Motorr Sailing

[Steve Carpman]

Before purchasing my Legend 37.5, I chartered for many years. One of the rules that seemed to be consistently applicable was the prohibition on motor sailing. With my own boat, I motor sail if the situation is appropriate. As long as the main is not flapping (traveler to windward), it does not seem to cause any undue strain on the main. I have never understood why the charter fleet prohibits motor sailing. Is there something I am missing?

 

[Mark S]

One reason may be...

that they are worried that the boat may heel hard for a while, thus oil shifts in the oil pan and misses the pickup and motor seizes.Or the boat may heel hard and the other way and too much oil is in the pickup, this can cause the motor to "run off" which means the motor starts running on the motor oil PAST WIDE OPEN! The only way to stop this is to cut off air flow to the motor, hard to do under sail. Motor can blow up.

 

[Steve]

And Another Reason . . .

We were told by the charter companies that prohibited motor sailing that the reason was when heeled, the cooling water inlet could come out of the water thereby resulting in a loss of cooling water to the engine. We routinely motor sail, however are careful to keep heel angle down to less than 10 degrees on our boat.Fair winds,SteveS/V Options