Jump to content

30 to 34 motorsailer


Scott Dunsworth

Recommended Posts

I have mentioned a few times that I want to build a 30 to34 foot motorsailer. There are a few things that I must have in the package. Or at least I thing I must have them.

First and foremost is very comfortable standing head room in most of the cabin (bad back). #2 she must sail good and motor well at least at 7 knots. #3 It MUST be a cat ketch anything else is unacceptable. #4 useable shower and head. #5 Shallow draft. #6 Reasonable size fresh water tank and holding tank so we can stay out for at least a week at a time.

Now for some things that I am not sure of. #1 A pilot house. #2 inboard diesel or an out board in a well. I am leaning towards a outboard in a well with power tilt so it can be rased in the well without any labor.

Now to the construction. I have seen where boats are striped over frames and the several thin layers of marine ply cold molded on top of that, then glassed. I think I would enjoy this type of construction.

Any thoughts or comments welcome.

Scott   

Link to comment
Share on other sites


I've always thought weight is a big factor in sailboat design.  In terms of a motorsailer, its probably a bigger factor than just a sailboat because the goal has to be to sail more than motor.  So I'd look at things you could do to prevent motoring.  Reducing weight is one of those things.  A lot of design decisions affect the final weight of the boat.

I recently read an article in a Sail Magazine about a couple who "cruise light", and one of the things they decided was that a watermaker eliminated quite a bit of weight for their extended cruises, and it was the one "modern convenience" they kept on board.  Fresh water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon, so unless you have it located so its part of the ballast, carrying 100 gallons of water adds 830 pounds of unnecessary weight.  Locating the tank midship below the waterline has been done to add to ballast, but then you have to work out how to replace the weight as you use the water, which can get complex technically.  A small watermaker will weigh about 40 pounds, equal to five gallons of water, but produces 6 gallons per hour

The other consideration is that many of the modern cruiser's conveniences put a big drain on the battery bank: refrigerators, microwaves, televisions, etc.  Besides adding weight, you also end up running the motor or genset simply to recharge the batteries to nuke a cup of hot water for tea.  These are really "outfitting" items, but in your design considerations, if you are looking to reduce weight then knowing how you'll outfit the boat makes sense.

I love pilot houses, but would that cause the rig to be too high, requiring more ballast?  Maybe not with a cat ketch rig and its divided sail plan.  One of the nice things about catamarans is the very open and light feeling inside, with all those windows, and in my mind that's the main benefit of a pilot house design (that and being able to pilot the boat out of the weather).  There might be a design choice to use a lot of fixed windows along the side of the cabin, raised a foot or two higher but not so much as a pilot house, to add the light and forward visibility without increasing windage and weight as much as a true pilot house.  And in that case, the rig isn't pushed up an extra three or four feet, helping you keep the ballast weight down.  Bolger and Michalek have done boats based on Bolger's "Birdwatcher" that are just about the ugliest things on the water, but they feature lots of windows at eye level.  I happen to think boats should be beautiful as well as functional, but I think in a 35' boat, you could incorporate a taller cabin with a lot of windows without making it look like a tent camper grafted onto a boat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think you'll have any difficulty getting all that you desire in a 35' sailor. There will be some compromises in a 30'er, but not many. 7 knots is possible in both, though the overhangs on the 30'er will have to be 10% or less, to achieve this speed.

It sounds like you're looking for a sailor with extra fuel tankage, rather then a motorsailor. Motorsailors generally are well burdened craft, understandably. They have the hull volume to absorb, water makers, gen. sets, hot water tanks, generous other tankage, the ability to stow a month or more worth of supplies and gear. This requires a pretty hefty D/L ratio, likely over 250, usually over 300, which translates into less then stellar sailing performance without a particularly lofty rig, unusually high ballast ratio (for a cruiser) or very drawn out hull form.

Being a passage maker, they're intended to be comfortable in a lump of sea (the high D/L is quite helpful in this regard), because a passage isn't any fun, if you're pounding your way to windward and questioning the integrity of your dental work in route. Sails typically extend the range of the vessel, while the engine does the dirty work, like powering to windward, maintaining schedules and getting in or out of tight anchorages, inlets and other places requiring deft maneuverability. Most cruisers find they motor 50% of the time they're underway, so a healthy and well matched drive train is a must.

I have a few designs in that size range you may be interested in and I'm sure Graham would be happy to pen one for you, if one of his stock designs wouldn't suit you. I also know of a few designers that specialize in motorsailors or at least have a knack for drawing up excellent examples of them. Chuck Paine has a nasty habit of designing truly fine yachts, that perform well and have the hull volume to carry the stores a passage maker is required to handle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the food for thought.

There is a lot to think about in building a boat this size for someone like me.

As I said in a earlier post I would like to be able to trailer it to Florida in the winter and back to Kentucky lake in April. Also when she needed upkeep. So were talking about trailering just a few times a year. Allthough this would not be a fun thing to do.

My brother and I are going out to Pamlico sound for a week of sailing the last week of May and I hope to talk with Graham about this also.

Scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trailering a 35' boat is problematic.  You have to keep the trailer width at 8' 6" or less to tow it without special permits in most states, so that's a pretty narrow beam for a 35 footer.  Even Hake Yachts' trailerable 32 foot "32RK" has a beam over 10' and might require permits.  The 26RK has a 8'3" beam, so it is legal on most roads.

These are the kind of "big boat" projects that take years to complete (well, with me, any boat takes years to complete!)  Its a great project to take on, though.  Maybe if I win the lottery ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tralering long boats is also problematic. Permits aren't that big an issue in most states, usually being around $50 a year, which is quite cheap compared to haul out and storage fees. These "permitted loads" will allow 10' of beam which is fine for a 35' sailor.

Traveling from Kentucky to Florida will tax your driving skills. It's a run that I've made many times (I have friends and family in Kentucky), but wouldn't desire dragging a 35'er behind me, particularly up into the "knobs".

I guess it depends on where you're at, your big rig, over the road experience and justification of the design compromises necessary to make this occasional over the road transport possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know this for sure but it seems a 30 footer could give us what is needed. Also the weight of a 30 vs a 34 I would think would be quite a bit less. I think if I put this much money and time into a winter floating home I should be able to justify the purchase of a aluminum trailer to help with the tow weight.

As for the trailering to Florida I know it would not be a picnic. If it takes us a week to get her in the water so be it. It's a trade off like everything else in life. We could spent our winters coastal sailing 8) in Florida or freezing in Indiana :(. The older I get the more I like for my bones to be warm at all times.

I need to keep this in prospective also. As of right now its in the study stage for me. So I do appreciate the opinions and experience of you all.

Scott

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

Supporting Members

Supporting Members can create Clubs, photo Galleries, don't see ads and make messing-about.com possible! Become a Supporting Member - only $12 for the next year. Pay by PayPal or credit card.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.