motor size on 26s for powering out of bad

[biorapper]

I got into a discussion with a friend concerning motor size. he said he would want to put at least a 15hp on my boat. I explained as well as I could about hull speed...he said it was more for the ability to get out of trouble (currents/waves). I still thought he was wanting too much motor; and I sail the far majority of the time so don't want the extra weight, but, is there some validity to his claim that a bigger motor can still thrust you out of a bad situation better than a 8.8hp for a 26s?p.s. I still have not found the problem with my motor, (cover off runs/cover on dies)I did see a white like vapor coming from the "innards" of the motor, but could not isolate the source or find where the exhaust exits from a nissan 8.8; I was easily distracted from troubleshooting by the 10-15 mph winds (I checked the archive and found some stuff, but nothin that was explicitly directed to powering out of waves etc.)

 

[Ross]

Eight HP will provide enough power, you need a

propeller that will use that 8 horse power at 8 to 10 miles per hour. I expect that if you put your engine on a small (12 feet) aluninum boat it would go close to twenty MPH. A bigger prop with a shallower pitch will absorb more power at a slower speed. I am turning a 3 blade 13 inch prop with less than 10 hp and have enough power to push my 4 1/2 ton 30 footer through any kind of a mess that I have encountered.

 

[CalebD]

Mac 26s

A friend bought one of these recently and we took it out Fire Island Inlet to the ocean on an ebb tide with just an 8HP Evinrude that pushed us over the 10+ foot breaking waves. We were lucky that there was not much wind and that they were pretty far apart. If you are worried about bad weather sneaking up on you I suggest that the larger engine (15HP) would be more of a hassle than a reassurance. I would rather make sure that you can reef the main sail and furl the jib so you can still sail when it blows stink. Also, make sure you have a good anchor with a nice long rode for these emergencies. Also practice heaving to.If bad weather blows up quickly it is likely to blow out just as quickly.If you really want more power consider a 10 or 12 HP.

 

[LKYusnret]

We are doing a 7,800 mile trip

called The Great American Loop with a 9.8 HP on our Hunter 260 and find it satisfactory. We have gone 1500 miles so far. John and Anita S/V Baums Rush Doing the Loop

 

[Ross in Tampa]

the physiscs of hull speed...

Here's my take on the subject again...Most* sailboats are displacement craft, meaning they don't and won't plane. (*Macgregor's excepted in my analogy) Hull speed is a function of length, beam and power, whether it's wind, diesel inboard, or outboard. A sailboat will only go it's hull speed, hanging a larger outboard will not make the boat go faster, or handle better, it might make it slow down faster, but this is more a function of propellor rather than horsepower.I have a 25 ft Oday, when I purchased it, it had a 7 1/2 Honda 4 stroke. And it pushed her very well up until the day it died. I replaced it with a 9.9 Mercury 4 stroke and have only seen an improvement while docking. We have been in head winds that it seemed we were making negative progress, but the 9.9 is perfect for this size of boat.Just my thoughts...Ross in Tampa1979 Oday 25 "Lola"

 

[Landsend]

it's not worth arguing about...

if he wants a 15 hp in a boat that a 10hp would do...that's OK too.

 

[Fred]

9.9 is plenty for an H26

8 hp is probably also plenty. Many of the 8hp and 9.9hp motors are the same motor with slightly differenc carburation.Here in Canada we don't have to licence or register a boat if it's got less that 10hp, so 9.9 is the obvious choice for me.I haven't tried to motor against any big seas with this boat, but the 9.9 has more power than the boat can use in flat and moderate waves. I have no doubt that it will be strong enough for anything the boat will take.

 

[Jim]

9.9 or 8

you can only go hull speed, any more and your just pushing the transom down.

 

[The Arabella]

Planing

While on the subject, I know that the new power sailers have a 30 to 50 HP motor to get up on plane. Those boats weigh 1000 pounds more than my Mac S. Hull design is supposed to be the same, so why couldn't my Mac Classic plane with enough HP? Maybe instead of one big motor, two small ones? I wonder exactly how much HP it would take for a 2000 lb boat to get up on plane?

 

[Ross in Tampa]

what would be the point?

WHY??? It's a sailboat... Why would you want twice the weight, twice the maintenance ect.

 

[Ben16737]

If you want a motorboat....

Get a motorboat. Otherwise, there is very limited use in getting more than 10hp. The only argument for it would be that it could help you power through a strong headwind, but if the wind is that strong there is a just as much argument for making use of reefing, heaving to, or anchoring. The extra weight won't be worth it 99% of the time.

 

[Stan Breaux21640]

26S Transom not designed for big motor

Besides the fact that the nmotor well isn't big enough for a big motor, if you did put on on a 26S and revved it up, it would probably break the transom off.Then there's the issue of trailering it with a heavy motor hanging on a relatively weak transom.I'm not throwing stones. I have a 26S, too.

 

[watercorlors]

Planing

A planing hull rises up to the top of the water as it increases in hull speed.A displacement hull has the reverse effect! It sinks! The faster it goes the deeper into the water it sinks. A powerful enough motor could actually sink your boat.On calm waters, at hull speed, measure the distance to the water.

 

[CalebD]

Arabella

The idea with the Mac 26X motor sailor and a 50HP engine is that you have enough power to help drain the water ballast (1400#) and then achieve planing and speeds of around 20 knots or so. I doubt if the water ballast system valves on the 26S are the same as the 26X and the 26X was designed to handle a heavy 50HP motor which the 26S was not. In short, you could try it and let us know how it goes but be careful when draining the water ballast as the boat will become much more tender and could capsize. The link below describes such an event happening on Lake George, NY in 2002 although I think it might have been the 26X involved in this incident.

 

[sailortonyb Allied Mis]

Arabella

If the 26X weighs 1000 lbs more tha the 26S, where does that 1000 lbs go. Its not all in just beefing up the transon. I would guess its also in the hull and fittings to make sure they will hold up to the additional stresses from more speed.At some point, you will have to give the designers credit in that they know what they are doing. I would stick to the recommended HP Tony B