And I'll buy it for a boat I've never sailed (motored?) in, for wind and
sea conditions that I've never really paid much attention to.
I have spent a little bit of time plowing through the archives and I
came away with the sense that a 2 HP engine would be plenty for a
P-14/15 and that, if I understood anything about marine architecture
and hull speeds, that I'd realize that any addional horsepower would
simply be an exercise in turning gasoline into noise, smoke and
vibration.
I am drawn to this argument because I don't care for noise, smoke,
or vibration, and I certainly don't want to spend extra money for the
pleasure of their company. Moreover, I feel a deep and powerful
draw to adopt the elegant (usually minimalist) solution to any design
problem. (Duhh, maybe that's why I bought the Potter, eh?)
On the other hand ....
T<color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>he Pacific is broad</color>...The channels to the other nearby islands,
Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe, Molokini are just 4 to 9 miles, but the
channels onto Hawaii and Oahu are almost 30 miles each. It's hard
to imagine that I won't soon sail to the nearer islands.
<color><param>0100,0100,0100</param>The trade winds are strong</color>. A surface wnd map of the island shows
mean trade wind flow at<color><param>0100,0100,0100</param><smaller> 16 to 18 kn</color><bigger>ots on the windward side of the
island, 20 to 22 knots along the open channels to Molokai and
Hawaii. On the leeward side there's a great amount of local variation
in the wind because the two mountains that comprise Maui create a
venturi effect. It's under 10 knots on the leeward side near the
Lahaina boatramp, over 18 knots at the Maalea boatramp, and 14
knots at the Kihei boatramp.
More than a couple people have suggested to me that, sailor or no
sailor, there will be plenty of times that I will want to just lower the sail
and "steam" straight home against the trades at the end of the day.
Since'd I've never sailed (except as ballast), I don't know how to
evaluate this statement. But if it's true, I don't want to find myself
steaming to Maalea against a 20 knot headwind, with the attendant
chop, wishing I had a bigger motor.
I would really welcome comments from folks who've sailed P14/15s
with various motors so I can get a reasonable sense of what
difference a couple of horsepower make. I understand (from
reading the archives) that there are other issues here -- 2-stroke vs.
4-stroke, the advantages of having a "neutral" gear, transom weight,
etc. --- but I am trying to focus on the raw HP issue.
I'd particularly like to hear if anyone would venture a quantified
opinion about the outcome of a race into a 20-knot headwind among
four differently powered P14/15s. One's got 2 HP, one's got 2.5 HP,
one's got 3.5 HP, and one's got 5 HP.
Okay. The answer is that the 5 HP boat wins in exactly 60 minute.
But what are the finishing times for the 3.5 HP boat, the 2.5 HP
boat? the 2 HP boat?
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