Will this hurt the motor?

[BOAT]

Robert - you have an autopilot - is there any chance your boat will surf on AP - if that were possible it would make a long distance ocean crossing possible.

[Tomfoolery]

I'm still a little unhappy with wing and wing with 'boat' and I really think an asym tied off somewhere higher on the mast would be less flapping around on the front of the boat.

Lots of folks have done that, including me, and I have to tell you, performance is much, much better even with the cheap-o assym that was an option on these boats, as compared to wing-on-wing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHz-o9dXKIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2il9rwyETmg

As to the original question, the power into the lower unit is via a vertical shaft from the engine, but when it's off, it's not moving. All of the bits that move with the prop when the engine is off are running in oil, so nothing bad should happen to them when surfing.

[BOAT]

I'm still a little unhappy with wing and wing with 'boat' and I really think an asym tied off somewhere higher on the mast would be less flapping around on the front of the boat.

Lots of folks have done that, including me, and I have to tell you, performance is much, much better even with the cheap-o assym that was an option on these boats, as compared to wing-on-wing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHz-o9dXKIE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2il9rwyETmg

As to the original question, the power into the lower unit is via a vertical shaft from the engine, but when it's off, it's not moving. All of the bits that move with the prop when the engine is off are running in oil, so nothing bad should happen to them when surfing.

Oh for crying out loud!! And you guys are not even using your mains!! The main sail is still in the sack!! OH MY GOD that has GOT to be the best way to run before the weather in a M boat! ONLY ONE SAIL!

Okay - I need to get one - so what is that? Is that the stock ASYM from the factory? It does not need any lazy jacks or poles, right? Any special tracks? Or does it just go right up the flagpole?

Then the next really big question for this post - can it hold up in heavy wind? What about decent wind and heavy sea? Is that sail the answer to our surfing needs?

[RobertB]

Robert - you have an autopilot - is there any chance your boat will surf on AP - if that were possible it would make a long distance ocean crossing possible.

Never been in the water with the AP. Not sure it would help much since the problem is the whole hull twists around as the wave passes the boat. I have experienced nearly 90 degree changes in heading.

[Tomfoolery]

Oh for crying out loud!! And you guys are not even using your mains!! The main sail is still in the sack!! OH MY GOD that has GOT to be the best way to run before the weather in a M boat! ONLY ONE SAIL!

Mine's an X, but it's the same sail. Stock factory cheap-o assym. I added a hound about 18" above the forestay hound. The M boats use a different style hound, but BWY sells them, and there are other sources.

I didn't want to work that hard, so I didn't bother with the main. The admiral was reading, and I was just enjoying the ride. Beene was having a good ride, solo I believe, with the autohelm steering. There are many pics of that on the MMOR IV thread from 2013. Crikey took a lot of great pics. Look on the second to last page of that thread.

[BOAT]

Okay - so what are the limits of the stock asym? (By the way - I already have the hound on my mast and the halyard - I have been using it all this time to haul up my jib sock and as a secondary forestay) GEEZ! I had no idea the boat was so well balance on a kite - I really need to get one and start flying i NOW so I can test it in heavy conditions.

Do you know it's wind limits? 20 knots, 25? (thirty? probably not )

[yukonbob]

As to the original question, the power into the lower unit is via a vertical shaft from the engine, but when it's off, it's not moving. All of the bits that move with the prop when the engine is off are running in oil, so nothing bad should happen to them when surfing.

Except the forces being exerted on the entire transmission and drive train as you drag the fixed prop through the water. Kind of like dragging a car down the road in gear.

[Tomfoolery]

As to the original question, the power into the lower unit is via a vertical shaft from the engine, but when it's off, it's not moving. All of the bits that move with the prop when the engine is off are running in oil, so nothing bad should happen to them when surfing.

Except the forces being exerted on the entire transmission and drive train as you drag the fixed prop through the water. Kind of like dragging a car down the road in gear.

I should clarify - I meant in neutral. Just the output shaft with it's two little dog clutches spinning, in oil.

[BOAT]

Yes, the motor will always be in neutral. So the prop will be turning a gear and some oil - I get it - does not sound like a big problem but really, based on what Tom said about the asym and based on what Highlander did on a stock boat with the board down less than a foot I think dragging the motor might not be required - it just might be a moot point now.

Still - the motor does make a pretty handy little drogue anchor and might even help the rudders do their job? (whoa - how about a big rudder you can attach to the motor just for sailing in storms?) That might be a neat trick and might save the other rudders from damage too?

[Tomfoolery]

Courtesy of Crikey. (Hope he doesn't mind)

Me rigging the spinnaker while the admiral steers under power. You can see the mast hound above the original. I also added a tack line to the extra hole in the stem fitting, after moving the forestay to the rearmost of the two holes (no length difference). The tack line goes through a few small blocks back to the cockpit, so I can adjust it.



Splitting off in two different directions, but with the same eventual destination - Toronto Island Park.



Pegasus, driving pretty hard. One of my favorite Mac pictures. This too could be you, BOAT.

[BOAT]

Wow, that's great! So you have a bowsprit on Pegasus?? I don't have a bobstay collar on 'boat', how do i get a bowsprit on there? Do I need a bowsprit? (I guess i could mount a collar from an old double ender that's full of parts down at Minny's) Where did you get yours? Is that a donut sack on top of the sail?

[Highlander]

Wow, that's great! So you have a bowsprit on Pegasus?? I don't have a bobstay collar on 'boat', how do i get a bowsprit on there? Do I need a bowsprit? (I guess i could mount a collar from an old double ender that's full of parts down at Minny's) Where did you get yours? Is that a donut sack on top of the sail?

So U r looking for one of these Puppies
http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee20 ... 010067.jpg

http://i844.photobucket.com/albums/ab1/ ... 010056.jpg

http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 010057.mp4

Been,s Boat Geoff & I having a fun day
http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 3d9c95.mp4

http://vid844.photobucket.com/albums/ab ... 942336.mp4

J

[mastreb]

Robert - you have an autopilot - is there any chance your boat will surf on AP - if that were possible it would make a long distance ocean crossing possible.

Never been in the water with the AP. Not sure it would help much since the problem is the whole hull twists around as the wave passes the boat. I have experienced nearly 90 degree changes in heading.

Sure it will. The EV-1 does a fantastic job of countering wave action to keep the boat straight, with both facing and following waves. It's got a 3-axis sensor that works to minimize pitch, yaw, and roll. Does a way better job than I could ever do. It even counters people moving around the boat really well. Makes the whole boat seem a lot less tender.