Cruising with an Outboard

[WouldaShoulda]

Originally Posted by mccary

WouldsShoulda, where is your home port? I sail out of West River from a private dock just across the river from Galesville. I like your boat's name!
You can visit my boat's website some time.
aeoluswestriver.net

Thanks, we have checked it out and sailing was excellent on Saturday!!

We also are fond of lunch/dinners at Pirates Cove.

We are out of Selby Bay/South river and sailed your way this weekend but ran into some shallow water. I re-read our chart to avoid that in the future.

I'll keep an eye out for you.

We have a cool ensign flying from the spare halyard on our O'Day 272.

Give us a howdy if you see us, we'll do the same!!

[camaraderie]

McCarey...easy run down from Norfolk as long as the Albermarle is not kicked up. 50 miles in the ditch gets you to Coinjock...home of the 32 ounce prime rib and deep dish apple cobbler a la mode!! Enough reason to go right there!!
Another 35 miles brings you into Manteo where you can have a free dock for a night or two...or head to the marina for electirc/water/cable/bathrooms etc. if you want a more civilized berth! Give me a yell when/if you plan to show up!

[mccary]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

McCary...easy run down from Norfolk as long as the Albermarle is not kicked up. 50 miles in the ditch gets you to Coinjock...home of the 32 ounce prime rib and deep dish apple cobbler a la mode!! Enough reason to go right there!!
Another 35 miles brings you into Manteo where you can have a free dock for a night or two...or head to the marina for electric/water/cable/bathrooms etc. if you want a more civilized berth! Give me a yell when/if you plan to show up!

You make that 85 nm of motoring sound tempting ... at 5 kts that's just 17 hours ... maybe next summer if I can convince the wife and the weather looks favorable.

Thanks for the invite camaraderie!

[timebandit]

Are you using the internal fuel tank for the saildrive to power the outboard?

Is it an electric start?

Originally Posted by waverider24

I have purshased a boat that had the saildrive taken out and an outboard motor installed in its place. The boat it's self is a sea worthy boat and a good coastal cruiser ( 1981 Mirage 275 ).

As my interest in coastal cruising increases I am wondering what to do. Is it nuts to use a boat with an outboard as a coastal cruiser? In my journey I will be crossing the Gulf of Maine, then heading down to the Bahamma's via the ICW.

I will be sailing most of the way but the need for motor sailing will no doubt be a great possibility. Of course outboards can isolate in heavy seas and the worry about a wave breaking it off my trasim is always a concern.

Can anyone give me more information on Cruising with an outboard as your prime a auxilary engine.

[gershel]

I'm not sure if this applies to you or not. Outboard equipped PDQ catamarans, such as mine, regularly do the ICW, Bahamas, and Central America, with 9.9 Yamahas. Now these boats were designed for outboards, so we have large fuel tanks, and the engines are placed in a location to prevent cavitation in rough seas. we also have 2 engines. I know this may not apply to you , but a high torque, long shaft outboard is quite capable of cruising. The biggest problem is not generating enough electricity.
Marc

[Tahani]

Our 25 foot Meridian has an outboard, running in a well. I've had inboards. Thanks, but I'll keep my outboard.

We've done two trips from Texas to Florida and return so far, mostly in the ICW, but a fair amount offshore. Totaling some 3200 plus miles. Never had a problem, even in larger seas. OCCASIONALLY the prop will come out, but not often. Remember- ours is in a well, NOT on the transom.

As for fuel economy- we have an 8 hp 4 stroke Yamaha. We can run the boat at hull speed with the engine running just UNDER the start setting- a high idle. Running at that speed, we get 7.5 to 8 hours on a 3 gallon tank. ICW running averages about 15 miles per gallon. I didn't get that good with my 35 foot trimaran, running a diesel.

We have plans for long distance cruising within the next year- Florida Keys, Bahamas, up the east coast. I have no qualms whatsoever in having an outboard- in fact, I prefer it.

[JrmMin]

To all sailors: who want to answer!

OK> I have read all the threads on ICW posted. I sail a 28.6 1975 Pearson & in mint condition shes brand new hardly used. Sleeps(5) crew member onboard will there are 5 beds with & inboard Atomic 4 cyl engine runs like brand new. Where would I put 5 people good ?. Ok to the point! I too want to sail the ICW My boat has the state of the art of all Nav Avionics: Plus a Radar reflector, Will my mast is 38' Foot but 5' Feet of it go,s through the cabin and sits on the draft or fixed keel bolted: Why reflector will the mast is big enough to bounce a single from someone else Radar transponder but it might only be a little dot: I wanted to be seen out there on the ICW. OK enough is enough you get the Idea of my boat. Now to the ? Why > THIS is my route> From Lake Erie to Buffalo New York harbor, out to New York City straight into the coastal water ?? sail to Fla and then around Key west turn north into Gulf of Mexico up to Clear Water FLA. Why can,t I sail 50 miles off shore from New York turning south at 50 miles off shore instead of 200 Miles straight out of NEW YORK and I can,t use my sails eather need to motor first to the Icw point. I can come back into shore turning S/West after I reach North Carolina then I can turn South: or have I heard wrong ?? It,s seem in some threads you are not concerned: seeming that if I go 6.1/2 nots is a long way out .

[JrmMin]

To all sailors: who want to answer!

OK> I have read all the threads on ICW posted. I sail a 28.6 1975 Pearson & in mint condition shes brand new hardly used. Sleeps(5) crew member onboard will there are 5 beds with & inboard Atomic 4 cyl engine runs like brand new. Where would I put 5 people good ?. Ok to the point! I too want to sail the ICW My boat has the state of the art of all Nav Avionics: Plus a Radar reflector, Will my mast is 38' Foot but 5' Feet of it go,s through the cabin and sits on the draft or fixed keel bolted: Why reflector will the mast is big enough to bounce a single from someone else Radar transponder but it might only be a little dot: I wanted to be seen out there on the ICW. OK enough is enough you get the Idea of my boat. Now to the ? Why > THIS is my route> From Lake Erie to Buffalo New York harbor, out to New York City straight into the coastal water ?? sail to Fla and then around Key west turn north into Gulf of Mexico up to Clear Water FLA. Why can,t I sail 50 miles off shore from New York turning south at 50 miles off shore instead of 200 Miles straight out of NEW YORK and I can,t use my sails eather need to motor first to the Icw point. I can come back into shore turning S/West after I reach North Carolina then I can turn South: or have I heard wrong ?? It,s seem in some threads you are not concerned: seeming that if I go 6.1/2 nots is a long way out .

[JrmMin]

To all sailors: who want to answer!

OK> I have read all the threads on ICW posted. I sail a 28.6 1975 Pearson & in mint condition shes brand new hardly used. Sleeps(5) crew member onboard will there are 5 beds with & inboard Atomic 4 cyl engine runs like brand new. Where would I put 5 people good ?. Ok to the point! I too want to sail the ICW My boat has the state of the art of all Nav Avionics: Plus a Radar reflector, Will my mast is 38' Foot but 5' Feet of it go,s through the cabin and sits on the draft or fixed keel bolted: Why reflector will the mast is big enough to bounce a single from someone else Radar transponder but it might only be a little dot: I wanted to be seen out there on the ICW. OK enough is enough you get the Idea of my boat. Now to the ? Why > THIS is my route> From Lake Erie to Buffalo New York harbor, out to New York City straight into the coastal water ?? sail to Fla and then around Key west turn north into Gulf of Mexico up to Clear Water FLA. Why can,t I sail 50 miles off shore from New York turning south at 50 miles off shore instead of 200 Miles straight out of NEW YORK and I can,t use my sails eather need to motor first to the Icw point. I can come back into shore turning S/West after I reach North Carolina then I can turn South: or have I heard wrong ?? It,s seem in some threads you are not concerned: seeming that if I go 6.1/2 nots is a long way out .

[sailingdog]

JrmMin-

Hate to break it to you, but the average radar return of an aluminum mast is basically ZIP. If you don't have a radar reflector, you'll basically be invisible to radar... So, you really do need to have the Radar Reflector mounted... as high as you can.

You'd also be much better off starting your own thread regarding your cruise, the route and the issues you have with it...

BTW, if you've got Avionics on your boat, you've got the wrong equipment. Avionics are for AIRPLANES.