Can I move my 38-foot boat with an outboard?

[Bluenoserumlvr]

I have a troubled diesel on my Sabre 38, which covid has kept from me for too long. I will shortly be reunited with it, and want to head south from Florida. It sails well and I only plan to use a motor for marinas. Here's my question: What is stopping me from using an outboard just to move around marinas? I have a 6hp. How fast would that move a 15,600-pound boat. How do you rig an outboard on a big sailboat like that? Am I totally mad to even think about this?

[boatman61]

Well I've rigged an O/B bracket on the back of a Waquiez Hood 38 and hung an 8hp L/S on it, could do around 5kts in calmish waters.
The Hood weighs in at 23,000+lbs so you should be okay for marina work, hope your 6hp is a L/S..

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Bluenoserumlvr

I have a troubled diesel on my Sabre 38, which covid has kept from me for too long. I will shortly be reunited with it, and want to head south from Florida. It sails well and I only plan to use a motor for marinas. Here's my question: What is stopping me from using an outboard just to move around marinas? I have a 6hp. How fast would that move a 15,600-pound boat. How do you rig an outboard on a big sailboat like that? Am I totally mad to even think about this?

It will move it but not upwind or in current or chop. In and out of marinas sure if you can choose your weather. Probably 4 knots, guessing, depends on the prop and gearing. There are high-thrust 6hps that will work better than regular dinghy 6hps.


If long term you would use a pantograph-type bracket that goes up and down, through bolted to the transom and shimmed if necessary. It will be a nuisance to reach the outboard but it can be done usually, maybe put some radiator hose over the tiller and a clamp to extend it. Outboard will have to be removed and stowed in heavy seas or it will take a wave.


Short term if you are good with wood you can probably make something that attaches to the pushpit with some pads or something that push against the transom.


Remember that the outboard will not make electricity the way the diesel does.


Some people use a dinghy as a tug

[Bluenoserumlvr]

Thanks for the info! I don't see any reason why I can't, but I don't see people doing it. I bought the boat to sail it, not motor.
That's a pretty boat you have there. I considered one of those before I bought my sabre.

[Chotu]

Just for moving around marinas, pushing it around with your dinghy works too.

But nothing wrong with your plan if you time marina landings for very low wind/current.

[Chotu]

Originally Posted by Bluenoserumlvr

Thanks for the info! I don't see any reason why I can't, but I don't see people doing it. I bought the boat to sail it, not motor.
That's a pretty boat you have there. I considered one of those before I bought my sabre.

People aren’t doing it because it’s easier and more reliable to just fix what you already have (the diesel) than to rig up an outboard.

[Mike OReilly]

For reference, I've sculled my 30,000#, 37-foot full-keeler around marinas. As long as there's little/no wind or current, just about any force will work. But you do have to watch the conditions.

[Mara Mae]

Originally Posted by Bluenoserumlvr

I have a troubled diesel on my Sabre 38, which covid has kept from me for too long. I will shortly be reunited with it, and want to head south from Florida. It sails well and I only plan to use a motor for marinas. Here's my question: What is stopping me from using an outboard just to move around marinas? I have a 6hp. How fast would that move a 15,600-pound boat. How do you rig an outboard on a big sailboat like that? Am I totally mad to even think about this?

My Answers

1. Nothing depending on weather. No wind and no chop.
2. 2-3 kts max in dead calm
3. Depending on freeboard either off the port or starboard aft quarter or from the transom on a mount. All might involve drilling and bolting mounts. Have you considered either using your RIB as a tug or a sculling oar. It can be done.
4. No

[BillKny]

I once saw somebody moving a 27 foot sailboat by towing it while swimming.

So CAN you make a Sabre 38 MOVE with a 6hp outboard? Sure.

Is it a realistic option for a long distance cruise? Not so much--unless your sailing chops are such that you don't need an engine at all.

But, honestly, if you were that good a sailor, you probably wouldn't need to ask the question...

[Bluenoserumlvr]

Bill,
That seems kind of insulting.

[Knotical]

This guy installed a support to mount his 3.5hp outboard to move his engineless SC 31 (13600 lbs). In several previous videos he had used the sculling oar and his dinghy (with the OB) as a tug.

https://youtu.be/tekJzwrjDcI

[Mara Mae]

Originally Posted by Bluenoserumlvr

Bill,
That seems kind of insulting.

I find this user (Bill that is) often expresses himself that way. Specifically, acerbic and disparaging remarks about the user and the merit of their inquiry. It is inherently prejudicial vitriol since he does not know the individual he is denigrating. He did it to me and I just try and respond with deductive logic that expose his flawed premises and false assumptions to encourage others to dismiss his barbed inputs as pompous oneupmanship.

[Oeanda]

We move our 39 foot, 25,000 lb sailboat around the marina with a 9.9 pretty regularly by tying the dinghy alongside. Rig it so you can untie quickly if you need to scoot the dinghy around and give a push in one direction or another.

[valhalla360]

For all practical purposes, you are going to be an engineless sailboat because on a long trip, you are going to be dealing with less than perfect conditions at times. It can be done but it is far from ideal.

Fixing the main engine is a far better option.

On our 34ft catamaran (10k lb), we could deploy the 5hp dingy motor on a drop down mount if our main engine died. In dead calm, it would get us around 3kts and it took a while to get up to that speed. Trying to stop the boat quickly as you are about to hit a gold platter...not happening.

I'm actually a fan of modern 4stroke fuel injected outboards for small to medium size cruising boats...but the boat has to be designed for outboard power.

To initiate a long journey with questionable equipment is poor seamanship in my opinion.

[deblen]

https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...rd-256554.html