the most suitable platform, having a more seakindly
behavior...”
• Francis Kinney, editor of the revised edition of
Skene’s Elements of Yacht Design: “A motorsailer is a
yacht with enough engine power to achieve hull speed
and enough sail power to claw off a lee shore if the
power fails. In conditions of Force 6 ( 22—27 knots of
wind) and a short, steep sea, a yacht with a sailing
rig that can make her way to windward faster under
shortened sail than under power alone is an auxiliary
sailing yacht. If the yacht could reach her windward
destination more quickly under power alone in these
conditions, she is a motorsailer.”
• Chuck Neville, naval architect, Charles Neville
Associates: “A motorsailer is best described not by
definition, but by examination of two distinct design
Motorsailers
want to travel at a reasonable speed; adverse weather
could be conditions in which you wish you had stayed
in the harbor.”
I suppose some combination of the above definitions
and characteristics will make sense to each reader, so
feel free to interpret them as you will. In exploring the
fleet of motorsailers currently available, both new and
used, it is most important to assess the individual
design, the capability of the boat, and how it would
fit your anticipated usage.
FISH OR FOWL?
So far, we have journeyed through time, beginning
with the creation of the motorsailer concept, visited
pioneers and practicing professionals, and reviewed
many definitions. That there is a future for this hybrid
Collection of Michael McMenemy
Courtesy of Motor Boating
Above: William Hand’s own sloop-rigged motorsailer Gossoon
sported a swordfishing platform to accommodate one of his
favorite pastimes. Left: This cover illustration is a paean to the
era and romance of motorsailers in the early 20th century.
elements: 1) Performance—capable of efficient operation
both under power and under sail; 2) Range—capable
of multi-night passages and long voyages by power or
under sail, or both. Modern technology such as lighter
engines and roller-furling sail handling has opened up
new design opportunities.”
• Dag Pike, author of Motorsailers: “...a boat which
by using either sails or engine independently is able
to make good progress in adverse conditions...Good
progress means going in the direction in which you
approach to pleasure boating seems certain, but what
are the defining qualities, performance characteristics,
costs, maintenance issues, and additional operating
requirements? The motorsailer offers many design
features that have advantages over a traditional trawler,
but there are disadvantages, as well. Let’s summarize
some of them.
Using a mast and sails in conjunction with a powerful
engine in a displacement hull provides a number of
benefits:
• A built-in alternative means of propulsion in case
of engine failure;
