Sailboat without a mast

[JonEisberg]

Originally Posted by k_p_m

My guess is that the OP asked after having searched around some great loop sites. This being the one that stood out to me.

Choosing your Great Loop boat.

Hmmm, I certainly hope no one considering doing the Loop in a cruising sailboat is taking these numbers from that link seriously:

What you may not know is that the design of the sailboat's displacement hull makes it the very most economical vessel on the water. Think about it!

Sailboats are designed to move easily through the water in the slightest breeze. As a result, it requires a very minimum amount of horse power to move these vessels through the water.

For example:

A 32' to 36' (live a-board size) Sailboat might be rated for a 10 to 25hp engine and have a 10 mph fuel burn rate of 0.4 to 0.8 gallons per hour.

This guy is dreaming...

[tommays]

There are PLENTY of older SMALL diesel powered Albin Trawlers like the 24' aft cabin that have huge room for the size and sip fuel

[PorFin]

Originally Posted by JonEisberg

Hmmm, I certainly hope no one considering doing the Loop in a cruising sailboat is taking these numbers from that link seriously:

This guy is dreaming...

LOL -- Jon's spot on. A 36' sailboat, 25hp engine, several "mph" over hull speed, all while sipping fuel? That guy's anatomically challenged (at least as far as elbows and rectums go...)

[sww914]

Yeah that guy is full of it. A sailboat is designed to slip through the water CARRYING THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF BALLAST UNDER THE WATER TO COUNTERBALANCE THE FORCE ON THE SAILS! Oh, and then there's the dragging a keel around under the water so you don't go sideways part too. All that stuff under the water creates drag. We all know that.
That's why hydrofoils are faster, almost nothing in the water.

[johnnyquest37]

Originally Posted by PorFin

LOL -- Jon's spot on. A 36' sailboat, 25hp engine, several "mph" over hull speed, all while sipping fuel? That guy's anatomically challenged (at least as far as elbows and rectums go...)

My 35' sailboat has a 35hp engine. On the motor we can do 5 knots at about .3 gallons per hour. At 6 knots, we burn about .5 gallons an hour. We don't routinely motor faster than this, but top speed through the water is about 6.8 knots on the engine. I've not kept meticulious notes on fuel consumption, so these figures are estimates. Is this about in line with what others are exeriencing or are my estimates off?

[k_p_m]

Originally Posted by johnnyquest37

My 35' sailboat has a 35hp engine. On the motor we can do 5 knots at about .3 gallons per hour. At 6 knots, we burn about .5 gallons an hour. We don't routinely motor faster than this, but top speed through the water is about 6.8 knots on the engine. I've not kept meticulious notes on fuel consumption, so these figures are estimates. Is this about in line with what others are exeriencing or are my estimates off?

I too am curious what peoples burn rates really are. I know thats not the point of sailing, but some of you guys must keep track?

[knothead]

having the weight aloft really helps dampen the roll.

Originally Posted by Sublime

Not really.

PorFin is exactly right. It's not debatable. A sailboat without a mast is going to roll your guts out in a seaway. If you doubt this, you simply haven't ever experienced it.
I pull masts out of boats all the time. When walking around on deck after we pull the stick, there is a definite, noticeable difference every time. Especially on smaller boats.

Except with multihulls. I don't notice much of a difference there.

[MedSailor]

Originally Posted by pedalsteel

I'm new to this forum. Am planning to purchase a used 30' sailboat but I'm not interested in sailing. I would like to remove the mast except for about 8 feet for antenna mounting. Would like to do the great loop and not have to worry about a mast, also very economical cruising. Would removing the mast as described have any ill effects on the vessel?? Thanks Al.

I had to take the mast out of my wooden boat because of extensive rot/wood damage necessitating the removal of the keel as well.

Knothead is right. It will roll in an AWFUL motion that you will hate if you take the mast out. The hull shape of sailboats more resemble a canoe or kayak than a barge. Powerboats roll more slowly (read more comfortably) than sailboat hulls. The only thing that makes the motion of the sailboat roll comfortable is the weight of the mast far from the center of the roll.

Every seen ice skaters do spins? If they bring their arms close they spin quickly, if they spread them out they spin slowly. Same with your mast. If you remove that weight then all the weight in the boat is close to the center of the roll and every roll from every wave/wake will be head-snappingly fast. I've tried it both ways in the same boat. You will hate it.

On the other hand, if you leave the stick in place life will be more comfortable, you have the option of sailing if you choose, and your boat will retain resale value.

MedSailor

[MedSailor]

Originally Posted by tommays

There are PLENTY of older SMALL diesel powered Albin Trawlers like the 24' aft cabin that have huge room for the size and sip fuel

Yes. The Albin 25 is what you want. Check it out here:
http://www.jonesboatyard.co.uk/docum...bin-Manual.pdf

Oh, as an aside, in addition to being the best boat choice for what you want to do, there is a GREAT technical discussion about roll and comfort and where the weight is on page 5-6 of the above document. They recommend adding weight HIGHER UP to create a more comfortable motion and the physics behind why is explained well. It addresses the discussion in this thread nicely and is worth a read I think.

Medsailor

[hellosailor]

That's like trying to buy a Pinto and use it as a Jeep.

Just ain't gonna work, and enough people have told you why. The more frightening question should be how you're about to undertake a great and expensive adventure without doing the most basic groundwork to understand what you are getting into.

"Buy a cheap trawler" also does not mean "buy an old wood boat from the 1940's" because that can be a disaster too. Really, do some research, and if you don't do a lot of research, try to understand that the reason people don't do unconventional things (like butcher a sailboat) is because there usually are some damn good reasons for doing things the conventional way. Read up.