PDRacer Sailboat - Frequently Asked Questions

Using a PD with a 3.5 hp Outboard Motor
by Andrew Linn

I had a notion to do some open ocean sailing in my PDR in the San Juans, and so wanted to check out some auxiliary power ideas. I got Greg to loan me his 3.5hp Nissan for some tests.

The 3.5 works great - actually, it is probably too much power. Above ½ throttle, it really pulls the stern down. At ½ throttle, it goes 4-5mph. At full throttle, you have to move way into the front of the boat and it gets up to just under 7mph at times.

It really is only at times, though. A lot fo the time, it was below 6mph. For the full report from the day, see WaderWeb.com

Using a PD with a 2.5 hp Outboard Motor
by Gregg Ballou
Sat Aug 5, 2006
Went motoring this am w/2.5 outboard. GPS reports a best of 5.2 knots, but the average was 4.3 knots at about a third power. Full power usually only gave about 4.7 knots. I think the 5.2 came at a moment of perfect trim as my wife and toddler were on board and I wasn't going to order them about for a little extra speed.

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