How Fast?

One of the key questions in sailing is: How fast? Or in other words, when are we going too slow, and do we start the engine? Usually with good questions like that, the best answer is: “It depends” Today we are sailing north west from the lovely island of Venotene, and all boats we have met are running their engine. Our speed is varying between 2 and 5 knots, and we are likely to run into the next anchorage during daylight. Why waste diesel to arrive just a few hours earlier? If we want to explore the island, there is nothing that can wait till tomorrow morning. In general, I am appalled by how often sailing boats do run their engine, when there is perfectly good sail-able wind, and also at anchor because they didn't have the decency to install wind generator or solar panels. Cruisers, you know who you are, and you are spoiling the tranquil anchorage for everyone else!

To come back to the question, when we start the engine depends mainly on the sea state and the distance. When trying to cross a 500 nautical miles stretch with just 1 knot, that would take you 500 hours, or just short of 21 days. On big crossings, we accept anything above 2 knots, but we haven't had a long crossing yet persistently at this speed. Usually the wind tends to pick up, or drop of completely.

The other factor is sea state. In my experience, there is nothing worse than big waves, accompanied by very little wind. The effect on your rigging, is that it creeks, groans and slams with every wave. I cannot imagine many sailboat owners that can endure this sound without starting the iron main.

The last factor is wind direction. We have been successful at beating against various winds. The strongest wind (6 Bf), and meanest sea state (current against waves) we have faced sailing up to Corfu. There comes a time that the wind will become too strong to sail against. If you ever face this situation, you will be very uncomfortable indeed, and would probably pay a year of education for your offspring at Harvard, just to be airlifted of your boat.

When beating up to Venotene, we had a good run with the sails only. However, when we reached the point that we could arrive in just one hour, using the engine, or in another four hours on the sail, we finally caved in and started the engine.

Our speed finally picked up to a comfortable 6.1 knots. As I am typing this, we are being overtaken by a mono-hull with a carbon mast, running his engine. He is barely going faster than us. I would expect people that spend the additional year of your offspring's Harvard education on a carbon mast to be into sailing. This theory has proven wrong.