1.75 HP Motor and DS1

[Guest]

I recently acquired a DS1 and am just beginning to sail. I live in an area (Seattle) with lot of lakes, however, the wind is sometimes flaky (or just quits unexpectantly). When the wind dies, and there are grandkids aboard (otherwise I'd just paddle), I'd like to motor to the shore. I have a 1.75 HP motor that is in great shape. The question is: will this HP of motor push this boat? If anyone has experience with this HP of motor or similiar, I would like to hear how well the motor pushes the boat.
Thanks in advance -
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Ron Swenson
rswenson@aisol.com
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RJ Swenson (rswenson-at-aisol.com)

[Guest]

Yes, on a lake it will work fine. I have a small electric trolling motor that I use to ferry my boat from landing to my boat dock, where I then step the mast. It's 1/2 to 3/4 mile. I never sail with a motor and sail on a lake with fluky wind as well. I've never not been able to get home. I always sail upwind first, whichever way that happens to be. Sometimes my trip home is slow, but I always sail home.
Jim

jim (jimb-at-dsouth.com)

[Guest]

I have used a 1.5 hp cruse and carry 2stroke motor as a back up,when winter sailing in Santa Cruz (light to no wind) The little motor has pushed my DS while towing another DS when the wind died. It vibrates and make a racket but it got us in.

Dave (misunas-at-sasquatch.com)

[Guest]

The small outboard should work fine when there is no wind. You might have some trouble, however, if you are trying to motor in high wind or if there is a lot of chop. I had an electric trolling motor on my old boat and it worked fine until I dropped sail one day when the wind picked up unexpectedly. The water was so choppy that the little motor could not drive the boat through the chop into the wind.

Vince (vdemperi-at-twcny.rr.com)

[Guest]

I grew up sailing/racing dingies in the Northwest and learned that if I was to make it to the dock in time for supper, I had to either skull or rock the boat. I find the latter to be effective in my Daysailer without much discomfort to crew, even though it looks pretty awkward. If you hold your tiller steady, you'll be surprised at the speed you can generate. Save yourself the weight and hassel of a motor if you're lake sailing. It can really be a drag!


Peter (petercminn-at-hotmail.com)

[Guest]

Peter,

We used to call that "gunnel pumping" on canoes. We'd stand on the gunnels and move up and down to get the canoe moving pretty fast in a forward direction.

Is that the kind of thing you're talking about. More details please.

Kit Carson
4288 Second Wind

Kit Carson (kcarson-at-easternbag.com)

[Peter McMinn]

Yeah, I've heard that term, too, though you'd have to be one long-legged dude to try exactly that method on a DS!
Actually, I learned to rock ('n roll) in a college sailing team. We had FJ's and Lasers which were very light. The concept is similar to roll tacking, without throwing the tiller to lee.
To get started, stand amidship facing forward with the tiller extension in hand. The main can be up or down, but secure the sheet tight so the boom doesn't harm anyone. Keep the rudder locked into forward position. Bend a knee and lunge toward a gunnel, and depending on your weight, the boat will lurch to that side. In the second before the hull begins to balance, repeat the same motion to the opposite side of the boat. The idea is to keep the motion constant. If you have crew, they need to help out as it doesn't help to have weight where it shouldn't be.
I'm 170# and can get the boat moving reasonably well with three or four rocks. There's enough room in the DS cockpit to really dance around, and have fun but as you know, nothing beats having wind sailing!