GB 49 Pacific crossing

Just joined here and thinking about a GB 49 with 2 Ford Lehmans 225T. I mostly have sailboats and do ocean deliveries.I would like to buy this boat and take it back to Australia after transiting the canal. There is about a 3400 mile hop from the Galapagos to the Marquesas. I plan to take a prop off 1 engine and motor at about 5 knots, switching props and engines at various times during the voyage. Extra fuel would be carried in drums on deck as a back up.

Has anyone got an idea what revs the engine would have to do to move the boat at 5 knots and the fuel consumption ?? This is very important as I believe she won't sail too well should we run out of fuel.

thanks John

I'm confused, you intend to remove and switch props underwater on the high seas?

Pickles,
I don't want to sound to negative but why a twin engine semi displacement cruiser with so much glass and small fuel tanks.
Voyage wise I would probably come via Hawaii and down shortens up the legs and is more power boat friendly so I am led to believe.
Changing props at sea, would appear to be fraught with difficulty.

Otherwise yeah go for it , use a bladder or two for fuel and not drums, easier to carry when empty and the load is spread more evenly , stow more efficiently and don't cause any damage when moving around. (You weren't thinking of dumping the MT drums at sea were you)

Cheers
Benn

Thanks Ben, No, not going to dump the drums in the ocean. I have done the trip to Hawaii from LA last year and then to Australia, would love to do it again but it's so far up that coast from Panama. I would rather just try and go for it the other route. I would also run the motor up to the correct temp every hour. Would not attempt to change the props at sea unless an emergency, or it was unusually calm, also have a fear of sharks as I was surfing here in Australia 30 years back and the guy near me was eaten, he died on the beach.

Another thing I have been contemplating is fitting a small mast forward and using a square sail, I used to be the captain of a brigantine so I know they work downwind.

All this will need some more thought, these are just early days, but I don't mind a challenge, better that being in an institution. I turn 70 next month !!

thanks for the speedy replies !! John

Oh, I forgot. I don't particularly like GB's but there seems to be a market for them.I would much prefer the type of boat you recommend , and I like the bladder idea, have used them before from Hawaii to Seattle.

A guy reportedly took his GB 42 from Hawaii to Seattle on one engine, switching props to use the other engine. I don't know if it's true but a google search could determine its validity. It makes more sense to do the trip in a Kadey Krogen or Nordhavn. Good luck!

Thanks, but just got divorced and suffering from lack of funds !!

...then consider a sailboat.

John
Do some sea trials with and without one prop at speeds of 5-8kn. You might be surprised how little difference it will make to remove it.

I have attached a chart I posted recently on another thread. For both Dreamer and my boat, running on both engines gives slightly better mileage than running on just one engine, at any given speed with one prop freewheeling. Part of the reason is that I needed 9 deg of rudder to go in a straight line using just one engine. To travel at just 5kn I would need to run on one engine to keep the engine at a warm enough operating temperature, but otherwise would not do it.

Dreamer's data is here. Dreamer

A GB 49 is about the same LWL as my boat. I'm 65,000# at full load whereas I think the GB will be quite a bit more at full load. My boat has claimed lightship of 48,000# whereas the GB 49 is 60,000# lightship. I believe I was actually 55,000# lightship at refit, and expect a GB to also be a be around 10% heavier than when delivered bare. So you might not get as good NMPG as I can. Of course the Lehman's are renowned as fuel-sippers, so some sea trials at the outset will be prudent.

Thanks Brian,

I will look into this. It's just an idea at the present, but I do not want to put it on a ship. Trying to save some money here and get some satisfaction of a successful passage. Need to do these things !!

bye John

It's true

Giggitoni said:

A guy reportedly took his GB 42 from Hawaii to Seattle on one engine, switching props to use the other engine. I don't know if it's true but a google search could determine its validity. It makes more sense to do the trip in a Kadey Krogen or Nordhavn. Good luck!

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True story, the guy did it alone. Another delivery , Captain Frank Rains delivered a GB to Hawaii, I think it was a 53. Boarded up the windows, bladder tanks or barrels I can't remember, it was a miserable trip in beam sea conditions. Guy's have survived in open boats further in those latitudes. But why, it seems the fuel would eat up whatever profit could be made on the sale of the boat. The trip would be risky and miserable in a hard chined boat. Sounds like the makings of another epic sea rescue.

Sounds like a pretty uncomfortable ride to me, but I'd sure be interested in following some one else's adventure!
Wasn't there an article in passagmaker about a grand banks with a sailing rig on it? You might want to check it out. If you cant find it, I may be able to wrestle that issue back from my father in law and scan it for you. I bet half the members here have that issue laying around their house as well.

I think to ship it would be really expensive. Put a 43ft boat on Dockwise from Ft Lauderdale a few years ago and that was $52,000. Now, that would be more. I think I can do it for a lot less. There is some misery involved at times but that's life. The boat does have stabilizers but they might not work too well at slow speeds. I'm guessing to put this boat on a ship would be $80,000 at least.

Thanks for all the advise here, by the way. I am no powerboat man, I love sail, but I did do 7 seasons in the Southern Ocean on fishboats from 50ft to 105ft. I do know what the ocean can serve up and have feared for my life on several occasions.Don't know why I'm contemplating this.

Pickles

Contact Brian Calvert who recently did the crossing on his 48 Selene "Further" - his website is complete with lots of details and has the requisite contact information. He went the Marquessas route.

BTW, Insequent on this site did a great job on detailing his US purchase, refitting and travel by sea or freighter deck decision making. A face to face with him would be a worthwhile experience I'd guess.

Carry lots of fuel to allow you twin operation at flank speed to avoid weather. And, watch out for those pesky containers! What a fun trip, with your experience it is very doable.

Brian Pemberton at Northwest Explorations in Bellingham is a good source of information for preparing a GB for open water.

Thanks Sunchaser, I will look into this John

pickles said:

Another thing I have been contemplating is fitting a small mast forward and using a square sail, I used to be the captain of a brigantine so I know they work downwind.

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If you're going to think outside of the box, I offer this:

Ship auxiliary propulsion system / towing kite - SKYSAILS - SkySails GmbH & Co. KG - Videos

If you're 70, and have any interest in being 71, drop this crazy idea and take up golf or something saner. A GB is not built for that kind of trip.

hmason said:

If you're 70, and have any interest in being 71, drop this crazy idea and take up golf or something saner. A GB is not built for that kind of trip.

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The guys who don't make it, have to be rescued, and/or get seriously hurt, don't write about it so you don't read those accounts.

BandB said:

The guys who don't make it, have to be rescued, and/or get seriously hurt, don't write about it so you don't read those accounts.

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Not sure I understand what you mean by don't write about it.

hmason said:

Not sure I understand what you mean by don't write about it.

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It was partly facetious but also partly serious. We get a warped view of some of the dangerous adventures people undertake. Most of it comes from books written afterwards. Well, those who don't make it, get lost at sea or die along the way, can't write books and those for whom it is a nightmare and ends horribly are not inclined to write about it.

I mention this because so often people say, "yes, go ahead, so and so did it." As a result it is made to appear safer than it is.

Sailors especially love to refer to the 75 or 80 year old man who sailed single handed across a sea. Unfortunately those aren't the typical results.

Just because things may be possible doesn't mean they're advisable or likely to end positively. However, the negative side isn't romantic so is seldom written.

Clear as a bell now, thanks. And, I agree.

Y'all do realize the "70 year old" op hasn't visited the forum in over 1 year right?

CPseudonym said:

Y'all do realize the "70 year old" op hasn't visited the forum in over 1 year right?

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Hope it's not because he tried the crossing.

It's probably safer that moving to a nursing home.