Reality Check

The Outboard Motor Issue

As described in the First Steps to the Water section, My first two trips had convinced me that an electric outboard would be a real possibility.  However, my third trip out showed that there were limitations imposed by river sailing that I had not fully considered.  I had felt that the wind and sails would provide power when necessary rather than relying on mechanical propulsion.   I had not taken into account the possibility of needing significant mechanical power just to get the boat turned into the wind in order to raise the sails.  This situation occurred when the wind and current were at 90 degrees to each other.

Obviously, in these conditions, I could turn down stream and the electric motor would have been sufficient to get me to shallower waters with less current.   Here I would have sufficient power to turn into the wind and raise the sails.   However, I wanted to have a greater safety margin than this.  Now, l'll try to find an outboard of about 3.5 to 5 HP.  I'll still use the electric whenever possible, I just want the security of a little more power when Old Man River or Mother Nature decide to teach another lesson.

My first choice for a motor was the 4 stroke Honda 5 HP longshaft.  This motor uses less gas, does not consume oil, pollutes less, and runs much quieter than a comparable 2 stroke.  Even though this motor is much more expensive than a two stroke and at least 20 pounds heavier, I wanted to consider it.   However, trying to buy one was a problem.  The nearest boating dealer that would quote a Honda motor was almost 100 miles away and the nearest factory authorized dealer was even further away. I decided that if the motor ever needed service or warranty repairs, it would just be too much of a problem.

A search of the local area outboard motor dealer's brought nothing but laughs when asking about a used longshaft outboard  motor.  However, one dealer did ask if I would be interested in taking a 2 HP British Seagull of unknown age off his hands - an offer that I politely declined.  So now I have placed a Mercury 4HP motor on order for delivery as soon as possible.  The Mercury motor has several propellers as options so I went with the lowest available (six inch) pitch.  This propeller is a three blade design with a diameter of 8 1/2 inches.  The range of available pitch from the manufacturer was from 6 inch to 8 inches with the 7 inch pitch as "standard".

A report on the results of the first  "power cruise" is now in the First Steps to the Water section

What would I do differently (June 1998)?

Second Guessing is always a popular activity.  With the benefit of my 20/20 hind sight, I have tried to review my major decisions in the light of the first two months of real world circumstances.

The Boat Selection:  My requirements have not changed and even with the Mississippi River as my sailing venue, I am still comfortable with the selection of the Com-Pac 19.  With it's 2 foot draft, I can singlehandedly sail "Solar Wind" from one river bank to the other with few "thin water" fears.   Most other boats in the local marinas draw 3.5 to 5 or more feet and must be much more careful.   Because of their requirements for deeper water and crews of two or three experienced sailors, many of these 30 foot and larger vessels never leave the harbor and are locally referred to as Marina Queens.   My preference for a fixed keel rather than a swing keel or keel with centerboard configuration is also the best under these circumstances.

Radio: The fixed VHF marine radio with tri-watch feature has been very helpful on the river.  I always monitor channel 13 in addition to channel 16 and 9.  This allows me at least 30 minutes to one hour's   advance notice of  a tow transiting the local area since the pilots report their position and direction of travel on Channel 13 as they approach major river junctions.  While a portable radio might be easier to use in some conditions, the battery consumption would be an issue on any longer trips.  The mast head antenna is also an advantage since it allows much greater range.  Mounting the mast wiring inside of 3/4 inch pipe insulation has resulted in no noticeable wire slap noises.

Depth Finder:  Even though I don't really worry about the depth that much, this unit does contribute to my peace of mind.   Since the river depth is always changing based on the decisions of the Corps of Engineers in combination with Mother Nature, some parts of the river that were safe in the evening can be responsible for a grounding the following morning as the level can vary by one or two feet in a 24 hour period as well as the build up of sand bars that can alter the bottom contour.

Solar Panel:  Since I always have the VHF radio and depth finder active (as well as use the electric trolling motor to get in and out of the marina), I could either take the battery home for a recharge after each use, install a charger on the boat and pay for shore power, or install the solar panel.   So far, the solar panel has provided for all of my electrical needs at the dock or on the water. I must admit however to some surprise in that I am the only boat in the marina equipped with a solar panel.  I think this is another reflection of the lack of real use that most boats in this area get (as well as their reliance on shore or diesel power for most excursions).

Auxiliary Propulsion:  I still feel that on a lake, the electric propulsion with two group 27 batteries and a solar panel would be sufficient  - on the Mississippi River however,  this would not work.  The 4 horsepower motor with the low pitch propeller has proven itself many times to be quite capable for long crossings against adverse winds and currents.  I still prefer the the peace and quiet of electric propulsion along with the ease of motor control during docking and therefore use the trolling motor whenever possible.  Since both motors are always mounted, the gasoline motor is readily available to be used for more extensive travel when that is required.

A Slip vs Trailer Launch: For me, the slip was the best choice for now.  Once at the boat, I can be out on the river in 15 or 20 minutes by just completing a few simple preparations.  Trailer launching singlehanded (and then retrieving at the end of the day) is much more of an effort.  The slip charge is more than compensated for by the ease of access to the boat.  I will however check into the availability of another marina for future reference - one where the road access is not so effected by flooding

What would I do differently (February 1999)?

Now that my one year sabbatical is complete, I have returned to dry land and will work while deciding on the next steps.

I really believe I made many of the the right choices - at least for my current situation.  I took the time to determine if I want to sail extensively and taught myself the basics on a small boat.  The trip to the Chesapeake Bay and to the Florida Keys have given me a taste of the capability to voyage beyond the end of the dry pavement.

What's next: I will spend this winter making the next round of decisions.  Possibilities include:
1) Keep sailing the Com-Pac 19 locally and at more distant venues for one to three week jaunts.
2) Moving up to a bigger boat that is more comfortable but much more difficult to trailer transport in the 23 to 27 foot range.
3) Moving beyond trailer Sailing altogether with a boat in the 30 foot range.
4) Put this sailing thing behind me and move on to other types of adventures.

Best Guess: I will start to plan an extensive trip into southern waters.  The parameters for the trip will be to explore the Coastal regions of the Gulf and Florida for several months at a time.  I will want to investigate the possibilities of crossing the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas and maybe sail even further south to the Virgin Islands.  At this point, I will need to plan these as singlehanded trips since my wife is not interested in long distance cruising.  The plan would be for me to sail to ports of interest and my wife would fly in for a week or so of local sailing and exploration as she felt the inclination.

This page was last updated:  09/14/00 05:10:59 PM