Voyaging Motorboats
Ocean voyaging in small boats has long been the exclusive domain of sailing yachts. This is primarily due to the fact that most motorboats are extremely inefficient. Most production motorboats have planning hulls so-called because they “plane” over the water rather than plow through it. The problem is that it takes a lot of power to get a boat “on plane”. Also, as anyone who’s been deep-sea fishing knows, planning hulls tend to become airborne in large waves-a thrilling occurrence but one that could become tiresome if not dangerous on long offshore passages.
Deep-V hulls are designed to overcome this tendency somewhat; however, this compromise is not 100% effective and the lack of flat hull sections mean more power is needed to get on plane. That is not to say that there are no voyaging powerboats. Trawler yachts are built on displacement hulls like sailboats; however, large amounts of diesel fuel are required for long passages at slow speeds so these boats tend to be very large and heavy.
The trend towards high power planning hulls also limits the possibilities for coastal cruisers. With the high price of fuel, owning even a small boat can become an expensive proposition. Also, most of these boats are designed more for looks than for safety, reliability and ease of maintenance. It is no surprise that David R. Getchell, author of Outboard Boaters Handbook-the definitive guide to coastal cruising in small motorboats-spouses a KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) approach and himself uses a modified aluminum outboard skiff.
But new developments in engine technology and hull design are making even ordinary go-fast motorboats more efficient and seaworthy. As adventure travel enthusiasts we were exited after hearing of record-breaking voyages by modern motor catamarans such as Prowler and Glacier Bay. These boats employ two narrow displacement hulls that cut through the water offering a safer and more comfortable ride. They also take advantage of efficient and reliable four-stroke outboard engines. The advent of four-stroke and clean technology two-strokes, such as Optimax and E-Tech, outboards have come a long way towards shedding the “stinkpot” stigma that many sailors attribute to powerboaters.
Recently we learned about an exiting new project that could help advance clean powerboat technology. Earthrace is an Aussie team trying to break the UIM Round the World Record through the two major canals using a bio-diesel powered boat. The Earthrace design uses a radical wave-piercing hull that allows it to cut through waves while reaching speeds of up to 45 knots.
Even though Earthrace is clearly a racing design with few creature comforts, we hope that design innovations such as the wave-piercing hull trickle down to cruising boats in the near future. We would also like to see more diesel engines in small boats. The same regulations for cars we reported on earlier this month will soon mandate the use of low-sulfur diesel for marine applications too. Hopefully the new rules will be a catalyst for the introduction of modern lightweight engines such as Volkswagen’s awesome TDI marine engines we saw at the National Powerboat show in Annapolis.
