[PUP] PPM- Stability & Comfort

[Patrick Gerety]

----- Original Message ----
From: Tad Roberts <tadroberts at shaw.ca>
To:
passagemaking-under-power at lists.samurai.com
Sent: Sunday, November 9, 2008
11:52:00 AM
Subject: [PUP] PPM- Stability & Comfort

 >Ken mentions he "can't
imagine a passagemaker that doesn't have a wing
>engine or twin engines."  How
about one with sails and a single engine?

That is what I have, a single
engine and one large headsail.  It is a "get someplace" system.  Obviously
doesn't work if my engine dies while entering a breakwater.  Also I need at
least 20 knots or more of wind to make at least three knots.  I am limited in
direction to about 30 deg. either way off the wind.  And last, I still have to
pull a large prop through the water if the engine dies - but that is the same
thing with twins or a wing engine should the main die.  Is it a perfect
system?  No, but it didn't cost much either, so it works for me.  BUT, I can
put that headsail up on the right heading and it is a thrilling ride.  I can
back off on the rpm's by 300 or 400 and still maintain my desired speed.  Or I
can go surfing, adding a knot or two to my SOG depending on wind speed and
direction.

I do not have stabilizers of any kind (except the headsail which
helps a bit, but not enough for me to fool with it for that purpose only).  I
prefer to change course for a while to deal with uncomfortable seas on longer
passages.  I have lots of range (3,500 nm at 7+ knots til empty, or I could
slow down), so changing course is not a problem.  One member of PUP who crewed
with me for over 1000 miles, said my boat had a "Buick Roadmaster" type of
ride - soft and loping.  I think that pretty well describes it.  I have a beam
of 13'-8" (carried well into the waterline) and a draft of 4'-3".  I have sit
down room on all four sides of the single engine with as many as 6 people in
there at one time all sitting down.

Patrick
Willard 40PH
ALOHA
La Paz, MX