The Offshore Voyaging Reference Site

A Sailor’s Motorboat

"Morgan's Cloud", a McCurdy and Rhodes 56' cutter, seen beside an arch berg with glacier and mountain behind, a typical East Greenland scene. The icecap reaches down to the sea in numerous glaciers and there are a floating profusion of bergs and smaller pieces of ice to be carefully avoided.

Phyllis and I own a better motorboat, for our purposes, than most motorboats. Let me explain why I say that and why it matters.


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Simon Wirth

Hi John
I have stumbled over Steve and Lindas webpage shortly after getting interested in ernest about cruising. One of his articels, I think it is under the section of Wind Horse (FPG 84) on setsail.com where he does the same calculation.
He does it based on realworld data from Beowulf VII (78ft ketch) and Wind Horse. And his resolt was a bit of a knock back, as he comes to the similar conclution as you. Maintaining and cruising Beowulf was actually more expensive than motoring Wind Horse around.
Disapointing, in a way.
But sailing is still more fun, so we who still can should take advantage of it as long as we can.
Regards
Simon

paul shard

There is an excellent and interesting design called a Diesel Duck…
Very good friends of ours built one of the first Diesel Ducks (in aluminum) and we have filmed two episodes of Distant Shores aboard her (San Blas Islands and BVI). They have done many miles and circumnavigated South America in her. Small engine, efficient hull shape plus a controllable variable pitch propellor for extra efficiency! a Very cool boat!

http://www.dieselducks.com/

paul shard

Hi John,
Diesel Duck was certainly slower than your boat but at just 40 feet is more comparable to the Adventure 40 than your lovely Morgans Cloud! I do not know fuel burn numbers but you might be right that a pure sailboat hull could be better. The controllable propeller on Diesel Duck was another advantage for them though… it would be nice to see more options for CPP available for sailors…

richard s.

wouldn’t the initial capital costs of the two boats (sail and converted sail) be about the same ? maint and dockage costs would be the same…the only significant overall difference to me is sailing is much more rewarding psychologically

richard s.
tampa bay, s/v lakota

Simon Wirth

If the fuelburn is the same for this two boats, the sailboat would also have the additional cost of sails and rig maintenance. Provided this is the only difference in the boats in regard to maintenance, the sailboat will lose in cost per mile.
If I have overlooked some inherent cost difference, I’ll be glad to hear about it.
Regards
Simon

Rick Steinberg

We have a 41′ Defever, full displacement, 120 Ford Lehman and we get 4 to 5 nautical miles per gallon. In all conditions. We cruise the Bahamas and and The Fl Keys.

Victor Raymond

John, You have come to just about the same conclusions as Steve Dashew. You are right though we are not all as financially fortunate as his clients.
I was just quoted $30,000 for new sails by Carol Hasse in Port Townsend. Yes, they will be great sails and last a long time with care but…….It does take one’s breath away.
Another solution is to purchase my exact hull as a motor boat that is designed to cross oceans and has about a 3000 mile range with 4000 liters of fuel instead of 1000.
Anyhow just another thought. I think you are on the right track. Maybe the main problem is the cost of sails and rigging maintenance.