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Wayne.B

On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:29:10 -0500, wrote:

Obviously my opinion as an owner and user of an outboard on a sailboat
is different than yours.

My question is whether or not you do any long range cruising - several
hundred miles outside of Long Island Sound for example - or if you
live on the boat away from a dock for two or three weeks at a time?

The few times that I've done that sort of thing on an outboard powered
sail boat were totally unsatisfactory for all the reasons mentioned.

You mentioned 1/2 gph fuel consumption. Using a standard 6 gallon
outboard tank that gives you a range under power of less than 75
nautical miles, not even enough to return from Martha's Vineyard or
Nantucket. Our first cruising boat had a 10 gallon diesel tank. It
could go non-stop from Stamford to Block Island or Martha's Vineyard
with plenty of fuel left over, burning about 1 quart per hour. When
you've got to be back at work on Monday morning a good engine is a
nice thing to have.

Wayne.B

On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:14:09 -0500, wrote:

I don't seem to have any scheduling problems, and my engine is very
good. If I'm not back on Monday, I'll be back on Tuesday... or
Thursday. And it sounds as if I use a lot less gasoline than you used
diesel fuel.

If you always have time to wait for the wind to come up, you don't
need any engine at all. How do you charge your batteries when you
spend weeks on the boat?

[email protected]

On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 23:58:01 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:14:09 -0500, wrote:

I don't seem to have any scheduling problems, and my engine is very
good. If I'm not back on Monday, I'll be back on Tuesday... or
Thursday. And it sounds as if I use a lot less gasoline than you used
diesel fuel.

If you always have time to wait for the wind to come up, you don't
need any engine at all. How do you charge your batteries when you
spend weeks on the boat?

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus. When I run the outboard, I often have to turn on some
lights in the cabin to avoid overcharging. It has never been a
problem. If I wanted all the comforst of home on my boat... I'd stay
home.

I obviously didn't say or even imply that I never have use for an
engine Wayne. If you need to invent arguments, then I guess we have
our answer.

I agree that a diesel has some advantages. The truth is that both
diesel inboards and gasoline outboards have both advantages and
disadvantages. Neither is perfect, and neither can be said to be
"better".

Wayne.B

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:01:09 -0500, wrote:

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus.

Running a god sized chart plotter and radar underway can use as much
as 20 to 30 amps of 12 volt power. I stand by my original statement
that outboards are not suitable for serious cruising.

Wayne.B

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:03:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:01:09 -0500, wrote:

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus.

Running a god sized chart plotter and radar underway can use as much
as 20 to 30 amps of 12 volt power. I stand by my original statement
that outboards are not suitable for serious cruising.

Make that "good sized chart plotter" although god sized probably uses
power also.

Marty[_2_]

Wayne.B wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:01:09 -0500, wrote:

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus.

Running a god sized chart plotter and radar underway can use as much
as 20 to 30 amps of 12 volt power. I stand by my original statement
that outboards are not suitable for serious cruising.

Damn, why can't people say amp-hours when the mean amp hours?

I run a lap top, with an auxiliary screen in the companionway, and yes,
it consumes about 30 amp-hours a day,,, I also have 40 watts of solar
panels that generated about the same per day. When the computer is off,
like at anchor I get ahead, (other electronics are running and I fall
behind when sailing continuously, but I have enough battery capacity to
go several days before it becomes an issue)

Cheers
Martin

Marty[_2_]

wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:03:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:01:09 -0500, wrote:

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus.
Running a god sized chart plotter and radar underway can use as much
as 20 to 30 amps of 12 volt power. I stand by my original statement
that outboards are not suitable for serious cruising.

Another gross exaggeration to try and support an unsupportable
premise.

I HAVE a chartplotter and a radar on my sailboat. There is no setting
I could use on them that would come even remotely close to drawing 20
to 30 amps.

See my post Salty, he means amp-hours,,, it's like if I asked you what
kind of gas milage you got on the highway and you said "Oh about 23
gallons".

Cheers
Martin

[email protected]

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:00:31 -0500, Marty wrote:

wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:03:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:01:09 -0500, wrote:

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus.
Running a god sized chart plotter and radar underway can use as much
as 20 to 30 amps of 12 volt power. I stand by my original statement
that outboards are not suitable for serious cruising.

Another gross exaggeration to try and support an unsupportable
premise.

I HAVE a chartplotter and a radar on my sailboat. There is no setting
I could use on them that would come even remotely close to drawing 20
to 30 amps.

See my post Salty, he means amp-hours,,, it's like if I asked you what
kind of gas milage you got on the highway and you said "Oh about 23
gallons".

Cheers
Martin

Amp hours per what time period? His assertions are wild and without
merit. I rarely leave my RADAR in transmit mode full time unless
warranted by the conditions and situation. It spends a lot of time in
standby, and when in transmit, It's usually not cranked up very much.
As long as I can see what's within a mile or two or three of me, I'm
fine. If I'm anywhere near the routes of a high speed ferry, I need to
see farther. That's not often. I may not use 30 amp hours in a WEEK
(or more) of sailing. My outboard and solar panel have no problem
staying ahead of what I use, so Wayne's argument is just plain silly.
In fact, I have to monitor things carefully and turn on interior
lights to bleed off the surplus, so I don't overcharge the batteries
when motorsailing with the outboard running - even at low speeds.

Marty[_2_]

wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:00:31 -0500, Marty wrote:

wrote:
On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:03:06 -0500, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 07:01:09 -0500, wrote:

Other than instruments, VHF, and a DVD movie here and there on a
little player, I don't really use any power, so a pretty small solar
panel, coupled with limited amounts of motor sailing usually leaves me
with a surplus.
Running a god sized chart plotter and radar underway can use as much
as 20 to 30 amps of 12 volt power. I stand by my original statement
that outboards are not suitable for serious cruising.
Another gross exaggeration to try and support an unsupportable
premise.

I HAVE a chartplotter and a radar on my sailboat. There is no setting
I could use on them that would come even remotely close to drawing 20
to 30 amps.
See my post Salty, he means amp-hours,,, it's like if I asked you what
kind of gas milage you got on the highway and you said "Oh about 23
gallons".

Cheers
Martin

Amp hours per what time period?

Damn, guilty as charged. Amp hours per day.... gr

As I said, my modest solar panels do pretty much everything. Mind you
the alternator on my Volvo is rated at 130A or so,, cranks out 35A at
idle... but that's just what came with it.

Cheers
Martin

Cheers
Martin

Richard Casady

On Thu, 13 Nov 2008 23:30:06 -0500, wrote:

In fact, I have to monitor things carefully and turn on interior
lights to bleed off the surplus, so I don't overcharge the batteries
when motorsailing with the outboard running - even at low speeds.

Voltage regulator? Evidently the one you have is not smart enough.

Casady

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