Blue Water Capabilities?

It sounds like pretty much everyone is in "violent agreement!"
Boats (like most aspects of life) involve compromises. There are a lot of factors to consider - initial investment, operating costs, speed, size, space, creature comforts, range, safety, blue water vs brown water capabilities, etc., etc., etc. NO boat maximizes all of those factors. So the key to getting the "right" boat is to figure out what's important for YOU and then get a boat that excels at that while still (perhaps) giving you acceptable levels of the other less important (to you) factors.
In other words, keep the main thing the main thing....for you.

Good knowledge, opinions and ideas,
FF. Most sailboats drag a fixed pitch prop through the water thus use direct drive and small propellers** ..* not very efficient. Almost half the time they push a forrest of rigging into headwinds. Not efficient but your'e extreemly correct about the sailboat hull being much more efficient.
Conal, Sails and all the associated rigging make a boat LESS stable not more. The sails dampen the roll very well but they are weight aloft cause great instability but the instability is counter ballanced by the very excessive ballast in the keel or hull and keel. If you ballast a SB over into a 45 degree heel or list and suddenly remove all the masts and rigging she will right herself considerably.
John, In terms of fuel burn your'e very correct. But in terms of something you can put on or in your boat to propell it accross the sea no. Think of all the light winds, calms and headwinds plus the excessive expense and bulk and maintance that must be borne by the owner. Think of the huge sacrifices in cabin configuration and hull shape and deck layout that must be made to accomadate those sails. I could go on and on .. draft ect ect. But for the reasons FF stated I was considering building up a serious trawler based on a modified sailboat hull. Sorry John that I missed your mention of Willard.

Eric Henning

What about a poor man's stabilizer- Magma has a system. This could help on an unavoidable beam sea. It seems to me that the information that is available today is getting more useful. With Satellite Weather you could make an informed decision on when to leave at the most favorable time for a comfortable and safe passage. I have saved backtrack info on my handheld on a few cruises from New Orleans to Cozumel. If I ever took this passage on a small vessel I would think that following this course would offer a safety net of sorts if you left a few days before a cruise departed. Has anyone tried the Magma system?Steve
http://www.magmaproducts.com/Products/Marine_Products/Stabilizer/body_stabilizer.html

Most sailboats drag a fixed pitch prop through the water thus use direct drive and small propellers

You mostly refering to boats built on a "racing" hull.Where 5K smooth water no wind was a requirement.Cruising boats follow hydrodynamic rules , not rating rules , and on cruises are far faster from more sail area, and wholesome not weird rule beating hull shapes.

Most cruisers will have a full keel, lowers the draft about 1/3 increasing the useful harbors, and allows coming along side a pier to clean the bottom.

These boats will simply use a wide blade 2 blade prop and a simple prop lock , as we do.

The 19 inch diameter allows good cavitation free push , and with a bit of pesky work the prop has no form drag , only surface drag.

It requires loosening the prop lock a bit , sailing at cruise speed ,( for us 6K or so )and moving the shaft by hand.

When you find the sweet spot the shaft will not want to turn , either direction, but only at that speed.

All that rigging is usually used to hold up "sails", and as many engine less boats have done circumnavigations , I guess it works for folks that understand SAILING.

Forkliftt wrote:

Has anyone tried the Magma system?
Steve
http://www.magmaproducts.com/Products/Marine_Products/Stabilizer/body_stabilizer.html

These look*OK for at anchor. I don't think you could run with them. Nothing to keep them pointing forward.
SD

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