On passage, what speed do you decide to turn on an engine?

[SV Confianza]

Originally Posted by accomplice

If I'm taking people out for a day sail, 4-5 kits.

If I'm on a passage, 7 kts. Unless we are straight into the wind in which case I'll also consider sea state and how much distance and fuel remains.

We are relatively the same. We have been did a lot of “making distance” days from Maine to Florida, and we definitely burned more fuel this time around than we usually do. Now with the days shorter, making our next inlet before dark became a factor. We try to avoid overnights if we can help it.

[RaymondR]

With marina diesel going to A$2.50/litre I notice a much stronger urge to get the motor off if I see a few ripples going my way on the water.

[goboatingnow]

Under 3 knots or sooner if SWMBO needs to get to the shops

[JSSailem]

I am in the sail as much as I can clan.

I try not to have a schedule. Sometimes I am forced into the "better turn on the Iron Jenny" when the wind is on the nose and there is a Tidal Passage that will stop our cruise for 6 hours. Most of the cruise planning goes into maximizing the sail time.

Adding the asymmetrical has helped our sailing time when the winds go fickle here in the PacificNW. I do not like to go backwards on the tide when the wind dies. That is usually when the iron jenny is fired up.

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I don't have a specific speed cut off. Very much depends on whether I have a schedule, and also sea conditions. I'm happy to ghost along at even 1 knot if I have plenty of time, and the seas aren't annoying.

But if I have to get to an anchorage before a certain time (usually nightfall), or seas are making life hard for crew and boat, then the iron genny comes on.

I agree with Mike.
When I am out sailing, even on a passage, I am rarely in a hurry.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[Hasbeen]

The only time I have started the motor on any passage was a long 8 day passage, & I needed to charge the batteries.



Much of my cruising was in the Pacific islands in the doldrums. My diesel tank held only 10 gallons, & I could be away from anywhere where I could buy safe diesel for up to 3 months on occasions. Motoring was out of the question realistically. I carried more outboard fuel than main engine fuel.



In those areas the sea is smooth so my wind vane would steer me down to just 1 knot. I have spent 3 days making a 100 mile passage on a number of occasions quite happily. Many islands have quite high mountains. There may be little wind all day, but a nice off shore breeze generated by the mountains at night.



In the Solomon Islands I thus made most passages at night to use this, & often drifted most of the day. After all if I was going to visit friends on a plantation they would still be there in a few days time, manyana was soon enough.

[Cynara]

If the windvane is steering we sail. Travel 24 miles in 24 hours, tut therefore it was one knot of boat speed.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Cynara

If the windvane is steering we sail. Travel 24 miles in 24 hours, tut therefore it was one knot of boat speed.

Wow that’s slow the iron topsail goes on for me my AP performance is good to 0.25 knots but that’s a slow death

[JohnHolland]

Agree with the majority, short answer 3 kn

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Cynara

If the windvane is steering we sail. Travel 24 miles in 24 hours, tut therefore it was one knot of boat speed.

Reminds me of the first overnight sail I ever did. I was hell-bent to gain the experience, but we left in almost no wind and rolly seas. We watched the same lighthouse for the entire night. Barely made 5 nm.

The mantra on our boat whenever this sort of thing happens is: This is sailing.

Sailing is always done at the behest of Momma Nature. You can't control what she gives you. All you can do is work with her.

[nofacey]

Typically happy with any speed as long as the sails aren’t slatting. Will motorsail if we believe it’s going to get us into better winds/current

[lo2jones]

Figure out the overall distance of the passage. If you know what your boat tends to make speed wise during the predicted condition use that to work up a departure time. Between San Francisco and Monterey, the usual first stop when heading south, departure is usually around 20:00 to get to the fuel dock in Monterey by 10:00 the next morning. As a rule of thumb, I tell the crew to start the motor if the boat speed drops below 3.5 knots for more than 20 min. I don’t think I’ve ever missed the target arrival time by more than an hour.

[MicHughV]

Depends if I have the fishing rods out or not.
My lures like at least 5 knots to provide some kind of "action"...more is better off course.

I have come to a complete stop on occasion while offshore....zero wind....flatish ocean....it's kind a surreal in a way...

But really...a schedule invariably dictates when the key is turned.....there should be law against sailors having schedules...even Boatie's delivery date should be adjusted to " I'll get there, when I get there"...

[StuM]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Reminds me of the first overnight sail I ever did. I was hell-bent to gain the experience, but we left in almost no wind and rolly seas. We watched the same lighthouse for the entire night. Barely made 5 nm.

On one offshore race with light winds and an adverse current, we watched an island disappear over the horizon in fromt of us and re-appear hours later when the wind finally picked up a bit.

[Shaneesprit]

Only when we have to make a way point or anchorage / returning to the mooring.
Or if the Admiral complains too much.