I occasionally spend time participating in the Wooden Boat forum, and there's a whole section there on "sail and oar" boats. The idea appeals. If the wind doesn't blow, then row. Then again, that does limit your range, and of course if the boat has a big cabin, who wants to row it?. Guys do sometimes row 20+ miles, personally I think that's a bit much, though 10 miles doesn't phase me if the boat is handy enough and I'm not in a hurry and the tides cooperate. One of the regular contributors sails an Oughtred Ness Yawl, rather modified. Another sails a 15 food peapod. Another sails an Oughtred Caledonia Yawl, and another sails a 16 foot Hvalsoe design.....well, duh. It's Eric Hvalsoe. And so on.
This is why I chose the skerry. It's eminently rowable, and is supposed to sail pretty well, albeit simply. It has a flat bottom so in the rare occasion that I can put it up on the beach, it will sit flat. It tows behind my 4-clyinder truck without a thought. It stores in the front yard and requires no slip fees. It requires no haulout. It requires no insurance, as it's covered on my homeowners policy. The current sail, a-building is cut from a 12 x 14 heavy-duty white polyethylene tarp. If that works, I'll probably ask Synthia to build me a "real" sail. Shelter is provided by a tent-like structure held up by nifty bendable, lightweight aluminum tent poles. That's great in a fog, dew, a sprinkle or blue skies. God forbid that it pours rain! I would love to finish up the skerrys rig and then take it up to South Puget Sound for a 2-3 week summer messabout.
On the other hand, I wouldn't take the skerry to the Farallones and I don't have a PHRF certificate. It's all a compromise.
Last edited by AlanH; 08-24-2012 at 01:51 PM.
1968 Selmer Series 9 B-flat and A clarinets
1962 Buesher "Aristocrat" tenor saxophone
Piper One Design 24, Hull #35; "Alpha"