# Powersailers for live aboard cruising??



## aquaman9 (Jan 17, 2011)

I live in Virginia but as soon as my son changes schools next year I don't care to stay in the area so it time to start thinking about getting rid of my fishing boat and setting some plans in action. My wife and are singed up for sailing lessons this spring and we want to start shopping for a long term boat. I am no spring chicken so we have been looking into powersailers in the 45ft range. I am sure we would start out local sailing like the east coast and Bahamas but don't want to be tied down because of the size of boat. I would like to sail on the west coast as well on up to Alaska. Is there any downfalls that would stop me on a motorsailer. I see more regular sail boats out there when I see what other people are cruising in. Our budget for the boat is about 150K and I see alot of used nice boats in that range. One concern we had was docking fees while not cruising from Island to Island, Have had to pay plenty on my small center console when beeing charged by the foot. Is there a reason I don't see many powersailers on the water.


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## aquaman9 (Jan 17, 2011)

*Should have checked older threads*

After posting this I found a debate on the subject in many older posts. Another reason that we are looking at a motorsailer is that with my Rhematoid Arthritis I have bad days and good days. My wife and I have enough boating(power baoting) experience to get home under power in a bad situation. If I have to wait for better health it will most likely never happen. I would feel more comfortable on the bad days being able to hit 8 to 10 knots without my wife trying to saill it by herself.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

A standard 45ft sailboat with a good diesel engine should get you at least very close to 8kts under power. As an over-generalization, the motorsailer is more likely to get you a helm station protected from the weather. But there are also pilot house sailboats that can offer that. 

I think it depends on why you are interested in a sailboat at all. If it is to avoid the diesel expense on a long trip, I would strongly lean toward an efficient sailboat with a motor backup. A motorsailer is sort of the other way around.


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## omaho5 (Jun 5, 2008)

Going out on a limb here. Most "motor sailers" do not sail [under sail] as well as true sailing yachts for several reasons.
You will have to do your home work on this.


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## rmeador (Jan 16, 2010)

My 37' foot sailboat can hit 8kts under engine alone at 80% of max RPMs (standard cruising speed), and I only have a 37hp engine. A 45' boat should be able to go faster than that.


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## aquaman9 (Jan 17, 2011)

rmeador said:


> My 37' foot sailboat can hit 8kts under engine alone at 80% of max RPMs (standard cruising speed), and I only have a 37hp engine. A 45' boat should be able to go faster than that.


I saw a 47' Gulfstar with I believe 130hp that claimed 8 to 9kts with a great layout and ready to go. They have it listed as a motorsailer but I believe it is a Sailmaster which is more of a sail boat then a motorboat. It looked like a good compromize. It is advertized on Yachtworld. Don't know how to post a pic.


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## rmeador (Jan 16, 2010)

You have to be careful with Gulfstars. For a good portion of the company's history, they built motorsailers (and they weren't particularly good at either motoring or sailing). They also are known for quality issues such as blistering during this time period. There is a fairly narrow time span where they built really nice, good-performing, quality sailboats, and that is approximately from 1975-1981 (again, approx... I am not an expert on Gulfstar, I am just repeating what the listing broker of my boat told me, and he used to work for Gulfstar). I couldn't be happier with my boat. It has an awesome interior, it is very sturdy, and it is really fast. Just make sure you do your research so you don't get one of the "bad" boats (which may not be bad for your purposes, just make sure you know what you're getting).


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## vega1860 (Dec 18, 2006)

If you are seriously considering Alaska, you might as well get a trawler and forget the sailboat altogether. If you plan to start in SoCal you will be going against the prevailing winds up the coast. If you plan to start in Puget Sound and go up the inside passage you will be motoring the whole way anyway. We spent three and a half years cruising in the Pacific Northwest and could have left our sails in the bags for all the use they got.

Just my opinion


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## aquaman9 (Jan 17, 2011)

vega1860 said:


> If you are seriously considering Alaska, you might as well get a trawler and forget the sailboat altogether. If you plan to start in SoCal you will be going against the prevailing winds up the coast. If you plan to start in Puget Sound and go up the inside passage you will be motoring the whole way anyway. We spent three and a half years cruising in the Pacific Northwest and could have left our sails in the bags for all the use they got.
> 
> Just my opinion


I guess thats why I'm looking for a duel purpose boat. I can't afford to buy a boat for a Alaska cruise and than turn around and sell it the year after when I come back to the Atlantic side and start Iisland hopping. Looking for one boat to do both.


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## Minnewaska (Feb 21, 2010)

Wait until you take your lessons. You will know which you prefer. Power v Sail.

I know you hope for a hybrid, but they don't really exist in nature. Some only try to force the issue.


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## MarkCK (Jan 4, 2009)

Actually a power-sailor might be exactly what you are looking for. With your health issues the power boat is probably what you need. On the days when the conditions are right you can raise the sails until you no longer feel like it. The power-sailor should have larger fuel tanks so extended cruising will be more feasible. As an added bonus since you are new to sailing you wont know how horrible these things really sail. If you were a life long sailor and then went the power-sailor route you would be very frustrated every time you raised your sails. 

I don't have any personal experience with this type of boat but they have a devoted following. Especially since most people power a lot more than they like to admit. I am not sure if they have hit this price range yet on the used market you but Island Packet started selling a motor sailor a few years back.


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