Posted by Shemaya Laurel on 5/13/2008, 13:05:00, in reply to "Motor or no motor for costal and bluewater cruising???"
Another consideration in the motor question is physical stamina. If yourself and whoever else is on the boat have good reserves, that makes it easier to be out and about with no auxiliary.
Myself, I did a bunch of coastal cruising in the New England area in a fc 22, out for a couple months at a time. This was primarily single handing, in a boat with an inboard that I chose not to use very much. Away from marinas, a week could go by, changing anchorages each night, without starting the motor.
This was loads of fun, but sometimes very tiring, since you can't take a proper resting nap while out floating around with no wind, with traffic, current, and a rocky coastline to keep tabs on during the calm stretches. The motor was nice for when it seemed like time to cave at the end of the afternoon, and make sure to be in a harbor for the night.
It also made a difference where I was doing this. On the open coast it seemed like it would only stay flat calm for about four hours at the most, and then a breeze would come up, at least a little one. In Long Island sound, one could be out there the entire day, having started with a small morning breeze and a forecast for light winds, and then nothing for well over six hours. With surrounding boats throwing wakes, whacking everything all over the place. Four hours drifting around in sight of one bouy off of Portland was kind of fun. Six hours in Long Island sound bouncing around boat wakes made me rather glad that there was indeed an engine to crank up when I had had enough.
But then, Mexico is not Long Island sound!
As far as safety, the Pardeys stress the different choices involved in sailing a substantial boat without a motor -- reasonable distance off a rocky shore is greater, for example, and very conservative decision-making in the face of possibilities of no wind, substantial current, and inadequate anchoring possibilities. But the argument could be made that motors break down regularly anyhow, so it would be wise to be conservative regardless of whether one is available...
The other thing that comes to mind is that I did have good success sculling the fc with the rudder, which is on very heavy-duty hardware. It took a little time to get up to speed, but was easy to maintain at one knot just using the rudder, once it got going. This worked both for that last bit to the ideal anchoring spot, and for that last bit to clear a breakwater, with no wind and a current sending the boat toward the rocks. I had tried a single sweep oar, but the rudder generated the same amount of speed and was easier, at least in my situation.
Have a great time, whichever way you go!
Shemaya
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