Sailing VS motoring %

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Mar 12, 2005
55
- - jacksonville
which do you do more of . What is your ratio and what was the start and finish dest. please keep it short and easy to read. i have talked to alot of people that have said that they sail up and down the east coast and alot seem to motor in the intercostal instead of out in the ocean seems to defeat having a sail boat. I have done alot of sailing but not alot in th oceans more in the st johns river and a few trip to st augistine, but we went out in the ocean and down. It didnt seem that bad to me. if you have taken trips on the coasts lets here it where did you go, sail or no sail, and time.
 
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Herb Parsons

95/5

95% sailing, 5% motoring. My goal when I go out is to get the sails up and the motor off as quick as I can. We sail back into the slip about 2/3 of the time. That's all on our O'Day 25. Our Coronado 35 is stil being worked on, and is only motorable right now. I suspect that when it is ready to sail, it will be motored a bit more (bigger, harder to slip, plus the marina doesn't permit sail-ins), but I sitll think it'll be around 90%. We wanted sailboats, not motorboats.
 
T

TDC

As Herb said

we motor in and out of slip and try to sail the rest of the time, also on an Oday 25. 95/5 I also sail a Laser which can't be motored.
 
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Rick

95 Sail 5 motor

I just spent a week in the Pac North West (Gulf Islands) and we only used the stink machine to get into or out of slips and docks and the rare floding channel. The rest of the time was SAIL.
 
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Andy and Susie

Sail >95% Motor <5%

That is being generous to the motor %. That is on our 33, but was the same for our 290. Short and sweet enough?
 
Jun 4, 2004
629
Sailboat - 48N x 89W
Fess' up guys

As “day-sailors”, including 3-week holidays on Lake Superior, we only motored in/out of the marina, and perhaps a few anchorages (98% sailing). As “live-aboards”, cruising the Bahamas, we probably motored or ‘motor-sailed’ 85% of the time.
 
Jun 2, 2004
425
- - Sandusky Harbor Marina, Lake Erie
75-25

We need the engine for the 40+ miles back across the lake when there is no wind. Also, getting home now means sailing 7 to 4 miles SW where that is the prevailing wind direction, and we are confined to a channel for part of the way. The asymetric has been critical in converting engine to sailing time in light weather. David
 
Jun 7, 2004
22
- - Huron, Ohio
Only as necessary

I hestiate to delare a percentage, as it is not a stat that is important. From engine start to shutdown is a minimum of 20 minutes. This includes warm up, the short hop down the river, setting sail, and often being prudent in negotiating the fishing fleet that hovers off the river's mouth. The return is much the same. Lake Erie can also be the place of disappearing winds. Last Saturday (17th) we ran near hull speed for two hours and then nothing. So bob around and hope or fire up the Yanmar and motor the last three miles? Last season, 3 day weekends the norm, from April to October we used 6.8 gallons of fuel. Now another question based on a comment from a fellow sailor who has an outboard. Are short runs harmful to a diesel? Andy "Baroque"
 
Mar 21, 2004
343
Hunter 25.5 Carlyle, IL
Motoring

Our motor is used stricktly to get us in and out of the marina. Maybe 10 minutes of propulsion out and 15 back since we motor into the wind when we drop the sails. There has been a weather event or two where we have used to motor to move off the water quickly.
 
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Jerry Clark H356 SV Persistence

Depends on where you are sailing!

I sail primarily on Kentucky lake and motor about 10% with 90% sailing. Cruising in Florida on 4 trips from Charlotte Harbor to Key West in the fall, I have only made one trip where sailing was primary. On that trip, we sailed 75% and motored 25% because the winds were on a beam reach both directions for most of the two passages. In the other three trips, the wind was mostly on the nose - both ways! On those, we motored 85% both ways with some motor sailing included. If you are going to be on a schedule, you should plan like Gord May says - 75 to 85% motor and 25% sail. Inevitably, the wind is from the wrong direction when you cruise off shore.
 

p323ms

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May 24, 2004
341
Pearson 323 panama city
Depends upon goals

When our goal is to go sailing we only motor enough to get to open water. If there is wind we sail. When there is no wind we usually anchor and go swimming. Last trip to Saint Joe we sailed most of the way there and back. Trying to beat the darkness we motored out past the jetties and decided that if there was no wind we'd not go. But the wind came up and we sailed at 4-5 kts all day. On the way back there was more wind!!!! But last fall we ended up having to motor several hours so that we could get to work Monday morning. A 30 mile passage that is so much fun with 15kts is never ending when there is no wind!!! A big problem for timid sailers is too much wind. If you stay in harbor when the wind is 15-25kts and can't sail when it's less than 10 kts there isn't much chance of sailing. I'd rather double reef than have to motor all day. A grat day of sailing for me is 4-6' waves and 15kts of wind on the beam. The whitecaps and swells just make the ocean seem alive. Tom
 
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