iinboard or outboard

Post here if you want to discuss a topic specific to the PDQ Capella.
rythm and blues
deckhand
deckhand
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Apr 07, 2005 8:20 am

iinboard or outboard

Post by rythm and blues »

I am in the begining stages of shopping for a capella. we plan on moving aboard and doing some cruising. we all know the dirty little secret of cruising is doing alot of motoring, unfortunately. My biggest concern is using outboards to do this. Do they perform well enough?
monaco09

Post by monaco09 »

I am asking the same question. The boats with diesels seem to sit so low in the water that they look overweighed. Can anyone comment who has a boat with diesels?
Loki
skipper
skipper
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue May 18, 2004 10:23 pm
Location: Boston, MA (36072)
Contact:

Post by Loki »

I've had a Capella LRC for 6 years and still have mixed feelings. In our case we knew we would do a lot of powering, including a year long ICW trip, so the diesels were probably the best way to go. We have a large 12V freezer as well as the fridge, and it takes about 100 Amp-hours daily. (In retrospect, I wish we had put in twin Danfoss based systems, so the freezer could be shut down easily.) If we didn't have the diesel, then we would need a genset and so the weight issue gets small.

The diesels have much better economy and range, and will push the boat at close to 8 knots (9 in a pinch). And they're a lot quieter - this was the final decider!

If you're a snowbird, and are planning on 500 engines hours a year, the diesels make sense. If you you use the engines only to get out of the marina the outboards are great. Unfortunately, most of us fall in between these extremes, and its a harder decision.
User avatar
36041
admiral
admiral
Posts: 162
Joined: Fri Aug 20, 2004 4:57 am
Contact:

My 2 cents worth

Post by 36041 »

Loki has some good points. We had a choice between the two PDQ's sitting side by side when we bought ours. One was diesels and the other was outboards.

Initially, I thought we wanted the diesels, but after thinking it through we opted for the outboards. We've been living aboard for 5 years and cruising for the last 2 and we are glad we have the outboards.

On the positive side:

The outboards are easy to maintain and if the worse happens, $2600 buys a replacement and 30 minutes later the job is done.

Your right about the diesels sitting lower in the water, they are about 350 lbs heavier overall. We have found are PDQ's sailing ability is inversely proportional to her weight.

The outboards retract under sail. This adds almost 3/4 a knot to boat speed, which depending on where and how you sail, can really add up.

The outboards are outside the living space. Running them doesn't heat up the interior and you never smell exhaust or gas fumes inside.

On the downside:

The outboards will only push you at 7 knots max. At least that how ours behave.

The outboards are also noisier than hell.

Forget using your motors to maintain your on board electrical consumption. Ours put out a combined 8 amps at full throttle. We ended up putting a wind gen and 350 watts of solar panels to combat this problem.

I guess in the end it comes down to your own comfort level. In the last 5 years we have traveled 15,000 miles and 14,000 of them have been under sail. We love the outboards and wouldn't trade if we could.

Just my opinion....
Allezcat
admiral
admiral
Posts: 272
Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 9:29 pm
Location: Punta Gorda, Fl 33955

Post by Allezcat »

Allezcat is on its 3rd set of Yamaha outboards. They have reliably taken us up the East Coast twice, through the Great Lakes, and 7 times to the Bahama Islands.
The boat was designed with outboards and the diesels definitely compromise sailing performance, both from a weight and drag standpoint. The lack of DC power generation is solved by the Honda EU200i. It provides fuel efficient battery recharging and 120AC for everything other than air conditioning.
The boat will motor at 7.5Kts but seems most happy at 6.5 - 7.1Kts at acceptable engine noise levels.
The choice is yours of course!
monaco09

Post by monaco09 »

can AC be run underway with outboards and some sort of power generating setup? I would have the boat in a very warm weather place.

I also notice some people having trouble finding replacement outboards. Is this really an issue?
User avatar
Ed Ellis
admiral
admiral
Posts: 168
Joined: Mon May 17, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: Soldier Creek / Perdido Bay, AL

Post by Ed Ellis »

Best forget the AC while underway. The only way that will work is with a really, really long extension cord.
Ed & Linda Ellis
Tranquility
Half Moon 36073
deckhand
deckhand
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2004 10:07 am
Location: EDENTON, NC

OB vs DIESEL

Post by Half Moon 36073 »

"Forget the AC underway."
I groaned when my wife informed me that if I wanted her to sail with me in North Carolina in the summer we would need AC, yes, underway. I bit the bullet, installed the Entec genset and Westerbeke 17000 AC-heater. My brothers who helped me sail the boat from Ft. Lauderdale to NC chided me about the AC, but one day later were taking AC "breaks" in the cabin. I probably have the most heavily laden 36 on the planet. But our choice is for creature comfort, not speed. I need one fuel source, and diesel is safer. We motor a lot, and the diesels are much more conversation friendly. Our boat also has two heads. I love the boat. My wife loves the boat. Compatibility with wife and boat...priceless. Alex Kehayes Half Moon 36073.
Loki
skipper
skipper
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue May 18, 2004 10:23 pm
Location: Boston, MA (36072)
Contact:

Post by Loki »

I thought I had the heaviest, but you probably have us beat! One more thing about the LRC I forgot to mention - the rudders are hung on a skeg rather than being unprotected balanced spade rudders. There are advantages to each, but its nice having a rudder that won't get bent if we hit something. It almost makes up for have a prop that will snag lobsta pots. Almost.
Jeff Morris, Loki 36072
User avatar
Ed Ellis
admiral
admiral
Posts: 168
Joined: Mon May 17, 2004 10:48 pm
Location: Soldier Creek / Perdido Bay, AL

Post by Ed Ellis »

So as they say, whatever floats (or sinks!) your boat.... :roll:
Ed & Linda Ellis
Tranquility
Loki
skipper
skipper
Posts: 79
Joined: Tue May 18, 2004 10:23 pm
Location: Boston, MA (36072)
Contact:

Post by Loki »

I've been cruising a Capella for 6 New England summers (and one Florida winter) and I have trouble remembering a single night at anchor that was unbearably hot. With two large hatches scooping the air the forward cabins are more often than not chilly. (The same can not be said for the aft cabin.) We have a wind scoop that we rig on occasion, but its most often used when we're tied up to a dock. More typically, we're surprsed to find out the the folks a few hundred yards away on shore thnk there's a heat wave happpening.

Were I you, I would just wait a year. When you get the slip, then you'll need AC.
chicagochamp

Post by chicagochamp »

Ah...the rational thinker. I think you're probably right. It's just that with the new boat I seem to want everything Right Now...
Thanks for the help
monaco09

Post by monaco09 »

Some great responses. It strikes me that this boat was made to have outboards, then diesels were put in some.

I have been told that with a normal load that 36 lrc can actually have a step awash and have back chainplates immersed in water. A step I could handle, but the chainplate is bad.

Does this truly happen? If so, why is no one concerned that their boat is way overloaded?
Guest

Post by Guest »

Monaco09 and Rythm and Blues,

Please PM me I am looking to sell my outboard powered 1990 PDQ 34' Classic.. I would like to get you email address to send info to you. If you are interested.

Regards,
Chester King
SeaPaws
1st mate
1st mate
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri May 07, 2004 10:35 pm

Post by SeaPaws »

Monaco and Blues

Didn't realize I was not loggeg on, please PM me if you are interested in our PDQ

Thanks
Chester King
Post Reply