Engineless Sailing

GeorgiaBII · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

Stu Jackson · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

True enough, but lots depends on where you sail and on what boat.

Tom J · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

An auxiliary is nice to have, and because we have it , most of us don't have the skills it would take to sail in and out of a harbor, etc. Sometimes, we even forget that we can sail when we need to. We lost our engine once while motorsailing up the Florida Gulf Coast, and continued under sail to an anchorage where we could change out the fuel filter at our liesure, so, yes, we did okay without the engine. Once, though, I came upon a 30' sailboat anchored in a ship channel, with a ship coming up the channel. I pulled him out of the way with the 9.9 hp aux on my 23' O'Day, after I dropped my sails. I asked him what happened, and he said they lost their engine, and they were waiting for a friend to come and tow them! They could have sailed 300' feet to an anchorage, or a 1/2 mile to any of 6 good anchorages. Scary, sometimes. Another time, we sailed up to a mooring at a popular sailing town, and the marina's tender driver said we were the first boat that season to sail onto a mooring. "Good to see," he said.

Tom J · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

It's nice to have an auxiliary, but because we have them, we don't always have the skills it takes to sail in or out of a harbor, etc. We were sailing up the Florida Gulf Coast one day, when the engine quit, so we continued sailing until we got to an anchorage where we changed the fuel filter at our liesure. So, we did okay without the engine. One day, though, I came upon a 30' sailboat anchored in a ship channel, with a ship coming up the channel. I pulled him out of the way with my 9.9 hp aux on my 23' O'Day, after I dropped my sails. I asked him afterwards what happened, and he said they lost their engine, and where waiting for a freind to come and tow them! They could have sailed 300' to an anchorage, or 1/2 mile to any of 6 anchorages. We sailed up to a mooring another day, at a popular sailing town, and the marina's tender driver said we were the first boat that season to sail onto a mooring. "Good to see," he said.

Ken Cross · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

Where we love they don't allow sailing inside the marina (over 2,300 slips)
The wind doesn't always blow. Many times we sailed on the way out but motored in due to no wind.

In the San Juan Islands the land interferes with wind and makes sailing difficult and in summer it's often so light that you can't make headway due to the tide.

Ken

Ross · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

I always sail without an engine and I always dock my boat with an engine. If I were on a mooring and and had no need to be someplace at a given time I would have no need for an engine. I could sail off the mooring and I could pick up the mooring under sail I can always anchor out under sail, just turn straight into the wind when I stop drop the hook back the main and strike the sail.

Sail123 · May 12, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

I sailed many years ago without a engine. Smaller boats. Larger sailboats require an engine. My current one is a diesel.

Ross · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

Larry Pardey owns an eight ton, 28 feet on deck Lyle Hess design cutter with no engine. He and Lin have sailed more than 80,000 miles. When it is dead calm they have a sculling oar to use.

FourPoints · May 13, 2012

Read the recent posts about Roger Long and I sailing up from Atlantic city. We were motor sailing into the outer bay of New York Harbor when we had a 16sq ft piece of black tarp wrap around the prop. We sailed against the current until we got to a place we could anchor and then anchored under sail. We ended up getting a tow into a Marina because we couldn't safely clear the prop from any place we could have sailed to.

There are some places that you just cannot safely sail without a motor, and some places where without a motor you may find your day sail turns into a 4 day sail waiting for enough wind to go against the current to get home.

Can it be done, yes, but not practically for most people.

Also worth noting, the couple that cruise without one, they have skipped many interesting ports of call because they cannot safely get in and out of them. So don't think they always go the same places you would want to go.

kloudie1 · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

To get to my slip, I have to navigate a mile of serpentine bayou that is about 50 feet wide (bank-to-bank, not channel).. Not practical to sail in a boat more than 20 feet long. I have done it on a race boat when the wind was exactly right (has to be about 220 deg) and we were too tired to wrestle the outboard back into place.
The wait for that direction of wind might be 3-4 weeks in the summer months..

Freedom77 · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

Our engine crapped out once on the way from Long Beach to Catalina. Sea was dead calm and it took 12 hours to get there instead of 6. We rigged oars and rowed part of the way. Ben Hur comes to mine. Row well and live number 41. I imagine that over time one could master the skills sans motor. Engines aren't always necessary but boy I don't want to leave the dock without it.

s sauer · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

Many of us have sailed 'without an engine' when the engine was temporarily out of commission. I have sailed thru a narrow entrance to our marina and then tied up alongside a seawall due to water in the fuel. Although I believe I have th eskills, I would not have tried to tack thru the Mariina or sail where others maybe pulling in or out of their slips and it would have been an affront to the safety of others.

You may consider what conditions you are willing to face of higher winds or currents or tides or ships in traffic lanes or narrow channels and may be fine in less congested areas of the country.

gpdno · May 13, 2012

You could certainty live without an engine. Depending on where you sail it may or may not be an inconvenience. My slip is about 3nm up the ICW from the entrance to the gulf. Depending on the winds and tide, I can sail from the gulf to my slip without ever turning on the engine. If the winds and tide are against me it's just easier to run the engine. In the days of old, you just say outside the harbor entrance until the wind and tides turn in your favor.

Bill Roosa · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

a motor gives you more options. if the wind dies you would have to wait to get to your destination. that is not always what the boss wants to hear come Monday morning.
Also, a motor generally comes with an alternator and water cooling so you also get a cheap source of power to recharge the batts and heat the water for that shower after that long slog to windward.

Ross · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

There is no seaport in the world that was not sailed to and from before there were engines. As has been stated engines make schedules easier to keep.
We often hear statements that schools and shopping are within walking distance. EVERYTHING is within walking distance! If the wind and current are favorable you can sail to your destination if not you can wait.

bffatcat · May 13, 2012

enginless sailing

I sail out of Marblehead harbor Anyone familiar with it knows it`s a mooring`s only harbor no slips. With about 1500 moored boats I sail in and out of the harbor 90% of the time When the wind is out of the northeast right on the nose going out I start my 8hp tohatsu and motor out. The harbor is too crowded in summer to tack out. I could do it If I had to but its very stressful. The only other time I motor is if I run out of breeze and have a way to go to get in
Ive never been in a slip and It could be tricky to have to motor to get under way and back in under sail.

shemandr · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

At a lot of Marinas sailing in is considered reckless If you do it and damage someone's boat don't expect Christmas cards

Ross · May 13, 2012

Re: Engineless Sailing. . .

harbors are very crowded today and I believe that it is prudent to have an engine.