How often do you motor ??

[gmakhs]

Hello,
Is a simple question .
I do have a working diesel motor that I keep in good conditions but i use are rare as possible .
If there is no wind I wait
If the boat can move by sail I sail
Usually I sail to anchor and from anchor always respecting other people's boats and safety.

The resaons I keep my diesel over electric (even if I use an electric outboard or a scalling oar (it's fun )in some.anchorages or marinas I don't plan to remove my diesel ) are

Medical emergencies
Trying to catch up with the tide (specially in rivers )
Get to land as fast as possible if someone from.the crew is suffering from the boats motion .
Sometimes get some safe distance from.the land before I stop the motor and wait

The last 4 months I have used my motor for just 30 hours and that's mostly because I have been sailing in rivers and I was in a hurry to check into the country .

What is the usage you choose to do ?

Question to moderators :how to I add a.poll in my.post ??

[thomm225]

I motor whenever I feel the need which is usually when there is little or no wind or if I have to be someplace like back to work on Monday Morning

Many times I sail in to anchor and off anchor. The anchorages here that I use are not crowded. I'm usually the only boat. At most, there will be 2-3 others

My first 5 sailboats over a 15 year period didn't have engines so even having a 5 hp outboard is a luxury. No more waiting if I can avoid it. I usually have about 3 gallons of gas onboard which give me about 50-60 miles of range depending on the tide which is enough

Racing 100 mile races without an engine can get old when the wind stops for the night if you haven't completed the race in 12 hours or so

[boatman61]

When I have to on deliveries.. light winds, head winds, tight schedules..
On my own boats in the past I have sat 5 days waiting for wind.. mind I could not have motored if I wanted to.. fuel tankage was insufficient to go cloud chasing in the hope of finding wind 700nm from land..
I did start as a purist but thats fine if solo.. if you dont want to lose your female crew however switch on the engine.. they are seriously not into slopping around going nowhere for hours on end.. let alone days.

[sailorboy1]

A lot depends if you are just weekend sailing or full time cruising.

I motored 652.3 hours so far in 2018

[Group9]

When I was younger, almost never. It was a point of pride to sail out of my slip, and then back in, and never turn on the motor.

I bought a 32 Islander with a busted engine one time in Fairhope, Alabama, and sailed it engineless to Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi by just waiting for the right weather, because I just knew I could.

But, the older I got, the more I found myself turning on the motor because I just didn’t relish the challenge of sailing everywhere anymore. It got so bad that last year, we finally sold our sailboat and bought a power cruiser.

I have a friend with a 26 foot sailboat and I get my sailing fix going with him from time to time now.

[thomm225]

Originally Posted by Group9

When I was younger, almost never. It was a point of pride to sail out of my slip, and then back in, and never turn on the motor.

I bought a 32 Islander with a busted engine one time in Fairhope, Alabama, and sailed it engineless to Point Cadet Marina in Biloxi by just waiting for the right weather, because I just knew I could.

But, the older I got, the more I found myself turning on the motor because I just didn’t relish the challenge of sailing everywhere anymore. It got so bad that last year, we finally sold our sailboat and bought a power cruiser.

I have a friend with a 26 foot sailboat and I get my sailing fix going with him from time to time now.

Nice.

I've sailed by that marina maybe 10 -12 times racing out to either Horn Island or Ship Island which are about 12-14 miles or so out in the Gulf on different Beach Cats.

Usually I was sailing my 17' Nacra with spinnaker singlehanded. (no engine of course)

The Races started off Ocean Springs in front of the bridge on the West side of the ICW

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sh...!4d-88.9641261

[Eder]

When on passage I start to motor sail anytime the boat speed slides below 5 knts. I carry 190 gallons of fuel, burn 1/2 gal per hour so no biggi.



When out for a daysail the motor stays off.

[psk125]

Having fuel in Europe priced at roughly twice what it costs in the US probably helps reduce motor usage there. French demonstrations were about increasing fuel taxes even further. We used less than 20 gallons (+/- 40L) last season getting in and out of the harbor.

[Captain Puget]

It probably depends somewhat on your location. Here in the Northwest we motor frequently due to tidal action, with currents approaching hull speed (sometimes exceeding ;-)

[canyonbat]

Originally Posted by Captain Puget

It probably depends somewhat on your location. Here in the Northwest we motor frequently due to tidal action, with currents approaching hull speed (sometimes exceeding ;-)

Yea, us too unfortunately. Our Alaska trip last summer, from Anacortes, was almost all under motor.

[JOHNMARDALL]

In my distant youth, I spent many long hot days becalmed on the Chesapeake Bay, being a purist, with the sails slatting annoyingly overhead. Then I read "Airborne" by William F. Buckle, Jr., the late conservative writer and sailor. Bill wrote that, when not racing, if he wasn't going in the direction he wanted to go and moving at 4 knots or more, he turned on the engine. I thought that if a very experienced sailor like Bill Buckley wasn't concerned about being a purist, why would a naif like me? Since then, I've enjoyed sailing much more, and regard my conventional sailboat as a motor sailor, which much of the time, provides the bliss of moving over the water in harmony with nature.


It's being on the water that matters the most


John Mardall
Vetus Maxwell Boat Equipment

[Lihuedooley77]

good on ya G, and the rest of the sailing folks out there.

Not sure there is one simple answer. Conditions , boats, and individual vary.

Been sailing a long time, and actually was an instructor long, long ago for about 25 years. U.S.C.G. 100 / 500 tons.

The sailing club that I worked for, basic lessons began on 30 foot boats, and I had them sailing out of the docks and sailing back in undersail. No engine running. One of these days, it will happen that the engine will be in- op, and you will have to sail the boat to a slip. No biggie, if you know your stuff and have experience.

We also practiced anchoring under sail as well.

When do we motor ?:

1. When bare boating other vessels , or sailing off shore and picking up moorings, we mainly use the engine to charge up the batteries. By running it as we prepare to come into the harbor, we can get sails down, dock lines set, and ready for mooring pick up , or entering a slip. Now, all secured to a mooring or dock, in a short time, we can splice the main brace and enjoy the solice, instead of the engine banging away to charge the batteries.

2. Our last two BVI trips, two week sailing vactions, we used 7 gals of fuel for one trip, and 8 gals, the last trip. We did motored into the mooring field, double bridles set for the mooring pick up, charged up the batteries and shut it down. The less we have to listen to the engine running, the better.

Different situation.

3. Delivery from Cabo San Lucas, Baha, Mexico. Sailed when we could, but with the wind direction on our bow, close hauled we were headed to Tahiti instead of L.A., so sometimes we would crank on the Iron Jenny, and use the main for a steadying sail, and point up closer to the wind . Extra fuel jugs were lashed to the lifelines.

4. Day sails off Newport Beach. Sail out of the docks, and on a broad reach, the 3.2 NM, from the head of the main channel and on out to sea. Returning, we would sail the vessel back up the harbor, tacking into the wind for the 3.2 miles, then roll in on the roller snarler, and dock under the luffing main sail at the sailing Club ( Lido Village Marina ). These were 30 ft range boats. Largest vessel that I docked under sail was a Tayana 55. Dead in slips. Rigged all dock lines, as well as breast, or midship dock line. Perfect and easy.

5. Some docks or slips, there is really no room to maneuver or depart under sail. So we motor out, and stand clear of the docks and boats and haul up the sail.

6. Motor When the sailing directions, or cruising guide state to motor thru shallow narrow passages, rocks and reefs, have the engine on arriving or departing thru reef passes in Tahiti, etc. Same for the BVI . Just follow the procedures.

7. If we have wind, we are sailing. If we have to reef down, instead of a single reef , I just tuck in a double reef since the wind generally continue to increase , and we are all set. No need for the engine to be on or gears engaged. Peaceful sailing.

Note, Engine on or off in strong winds and seas. In strong ocean conditions , it is better under sail, than motoring and bashing into a sea way under power. That is evident when you visually compare the situations of a vessel reefed down and sailing and a vessel with sails down and motoring.
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Our observations of vessels sailing : engine secured, or those under power and sail furled.


What we see now, especially in the BVI, is that we have great sailing winds. 15 to 20 mph. We are sailing up the Sir Francis Drake Channel about 25 nm from Norman Island to Virgin Gorda Sound....leverick bay. Helm change every hour for Erica and I.

Yes it will take a few tacks, but so what. We are sailors and love sailing, and that is why we do not have a motor vessel.

We are double reefed, small 110% jib, and we slide the travel down a bit to leeward.
No rounding up, no weather helm, no exagerated heeling. We are sailing and having fun. Only two us, no engine assistance . The sound of the water rushing along the hull is fantastic. Far more pleasant than a diesel engine bang, banging constantly.

But, what we see. mostly all catamarans, same conditions, same basic destination , they may have a main up, maybe, and they are motoring with both engines all ahead full. Sometimes they have the auto pilot engaged, and no one at the helm or even on lookout. The party light is lit.

Also, observing monohulls, making a passage from newport bay, ca. to Catalina Island. 25 to 33 plus miles depending on the harbor of choice. We have great winds, and are sailing, they are motoring. Some have not even taken off their sail covers. And we will be making more knots under sail, reefed down, than they are beating and bashing into the wind and seas. Very uncomfortable for crew and passengers. Likely to be some prop checking over the transom.

So, to answer your question....how much do you motor, it really does depend on the skipper, their seamanship and personal motivations. Totally up to the individual as when to sail or motor or for how long.

However, we feel that all of us are out there to enjoy had have a good time, at sea and in different cruising grounds. Be it mono hull or catamaran, sailing or motoring, we all are enjoying and living the dream.

[AJ_n_Audrey]

I'm using the engine less and less. I'll probably buy a top-down fuller next year for the Asym spinnaker so I don't have to motor in light winds - last year I had to motor 70 miles across Sea of Abaco in light winds to get to the edge of the Bank and catch a weather window. But I do use the motor for:

Beating tides in inlets - though I try to time arrivals to use the tide, of course
Making a critical departure time like Gulf Stream crossing
In and out of marinas
When I'm daysailing and need to get back before dark

I ran the engine 48 hours this year, but it was more last year.

[gmakhs]

Thank you for this great input.

[arsenelupiga]

in 24k nm and 6 years 950 hours each engine. Most hours done in sydney harbour where we almost never sail due to traffic.

Our boat is kept close to lightship weight and hulls clean and often sails where other boats turn on motors. Gennaker helps where winds below 10 kn.