Morgan M41 power

[mikemenza]

When looking at sailboatdata it was available with 2 power plants. A 20 hp diesel or a 40 hp option. At 30 lwl and 20k pounds. Does one need 40 hp ? Would 24hp suffice ?

thanks

[roverhi]

Had a Volvo MD2 diesel in our 20,000# displacement Westsail 32 with a 2 blade prop. Believe the MD2 pumped out about 24hp at max RPM. We were happy with it. Engine loafed going 5 knot cruise speed and only burned a 1/2 gallon an hour. Boat was overcropped so never managed to get it close to redline and don't remember what the max speed was. Usually motor sailed the few times we had to power into a head wind and sea but definitely over 6k in flat conditions. Not because the wouldn't go under power alone but could do the 5k cruise with the engine ticking over a little above idle, sipping fuel, and sailing very close winded.

Did deliver two boats with 35hp diesels and 3 bladed props. Boats were more maneuverable largely because of the large 3 bladed prop. Not enough of a difference to make us pine for a bigger engine, though.

[mikemenza]

Many Thanks..

[Cheechako]

Nope not enough. 40 hp at least. In a wind chop with that boat with a lot of windage etc it's going real slow.
Sailboatdata says that boat has a 34 WL and weighs 24k pounds... which means it may weigh as much as 30k pounds in reality...

[Thorne]

Yes, I would say 40 is enough for a 30 lwl boat. I have a 65 for my 41 ft. and it is great.

I've seen situations where it needed all 65 and all was well.


Does burn about a gallon an hour at 7 - 8 knots.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Nope not enough. 40 hp at least. In a wind chop with that boat with a lot of windage etc it's going real slow.
Sailboatdata says that boat has a 34 WL and weighs 24k pounds... which means it may weigh as much as 30k pounds in reality...

I agree. I had a Pearson 365 which theoretically weighed 18 000 pounds but in reality weight about two or three tons more than that.

It had a 40 horsepower Westerbeke and not one of those 40 horsepower was unneeded. You don't need all of them often -- for easy motoring in calm weather you might only need 10 horsepower. But when the going gets tough, the requirement for horsepower goes up exponentially. In my opinion, 20 horsepower is far too little for that boat.

My Dad had one of those Morgans, and like the Pearson, it was not the greatest sailing boat in the world. You will motor a lot. Get the bigger motor for sure.

[denverd0n]

40 hp for sure. For two big reasons...

First, as others have mentioned, there will be times when 20 hp is simply not enough.

Second, maybe more important, is resale value. When you go to sell the boat, every buyer you run into will be thinking to himself, "Oh. This boat has WAAAAY less horsepower than almost every other boat out there of the same size. I better make a low-ball offer, because I'm probably going to have to re-power it."

40 hp for sure.