[sciencebum]

Ok, this post got a little long, but it was fun to write tl;dr at the bottom.

Setup: I am only 12 months into my sailing career.
Punchline: By my experience, I'm prepared to unequivocally renounce the use of engines on daysailors. And on the internet too!

Allow me to state my case:

After taking the requisite ASA courses (through 104) at a boat club in San Francisco, just behind the ballpark, I started renting club boats. These were Santana 22's, a wonderful little dayboat that can ghost in wisps and handle strong blows. At the club, they all came with 5hp yamahas on the back, and we were only taught to motor back to the dock. So, when the outboard died on my 3rd charter with a 10kt wind blowing out the entrance to the marina, I almost didn't make it back. I got caught against the breaker wall and had to fend the boat off before finally getting a tow. It was horrible.

I left the club and tried a 6 month 1/4th partnership (one weekend a month for $50/mo) on a 1965 27' Cheoy Lee P.O.S. With 30yo sails, no boom vang, a temporary outhaul, and a new skipper, she barely made sail. I foolishly agreed to take a novice crew to Angel Island, and was too worried to put up sails when 25kt winds picked up. The inboard diesel engine did nothing but billow smoke as we crawled home against the current. It took us 5 hours to get back. It was horrible.

Still in love with sailing and tired of getting what I paid for, 4 month ago I bought my own boat, a 1975 Dufour 24. Every weekend and many holidays since then I've spent at least some time at the boat.

The first month was spent working on the inboard diesel engine (yes, on a 24'er) a raw water cooled volvo md6a/7 hybrid. With the help of the previous owner once removed, I got it running, but on my first shakedown, the engine started to overheat as soon as I left the breakers. Now I am not an experienced sailor, and I was out solo, but I also had a plan expecting the engine might fail as so many others have. I ended up sailing back to my slip for the first time. It was...wonderful!

The 2nd month was spent trying everything short of surgery to solve the overheating problem. Fluid change, Salt Away, impeller. I would do some work, then go out with friends family on calm days (It's been an incredible winter for light air sailing in SF. Sorry rest of the country...), using the engine sparingly. This resulted in several more dock under sail attempts, a few rocky, but all successful.

After a bolt on the exhaust manifold broke in it's housing, I was done wasting sailing days covered in grease. The third month of boat ownership was spent sailing without an engine, and I've never enjoyed sailing more, sailed more often, or been more dedicated to the craft of seamanship. For the first time, sailing is living up to it's romance.

tl;dr
1) Engines break, and if they don't break often it's because you aren't sailing enough.

2) When they break, you are not in trouble because you don't have a motor, you're in trouble because you don't know what to do. Trying to prevent the second problem is safer than trying to prevent the first.

Caveat - I'm only talking about boats under 5000lbs, because that's all I know, and more than that it's a momentum problem.

 

[miatapaul]

Well it will force you to learn to sail that much is true. And your in one of the best places as far as wind goes..

Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk

 

[PaulinVictoria]

We often have almost no wind, and currents running at 3kts (always the wrong way of course). I don't fancy trying to row against that.

 

[aloof]

Good sails (and sailing) and no motor will get you further than a good motor and no sails. Ditch the motor. Easier to arrange for a convenient slip, or the occasional tow than to waste you time repairing a motor.

I cruised a Cal 36 all over Mexico without an engine. I raced an 11:Meter (33') without an engine. No big issues. Your boat handling skills will be better for it. Better than 98% of the world cruisers, that's for sure.

 

[SHNOOL]

I sailed my Capri 22 for weeks without an outboard... in a huge wind shadow (no wind), and a slip that requires about 50% docking with wind behind you.

Same slip, spent many a time docking without the motor, sometimes because I had to, sometimes because I could.

It's a good thing to learn to do... if you can do it in a controlled fashion without endangering your (expensive) neighbors boats. They might take it personally.

 

[mbianka]

I converted to electric propulsion back in 2008 after spending way to much time and money trying to get my dead 27 hp diesel running again. It has made me a better sailor but, even when I need to motor it is almost as quiet as sailing. So it's always a pleasant day on the water. Personally, I would never have an iron pig in my boat ever again. Maintenance cost are pretty close zero too.

 

[mljohnson1]

I sailed on my fathers Pearson 365 in the USVI for a number of years with an engine that was less than reliable before we eventually repowered. The prior engine afforded us the opportunity to sail back into our marina and slip in Benner Bay, St. Thomas a number of times. Something that is really exciting for a boat that heavy.

We only had to replace the dock box once.

I've used a dinghy (with a 5hp mercury) tied on the hip to power her into an anchorage a few times as well.

The joys of sailing.

 

[MarioG]

Sailed our Chrysler 22 with out an engine the whole time we owned it, was so new to sailing at that time we didn't know we needed it.

 

[weinie]

Happy hour ends at 7:00. Nuff said.

 

[Sal Paradise]

Have done it with a dingy. Have done it because I ran out of gas. You need to really study the wind and tide and get it right, but if you do- then it's possible. The Hudson river isn't good for ths but when I am out in Newport I am always amazed at the number of boats going out and sailing back into the crowded mooring fields with no engine.

 

[jeremiahblatz]

Depends on where you sail. On the Hudson River by NYC, going enginless is not a option. Fast current, changeable winds, and lots of barges and cruise ships that are the stand-on vessel mean that without an engine you can literally be dead wrong.

 

[Barquito]

Well, I would disagree with the argument against engines, as presented. An engine unexpectedly breaking down is a poor argument for not having an engine. It is, however, a good argument for developing good sailing skills (like the motorless folks develop). So, the best of both worlds is to have a reliable engine when needed, but, the skills to get home without it. That is my $.02, depending on exchange rates.

 

[CarbonSink62]

Back when I was learning, the boats rented out by Navy Recreational Services were engineless all the way up to the Rhodes 19. It was a great way to learn small boat handling and docking. When I had my Capri 18 on a lake mooring, it was great fun to challenge myself by doing in and out without power.

My newest boat is 30' (& 4 1/2 tons) and my mooring is 4 miles up a river that has one of the worst currents in the US (they say). So engineless simply isn't an option.

Ken

 

[hellosailor]

No one "needs" an engine. Or a boat. Or to go sailing.

So when you don't know how to use something, which includes maintaining it, it is rather foolish to say "I don't need that."

Maybe you don't. If all you have is a hammer, you'll never understand why you might need a screwdriver. Doesn't mean you won't ever need one, or shouldn't have one.

DOES mean it would be a waste of money for you to get one, right now.

 

[DonScribner]

In order to get to the dock, I have sail up a narrow river, sometimes as narrow as 50 feet, against a 3-5 knot currect and often dead up wind. Motorless is not an option. I have seen it done but the wind must be whistling in from the east. Maine is famous for her southerlies.

 

[Sublime]

The water is down really low where I am. Marina runs north and south and because of the water levels, I have a 20 foot wide passage to navigate to get to my slips. All uncovered slips are through this passage.
Prevailing winds are from the south. This time of year, we have fronts that bring in north winds.

Whilst I spend my childhood shoving off and docking a 33 foot boat under sail more times than not, I'm going to use my motor for my current situation.
If something happens to the motor, I'll call a tow.