....
Chris:before dropping the main they get hit with a puff and come in wayyyy hot and crash the bow into the dock.
You know the answer you don't need to ask for it.Well, we are right there on the edge of yanking out the Yanmar.
1- Simplicity - No engine means less maintenance or failure points. One less system to deal with. take a diesel engine class
2- Costs - Obviously when you have no inboard, you have no costs associated with an inboard. No stuffing box to deal with, no fuel, etc.
it will make your boat worthless for resale. If I can do the maintenance you can.
3- Space - The Alberg has a massive amount of space where the engine lives, and when that becomes storage space you gain valuable live aboard space everywhere else. Not only the engine space, but all of the spare parts and whatnot that need to go with it.
just a silly rationalization
4 - Lifestyle - It fits our desired lifestyle and beliefs. We are purists we are coming to realize, and once we go, we won't be under timetables anymore. If we can't sail there "right now", we will wait until we can. Even mariners of old at least had oars
5- Thru hulls - We want to minimize holes below the waterline. There will still be a few, but not as many as now. And no drag from a prop either. That hole is getting glassed over. the holes are already there. they have valves. prop drag is not that much to give up unless your racing, or get a folding prop.
6- Skill - Yes, we have a belief that people sailed hundreds of years without engines, and it takes a bit higher level of skill to sail engine-less. We are coming to find out that we aren't just cruisers who want to get to a destination, we are cruisers who really get into the act of sailing itself. That's a huge part of the appeal to us. The journey and the destination. Sailing into and out of our slip is a favorite thing we do, and we think it reveals something about the way we like to sail. And none of that skill can be used to maintain an engine?
7- Profit, instead of loss - Instead of putting money into the engine before we throw the lines off, we plan to pull money out of it instead by selling it. It runs good and should fetch a few grand that can be put towards other more important things for Heron. This is silly. your own statement says it runs good! It will nearly cost you to remove it for what you sell if for.
Any here cruising without an engine? Thoughts? Have we finally lost it?
A couple of thoughts... having never sailed in C.Bay, but sailing in one's home waters with local knowledge of tides, conditions, etc.... is a completely different experience than sailing (or motoring ) into or along an unfamiliar harbor or coast. The things we do with great confidence locally all have to be reconsidered from the ground up when in unfamiliar waters. Local heroes are easily cowed in bigger ponds beyond their first hand knowledge. An engine is insurance for when you eventually (and we all do eventually) run into trouble in a new area. Figure you could sail your boat into a slip in a new marina in 25kts of breeze? Or find good bottom in a tight anchorage in that same 25 kts? And you want to be fiddling around with an OB somehow mounted to your boat (are you thinking an engine well? Could be a good solution, but not as good as an inboard on your boat) in new and tight places? When looking out for commercial traffic? Or dealing with localized current conditions that aren't in the cruising guide? Just doesn't seem very smart. Sure, chuck the fridge, etc..., but keep your engine.Wow, I would give going engine-less a 99% negative rating in this thread, which I cannot ignore.
I honestly believed we could do this anywhere (since we do it here), but you guys are definitely giving me pause.
I would imagine there is some room down in the bilge to add 400 lbs? The Alberg designed boat I have has a stupid deep bilge.If you pull the engine you will lose about 400 lbs of weight
down low which may have a negative effect on the boat's stability if
not replaced. Even if you use lead bars they will take up some space
and should definitely be well secured.
Bingo! I was just going to write the same thing. If you are this easily swayed by the people that have replied here on something you are/were 99% sure of, then you haven't thought this through nearly enough. Did you not run all the scenarios that have been brought up here before making your decision? If not, why not? If you're going to do it, do it, but nothing that has been said here should have been news to you if you have rationally thought about this decision.I have never sought advise on something I was 99% sure of...
This thread to me seems like an answer looking for a problem, i.e. you want help in convincing yourself of a poor choice.
My 2 cents.
Diesel or nothing?!?! LONG LIVE THE A4~THE TRUSTY ATOMIC BOMBIts diesel or nothing. If its nothing, maybe Ill see if your interested
Good luck.