Long Range Cruiser

Passagemaking under sail and power is very similar. One monitors the power plant (engine or rig) and systems, navigates, keeps watch, make coffee, clean stuff, fix stuff. Steering is usually by autopilot.

I think power is better than sail when you are old enough that injury from sails and exploding rigging is the big concern. It's not because of being short handed. People sail single handed around the world all the time on remarkably large boats. Watch keeping and socialization needs set the lower limit to the number of crew, not the power plant. IMHO.

 

you need a nice motor sailer. then you have the sail to dampen roll and for auxillary power.

 

What do you think of this? http://i1185.photobucket.com/albums/z343/BruceP46/Boats/P42sail-1.jpg She 42' loa x 13' beam x5' draft. Sheathed Strip, glass in and out. Enough power to make hull speed plus.

 

Whitepointer23 you took the words right out of my mouth--as far as i'm concerned it's the ideal long distance crusing machine. The key is a proper motorsailer--One that will go to windward , doesn't have to be super efficient doing so but it must have that ability in case of engine failure.---- Geo.

 

I think it's the right sort of thing. What is it? It's not a Hunter P 42, that's for sure. Does it come in steel? It kind of has that metal boat look to it. A sketch of a sail plan ain't much to go on.

some eye candy from Cherubini
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0PP2LEsRKM

 

I have to make a confession, the boat I posted is a boat I designed many years ago. it was based a a design by Sparkman and Stephens (I used to work for them.) Although she is a great boat and was designed for an older man with bad knees, I was hoping to hear from some in favor of power with a small rig 80/20. Unlike the good doctor I designed the boat for, my hands and other parts wouldn't be happy pulling on strings for days on end. Although it might cause some negitive thoughts I do like the general concept of Geo Buehler's Diesel Ducks. As I said in the origional post I'm interested in basic but comfortable crusing. Steel has its strong points sheathed strip also has its strong points.

The motor sailor can be built in steel if built in a yard that knows how to form steel. A power boat that is shaped to have some sailing ability should also be fairly easy for an iron breeze to push.

 

If you have designed a 42 footer and seen it through the build, why are we doing this again? Probably a good idea if you told us a bit more about your experience on the water. I was under the impression it was non-existent-as far as craft in this size range were concerned. Comments about watch keeping being boring, etc. (not keeping watch could be booring, I suppose, punctuated by moments of mystery and terror.)

 

The Diesel Ducks are a very practical and reasonable boat.
Here's a rig design for one, done for a long-time commercial Captain who wanted a reasonable amount of low sail area that was dead easy to handle at all times under all conditions.
His vessel is almost finished so the rig should be going up soon.

 

Phill the vessel I mentioned was designed and built for a client who was a long time sailor, he was smart and married to a wonderful gal much younger then he who also liked to sail. That boat was not set up to sail around the world my intent was to get opinions on what a boat would need to go anywhere. My second parameter was that it was easy to operate and maintain.
It is not my intent to mislead anyone, merely was looking to create a dialong regarding a modest safe extended range cruiser. Most of the boats both sail and power, being designed today are too fat to be good sea boats. As I have been away from yacht design for too long I'm trying to update my thinking. However, as I see that may people are interested in the classics I'm beginning to think that dusting off my "old" ideas might work too.
As far as my personal boat experience is concerned, I sure that there are many around here that have more miles under their keel, however, the wetness behind my ears is sea water.

 

Bruce- Take it from this old one time Newfoundland fisherman and sailer who has not only salt water under the keel but also in my veins--buy or design yourself a big moderately heavy motorsailer and find one of those old heavy slow turning diesels. Install heavy oversize furling gear on the main and the 150% jib. Same on the rigging. Heavy anchors and again an oversize windlass both on the bow and stern. Equip her with a strong heated comfortable wheelhouse( no reverse windshield) that has #1 a watertight door between it and the main cabin and #2 a quick disconnect seperate electrical sub panel that
supplies the wheelhouse only from the main panel. Duplicate all your comm. and nav. gear wheelhouse and main cabin. Room permitting in the engine room set up an auxillary pony diesel that can be easily coupled to the main shaft, a generator or a hydrolic pump. Run your windlasses hydrolic. There are maybe another 50 items but those are a must. Sit in your wheelhouse, sip on your hot cocoa and punch thru big seas with a sh-t eatin grin and say to yourself Ya i buit her right.--Geo.

P.S. heavy motorsailers are my passion

 

$$$$ but comfy. You're talking $100k++ just for the gear.

 

Also, what was the price today for #2 diesel? Here in Northern WA state it's $5 something a gallon at the fuel dock. That's over $500 bucks to fill my BERTIE and motor for about 100 hours of running or 500+ miles so a buck a mile for me. As things are going, more sail, less motoring would seem wise.

 

viking north I understand your passion for the big old diesels, however, I believe that the new diesels are more efficient and definitely much smaller. The net gain is more space for tankage etc. Yes, yes I know the big old engine is easy to fix and will run almost forever. From my standpoint the the boat of my dreams would be MOTORsailer along the lines of the Hand motorsailers as opposed to motorSAILER .

 

Exactly my friend thats why the furling gear-- one is more apt to use the sails. Why buy new, the market is flooded with used gear, sails included. Aaah but no used fuel so i know where you're coming from but Boston has a solution for that until the government catches on for their blood sucking take to support every non profitable-slack ***- socialist run business out there, banks included, then again maybe i'm just pissed off because i see all my years of hard working taxes that would normally give me a comfortable retirement just siphoned away to support the fat cats. --Geo.

 

Bruce , Hann, I have a good collection of his, Wooden Boat did a great article on him some time ago. Good heavy motorsailers but maybe with the price of fuel today, too much on the motor side. --Geo.