Going Engineless

[James S]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Why not just attach a small outboard to the back, or am I missing something here?

+1...

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by simonmd

Why not just attach a small outboard to the back, or am I missing something here?

Yes. you are missing something

99% of folk would agree with you (me included ), but methinks OP is in the 1% - or at least wants to be. Whether that is a good choice or not be another thing. Steerage way + a bit for fairly short distances would work depending on cruising grounds / mooring and willingness to be heavily wind dependent - and on that one a boat (and skipper ) that sails very well would be useful.

Given that only a 24 foater a large Sweep (single oar) would be my first choice. Could be jointed for easy(er) storage and serve dual purpose. Spinnaker pole. depth sounder or jury rig.......

Plenty of stuff on Google about various Sculling techniques, just not the answer for waterskiing

[mrohr]

I went engineless 1 yr. 18000 lbs. 35 ft.. sailboat. tried towing with line back to mother ship from hard dingy (10ft) ,it was just doable in flat water; but I was young , strong with lots of time on my hands. Main prob was the tow line will jerk with each stroke and jerking motion is no way to get a boat moving.
Then went to the dingy on the quarter with a 1.5 hp. seagull on the dingy .Worked a Trick! . Get a fender between the two boats with a line between the sterns and a spring line from the dingy bow to the quarter of mother boat. Went cruising that way; and you will be a better sailor for the experience. Once your outboard is running you must nip back to the mother ship to steer from there unless you have crew to steer ,whereupon you can stay in the dingy to adjust the throttle.I
used this method recently when engine blew on my 32 ft. contessa in L. I. sound and used a 8 hp outboard on an inflatable dingy to make port when the wind died.
The next time you see a tug with a barge in that configuration ,note how easily they can
maneuver this unwieldy load. Of course you must plan your maneuvers well in advance
since you will have no way to stop(anchor?). I've become a better diesel mechanic since then .

[Bluenose]

We currently sail our modified Shield class without an engine using a single oar. She displaces about 4800 lbs. This a sketch of the setup.



I use a 9 ft two piece river rafting oar in either the port or starboard oarlock depending on the conditions, traffic etc. I stand facing forward with the tiller between my legs and can row at 1 to 1 1/2 knots for quite a long time without complain much. Luckily every stroke has you thinking about ways to sail better and in lighter winds. It is actually quite surprising how little we use it.

One nice feature that I recommend is setting you rowing station up so you can quickly store you oar when the wind fills in. Sometimes you can see the wind everywhere but where you are. So a short row is all you need

Here are a few more photos of our setup.

Cheers,
Bil

[James S]

Wow...what an excellent post Bil, and Blog ...welcome to the forum.

Some serious eye candy on the Blog...end very good info...would be a real loss to the community for you to stop posting on it....Second thoughts?

[simonmd]

Very nice, get an engine!

[ChrisnCate]

It's a shame going motorless gets such a bad rap.

We went motorless as a safety issue. Putting our boat in a position where we are solely relying on a motor because we couldn't sail for some reason or other is not something I feel comfortable with.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by James S

Wow...what an excellent post Bil, and Blog ...welcome to the forum.

x2

Beautiful Boats!

[daddle]

My technique: Have a beer while waiting for a breeze.

Why go engineless? Because we're sailors...?

[motion30]

I dont know I just found a 5 hp ob on craigs list for $180 easy choice

[Bluenose]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Yes. you are missing something

99% of folk would agree with you (me included ), but methinks OP is in the 1% - or at least wants to be. Whether that is a good choice or not be another thing. Steerage way + a bit for fairly short distances would work depending on cruising grounds / mooring and willingness to be heavily wind dependent - and on that one a boat (and skipper ) that sails very well would be useful.

Given that only a 24 foater a large Sweep (single oar) would be my first choice. Could be jointed for easy(er) storage and serve dual purpose. Spinnaker pole. depth sounder or jury rig.......

Plenty of stuff on Google about various Sculling techniques, just not the answer for waterskiing

I think David_Old_Jersey's response is about as succinct and clear a rational as I have read about choosing to sail without an engine. There are probably as many ways to get on the water and into boating as there are ways to hike and camp and backpack etc. They are just choices all with there own pluses and minus. (As an aside, I tried backpacking exactly once. Never again. I was younger and at the time couldn't possible lug the food up a mountain that I could power through).

My only problem, and fortunately it isn't too common, is when some folks need to put down other people's choices to feel comfortable about their own. For every sailing situation that is supposedly "unsafe" there is a seaman like solutions that has been used for centuries. Obviously if someone uses a motor in these situations they might not be aware or experienced in these alternatives but that doesn't mean they don't exist or are unsafe.

When I was younger I trained to be a glider pilot and I occasionally think about the similarities between powered vs gliding flight and sailing vs motor sailing. In a powered plane losing and engine is an emergency situation. Not so much in a glider. You always knew which airports you could make it to base on your altitude and wind conditions. And you were always on the lookout for places to land in an emergency.

Sailing is a lot like this and the challenge of learning the conditions and planning ahead is why I so enjoy it. I don't think my choice is better or worse, safer or more reckless. Just different. It satisfies my needs like other folks choices satisfy theirs.

Originally Posted by simonmd

Very nice, get an engine!

Man... If I had a nickel for every get an engine joke that came my way I could afford more and even bigger sails.

Every now and again engineless sailing threads pop up on the net. Here are a few links if anyone would like some extra reading homework.

Wooden Boat Forum

SailFar Forum

Cape Dory Forum

Cheers,
Bill

[hummingway]

In Canada a Bluenoser is someone from Nova Scotia, and honour that references one of favourite daughters, the fishing schooner Bluenose. I think given the beauty of your sloop they will forgive you for borrowing the name
\

[Bluenose]

Originally Posted by hummingway

In Canada a Bluenoser is someone from Nova Scotia, and honour that references one of favourite daughters, the fishing schooner Bluenose. I think given the beauty of your sloop they will forgive you for borrowing the name
\

I mean no disrespect. My screen name originated while I was sailing my first boat, a William J Roué designed McVay Bluenose Sloop.

Bill

[hummingway]

There you go, Roué designed the original. Here's a bit of the story: History of the original Bluenose racing schooner from Nova Scotia. Bluenose II Company Store