leave the motor home?

[freddyray]

I am relatively new to sailing and am entering my day sailer 17ft in a local race mid september. Although it is my boat I am having an experienced sailor captain and I will crew. He is used to sailing 25ft Hunter so his thought and mine is on my small boat for the race we should leave the motor home. My motor is a 1967 6hp Chrysler. It is a short race on a local lake. No high seas here.

[blt2ski]

Read the rules of the race. Some local races require a PIYA lev III gear, one of which is a motor! On Lev IV boats, ie dinghys, one does not need a motor, as it is optional, but an oar IIRC is required.

Personally, I would take it along, if it is not required for the race itself, leave at the dock, and know of the wind dies, it is a "long?!?!" paddle home!

OR, as some folk will do, find yourself a smaller 1-3 hp motor for racing, ie something half the wt of the 6hp motor, use it to get to and from the course, use the higher HP motor when cruising or the need for higher HP, speed etc is needed, and wt less of an issue.

Marty

[deniseO30]

While it's a romantic thought to sail without having a motor as sailors of old did.. It's rare that one actually can. I've sailed to and from the dock, and even though I know I could. the other big boats on the River can really stir up the water. Again..it's not that you can't sail to dock, anchor or mooring. it's the conditions that can't be controlled that mess up the idea.
I think most Marinas say no sailing in the anchorage/docking areas anyway.

Bigger boat races and maybe small ones too may have pick up boats. I don't know that much about racing.

[Hartley18]

Freddyray, as Marty said, check the rules of the race.

17' is about the maximum size you could claim as an "off-the-beach" yacht, so it could be done, but only if the Sailing Instructions allow it for the Class/Division you are sailing in.

..but even if you don't need it, take the motor along - just in case you do.

[zz4gta]

Bring the motor unless you'll be tripping over it. Move it to the center of the boat. In my boat it goes over the keel, in fact I think I'll put it in the v-berth next time, as my boat has a tendancy to drag the stern. Use the motor to help level the boat fore and aft.

[chucklesR]

If 60 pounds makes that much of a difference I'd try loosing weight elsewhere first, and fairing and Teflon coating the hull, keel and rudder.

[TheFrog]

Freddyray - what type of daysailer is it? If it has a heavy keel then the motor shouldn't make much of a difference. If you have a planning centerboard dinghy then leave the motor on the shore. It's weight could make the difference between getting the boat up on plane or not which will determine how well you do in the race. Learn how to scull with the rudder, it is amazing how fast you can move with that once you have some practice.

[freddyray]

It's a swing keel boat and fairly fast with the motor. It rides high in the stern even with the motor. I am still real new to this so don't know. I think my captain wants to win the race. I will be satisfied with just not coming in last.

[Banshi]

I raced lightnings for several years as a kid on the St. Johns River, the mere suggestion of putting a motor on would have you laughed out of the area. I would not even consider it for anything less than 20 ' that was not a part time cruiser. If you can't get your boat in and out of the launch area without a motor you probably are not going to enjoy the racing anyways. We raced some dead calm days and howling noreasters on the St. Johns and never had to be towed in or out. The exception of course would be if you had to traverse a long canal or creek or fast moving inlet where there was not enough room to sail safely/easily back and forth.

[freddyray]

we can get in and out no problem as we often sail from the launch ramp and to the launch ramp without a motor so that is not the issue. It may be in the class they are putting me in I will have to have a motor.