Read Profiles of the Different Boat Types on Soundings Online

What makes a good motorsailer? Walt Schulz

Walt Schulz, President, Shannon Yachts, Bristol, R.I., www.shannonyachts.com

Instead of calling my new design a motorsailer, I called it a Shannon 53 Hybrid Power Sailer (HPS) because I wanted to avoid any confusion concerning the term “motorsailer.” William Hand, a genius of yacht design, crafted the quintessential versions of the motorsailer in the 1920s. My hobby is restoring wooden boats, and I currently am working on a 1930 William Hand 45-foot motorsailer built by Sturgeon Bay Boatworks.

What makes a good motorsailer? Mark Bruckmann and Mark Ellis

Mark Bruckmann and Mark Ellis, Bruckmann Yachts, Mississauga, Ontario. www.bruckmannyachts.com

Mark Ellis (left) and Mark Bruckmann Many sailors are apprehensive about considering the move to a motorsailer, expecting to have to compromise performance for convenience. The ability to travel efficiently under sail or power should be the key requirements for cruising sailors. The modern motorsailer should combine comfort, versatility and, above all, performance.

What makes a good motorsailer? Bob Johnson

Bob Johnson, president and CEO, Island Packet Yachts, Largo, Fla., www.ipy.com

The design objective for any motorsailer is to combine trawler-like comforts and motoring performance while retaining the ability to perform well under sail alone. In general, the larger the motorsailer, the easier it is to meet these objectives. In the case of the Island Packet SP Cruiser, I’ve chosen the 40-foot size range, as it provides sufficient room for most cruisers’ needs for extended periods aboard in a size that can safely venture offshore when desired yet still be easily managed by a small crew.

What makes a good motorsailer? Ted Hood

Ted Hood, president and chairman, Ted Hood Yachts, Portsmouth, R.I., www.tedhoodyachts.com

I decided five years ago that motorsailers could be made to sail as fast as, or faster than, the average sailboat, and motor faster than the average trawler on the market, if it is designed to do so. To begin with, use the racing rating rules, which tell you what makes a boat fast. Since we don’t care about the rating, we can use all of the ideas that make your rating high — and a fast boat — to make a better cruising motorsailer.

What makes a good motorsailer? Jim Leishman

Jim Leishman, owner and vice president, Pacific Asian Enterprises (Nordhavn), Dana Point, Calif. www.nordhavn.com

The idea began with a six-month circumnavigation aboard our Nordhavn 40 in late 2001. My brother Jeff, Nordhavn chief of design, and I often found ourselves in perfect trade wind conditions for days on end. The thought of keeping the same comfort we had on the N40 trawler while using the wind and enjoying the stability a rig and sails would provide proved to be the genesis of a new Nordhavn: our 56-foot motorsailer.

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