonna happen.
However, in various areas to combat piracy, protected convoys are run with naval ships in attendance. These have a minimum speed of 15 knots. Clearly aimed at commercial vessels.
I wonder if the OP has read this and interpreted this as a minimum speed for piracy avoidance.

[Grith]

Hi Kiwi and Martkimwat My friend has experimented with various types of propellers on his totally empty and unballasted Macgreggor26 without that result. Have either of you actually done sea trials on a Macgregor 26 and logged those speeds with gps? I think not but will happily apologise if proven wrong.
A lightly loaded planing powerboat isn’t a yacht with sails and rigging and basic cruising gear like stove, cushions and toilet as we were after all discussing a cruising boat not a stripped bare empty shell.
Have a look at the props on the back of my 180hp Turbo Diesel inboard fitted Macgregor competitor which has just touched 30 knots whilst completely empty with very appropriate props. I extensively researched Macgreggors before going for a even more powerful hybrid alternative.
PS it is neither a ***** powerboat or ***** yacht being a faster smoother and tighter turning powerboat in a decent chop than most it’s size and a better and also a more flexible and comfortable Trailable cruising yacht than many it’s equivalent size. Horses for courses guys!

[LittleWing77]

Is anybody noticing this trend of newbies (yes, I'm assuming they must be relative newbies) effectively borrowing trouble (sorry, but I mean excessive worry about) security concerns and protecting themselves...?

Boatie, I know you responded to something recently where you said something to the effect that you'd sailed all over and it's essentially not even on your radar...

I'm the same. And I'm a single woman! I've sailed East Coast of North America, Great Lakes, British Isles and Europe, Bahamas, Caribbean (extensively) and the South Pacific. Security has NEVER been a concern... and certainly never pirates.

Is it maybe the planned sailing area?

Where would any of us be planning to sail that pirates are such a concern?

Hm. Maybe I should start a thread and not create a thread drift here...

LittleWing77