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Old 10-10-2010, 05:59 PM   #28
Bendit
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City: Auckland
Vessel Name: Pioneer
Vessel Model: Westcoaster 53 converted to pleasure
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 323
RE: Low Powered Cruiser

I recall chatting to the owner of Bagan, the now famous Nordhavn 57, a few years ago when he was visiting New Zealand. He had just arrived from Fiji and made the journey at an average speed of 11 kn* since it was "only 1100 miles".

Ths is an S/L of 1.5 which could only be achieved with quite a few more*hp than a "correctly sized engine" could deliver. I believe it was a Lugger 325.

Our 53 ft lobster boat with 540 hp runs happily at 9.2 Kn at only 1250 revs. I calculate this to be using 90 to 100 hp. The previous owner also did this for days at a time - interspersed with hours of idling tending nets and a mussel farm. The engine had run for 18,000 hrs before*its rebuild.**Tony Athens,**moderator on boatdiesel.com says he has yet to see an engine damaged from underloading, they just tend to last longer.

I believe there is a good case for a bit of additional hp for both displacement and semi-displacement hulls, which most of us have.

I sure like to get her up on the plane at 12 kn when the weather cuts up, she definitely handles the sea*better. It's also fun going WOT after relaunching*with new antifouling and cracking 18kn - admittedly with a knot of tide under her!*
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