BOATS - Can a Day Sailer be powered just by an engine....?

Question

...with the sails removed?

I'm looking for a cheap boat for the river that's big enough to sleep on and under £2500, that I can take out regularly and that is powered by an engine.

Any advice is welcome.

Answer 1

okay, but you lose your automatic "stand-on vessel" status.....

Answer 2

You can usually fit an outboard to a daysailer and sleep on it- I lived on a Rhodes 19 for 8 months! For river boating your biggest problem might well be draft (wait- you're talking 2500 pounds not dollars- that would be draught!) anyway I mean how much water is required to float her. A keel boat will draw more water, and a centerboard or daggerboard will take up valuable interior space for the trunk. But you might find a purpose built powerboat to have less depth and more beam, as well as a more suitable transom for an engine. If you do get a daysailer, why not keep the sail option for days with wind, with the price of fuel nowadays?...

Answer 3

As long as the transom (the back end) has room for and is strong enough to mount an engine bracket. You would need to buy a long shaft model of outboard (readily available). Sailboats generally have a deeper draft than power boats, you may end up hitting bottom a lot if the river has shallow areas.

Answer 4

Yes, but with fuel prices today, why would you? The wind is free...