Ad/Dis-advantages to Motorsailer vs Cruiser

[Mr Jeepers]

My wife and I (plus a little one)are planning to purchase a liveaboard in the range of 38-45ft LOA next year and I was hoping to get some of the advantages or disadvantages of motorsailers vs cruisers. Uses will be mostly day and weekend sailing with the occasional long haul and a possible circumnavigation in the future. Any thoughts?

[jzlatar]

Hi, I ask the same question a long time ago, and the answerd that I received was... A motorsailer is 50% sailer and 50 % motoryacht, and in the performance is the same... only 50% good in sailing and only 50% good in trawling.
All the best

[Mr Jeepers]

I can''t say that I have any special knowledge in the area or I wouldn''t have posted the question. However, the 50% figure seems to round a number to be taken seriously and seems to have some heavy bias behind it. Am I to believe that the average motorsailer will sail only half as close to the wind and at half the speed (reaching or running)when sailng and motor at half the speed(and do 1/2 of whatever else the typical smokepot can)? There must be advantages to this. It can range under power far further than sailing vessels, couldn''t this be a great advantage when say out running a storm? I don''t want to try to answer my own question but 50% seems to simple an answer.

[928frenzy]

Motor-sailboats are typically heavier than a sailboat of the same overall size. They also tend to have smaller sails, but a considerably larger and more powerful engine. They tend to carry much more fuel, but not necessarily more water. They tend to be a bit higher off the water, making them a bit more top-heavy. As a result, they tend to be slower and not point as well as cruising sailboats. Being higher has its pluses and minuses as well.

On the other hand, they motor at hull speed far longer (thanks to bigger fuel tanks) and can be a bit more seakindly (thanks to their higher displacement and ballast). Since they have "displacement" hulls, they will not plane, and are not as fast as powerboats of the same size.

They tend to be quite roomy, and since the sails are usually smaller, they''re easier to sail singlehanded. However, in light winds, they tend to just float with no apparent forward motion. That usually means that if you plan to go somewhere, the big engine will be running most of the time.

These are just some general observations. There may be some exceptions, but overall, motorsailboats neither sail very well, nor motor very well. However, if you''re in no rush and like lots of room, and the sound of an engine running most of the time doesn''t bother you, then maybe a motorsailboat is right for you. ;^)

~ Happy sails to you ~ _/) ~

[TractorJohn]

I think where you live or plan to visit is a big decision maker.
Inside steering and/or a pilot house sounds really inviting when the temps. drop to freezing or in the rain. TJ

[mitiempo]

You're replying to a 6 year old post. The last time the original poster posted was a month later so I think he's out sailing.
Brian