Captain's Log
Captain's Log October 2006The Original Hybrid Vehicles
There is a lot of talk about the cost of energy today. And whynot, considering that fuel at the dock is now in the $3.50-per-gallon range?
It amazes us to watch a large power cruiser or sportfishing boatload on 1,000 gallons of fuel for their week or two of vacation afloat.But if they are burning 30 gallons an hour per engine (60 total) andwant to go anywhere, that four tons of fuel will only last them aweek or two.
The owners of the unmuffled muscle boats-the Scarabs andFountains that turn inland waterways into drag strips-have got tofeel the fuel pain. Running twin 350-horsepower fuel-injected enginesat high speeds is about as fast and inefficient a way to get around asis humanly possible. What is the cost of an afternoon of tearing upthe ocean? It has got to be $500 an hour or more.
And the guys with the smaller powerboats have got to be wondering if their fun is worth the cost, too. A pair of twin 150s on the backof a center-console runabout or fishing boat is going to burn 20gallons an hour at cruising speed. A few days on the water equates toa pretty hefty home-mortgage payment.
The cost of fuel and the inefficiency of most powerboats may bethe reason why we simply are not seeing as many powerboats-fromrunabouts to power cruisers-out and about this summer.
But we are happy to report that there are still plenty of sailboatsout cruising the coastlines, sailing to and fro, racing in rallies andregattas and generally enjoying that unique experience of travelingwith the wind. This year the offshore events for both the rightand left coasts and Great Lakes have seen bumper crops of participants whose love of the water and boats is not hampered much by$3.50-a-gallon diesel.
It may sound funny and obvious, but auxiliary sailing boats (shipsof the 19th century or yachts today) are the essential and perhaps theoriginal hybrid vehicles. With the wind blowing, we can travel fordays and weeks (and even months) on end without having to burn anounce of fuel for propulsion.
And when the wind is light we can use our auxiliaries to push usalong slowly but very efficiently-a 65-horsepower diesel will burnunder a gallon an hour at moderate revs. Aboard our last cruisingboat, a 43-foot ketch, we could travel 1,000 miles under power withthe fuel we carried aboard-160 gallons.
Auxiliary powered sailboats and cruising boats in particular aredesigned to exist in harmony with the environment, not to overpowerit. They need to respond to the forces of nature and use those forcesefficiently. And when the mechanical power source is switched on,the efficiency of the hull design enhances fuel efficiency.
We don't feel smug about the plight of our powerboating friendssince ashore we all share the common problem. But we do feelpleased to be on the leading edge of transportation technology everytime we hoist the main, roll out the jib and let the wind carry usquietly into the future.
The simple and elegant combination of technologies in a sailboatshould stand as a classic example of the best in human design for thecentury ahead, and it is there for everyone to use.
Fair winds,
