keelbolts wrote:Treat her with love & respect and she won't even look at another owner - though many will look at her.
I'll keep that in mind. Whenever I smash my fingers with a tool I'll have to remember to explain that I wasn't cursing her! ;-)
I hope you won't mind if I keep her pictures in my photo file. Something about the red cushions...
No problem, I don't mind at all.
Weighing in on the whole outboard vs. inboard debate, the recent issue of "Good Old Boat" had an interesting article on installing in an inboard on an International Folkboat in which the pros and cons were discussed. They even gave the mechanic who did the job his own column to discuss why he was against it!
When it comes to my boat, I'm not convinced the current 6 hp outboard setup is a good fit for local conditions. 6 hp isn't a whole lot to push 10,000 lbs against an adverse current; I'd feel more comfortable with 10 hp but that means shelling out $ for a new outboard. Then there's the fact the shallow waters of the lakes can kick up considerable chop in a hurry that would have the propeller plunging in and out of the water. I could invest in an extension to get the outboard prop lower in the water, but then again that would be an additional expense on top of buying a more powerful outboard.
And then the final factor, as Tim metioned, is purely aesthetic. (And actually, it's also a lot like you say about the purity of a sailing vessel, but I'm approaching it from a little different angle). Liek you, I view an auxiliary motor as a necessary evil on sailboat and I just don't want to see it. Not the outboard hanging out there, and not the related equipment like the stern bracket, even when the outboard is stored.
So the only question for me is with what to repower. I'm a bit of an originalist, and the thought of repowering with a rebuilt Atomic 4 is definitely tempting (not to mention cheaper). However, from terms of a safety standpoint (and looking ahead to future fuel changes/additives) it probably makes sense to spend a bit more and repower with a new diesel. My uncle swears by the BetaMarine, but I'm leaning toward a Yanmar at the moment.
I have nothing against outboards in general and would have no problem with having one if I thought it was right for my boat. And I wholeheartedly agree with you in that the outboard wells on sailboats like that on the Pearson Ariel are the best solution with outboards - harder for it to become dislodged and completely concealed.
AJ