Beneteau Oceanis 411
How an electric motor can improve your sailing experience in low wind by motorsailing
If you have ever sailed in low wind, you know how frustrating it can be. The sails barely bulge, the speed sinks, and you can only hope that at some point there will be a breath of wind to get you moving again. But did you know that a small adjustment with an electric motor can make exactly the difference? In this blog post, I explain why slightly adding an electric motor can ensure that your boat sails at the same speed as the actual wind speed, even at low wind speeds.
Wind versus apparent wind: What do you really feel?
To understand why an electric motor is useful in this situation, it is important to understand the difference between actual wind and apparent wind. Actual wind is simply the wind that blows around you when you are lying still. But once your boat starts moving, something called apparent wind is created.
The apparent wind is a combination of the actual wind and the wind you generate yourself by moving. This apparent wind often comes from a slightly different direction and is stronger than the actual wind. This is because the boat's speed adds to the actual wind, making the sails 'feel' more wind and work better.
The effect of apparent wind on your speed
Now that your speed is equal to that of the actual wind, the apparent wind felt by the sails changes. Instead of just relying on the weak real wind, your sails now create more power from the amplified apparent wind. The boat begins to behave more efficiently, and you can reach a much greater speed with minimal engine support.
A practical example: suppose you are sailing on a calm summer day with hardly any breeze. The wind is blowing at 4 knots, but your boat remains slow, no more than 2 knots. By giving the electric motor just a little push, you soon reach a speed of 4 knots. Once you reach that speed, the sails feel the apparent wind as if you are sailing in much better conditions. At that point, you need little or no motor support, and the sails do the rest of the work.
Using the electric motor: just that extra bit of power
When the wind is weak, apparent wind hardly helps because your boat is moving too slowly to create a significant amount of apparent wind. This is where the electric motor comes in handy. By slightly revving the motor, you give the boat that extra push that makes it start moving faster.
Let's say you are sailing one day and the actual wind is only 5 knots (about 9 km/h). Normally, your boat would move slowly in these conditions, perhaps at only 2 to 3 knots. But by using the electric motor a little bit, you increase the boat's speed to about 5 knots, which is equal to the speed of the actual wind.
The best of both worlds
What is so fascinating about this is that it is not about completely replacing the wind with the engine, but making smart use of both. By a small increase in speed with the engine, you drastically improve the conditions for the sails. This provides a combination of efficient sailing power and minimal engine use, ultimately leading to a more enjoyable sailing experience without depending on the engine to do the job all the time.
Conclusion: smart sailing with a little motor assistance
Adding an electric motor in low winds can make a big difference to your sailing experience. By adding just enough speed, you create apparent wind that makes the sails much more efficient. This ensures that your boat will still get up to speed with minimal engine support, even if the actual wind is weak.
Next time you find yourself in almost stationary conditions, remember that it is not always a matter of waiting for the wind. Sometimes a little push from an electric motor can be just what you need to 'catch' the wind and keep your boat moving.
A satisfied customer of ours was kind enough to demonstrate this in practice in this video. Have we piqued your interest? Then please contact us so we can discuss the possibilities for your boat.