[Public-list] repowering

[J Bergquist]

Don-

There are plenty of pleasure boat designs which are of similar size (if
maybe a bit lighter) as our boat and which do not include an inboard engine,
or even an engine at all. You can read Chappelle's book if you don't believe
me. Or read up on L. Francis Herreshoff's designs. Many of them were for
rich people, yes, but there were also many which were for those of us of
more modest means. The 12.5 footer from NG Herreshoff is a good example, if
somewhat smaller. The Buzzard's Bay 25 is of similar length, if much lighter
displacement. Maybe somebody reading this list has or does own one of these
kinds of boats. They are sailboats. Our boats are sailboats too. I'm sick of
thinking of my motor as a requirement rather than an auxiliary. 

The luders 44 foot sail training craft at the USNA had no motors. I am not
sure, but I believe that the colgate 26 sail training craft still have none.
Most J-22's have no motors. Most J-24s also have no motor. 

The assertion that pleasure boats of similar size and shape to the Alberg 30
did not exist before inboard internal combustion engines is simply not true.
The assertion that they do not exist now is also false. 

Modern harbors are, indeed, somewhat different. However, I consider myself
lucky to live in Annapolis, MD. My favorite cruising destinations are
Baltimore, Oxford and St. Michael's. Fortunately all of these harbors are
over 200 years old, and provide large anchorages. I am very comfortable
anchoring and getting off the anchor under sail. I have done this many
times, in many places, in many different wind conditions. 

I am lucky enough to keep my boat at a private dock on a wide river, with an
easy approach. I still don't see why an outboard or really ANY motor at all
is necessary for 95% of my sailing. I also don't see why some folks reading
this list seem to think that they know my operating requirements better than
I do. 

Listen guys, I may not have been sailing these boats for 30 years, but I
didn't just fall off the turnip truck either. I'm not going to just quiet
down because you are all disagreeing with me about this. I know my boat
pretty well. I know my engine pretty well. I think that there is a lot that
makes sense about outboard propulsion. 

J

-----Original Message-----
From: public-list-bounces at alberg30.org
[mailto:public-list-bounces at alberg30.org] On Behalf Of Don Campbell
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 9:34 AM
To: public list, Alberg
Subject: [Public-list] repowering

J
    "What did people do in 1900 when small craft auxiliaries were not in
general
use? They went sailing."

In 1900, there were almost no pleasure craft as we know them today.
Pleasure and race boats were the property of the very rich who had time
and money to use them.  The rest of those with time and access to water
used small craft like canoes,  sailing canoes and rowboats.  Yes they
went sailing but towed them in and out of the harbour when needed and
often had moorings where thay could sail to and away. There are still 8
meter boats with no power and they tow them to and from the race course.
Before tugs, they used rowed tenders to tow and put a ship into a dock.
As George says, to-day's harbours and docks are not the same design as
then and the skipper is expected to be able to get around within
to-day's designs.
    You should also remember that in 1900 the fastest vehicle on the
planet was a sailboat. Granted it sailed on hard water but there was
nothing that could go faster than an iceboat then. 100 mph was where
they were then and still are to-day. No auxiliary there either.
    Somewhere along the line, you will need to get it into your head
that maintenance of motors is not a chore but a necessary part of life
with machines. There is nothing quick and easy about it because of the
way engineers have designed them and then cut costs and corners to
manufacture them cheaply, so oil filters are at the back and under the
edge, lifting brackets are nowwhere to be seen, oil fill spouts are over
the head so spills get burned off etc. Go figure that this is part of
life on a boat. We are fortunate that we have not gone to computer
panels on these motors and that many of us still can cope with
rebuilding them ourselves with a good manual and a torque wrench because
we enjoy doing it, or because we want to, which includes keeping vintage
objects in a usable state. We are certainly not at the point where a
parts shortage forces motor replacement. It may be a question of $. So
be it.
    You also mentioned that you did not know of any small gas engines
currently made. Have you looked at any small gas engines that are in
lawn equipment that might fit? - anything from Yanmar, Kubota, Honda,or
Kohler? After all, the Kubota in the Beta and the Yanmar diesels are
used in places other than boats. John Deere does have a marine engine
division, but their blocks are also used in farm and forestry tractors.
Don
#528



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