Convert trawler to motorsailer?

I love it! Vertical stabilizers. You're trip to the Bahamas will be a great ride.

FF said:

Sailboats get to go out in Blue water because of their construction.

Adding a mast to a motor boat does not change the vessels scantlings.

A parasail is easiest to rig , but simply slowing down to SL.9 will give low fuel burn,at no cost.

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True. I don't know how strong the scantlings were on the sail version of the boat, the SP Cruiser, which is what my boat is based on. I don't think the SP was ever considered a "blue water" boat by many when it first came out (big windows, small scuppers, etc). I remember IP did advertise that the boat had an "Ocean A" rating, for whatever that's worth. I'm not crossing an ocean, except for maybe to get to the Bahamas. [emoji23]

This project makes no monetary sense, and possibly no sense at all for most people. It's just something I've wanted to do for awhile and so I just decided to do it.

Larry M said:

I love it! Vertical stabilizers. You're trip to the Bahamas will be a great ride.

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Ha! Yes, vertical stabilizers. Now I just need to figure what all these ropes (lines [emoji51]) are for, and why they have all these funny names. [emoji31]

I think it is a great project and I'm going to enjoy watching it come together.

cardude01 said:

This project makes no monetary sense, and possibly no sense at all for most people. It's just something I've wanted to do for awhile and so I just decided to do it.

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It is your money and your kids inheritance. You can spend it as unsensibly as you want!:lol:

Better to convert motorsailer to trawler.

I can't think of a better platform for a motorsailor. 1. Decent ballast (and designed for it), 2. hull already engineered in a highly successful sailing version, 3. nicely matched powertrain proven in tens of thousands of hours as an assist engine or primary power in the SP Cruiser versions. 4. Mack Sails is the ultimate rig designer for the job. They know Island Packetts and how to take advantage of the strong points of the design for that application.

Looks to me Bijou was designed as a motorsailer and not a trawler, but built without the sail rig to make it a trawler.

markpierce said:

Looks to me Bijou was designed as a motorsailer and not a trawler, but built without the sail rig to make it a trawler.

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You are correct.

healhustler said:

I can't think of a better platform for a motorsailor. 1. Decent ballast (and designed for it), 2. hull already engineered in a highly successful sailing version, 3. nicely matched powertrain proven in tens of thousands of hours as an assist engine or primary power in the SP Cruiser versions. 4. Mack Sails is the ultimate rig designer for the job. They know Island Packetts and how to take advantage of the strong points of the design for that application.

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Absolutely!

Nomad Willy said:

Better to convert motorsailer to trawler.

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We cruised with a guy who bought Bruce Van Sants's Shucker after he removed the stick. The last time we saw him, he was on his way to St Martens to put a mast and rigging back on. He hated the way the boat rolled and went back to vertical stabilizers.

Interesting project!

Can't wait to see my pics. I am curious to see how the sheets and blocks are set up.

Will you have the ability to trim the jib and main from the helm?

Jim

cardude01 said:

Yes this is the sail plan the Island Packet folks drew up back when they were still Island Packet. Basically the same as the SP Cruiser, but with a little shorter mast and smaller sail plan due to a little less ballast in my boat, and because I wanted a low stress setup that would last quite awhile and be easy to single hand.

View attachment 66077

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Very nice!
It looks like a very sensible design. Is your jib sail set up to be self tacking?

AusCan said:

Very nice!

It looks like a very sensible design. Is your jib sail set up to be self tacking?

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Yes. Self tacking jib.

JLD said:

Interesting project!



Can't wait to see my pics. I am curious to see how the sheets and blocks are set up.



Will you have the ability to trim the jib and main from the helm?



Jim

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No, not from the helm. The electric winch is right by the PH door and all lines run to it, so pretty close. Furling main sail.

cardude01 said:

Yes. Self tacking jib.

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Since cruising sailboats rarely go to windward while sailing . my sail-assisted motorboat only has one sheet for the jib as well as minimal keel. Tacking requires rolling the jib up and redeploying the sheet since the sailing rig is designed for reaches and downwind where it is the only practical use.



While the smaller mainsail is easiest to deploy/control and useful for more points of sail/direction.

Furling mainsail and self tacking jib make for nice relaxing motorsailing.

If it's all easy to simple and tack, you'll find you use it often. Windward as well, up to about 25 degrees off the wind. Not that it adds much propulsion at that angle, but it stables out any quarterly swell so much.

AusCan said:

Furling mainsail and self tacking jib make for nice relaxing motorsailing.

If it's all easy to simple and tack, you'll find you use it often. Windward as well, up to about 25 degrees off the wind. Not that it adds much propulsion at that angle, but it stables out any quarterly swell so much.

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I'm really looking forward to experimenting with the rig. I'm not a "real" sailor by any stretch. I've owned and sailed small boats for years, but nothing with furling sails, winches, etc.

I told the rigger I wanted something as simple to sail as possible, and something that I could easily single hand. I hope that's what I'm getting!

Mark wrote;
"sailing rig is designed for reaches and downwind where it is the only practical use."

I thought the only practical use was steadying the roll. Of course when the engine becomes silent ... even the windage of the cabin and hull may be of use.

Larry M said:

We cruised with a guy who bought Bruce Van Sants's Shucker after he removed the stick. The last time we saw him, he was on his way to St Martens to put a mast and rigging back on. He hated the way the boat rolled and went back to vertical stabilizers.

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Larry,
It's hard to swap and switch as there are so many not so noticable differences.

When I first thought seriously about trawlers I decided they were such barges I'd be better off converting a sailboat.
Most sailboats are skinny at both ends and fat in the middle. Trawlers are slab sided and fat everywhere. I think a good trawler could be had by being very selective about choosing a sailboat to convert. I noticed that some sailboats have much fuller ends than most. I was looking for a swing keel. Also I planed to gut the thing almost totally and put a NT like house on. And would retain a shortened mainmast and maybe not a marconi sail. A schooner rig would be ideal to start with because the mainmast is further aft but obviously won't be found in a small boat unless it was a Bolger boat. But a sailboat w wide chines and a bit stiff as a sailboat would be a big plus.

Decided it wasn't a good idea. But my knowlege is limited about sailboats. Could be a sailboat out there that would make a trawler. The Albin 27 may be OK but one would need to change the prop aft of the rudder configuration. But a nice hull.

A lot of sailboats go to Alaska every year pretending to be trawlers. There they are sitting in the cockpit in yellow trailing the dink w their sails stowed put puting along.
I remember in the 70's I had a 12 knot OB boat and was heading south from Juneau. The was a 45 or 50' blue sailboat that started and stopped the same place for several days. Was a whole bunch of mostly teenageas. The boat was flush decked. Sounded like it had a 2cyl Volvo. We'd do our usual day. Eat breakfast and perhaps socialize a bit on the docks, perhaps fuel and get underway about 10am. We'd see them on the way to the next harbor about mid day under power. We'd arrive at the next harbor (one of them was Namu) and just about 9pm we'd hear the put put sound, look out and see them comming. Don't remember if they sailed the boat from Australia but they probably did. It said "Royal YC of Sidney" or something like that on the starn.

Boats are much like airplanes. Way different airplanes .. ultralights to big twins and way different boats .. outboards to ship-like trawlers and motoryachts go forth in way different ways. I've done my cruising just about as often in a boat w an outside helm. I've been known to wear a motorcycle helmet in the rain thus wearing the wheelhouse on my head. Of course youth and money had a lot to do w it.

AusCan said:

Furling mainsail and self tacking jib make for nice relaxing motorsailing.

If it's all easy to simple and tack, you'll find you use it often. Windward as well, up to about 25 degrees off the wind. Not that it adds much propulsion at that angle, but it stables out any quarterly swell so much.

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I've never had a self-tacking jib, but had considered seeing about trying to set that up with my Catalina 400 for times when I was single handing. That boat isn't setup for it at all, but it would sure be nice.

dhays said:

I've never had a self-tacking jib, but had considered seeing about trying to set that up with my Catalina 400 for times when I was single handing. That boat isn't setup for it at all, but it would sure be nice.

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Do you still have your Catalina? If so, do you take it out for a spin when you miss sailing?

Nomad Willy said:

Mark wrote;
"sailing rig is designed for reaches and downwind where it is the only practical use."

I thought the only practical use was steadying the roll. Of course when the engine becomes silent ... even the windage of the cabin and hull may be of use.

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Even Willard got into the mix with this 40 Stay-Sail Ketch. Although I never saw a 30, it would look spiffy.

dhays said:

I've never had a self-tacking jib, but had considered seeing about trying to set that up with my Catalina 400 for times when I was single handing. That boat isn't setup for it at all, but it would sure be nice.

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There are a few different ways to set up a self tacking jib. They are limited to about 80- 90% (#4) as they can be no overlap of the mast. Often there is a single control line run via a pulley at the base of the mast to the cockpit for trimming.
Mine has a club foot which is basically a boom for the jib, but most are soft-footed.

My previous boat was a cutter. The staysail had a boom (self tacking) and a flying (high, outer) jib requiring adjusting the sheets when tacking. In stronger winds, the flying jib was the first retracted. Then a single reef of the mainsail. Never got to the second reef.

Larry,
That jib is overpowering and it limits visability. But I like the little mizzen aft. Would be nice to cut the engine and fall in bow into the wind. Had a powerboat that actually did but it was a directionably unstable boat.

cardude01 said:

Do you still have your Catalina? If so, do you take it out for a spin when you miss sailing?

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I still have it only because I haven't sold it yet. I haven't taken it out much (although the last two days would have been great).

We have the boat stripped of all our personal gear so we haven't been taking it out sailing. I really should to just give the rigging some work.

Chainplates and shrouds? Don't know my terms.


Back stay and chainplate.


Mast boot thingy.


Mast and boom


Hoyt boom for jib

Almost done.

Dingy still fits on roof

Playing with the winch.

Mack Sails in Stuart did a good job. On budget. On time.

Test sail today. 4.5 knots SOG in about 10 knots of wind on a broad reach with no engine. That was better than I expected actually.

Have fun with your new(ish) toy