Newbie Here - Hello!

[EricGrab]

Consider reading Voyaging Under Power by Beebe. There is a 4th edition update, but older editions are great as well.

Full displacement power boats are generally the way to go for cruising. Similarly sized full displacement boats (power or sail) tend to have similar costs to operate over the long term. Pretty much all sailboats are full displacement boats. There are a few powerboats that are full displacement, but tend to be harder to find.

There is a huge spectrum of cost, configuration, convenience, luxury, and usable life in boats. It is a puzzle to find the right one for you. Other people can share what worked for them, but chances are there is a very personal and unique solution for you. It is a great lifestyle, and it takes the time, money, tradeoffs, and commitment to make it happen.

[EricGrab]

Originally Posted by TrentePieds

...so you burn ten bux per mile through the water. If you are stemming a current, it's rather more than ten bux per mile over the ground.

Only fair to say that "trawlers" use rather less fuel than that, but then, they don't go any faster than sailboats do. The fuel cost is still unconscionable :-)!

TP

Consider full displacement under power. Power or sail it is essentially the same physics. So for a given displacement and water line length nautical miles per gallon will be about the same, and certainly not "unconscionable".

Many sailboats run their auxiliary for quite a bit of time for all kinds of reasons, and certainly can reduce a point in time operational fuel cost by running sails. However, sail or motor propulsion costs money to setup, maintain, and sometimes replace. In a full displacement mode, it turns out to not be that much different.

[Peregrine1983]

My 23,000lb Pearson 424 sailboat burns about 1.4 gph going 6.8 knots in calm water.

I know trawlers are relatively efficient, but are they really getting close to those kinds of numbers?

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by ShadowTiger111

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Look, I'm tryin to do this as efficiently as possible. lol Part of why I'm here, I need to cut through the BS, so I'm going to those who live the life, to get first hand experience.>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>



So, please, yes, teach me! Is basically what I'm getting at.

You asked about the Great Loop AND the Caribbean. These are two distinctly different types of cruising, and IMHO require two different types of boats.
Look at the Great Loop website. You'll find most are motor yachts. Less sailboats because of bridges. Simple.
Caribbean is best with a sailboat, 'cuz there's wind there for quiet, relaxing sailing.


I hope this has cut the BS and made it simpler.


Good luck, happy planning.

[EricGrab]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

My 23,000lb Pearson 424 sailboat burns about 1.4 gph going 6.8 knots in calm water.

I know trawlers are relatively efficient, but are they really getting close to those kinds of numbers?

Relatively close I would say. About 2.0 gph at 6.5 knots for 50,000 lbs on about the same waterline. It all boils down to nm/gal, and anything between 2.5-4.5 is pretty good on a boat. The planning boats are pretty good if they can do 1.0, and bigger power boats definitely get into the sub 1 range.

Since the physics is essentially the same, boats have their expected efficiency at given waterline and displacement. It is astonishing how much more power is needed to get a boat on plane, and certainly where the huge fuel consumption on many powerboats comes from.

Also real world numbers matter as well, since conditions and course vary for boats and passages. Course made good on a sailboat rule of thumb is about 4.5 knots in the 40ish foot range. A displacement powerboat of same size is about 6.0. There is of course no free lunch in moving mass through water and weather, and depending on what someone is trying to optimize for at a given time different boats will do better.

[NewMoon]

Originally Posted by Peregrine1983

My 23,000lb Pearson 424 sailboat burns about 1.4 gph going 6.8 knots in calm water.

I know trawlers are relatively efficient, but are they really getting close to those kinds of numbers?

Our 28,000 lb (loaded) Nordic Tug 37 is not even a full displacement hull. With 330hp, it can hit 16 knots, or high cruise at 12 knots. We just completed a 3,806 nm cruise of the Inside Passage. Running at 6.5-7.0 knots, we averaged 4.34 nmpg.

[jipcho]

Daniel,
As some have already said, get some ocean experience (with your wife) before deciding what type of vessel you want. Charter a sailboat AND a powerboat for a few days in the BVI for example, where anchorages are close together. Get a feel for what healing on a monohull actually feels like, and how a motor vessel feels. Split the difference and try a catamaran.

As far as your assertion that the "interior" of the Caribbean would be safer, less windy, or more comfortable, fuggedaboutit!
The fastest sail I ever had was the 4 days and nights I sailed from Curacao to Jamaica. The Western Caribbean, especially the area north of Colombia, is well known for having the biggest seas in the Caribbean, and frequent gale force winds. The only advantage of the area west of the Lesser Antilles is the less crowded anchorages.

Fair winds!

[Adelie]

Welcome to CruisersForum!

I would suggest updating your profile with your boat make & model or “Looking” in the "Boat" category. This info shows up under your UserName in every post in the web view. Many questions are boat and/or location dependent and having these tidbits under your UserName saves answering those questions repeatedly. If you need help setting up your profile then click on this link: https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3308797

I would happily help more if the link above is not enough.

I haven't really read much of the thread so I may be repeating.

What budget?
Power or sail?
What level of comfort are you expecting?
Do you already have a boat size in mind?