[Rhodes22-list] Sailing Long Island Sound

[Bill Effros]

Richard,

I almost always agree with you, but not this time.  A 4 hp is all you 
almost ever need.  But I have been out in winds on LIS where my 8hp 
could barely keep me moving forward.  In the 14 years I've owned my 
engine, this has happened only a handful of times.  All the rest of the 
times a 6.5 would have been all I needed.  But when I needed the extra 
power, I sure was glad I had it.

Again, there is a simple test.  The R-22 can easily be brought to its 
5-6 kt. hull speed by most engines long before the throttle is wide 
open.  If you can't do 5-6 kts. in a given situation, you would benefit 
from more power.  In emergency situations it is nice to be able to 
control your fate, and ability to get off the water if that is what you 
should do.

The alternator and electric starter are the same thing on most modern 
motors.  If you've got one, you've got the others.  Some manufacturers 
don't wire the alternator and sell it to you as an "extra" but people on 
this list can tell you how to wire it yourself.

Electric cabin lights are only a problem if you can't see your battery 
state.  (Link-10 again.)  They can easily be controlled, and are far 
safer than fire in the cabin.  I use LEDs in the cabin, which are no 
problem at all.  Much more of a problem is my laptop, which I plug into 
the house batteries.

Remember, with our little motors, if the battery goes dead we can still 
start the motor by pulling that little handle on the top of the 
motor--then the motor will refill the batteries.  No harm done.  These 
big boats are dead in the water if their batteries die.  They can't even 
retrieve their anchors (which require windlasses) and sail off.

There are very nice candle lanterns available for $20.  They throw out a 
beautiful light without using liquid fuels.  I always use them in the 
cockpit at night.

Bill Effros

PS -- I've got to get some work done.  Since I work for me, this is all 
on my own time!.

Richard Smith wrote:

>I sailed Long Island Sound for years in a 19 and later a 25 foot boat.  The
>largest motor I had was a 6.5 hp, 2 stroke.  I never ran the 6.5 at full
>throttle.
>
>Get the 6 horsepower...
>
>As for electricity;
>
>You do not need the electric start.  An alternator is nice and coupled with
>a solar charger will keep your batteries toped off.  Just avoid electric
>cabin lights.  Stick with kerosene illumination.
>
>Richard Smith
>
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