I've been "motorless in training" for a few years, with a small electric outboard (small boat too) that has helped to ease the process of figuring out how to manage without it, while gradually using it less and less. It finally went on the dock this past summer, which was a great joy. The thing that makes this feel safe is the yuloh, as well as quite a bit of thinking ahead, while sailing. The yuloh makes all the difference when the wind dies, and the waves are pushing the boat toward the shore. It's also surprising how much ground you can cover with it when not worried about imminent problems. Nothing better to do, when the wind goes away for long stretches, a mile or two out of a nice harbor! Friends in Alaska have been known to yuloh their cruising, live aboard boat five or 10 miles, in a relaxed way, just keeping at it.

The thing that I noticed most when I took the little motor completely off the boat was that I became an even more cautious sailor, in simple decisions about lee shores and rocks. This has felt in some ways safer than having the motor, because of the way motors can decline to start at incredibly inconvenient times.

As for junk or BR being safer without a motor, if your boat will point fairly well with the junk rig, to me the junk rig seems safer because of the ease of reefing and unreefing. In a tight spot, that you might otherwise get through with a strong motor, quick and efficient management of sail area can make the difference in how things turn out. I've found the junk rig a big help with this.

James,

Whether sailing without an engine is wise or not, depends of many factors.

Work and family situation:
If you don’t have a fixed work schedule, you are quite free to leave and return as the wind and tide allows you. Quite the opposite would be if you need to be home to go to work, or for the children to get to school in time: That would suggest; fit a reliable, fairly powerful engine.

Preferred harbours.
If you frequently use marina-type harbours, you will need some sort of engine, not necessarily so powerful, but reliable and easy to operate for close manoeuvring.  

Staying off a lee shore.
Your Elisabethan 31 is probably more weatherly than most and should let you climb away from a lee shore in quite rough conditions. If the wind is too light and the tide too strong, you’d better have a good anchor ready. However, a quick-starting engine is seriously nice to have for coastal cruising: If something goes wrong in the rig, one has little time to sort it out before hitting the shore. A reliable engine, even a not so strong one, raises the safety level. If the engine is not strong enough to push you straight against a strong wind, you can still tack your way upwind under engine, with such a good hull.

Long distance cruising.
I bet those who cross oceans, sail a much larger part of the distance than most coastal sailors do (with or without a work schedule). I guess I would still have a small diesel on a 5-ton boat like yours, partly to sneak over wide calm spots at low speed. To minimise complications (..and keep you from getting a “12Volt neurosis”... ), I strongly suggest you  choose  an engine which can be hand-started. This frees you from bothering with all these battery and charging backups  -  and backups on the backups: No fear of being stuck on a “black ship”.

Anchoring.
A good anchoring setup will help keeping you safe and free from using marinas often. However, your boat is over 5 tons. That means you have to pull or winch up a quite big hook. My guess is that, after a few years, an electric capstan or a regular anchor winch will, little by little, have moved upwards on your wish-list. Then, somehow you need to charge the battery. Don’t ask me if solar panels are enough for that, I don’t know.

Sooo,
I think I in most cases would suggest fitting an engine. The ability to hand-crank it in a pinch saves you, as said, from the usual electric complexity and confusion connected to most diesel engine installations.

Arne

Lot's of response on this one. Certainly Alan on Zebedee has shown that an engine-less junk rig yacht can circumnavigate the globe. I think it comes down more to how much time and patience you have, the type of sailing you are doing including time constraints, and the waters in which you are sailing which would include where your boat is moored or berthed and can you access that mooring without an engine. Although I enjoy the art of sailing and the satisfaction of doing things without an engine, for me I need an engine because there are time constraints on my sailing such as needing to back for work, and tidal flow through my mooring area which would make my mooring inaccessible in times of little or no wind and strong tidal flow.

Hi James,

Better a junk rig that you learn to do everything with, conservative habits, and no motor...

Than a motor and any rig that you never have to learn to do everything with, so you don't.

I've settled for not much motor, electric, and use it seldom. But with a 31' boat, in a windy-enough area, if few appointments, I'd be tempted to leave it out altogether. Living without a diesel is a joy in itself, either way.

What you don't have, you never have to fix.

Cheers, Kurt