The motorsailer: Not good at anything or just a motorboat with sail?

Discussion in 'Motorsailers' started by gunship, Oct 23, 2010.

  1. gunship
    Joined: Jun 2009
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    gunship Senior Member

    commonly, motorsailors seem to be regarded as either a bad compromise or as a motorboat with a mast. i cannot really understand why this would have to be the case.

    For a few years, my family had a motorsailor. the motorboat with a mast type - as it had no keel. many people i know had sailors with an inboard engine, but no pilothouse.

    commonly the thing that conflicts between motor vessels and sailors are the Keel and the pilothouse, and some hull shape differences. but if youre not planning on excessive speeds, is the hull shape really such a decisive factor? i understand that an ideal motor vessel would have a hull designed to fit with the propeller, which would decrease sailing performance. would a waterjet be a solution?

    (following is some gobbledeygook that the casual can skip)

    layout wise, the pilothouse is a problem. the motorsailer we had had a pilothouse halfway lowered, and a hatch, so if you stood at the helm, you would be standing up through the roof. i found that a pretty good sollution, maybe not ideal, but very functional. the problem was the cockpit, that was nonexistant. on my philosophical sketches (As in just theorycrafted) i placed the cockpit practically on deck level behind the pilothouse. while not providing quite as good protection against the seas, i figured in a storm you always have the pilothouse. the cockpid i sketched was lowered a little, so that youre clear of the boom when standing, and you could see over the pilothouse.

    If someone bothered following me on that, what do you think?

    is there any other ovious problems with a motorsailor?
     
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  2. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    There are many, many motorsailor threads already here. You most probably find all the answers just by using the Forum search function.

    Regards
    Richard
     
  3. Fanie
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    Fanie Fanie

    Hello Gunship !

    Yes, there are lots of problems with motor sailors ! The first is mine is not finished :D

    The problems there are are mostly between the ears. The power boat guys think sailboats are these slow sluggish things. The sailies think power boats are for a rough group of speed monsters (like Richard :D)

    Most sailboats are actually motor sailors in any case, since they all have a motor for windless times. When you go to larger (than small) boats they usually have displacement hulls, these have a design speed for the hull that is mostly considered the max speed. Thing is you can go faster than hull speed with enough power applied.

    Personally I like the idea of going places for free (for a change), so sailing suits me. There are times however I would like to use the motor's instead.

    So imo nothing wrong with the extra option.
     
  4. apex1

    apex1 Guest

  5. Fanie
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    Fanie Fanie

    Sure. Just look at the boat you sell. From my little boat that's a MONSTER :D

    Maybe you should sell it in meters ?
    17m sounds a lot more moderate than 57ft, unless you want to charge more for it.
     
  6. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    There are good and bad motorsailors, just like choices for a wife. Actually, I think you have better odds at the good wife.

    As in any other yacht design selection process, you have to make lists (many) of the things you need and desire in a yacht. Eventually, the prioritizing of these lists will focus the candidates into a small enough group where a few will stand out and the selection made.

    Then again you can build a semi or full out custom. Naturally this is a bigger investment in everything, but not so unusual an issue. Lastly would be finding a good candidate, but rearranging her accommodations to better suit you. This is likely the most economical option, especially with the wide open market to choose from.
     
  7. pool
    Joined: Sep 2010
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    pool Junior Member

    It's not that difficult to have a good motorsailer:

    Take a proven, more traditional (metal) sailboat hull with sufficient integral tankage. Something along the lines of a Jongert or Nordia that, with a furling rig, will sail reasonably well in trade wind conditions.

    Then add a reliable single diesel and a variable pitch prop that can load the engine for motor sailing, and be set to min. resistance when sailing.

    Hey presto - there's a decent motorsailer! :)
     
  8. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    Good idea!

    So my 22 meter Passagemaker should be a Monster bargain at 2 mio.
     
  9. Fanie
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    Fanie Fanie

    Eeessshhh Par, I can see how impressed any woman candidate will be if you make lists to evaluate her :D



    Richard, 57ft is 22m ??? My calculator must be broken...
     
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  10. PAR
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    Had you made lists of the qualities and needs you required in a wife, how many times would you have had to eat alone?
     
  11. apex1

    apex1 Guest

    Of course.

    To make the boat not look too monstruos we make it 57 ft. and to earn a few pennies we sell it at 22 m.:D
     
  12. gonzo
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    gonzo Senior Member

    With the new lightweight powerful engines available, the so called saiboats are really motorsailors. They used to be called auxiliaries, but now they do maximum design speed under sail or power, the definition of a motorsailor.
     
  13. Willallison
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    Willallison Senior Member

  14. PAR
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    PAR Yacht Designer/Builder

    I'm more of a Marco Polo fan, though the lifeboat hull form could use revision for aesthetic reasons.
     

  15. Brian@BNE
    Joined: Jan 2010
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    Brian@BNE Senior Member

    Ok, but they won't have long range under power alone will they, unless quite large to fit the tankage required?

    Yes Will, a good choice as a favorite. Very nice indeed!
     
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