30 foot sailboat towing tubers?

[dlandersson]

While out sailing today I saw a large, 30+ foot sailboat moving under engine power towing some kids tubing. Must habe been going 8+ mph. Very nice looking boat. Was NOT a Macgregor (I own one).

What kind of sailboat can go that fast under engine power?

 

[Benny17441]

It is hard to judge a boat's size and speed without having a reference point in the water. Have seen a few early 80's 30 footers powered by the Universal Atomic 4 gas engine which produces 30HP that seemed to be quite zippy.

 

[bcollis]

We do this occasionally, but don't go more than 6knts indicated.

There was a version of Hunter +/- 25 ft (I think) that had a retractable keel, and came equipped with a 60 or so hp engine. The first time I saw the guy on a full plane my jaw dropped.

 

[catsailor]

My Stiletto 27 motored at up to 14 knots when clean and light (18hp). Yes, we towed the kids. Pretty fun, particularly on windless days. Though we could go as fast with the breeze up, we never tried it; sailing was too much fun at that point.

 

[rgranger]

The Hunter Edge?

 

[dlandersson]

No - and I kick myself for not snapping a picture - it had 3-4 rectangular windows in the cabin. Nice looking boat - at least 30+ feet.

The Hunter Edge?

 

[Jackdaw]

Am I missing something?

A sailboats max speed (under sail OR power) is mostly a function of its water line length. A boat with a waterline length of 28 feet will easily reach 7 knots (8 MPH) under power at cruise setting. More throttle under calm conditions would pull a tube at the same speed.

Not impossible, just looks silly.

 

[MrBill_FLL]

were the tubes planing?

it takes a bit of speed to get them to pop up and plane... but only tried it from powerboats.

 

[BobM]

Lancer made some 27 and 29 foot power sailors that would plane.

 

[BobM]

Brian's boat has the three small ports on each side.

http://brianbdonaldson.com/Takara.htm

 

[Tim R.]

Brian's boat has the three small ports on each side.

http://brianbdonaldson.com/Takara.htm

The engine on that boat is not going to make it plane.

 

[dlandersson]

Not sure, they seemed to be close to it, at least. Definate wave troughs

were the tubes planing?

it takes a bit of speed to get them to pop up and plane... but only tried it from powerboats.

 

[dlandersson]

Bigger.

Brian's boat has the three small ports on each side.

http://brianbdonaldson.com/Takara.htm

 

[BobM]

Most people...

The engine on that boat is not going to make it plane.

...gave up on the power sailer aspect. Originally they came with 90hp for the 27s and 115hp for the 29's, as far as I know.