French sailboat brands like Dufour have been providing comfortable, robust, and easy-to-handle boats for over five decades. Dufour has a better reputation than Beneteau and Jeanneau, but they are all owned by the same company. When comparing French sailboat brands, it is important to consider factors such as design and style, performance and handling, price and value, and navigation lights.
The Excess 11 is a modern and sporty sailboat with a cedar finish and light color palette. Hella marine LED lighting products are sophisticated opto-electronic devices designed for durable, energy-efficient, and maintenance-free operation. Sea Vision Underwater Lights is a manufacturer of USA-made marine lights, deck lighting, and hardware for superyachts, boats, tenders, refits, and new builds.
A mix of wide-angle broad light in narrow spaces and spotlights can be used to illuminate areas like the worktop in the galley or a painting on the bulk-head. PSEQT offers the latest dimmable RV ceiling dome single light 24 LED adjustable interior lighting for car, marine boat, trailer, camper vans, and natural white 4000-4500K.
Atmospheric lighting is also essential for interior refits, as it provides the finishing touch to interior refit with LED light tubes and fresh accents. Marine LED lights are ideal for boats because they are energy-efficient, durable, and produce little heat. Switching to LEDs can save energy and battery life.
📹 Sailing: The Problem With SAILBOATS
The problems with sailboats and why they have become much less popular than powerboats. If you are learning how to sail, …
What is the Belgian brand of lighting?
BULVAR is a Belgian brand that specializes in the production of design lighting fixtures. Its product range includes a variety of lighting solutions, such as pendant lamps, table lamps, floor lamps, and wall lamps, which are suitable for both residential and public spaces.
What are deck lights on a boat?
Deck lights are essential lighting fixtures used on the upper deck of a boat to illuminate various activities, prevent accidents and injuries, enhance the aesthetic appeal, and comply with marine lighting regulations. They can be floodlights, spotlights, or rope lights, depending on their purpose and location. Floodlights are ideal for activities like bait rigging and fishing, while spotlights are suitable for areas with limited visibility. The Lumitec Capri 2 LED Flush Mount Flood Light is a popular choice for this purpose.
What color lights for boats at night?
Red/Green/Bicolor lights are used to indicate the side of a boat, with red lights located portside and green lights starboard. These lights shine from dead ahead to 112. 5º aft on either side of the vessel. For boats less than 39. 4 feet, the visible range should be 1 mile, while for those over 39. 4 feet, it should be 2 miles. For sailboats less than 7 meters long, general boat navigation lights apply, but an electric torch or lantern can be used to deploy a highly visible white light to prevent collisions.
Powerboats require a masthead light forward, sidelights, and a stern light, with vessels less than 12 meters in length having an all-around white light and sidelights. Sidelights can be combined into a single bicolor light fixed at the boat’s centerline.
What lights does a sailboat have?
Sailboats under 20m (65. 7′) can substitute a tricolor light for separate sidelights and stern light, or a bi-color light and a stern light. However, access to this page has been denied due to the use of automation tools, Javascript being disabled or blocked by an extension, and the browser not supporting cookies. Ensure that Javascript and cookies are enabled on your browser and not blocked from loading.
Which light or lights should be used when the yacht is under sail?
The navigation lighting requirements for sailboats with a length of less than 20 meters and no engine power are fulfilled by a combination of red, green, and white lights situated near the mast.
Where are Narva lights made?
Brown and Watson International Pty Ltd, established in 1953, is a leading supplier of high-quality NARVA automotive lighting and electrical accessories to various industries in Australasia and the Pacific region. With over 5, 000 individual part numbers in Australia’s most comprehensive catalogue, the company offers a wide range of products for the global market. All products bearing the NARVA name are engineered to the highest standards and tested by experienced quality and product engineers.
NARVA has invested heavily in the design, engineering, and development of products for the global market, with an advanced environmental laboratory and state-of-the-art optical lighting test facility.
What lights to use on a boat?
Sidelights are green lights on the starboard side and red lights on the port side of a vessel, displaying an unbroken light over an arc of 112 degrees. The angle of the horizon arc is five degrees. Such lights are affixed in a manner that allows them to be seen from a position ahead of the vessel to a position behind it. In the case of vessels with a length of up to 20 meters, the sidelights can be combined in a single light unit, which is located on the centerline.
Which is the best light brand?
The LED lighting industry, valued at $68. 33 billion, is gaining popularity due to its sustainability, energy efficiency, and environmental benefits. With the rising global warming rate, manufacturers are focusing on environmentally friendly lighting solutions. LEDs, which are more durable and energy-efficient than traditional bulbs, are widely used in residential buildings, commercial enterprises, hospitals, educational institutions, and retail centers.
As a result, the LED lighting industry is highly competitive, with brands constantly striving to create innovative designs and specifications. Philips Lighting/Signify, Osram Lighting, Cree Lighting, LG Electronics, Nissan, Samsung, Panasonic, and Accuity Brands are among the top 10 panel light manufacturers.
Which is the best brand of concealed light?
Smart Concealed Lights is a popular brand in the ambient and fancy concealed lights category, offering long-lasting and bright LED concealed lights at wholesale prices. These lights are designed to be hidden from view, typically fitted within ceilings, walls, or architectural features, with only the light itself visible. LED technology is used in these lights due to its energy efficiency, long lifespan, and low heat emission. They are popular in both residential and commercial settings and can be controlled using dimmers or smart home devices.
When buying fancy concealed lights, consider the brightness in Lumens and the appropriate wattage for the space. LED concealed lights are usually low wattage, making them energy-efficient. Choose a light that provides a proper level of illumination and consider the appropriate wattage for the size of the desired space. Moglix offers various options with different wattages, catering to the needs of users.
In summary, Smart Concealed Lights is a popular brand in the ambient and fancy concealed lights category, offering high-quality LED concealed lights at affordable prices.
What lights should a sailboat use at night?
Once the engine is turned on, a boat becomes a powerboat and must display a steaming light to identify itself. The most common steaming light is a single white light that shines forward of the mast in a 225-degree arc. When combined with the stern light, a boat under power will display a 360-degree white light in combination with red and green lights. This sequence of lights should be used while motoring at night.
A sailboat’s starboard side is indicated by a green light, while a single white light above it signifies a powerboat’s starboard side. A boat anchored at night must display a 360-degree white light atop the mast, although this is not required in designated anchorages.
What is the best color light for the interior of a boat?
Red is the best color for LED interior boat lights due to its versatility and ease of use. It is also commonly used in naval ships and aircraft. The best interior boat lights are bullet-proof, saltwater-proof, and capable of running underwater on your boat. The DURANAV® Interior and Exterior Rock Lights are designed with limitless controls through the OutriggerGO app, ensuring they meet all the necessary safety standards. The best interior boat lights are available in various colors and designs, making them an excellent choice for boat owners.
📹 Huge surge wave nearly takes boats and people with it!
I am a professional USCG Licensed 200GT Master of Power and Auxiliary Sailing Vessels. I drove large commercial working vessels for thirty years and now operate a small sunset charter sailing business in my semi retired seagoing life. before all that I served as a Quartermaster in the US Navy for twenty years. Speaking only for the “pleasure boater/sailor” Hands down the sailboat sailor normally is a much more capable, learned, respectful and safety minded boat operator. Wayne you said it yourself, You can get into your powerboat turn the key and off you go with little to no training. And that mentality in many pleasure power boaters shows. For most new sailors on a sailboat that just does not happen. A novice sailor is introduced to sailing and taught by a licensed instructor at a club, community sailing organization or friend. For those of us that love sailing it’s for all the reasons you stated are the problems with sailing. We know our boats better because we love working on them and have a DIY mentality. We watch the weather closely and get excited when we have a perfect weather window for a fine sailing day. We pay close attention to our navigation because most sailboats have deep keels (Draft) and we don’t want to run aground. Sailors plan a voyage in advance paying close attention to navigation, weather, local laws and Navigation rules in the areas we sail. Seven knots is a really big deal for sailors. That’s really fast. I like to say to my passengers ” Power Boat people are always going someplace in their boats.
I bought a sailboat at 62 thinking I needed to learn something new heading into retirement. I took a sailing course at a local community college and found I love the challenge of learning to become more proficient. There is also something magical about the feeling of the wind moving you to your destination that is hard to describe to non sailors. It never becomes boring because there is always something new to learn. Just sorry I got started so late.
I’ve been sailing since my early years.. I went on to become a professional yacht skipper, initially carrying out delivery work for owners and boatyards, both sail and power boats, then moving on to being a full-time skipper aboard the mega million $$$$ super yachts based in the world’s exotic playgrounds… I state this just to make it clear that I’m reasonably qualified to comment. I’ve owned numerous boats of all types. To sail, you have to have a passion for sailing.. that means a passion for the peace and tranquility of sailing, and an appreciation of the skills required. If someone asks me where I’m going, I generally say.. ‘I’m going sailing, I don’t necessarily have to have a destination.. I’m going sailing. With a power boat, I’m generally heading somewhere, a destination. Under the right circumstances, and in no hurry, this can also be a tranquil experience, but more often than not, it more resembles a commando exercise, all noise and drama. It’s up to the individual. Motor boaters generally stay close to home.. sailors are more in search of new horizons and adventure. Motor boats tend to be bought as a luxury.. sailing boats more as a passion.
I have been sailing since I was about 6 years old, but I also have a lot of experience in powerboats. My thing is, is that powerboats are there to get you from point A to point B and I will admit there is something awesome about doing 30kts over a glass sea, but when it comes to actually enjoying and respecting the ocean, sailing is far, far better, kinda like the old adage of “its not the destination but the journey”.
I’ve been sailing for almost 70 years…and have owned 6 sailboats…I think being on the water (whether sail or power) is a good thing and as I age out I’ll likely have to look at some form of power boat so that I can continue my journey. What I have always appreciated about sailing (like skiing) is that when I’m sailing, my mind is occupied with the dozen factors needed to make a 10 ton vessel move effectively against the wind…and in that preoccupation comes respite from the tensions and demands of life…Just steering under power allows my mind to drift back to what’s sitting on my work desk…After 2 or 3 days sailing, I suddenly remember and recall that I have mundane responsibilities at work or home…
Thank you. A reason that sailors are not too keen on motor boaters is that they don’t seem to love the sea but use it as a medium to blast through, create noise and wake that others have to deal with. Jet skiers are the worst but speed boats and larger motorboats in my area constantly break speed limits. I do, however, have a number of motorboat friends who captain their boats responsibly and with polite regard to other water users. (From UK)
Thinking about it some more, you could have easily titled this article “Why sailboats are better than motorboats” and kept pretty much the same content – just with a different perspective: 1. it’s a great way of learning new skills, 2. it teaches you to really think about the weather (but there’s still an engine if you need it), 3. solo sailing is a good test of boatmanship, 4. its about the journey not the destination, 5. take pride in looking after your beautiful boat.
Let me fix your title: “Why doing almost anything is much less popular than sitting on the couch and perusal TV”. Top 5: 1 If I do something I might have to learn something new, that sounds hard. 2 The weather might not be right. The weather never changes in my living room. 3 Doing things sometimes requires other people. I can watch TV alone. 4 Doing things takes a lot of time. 5. Doing things is just a lot of work. Joking aside your list of bugs are actually features. Good hobbies challenge us. Driving a boat around on it’s own is fun but can get boring. That is why a lot of long time boaters will fish, waterski, or turn to sailing to provide that extra challenge and fun on the water. So as you say it’s not for everyone, but that is true for pretty much everything except sitting on the couch.
I couldn’t operate a 24 ft sailboat with jibs and spinnicars and all that, but when I was 14 my family stayed at a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin for several weeks. The cabin came with an 8ft sailboat with 1 sail,1rope and an anchor made of a paint can filled with cement It took me less than a week to master that boat
As a sailor, there is nothing better than turning off the engine and having the boat make way under wind. That said, bombing along in a powerboat has its appeal too. A sailor can also pilot a powerboat, but a non-sailor powerboater can’t pilot a sailboat. Lastly my sailboat has an engine, and it took me a while to not think of using it as a necessary evil, but as I get more experience I realize both how little I need it, and how much I appreciate it when I do.
Real Sailors drive Sailboats and boaters drive power boats. You really have to have the passion to be a Sailboat driver and the folks I know who own a sailboat love everything that most of us would view as a hassle or work. They just love the journey and the challenges associated with Sail boating. I’ll stick with my 21′ power boat which is easy to drive with minimal hassle. Owning a Sailboat requires a certain temperament that I know I don’t have. Good article Wayne, thanks for posting.
I love sailing. Have been sailing all my adult life. I have crossed the Pacific Ocean 3 times, once solo, in a cruising sailboat. What’s the rush? As a sailor, you can have a schedule or you can have a destination, but you can’t have both. Keeps me young, even at 80. Can’t sail without wind, but the weather doesn’t have to be JUST right. Have to be adaptable and know how to deal with a wide range of conditions safely.
A small cruising sailboat like the one you are on appears somewhat daunting due to the plethora and seeming complexity of lines. The principles of sailing are relatively simple, running, reaching and beating close hauled to weather. The best way to learn the principles of sailing is in a small sailing dingy; the rest is just more of the same on a larger scale. You can learn the nomenclature in an afternoon. Don’t over complicate it. You can learn the basics in short order, and then spend the rest of your life refing those skills.
I was fortunate enough to have grown up with a father who taught me many things, but one of the greatest was how to sail. He taught me the love, pease and serenity of sailing on the water. Like a walk with nature through the woods or a field, sailing is time with nature at a pace where it can actually be enjoyed, minus the noise and fumes. And as my dad use to say, “the wind is free.”
Hey, Wayne. I was interested to watch this article as I got a sailboat as my 1st boat ever. Powerboats – not interested, boring… Your article is spot on most of the time. Not going to argue, I like the article. Couple points : – steep learning curve – yes. For some people,like me it’s not a problem, that’s what attracts me in sailboats. – weather. In light air sailboats can use motors, but when wind exceeds 20kn, most powerboats are gone, it’s a sailboat weather now! Sailboats handle rough weather much better than powerboats. – sailboats are faster than powerboats. Seriously, you can get from point A to point B quickly on a powerboat. But on a sailboat, you get from point A to your happy place as soon as you out of marina and sails are up. As for point B – who cares? 🤷♂️ Again, your article is right just about everything. Still love my sailboat
A very good summary, thank you! Having owned 7 boats from 1968-2017, all sail, I have experienced all the disadvantages you cite, and I would like to add two more: 1. The sailboat owner will often say sail is more economical. This is false. While of course it’s true that a sailboat consumes less fuel (you mention this in the article), the reality of any pleasure boat’s “speed-time profile”, as the Navy term has it, is that it spends more time tied up than underway. Storage and maintenance are the largest expenses on the owner’s budget, and the sailboat suffers from the disadvantage that it has two propulsion systems, both of them requiring maintenance. Sails and rigging deteriorate from exposure to sunlight even if they are rarely used, while the engine needs regular oil changes and probably winterization for the off season. 2. As the sailor ages (the human, not the boat), the physical agility and strength the sailboat requires to clamber up onto the cabin top to fold up the mainsail and tie it to the boom, not to mention adjusting the sails to the wind, or just moving around the boat as it pitches and rolls, declines, leading to a traumatic moment in the sailor’s life when he recognizes he’s no longer able to safely control the boat and has to get out of sailing. At that point he’s presented with the choice I’m myself facing — never go out on the water again, or switch to power. However, you didn’t address the main reason I opened up your article: I have observed that sailboat ownership has declined (along with the value of existing boats), while powerboats continue popular.
I’ve taught myself to sail on a 27ft hunter Cherubini I moved into full time. YouTube is a great resource sailing really isn’t that hard. You just need patience for good conditions relative to your locations and patience with yourself. Don’t let fear stop you because anyone can learn. You just need to apply yourself a bit more.
Horses for courses. If you’re not the type of person that likes constant learning and challenges, get a power boat. If you’re the type of person that likes problem solving and making the most of the tools at hand in the environment you’re in, get a sailboat. Both have their place. Your choice as to whether or not you want to turn a key or develop a skill set.
I have had and enjoyed both power boats and sail boats. I found that after a while I got bord with the power boat. Learning how to sail dose take some time but I found it enjoyable and rewarding there is a connection with nature that is special. I have been in storms that would have swamped and sunk a power boat that the sailboat handled with ease I felt safe.
Dear Wayne, your “5 problems” reminded me why I actually adore sailing. I am a 58yr lawyer, discovered sailing only 5 years ago, and now can’t get enough of it. I’ve been learning for 5 yrs, and have just scratched the surface. And yes, understanding the wind and trimming the sails is science. Wind dependant? Much better than petrol station dependent. On average I need 10 gal of fuel a week. Motorboaters waste that in an hour. We look at the meteo and plan our trip accordingly, and there is always some wind. Too slow? Well, it seems that for you the ocean is an obstacle to cross asap, for us it’s a whole new world to explore. And we can go solo sailing, but it does require more skill. And besides, we prefer sailing with friends. You are looking for zero maintenance? Hire a taxi. Sailboat is like a house on sails, with auxiliary motor. You do need to work around it to keep it tidy, in good shape and operational. And even on an odd day when we don’t go out, nothing can beat a morning or sunset coffe/drink with friends in a cockpit of your sailboat. Cheers 🥂
When it comes to weather the thing that is worse than dead calm is when you get caught in a storm and the winds are raging and constantly shifting. You better know what you’re doing (especially in big water). If you want to dip your toe into sailing, get a little Sunfish or Cat for close to shore sailing. The learning curve is a lot easier and can be a lot of fun.
The first point you mentioned that most sailors were exposed to sailing at a young age. I think this is true. Though there are exceptions. I was fortunate to of grown up with access to boats. Small boats of all kinds on an inland lake. Fishing boats, runabouts, ski boats, scow sailboats and catamarans. I have been sailing on Lake Michigan now for over 20 years and I will say this. Power boats are awesome machines and so are sailboats but we are all one community. The community of boaters is eclectic and how we enjoy our time on the water is our choice, be it fishing, day tripping on a cocktail cruiser, exercising massive horse power with a offshore cigarette boat, racing a sailboat with crew around the bouys, distance racing, day sailing, or cruising…it is all one community of boaters and we all share a love of being on the water. I will say some advantages of a sailboat are as follows: Slowdown. Enjoy a different pace on the water from life ashore. Sailing is slower paced at 6 or 8 knots maximum speed. But under sail in a breeze of 20 knots at hull speed of 7 knots you feel the same exhilaration as a power boat at 20 knots. But when the wind is gusting to 20-25 and 6-8 seas the only boats you will see are sailboats and professional fisherman and charters. A sailboat is more comfy under sail in more weather than a power boat. One thing you get with a sailboat is silence under way. That is magic. Also if you invest in learning how to sail the rewards are more than can be expressed here.
Taught myself to sail, taught myself to windsurf. It’s not as hard as many think it is. Was in the Sea Scouts with a power boat; my dad had a 22ft cabin cruiser. Sailing, being one with the wind, is very cool and very worth the effort to learn. Start with a sunfish, I did and anyone can. As they say in boating: You haven’t been far if you’ve never been aground.
I have experienced both worlds, and they truly are different worlds. A dear friend of mine just bought a 34′ power boat, 600hp, brand new with all the electronics. He invites me often. It bores the hell out of me, though. It is not much better than riding in his huge pickup truck. Actually worse, it’s loud and uncomfortable underway; you can’t really have a conversation and you have to hold on while roaring across the water. I see no redeeming factors. And then you arrive somewhere and then you go back. We don’t really connect with the water, it is like driving to a sightseeing place, whereas sailing is more like hiking in nature. You take your time, the journey is the prime objective. More like the difference of going through life while enjoying personal growth, gaining experience and enjoying your profession for its own sake. In contrast to working a job in order to make money, so you can retire and (hopefully) enjoy life then. Then all the work on that sailboat trip of your life – is not work at all. It is your calling. Sailors work with the sea and the wind and weather. We cannot change the wind, but we can always adjust our sails. Powerboaters drive across the sea. Nothing to adjust there. And when the fuel runs out they are looking for a gas station.
I was out training on water rescue and one of the people I was with saw me looking at a nice sloop tacking by. The person mentioned those “Blow-Boaters” don’t know what direction or where they want to go. I told him that Motor-Boaters are always trying to do something else, either going to a harborside pub, fishing, diving water skiing or a bayside concert. Sailors on the other hand when the sail is up, they’re exactly where they want to be….sailing.
Sailing is easy …. Pull the rope (line) sail goes up the wind blows and your sailing. Love it as the boat slowly heals over and you pick up speed. Soon you trim the sails in to match your sail plan if you have one and you become one with the boat. The sails (sheets) do talk to you, pointing into the wind the sheets start to rumble and complain. Again if you have a sail plan like we are doing a crossing you check the heading, change it or trim the sails. Back to being one with your boat. Sometimes you have a discussion do we hold the heading that takes us 20 miles too far north or wait it out perhaps the air will change. Let’s do lunch and the tack back.
I made training as a coastal skipper a few years ago. It is much effort to make it happen, so I was questioning myself on the way, is it worth investing time and money into it. The real motivation came as I was prepping for the practical exams – the first 300 miles on a boat. It is the sound of the wind in the sails and splashes of waves on the boat hull, no motor or other distractions.. Feels absolutely magical, as if this is the only natural way of sea faring.
I’m 20 I started when I was 15 on a pico. I then got a laser 1 and started to sail on a foxhound 24 with a 75yr old guy. Seems over years he took a couple people under his wing and taught them. When he passed away at 88 he was still sailing. He left me the boat and I still sail. I now have got my parents into it. Sailing is a great thing it teaches you so much but my god it can be scary.
Turning off the motor the boat healing over hearing the water against the hull. Getting to your destination sometimes in the dark strategically setting your anchors getting thrown out of bed by rogue waves in the middle of the night. My best memories are on the water where every trip is an adventure very similar to reading a good book.
Perhaps I am going against the tide of opinion here but after a period of owning both sail and power boats I consider myself a born again power boater. As boaters we all have our reasons and priorities about what we want to use our craft for. I am not a blue water sailor just strictly a coastal and inshore adventurer who eventually settled with living on both sail and power boats along the British Columbia coast year round and mostly cruised in the summer. I learned to operate sailboats and appreciate their potential but also realised how much more maintenance and expense they required over a single engined powerboat. Most cruising sailboats have engines or outboard motors on them. Inboard engines tend to be badly placed and difficult to get at for servicing unlike the ones found on powerboats therefore they tend to be more neglected and troubleprone. Outboard motors like on a sailboat I once owned are badly placed when aft of the transom and are useless for propulsion when the sailboat hobby horses in a head sea while the crew tries to pull the sails in. With sailboats of course I had to deal with recanvassing sun deteriorated sails, worn out rigging and the greater potential hazards of equipment failure and injury from it or making sail changes on deck in rough conditions. Power boats spared me those concerns and expenses. Power boats also tend to have helm controls in much better locations higher up and forward which offer much better visibility over the sea and potential hazards which lurk ahead.
When I was 15, I built a small plywood sailboat. It was probably about the worst built sailboat to ever successfully sail. I think it sailed only 12 times. But in its short life, it taught four people how to sail. And this was without an instructor or even a instruction book. I had instruction books, and I found them worse than useless. The other three people did not. They learned faster than I did!
First time I went sailing (cali to Washington) on a 100ft double-ender. My friend who was much older and wiser than me. Straight up lied to me and said it will be like a vacation and we (him and I) will sipping bubbly 🍾 on the deck and it will be amazing. I ended being the deck hand with no pay. While him and is family (wife and 4 daughters)were on a vacation. I had to do 80-90% of the work. Man the helm on night shift ect.. when we got to Washington I got a taxi and left with out saying a goodbye 👋. Never talked to any of them again. Thanks for the vid 👍
I think your title could have been: The problem with sailboats for novice boaters. I think all of your reasons not to have a sailboat are the actual reasons why people enjoy sailing. Because it needs a lot of expertise, because it can go anywhere, because it can go a great distance, because it needs little fuel, because it depends on the weather (but can’t use any weather).
I’ve been sailing since 2017. I’ve started to learn when I hit my 30s. I own my own sailboat now and can confirm that it’s a learning curve, but it’s what’s appealing to me. Getting better each season, learning more about how to care for my boat and sail safely and proficiently. Motorboats and sailboats attract different types of people with different expectations. Motorboaters get a lot of hate from sailors that’s true, but there are reasons for that 🙂
I just started sailing a few years ago. I started small with a cheap beach cat and now I’m hooked. It’s something I really enjoy doing by myself but it’s hard to get people to come with me because I need to give them a 20 minute lesson to keep everyone safe beforehand. It’s a niche hobby but I love it.
I enjoyed your article. All your reasons are accurate. I’ve sailed most of my life. I would add to that list the relatively unstableness of a sailboat, weight distribution relative to the wind. The need to always be aware of the boom. Working all the lines requires a certain amount of strength. As I age my hands aren’t as strong as they were unfortunately. It requires constant awareness of time because to get back to your harbor it may take longer than getting out in the water. All this said I went sailing yesterday with a good friend and met a new person who went along, and it was one of the most enjoyable 3 hours on the water in a long time. There is an incomparable peace cutting through the water and waves powered by the wind.
I learned to sail at seven by reading Royce’s book “Sailing Illustrated” and going out on a 8′ sailboat on the bay. I was sailing in literally minutes. Best way to learn sailing is on the smallest and simplest boat you can fit on with only one sail. Then there are only two controls, the rudder and the mainsheet. A child could do it! But if my first try were in a 32′ sloop I would now be motoring stinkpots. As for no wind my solution is a fast kayak. A joy when the water is like glass. BTW, one real joy of sailing is waving at the fuel dock.
Sailing off Manhattan Island NY recently, ferries and tugs were coming and going from every direction. At one point I turned to scan the area and a tug was headed our way so we promptly tacked. A collision was maybe 3 minutes off. Later it occurred to me that one of the many things I love about sailing is that we have 2 means of propulsion. I always took for granted that if wind died, or we had a rigging failure, I’d just power up the little diesel. Nice peace of mind to have a backup. My powerboat friends love jumping out for a sail thank goodness because I don’t often relish going out on a loud powerboat. If I need to get somewhere quickly, I keep gas in my car ; )
I was speaking to a colleague recently who suddenly became very enthusiastic about the prospect of owning a sailing boat, and clearly wasn’t understanding “the catch.” It was only when we got to the point of explaining how long it would take to sail from the UK to Greece that she practically exploded! She thought you could just hop over a bit like getting in a plane! For me, I love the fact that when on a sailing boat there’s no impatience, as the journey is what you’re there for! It’s so peaceful when the engine turns off and all you can hear is the sea and the wind in the sails! I don’t feel the same about motorboats, because the noise is constant, and it’s often more about the destination than the tranquility of the journey. (Unless it’s something like a canal boat)
Additional benefits of powerboats over sailboats (BTW I own a SAIL boat): – /1/-You are not restricted by draft (unless you own a heavy cruiser), therefore you can go to beaches, stop at restaurant docks, explore/fish shallow areas and maneuver your boat without one eye on the depth gauge. /2/- It is a lot faster and easier to get underway/stow the boat. No covers, lines to rig etc. /3/- Less maintenance $$- no sails, lines, standing rigging, blocks, winches to maintain/replace. /4/- Less physical WORK – No getting tossed around the cockpit, no having to jump on the cabin roof to untangle lines, reef. with a powerboat you just hop in, start the motor and drive away.
I grew up in the mountains where nobody had a sailboat. My wife and I learned in our early 50s. We spent months on small sailboats. There’s a magic when the sails go up and the wind takes over. The peace and quiet is amazing and no exhaust gases. My wife grew up on powerboats so she knows that world well. She fell in love with sailboats too. I must admit our first day out didn’t go well. Never got the sails up. We remained calm and tried again the next day. After the first successful day we were hooked. More knowledge is required, but that’s a good thing. Too many powerboaters don’t know basic right of way or navigation. We’ve even been approached by a powerboat in the Gulf of Mexico. The guy was asking for directions as he didn’t know how to run his gps. We were able to give him a compass setting that got him back to his port. You get into trouble a lot slower on a sailboat. 🙂
I think you did a bang up job of introducing sailboats. The biggest differences are deep heavy keel fins for ocean sailboats, and distance/ duration covered. Only freshwater or close in sailboats lack weighted keels, and have wide hulls, instead. Slow? Yes, but not by much. In a long haul, power boats slow down or run out of gas. Higher maintenance? No. My friend’s Sea Ray had much more maintenance and gas used. The challenges to sailboats are where you keep them ( same ), rigging and outfitting them for prolonged storms, and stocking them for weeks at a time. Most sailboats and many power boats have plumbing, but sailboats use it for weeks or months at a time. Sails and figging isn’t that hard unless you chose battles with Mother Nature.
A good summary Wayne. But there are two types of people, one that wants to get there and the other that enjoys the journey. Part of that journey is learning. Learning to sail, first in a little sailing boat is easy and fun. Then you get a bigger one… The real and increasing issue with bigger sail boats is the time and cost of maintaining them which increases with the volume of the boat rather than the length. However for those in the slow lane the pleasure of sailing to an island, dropping the anchor, having a swim before drinks then a meal of fish, caught on the way, as the sun sets before tucking up in a bed for the night is immeasurable. Your house on your back, go anywhere you like, don’t have to refuel, eat what you catch and be free from imposed controls and enjoy nature before it is lost due to global warming from all those emissions from what sailors call stink boats. Now, if you were comparing it with an electric powerboat that might be different. See you on the water sometime. Cheers.
I agree w some of the points mentioned in the article. sailing isn’t for everyone. I can say having grown up in a sailing family, experience helps a lot. If it is something someone wants to do and they want to spend the time, it is a great experience. typically not the kind of thing where someone buys a book, then buys a boat and is out on the water. People do it and they can usually be spotted from miles away. Best approach to getting into sailing is go out w someone first. Local clubs often have weekly evening racing which is a great way to learn a lot in a short period of time. most boats have room for one or two novice sailors.
In 1971, as a tourist in Turkey I was arrested for something I didnt do and was forced to escape from that country,by crashing my Landrover across a river bridge into Greece, see my book “RUN TOWARD THE BLAZIN SUN”.When I got home to UK The British Government laughed at me saying you shouldnt go to those weird countries, you are lucky you got out alive, At that point my ego took over and I said, if I cant trust my own government to help me, Im going to get a sailboat, sail off somewhere and the next time I go to a country if they dont like me, they can get off my boat and I will leave, Im never going to be trapped in somebody elses country again. Thats how I learned my sailing. With my family aboard, I followed the English Coast to Cornwall and asked a local fisherman “HOW DO YOU SAIL AROUND THE WORLD?” and he said “HEAD SOUTH TILL THE BUTTER MELTS THEN TURN WEST.” To cut a long story short, I did what he said and ended up in MIAMI, and as a writer, live not far from that place today.
I taught myself sailing on a Santana 25 when I was a young adult. It was my only home for a while. I’d have to agree with everything you said, and just add that I gravitated to sailing specifically for the nomad lifestyle, unlimited range, and relative freedom from rules – except for the very stern rules Mother Nature imposed from time to time.
If one wants to get into sailing, I would definitely try the power-boating first, that way they learn the navigating, anchoring, docking, rules of the road, etc… first. Then I’d get a single sail dingy (lateen, catboat, spritsail, etc…) to learn on that. It also might be handy to play with remote control gliders to learn a bit of aerodynamics because sails are basically vertically mounted wings and many of the same principles apply.
People being different I became intrigued with sailing after reading John Guzzwell’s Trekka Round The Wotld. I then picked up a copy of Great Voyages in Small Boats which highlighted Slocum and Dumas. My experience up until that time included only an 8X8ft poling raft on my folks pond and a 36″ blow molded sailboat I took out to the gravel pit ponds (w/islands), then later a14ft canoe and a buddies home built bass boat with a 25hp Johnson. I was 40 when I picked up my first sailing ‘how to’ book then a book on terminology and one on knots for sailors. So, having a working knowledge of Bernoulli, points of sail and the name of every damn part on a modern sloop rigged boat I bought myself a 79 McGregor 25 w/10hp Honda and immediately headed to our local reservoir, bent on the sails, main and gennaker, launched into light to moderate winds, and I kid you not started turning figure eights and racing from the yacht club to the public boat ramp cranking my keel, tacking and gybing. Solo! The only problem encountered, I ignored the advice given and tried to heave-to the first time in a moderate breeze and learned you can actually sail a boat sideways, I also learned it’s almost impossible to sink a McGregor, I was on the windward rail trying to figure out how to fix my error and bidding my boat good bye, eventually figured it out. Anyway my point is some learn with an instructor, some with trial and error and a good book. No mater how you do it DO IT no better feeling than to have a tiller in your hand and the wind at your command (better than or at least as good as that other thing we all like).
I think that extra work is what makes sailing fun. I personally prefer sailing over driving a motor boat, because you have to put in a lot of effort to make the boat move. You feel way more involved in what the boat is doing compared to turning the key to start the motor and pushing a lever to make it go forward. The extra work is not a bug, but a feature.
I own a 21ft motorboat which has inboard 60hp diesel engine with a shaft drive and typically cruising speed is about 7 knots (hull speed). I like slow speeds where you connect with the sea and scenery better than on fast boat. Fuel consumption at that speed is only about 1 gallon of diesel per hour, so it is very cheap to operate. It has a shallow keel running through the length of the boat, protecting the hull and propeller, so there is no sterndrive sticking out. Draft is only about 2 feet. It is quiet compared especially to outboard engines on sharp v-hull powerboats. To me it’s a good compromise between sailboat and a fast powerboat. I also do all possible within my limits engine maintenance and other repairs myself, so there is also more “connection” with the boat compared to some people that just do hop on/hop off for a cruise and outsource everything else (this is perfectly undestrandable as well!). But by this method there is always something new to learn and some issues to solve. These types of slow boats are more often (not according to study & not referring to myself) operated by a bit older people which tend to have a bit more careful attitude to cruising and are therefore not so antagonizing to sailboats & other seafarers. In my opinion advantage of this type boat compared to sailboats are in the shallow archipelago area where I cruise are: 1) Shallow draft, capable of landing directly with bow on the shore (if it is sand) and can navigate in shallow waters in narrow passages and close to the shore, making you connect to the waterways/islands more probably than like in sailboats where you need to avoid these areas (unless you are allowed to anchor far out and take a dinghy to see closer) 2) Easy to operate and maintain 3) Cheap operarational and maintenance cost 4) Easier wintering on areas were sea/lake freezes over, eg.
I love my sailboat and most everything about it. In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons why I might get out of sailing after 50 years of owning sailboats, is that there are so few qualified people around who can work on them anymore…at least in many area. I’m finally at the point in my life where I can afford to just PAY someone, but you wind up waiting forEVER to get the work done. It’s a problem.
I am a previous motorboat owner and I loved my motorboat, but they are a tremendous amount of work to keep up. I had a bass boat that could do over 60mph, which on the water felt like a zillion billion miles per hour. I like the idea of sailboats for being able to go long distances without the need for gas, but with all that rigging, I imagine that on a fairly modest sailboat, you could work 40 hours a week just on maintenance! How expensive are those sails? How often do they have to be replaced? I am not saying one is better than the other, these are just my thoughts having never owned a sailboat.
I’ve been sailing most my life and I think why sailors don’t like power boaters is that they don’t have respect for what the ocean can do and they think they can just throttle down and blast by us leaving a massive wake. But on the sailing is hard thing it really isn’t as long as it’s calm you just trim until your tell tails are flying right and the sailing vocab just comes along as you get more into it as far as learning id say as long as you can safely motor in and out of harbor just go offshore a bit on a very calm day and mess around and practice
Ihave owned several boats most of my life – both types, all under 24 ft. and all trailerable to the launch My feelings about powerboaters is no different than it has always been: Just observe them at the ramp. Any ramp. That said, there is much advantage in powerboats over sailboats for the guy who is not retired and has little in the way of leisure time. An engine that delivers speed gets youout to the fishing grounds fast – and back for dinner. It gets you to that remote campsite if you have a lightweight aluminum skiff, loaded with firewood and camping gear. I did the same thing using canoes with sail rigs and outriggers to get to places that wouldn’t accomodate deeper keeled sailboats or V hull powerboats, and left the kayakers in my wake. But, there is nothing like sailing if you have the weather, the time, and the psychology. My best memories are of sailing a Montgomery 17 across Port Gardner Bay in 25 knots winds, when all the other boats were heading in because it was too rough. That little ship is like an old CJ-5 Jeep, and will run with the big dogs, which were the only other ones still out.
Enjoyed this article. I am a sailor and as I’d like to see more people join the sport this provided interesting perspective on what may prevent them from doing so. A couple of thoughts: In terms of learning curve. The basics are simple, but there is a never ending amount to learn. People interested in sailing should look for a short intro course. And it’s a good idea to make your first sailboat a small one. To your point about weather, yes there are no wind days but for the most part you don’t need a lot of wind to go have fun. Lots of work! Certainly a fair point to say there is a bit of clean up and set up work and sailing can require lots of maneuvering. For me that is part of the enjoyment but I get why that is not for everyone. It’s slow! Compared to motor boats sure, but sailing doesn’t feel slow. 6 knots, heeled over, with some chop is faster and more fun than you might think. But yeah if you need to get somewhere fast this is not for you. In terms of sailors and power boaters not liking each other, I have grown to think that is just stupid. There is plenty of water we should enjoy it the way we want. I have seen power boaters do stupid, obnoxious things and I have seen sailors do stupid, obnoxious things. Thanks for the article. Enjoy boating however you want but give sailing a try. It can be awesome.
Gotta disagree with every point except the speed one. My first boat was a 16ft Compac with a small cabin and trolling motor for an engine. I taught myself to sail quite easily. After perusal some youtube articles the night before, first day out on the water I had the basics down and was hooked. Powerboats have the same issue with weather as sailboats, but in reverse. On a rough, windy day, I don’t see any power boats out except for the real big ones. But some of my best sailing days have been on days where its blowing 20 kts and there’s a bit of chop. It also doesn’t take much wind to move most boats. 6 knots is sufficient for my 19footer to ghost along. On going solo, that’s only a problem for very large sailboats, and even then, as you say, people do it all the time, so I don’t really get your point here lol. Dealing with sails and rigging seems an odd point to try and make as well. Getting my 19 footer sorted and stowed takes about 5 minutes. You should do a article about some of the benefits of sailing also. The fact that once you’ve got your sails all set and tiller lashed down, you can step away from the helm and just relax and enjoy the water without the noise of engines. Or that even on small sailboats like my old 16 you can have a comfortable cabin so that you can spend a few nights out on the water. Get seasick? Since most sailboats have displacement hulls with heavy ballast, you are far less likely to get seasick. Cost of ownership on boats under 30 feet is also drastically less in every single aspect.
I hear his points but if you want to get from A to B really quickly then a car is probably a better option but we spend a lot of time in our cars and sailing is supposed to be a relaxing escape from that not replicate it on the water. Also sailing isn’t as hard as he thinks it is, it’s just a matter of learning the processes and then getting used to it and it becomes very rewarding.
….just go out on the water in spring. When the weather is not to good. You will be allmost alone on the water and have plenty of time and space to check out the most importent things. Take off,angoring,”landing” etc. Dont forget to check weather forecast,do not go out above 4 bf wind when you are still learing. Have fun,its nice out on the water whit a sailingboat 😊
Do forgive me for as I am not even a rank amateur when it comes to sailing. My experience was being dragged with my sea-scout (and later US Coast Guard) brother to his meetings at a young age. The training sessions I did were enlightening – the same little 8 foot, dagger board punt, but with a different rig each outing – a square sail, a Lateen, a Genoa, a Bermuda, and some weirder ones I don’t remember the name of. Going from a Lateen to the the Genoa was such a relief in tacking, even on a boat so small you could man-handle (boy-handle?) the rigging and boom. Now why do I mention all this? Because I still have an interest in sailing, mostly as part of a history degree, and I was introduced to the modern Junk rig. Two lines, no stays, and it doesn’t need a winch. I think one of the reasons that the learning curve is high is that most sailboats are rigged for a performance like a racer. This complicates matters for a slight performance gain that a day-sailor or weekend sailor doesn’t really need to care about. Simplify the rigging, storage, and reduce the cost and you’ll get more sailors. Perhaps a modern junk rig in synthetic UV resistant sailcloth will do that. But, in all fairness, I’ve only read the pro- and cons- or the modern junk rig, not sailed with them, and I will defer to anybody with practical experience. That was the one rig we didn’t use on our tiny boats – and we even tried one of those crab-sail rigs.
It’s all about the serenity and trip on a sailboat and feeling at one with nature. And the knowing that you can go anywhere as long as you have enough food and water. My power boat is fast, noisy, but get to the destination fast, no sense at all of peacefulness. Not about the trip, just let’s get there and turn the motor off😅
It can depend on where you are. Around these parts you don’t see that many power boats because power boats (the planing hull boats) that are faster than sail boats can’t really go out in anything more than a force 3 because the swells are too large (north Irish Sea), and it’s almost always blowing at least a force 4 here. Planing hull boats either slam at speed (very uncomfortable, potentially dangerous) with the swells we get, and wallow at displacing speed and can’t take the swells beam on so they end up having to tack like a sailboat anyway, whereas in these conditions, on a sailboat usually this makes for great saling conditions and not uncomfortable. The kind of power boats you see going out a lot are the ones with displacing hulls and what looks similar to a full keel but not as deep (small fishing boats in the main) but these will only go about the same speed as a sailboat.
I love being on the sea with the sounds of the sea. It’s a beautiful sound and so peaceful. I also kayak and that’s similar with the peacefulness. On a practical note, the cost of diesel is astronomical now. at least where I live in Australia. A power boat owner (with a big boat) told us he uses 50 litres an hour! That’s AUS $100+. We mainly only use diesel to get in and out of the marina.
I personally love sailboats, was lucky enough to have gotten my first recently. 84 Mirage 5.5, but man I’ve gotta say the real reason I almost would’ve never bought a sailboat was just how beat up they are for their prices. Even with this mirage; missing nav light, stern light, mast head, motor mount falling off, no gas tank, busted top window, it was a mess and a half but the only boat we viewed that wasn’t about to crumble in on itself from soft glass. Your statement of growing up sailing has to be somewhat true, my family would rent hobie cats on vacation and knowing we were moving for free with no sound but nature and whoever talks: I was at peace.
You need to start out with small racing sailboat to learn the ropes so to speak. I raced tornado class catamarans in Florida for a while. They are extremely fast and highly maneuverable. I have also sailed a 55 foot to the Bahamas for a friend that was an experienced and had just bought the boat. I work many years in marine electronics, sport fishing boat motor yachts and, mega yachts and ships.
It sounds like you have buyers remorse. Sailboats are exciting if small and comfortable if big. I find that most of the big boats are not used very much. It is because finding the time and friends that are knowledgeable enough to be helpful is hard to find. I remember finding a co worker who grew up in a sailing family. When I invited her on my boat It was so nice when she asked me what she wanted me to do and was able to everything without direction. I like your Red to Right when Returning sweatshirts.
I have been a sailor for many years starting with a sunfish up through several keel boats. It is not as hard to learn as you make it out to be. The hardest part is docking the boat if it is of any size. Having owned a 38 foot sailboat and a 38 foot powerboat, I can assure you a powerboat is MUCH more expensive to own and operate.
If you’re sailing then you have to be someone for whom ‘the joy is the journey’. Sailing is more of craft of balancing and predicting natural forces to achieve outcomes, understanding the invisible movements of wind and water and how these can be worked together. No where near as rapid in getting from one place to another but far more in touch with the surroundings 🙂
Well. ( deep breath). Sailing is not for everyone,, myself having many boats in my life. Mostly power boats. However. A few years ago. . Here’s the list, it’s quiet and peaceful. It’s an Rv for the water, not just getting somewhere. Better than riding around in circles., entertaining other people. I can go wherever I want., I can shower. Make some supper. Watch tv. Etc, etc, While underway with the auto pilot.
I am on the water, on South Riva MD. My love for sailing -more for racing was turned off by the boring spread of the Chesapeake Bay and the large expanse of shallow muddy ground . And sailing needs good amenable crew for racing. I have just turned to motor boat; getting a Carver 36 and took delivery just 1 mile downstream ; onto my own dock. The advantage is no slip fees and I am converting the two heads to composting toilets. The only question is how long can I hold hundreds of gallons of gas for the two Mercruisers while I merely intend to use it as a ‘mancave’. I turned to sailing when I had bad hay fever/allergy. It disappears when I am on the water. When I become a widower, I will rent out the waterfront house and live on the boat (dear wife of 57 years had a stroke; into our 5th year – stressed out as home-caregiver ; cannot bear leaving her in hospital /hospice)
Great article, thanks I grew up with boats but the powered version. My brother bought a Newport 20 sail boat and we both took lessons. Had a great time till he started a family so I bought it. After a few years I came down with the most dreaded sickness in the boating WORLD, Bigger Boat Itis, moved to a Newport 30, after a few years we moved aboard. Kill the fun nights after work with friends. Even the 30′ turned out to be bit small so moved to a Newport 33. But at this time we had to sell the the 33 because of a even more insidious illness, KIDS and family. Which brings me to my point. Sail boats are for people with no small kids. Oh one more thing, you must be able to think about what you are doing and plan ahead and please take lessons. We live/lived in the Portland or./ Vancouver wa. area and loved to sale down Columbia, over night in Astoria Or. The nex
You are mostly tight, but you forgot another one which is significant: heeling. A lot of people hates when the boat is heeling. Ok, it is more uncomfortable, to sit, cook, piss, sleep or even just move around while heeling, and that is one of the reasons why catamaras are quite popular in many cruising areas. But… Even with all of that, sailing is romanthic. It makes you feel much more of a seawolf. You are not going fast (well, in some kind of sailboats, you can achieve oretty decent speeds, others not so) but can really feel the power of the wind, and when the good conditions are meet, this can be exilarating. It is much more of an emotional thing, evocative, and you can feel very well when the boat is well trimmed and cut throw the waves with you at the wheel. In silent. Only the noise of the wind, the sea and the sails. It can make you beard grow faster 🙂
Advantages of a sailboat It’s not boring with all there is to learn and do while sailing. Except in flat water it’s more comfortable. It’s quieter. Small craft warnings aren’t a big deal. Ocean sailing (in smaller boats) is probably safer. Cruising range without refueling is likely longer. The journey IS the point. All that said, power boating is fun too, just very different.
Another issue is that sailboats don’t have great maneuverability under power given their shape and how the current impacts their course and speed. Bringing a sailboat through an inlet in spotty weather can be very daunting, so the nature of the local shoreline may impact why some people avoid sailboats. Reliance on the wind also becomes a problem specifically when navigating narrow intracoastal waterways because sailing in these areas is impossible or inadvisable. Some waterways just don’t get any wind at all because they are sheltered by land or buildings. Another big issue is draft, which tends to be much deeper on a sailboat than for a similar motorboat due to the keel. That limits where you can go and can create a danger of running aground in areas with shoaling. There are also tons of things which need to be maintained or occasionally replaced like sails, which can be expensive. The heeling of a sailboat may also make guests on the boat uncomfortable. The boom swinging back and forth is another source of danger and unease that can prove fatal if the skipper makes a big error, especially during solo sailing.
If you have a place to go on the water, a motor boat is the way to get there. For practicality, it’s appropriate. If you want to have some excitement, and challenge yourself, learn to sail. There is a learning curve and it’s not easy – but fun once you are able to get the boat to do what you want by harnessing the power of the wind. It’s communing with nature.
Having been a Commodore of 2 yacht clubs, i ve noticed that Motorboats outnumber sailboats around 5 to one. Yet, when looking offshore, I see as many private sailboats, as private powerboats. To me this indicates That the average sailboat gets used a lot more than the average powerboat. As a reader of this comment, Is that your experience?
Powerboats are about reaching your destination. Sailboats are about utilizing the environment around you to move, learning to become one with the water and air around you. Powerboats are fun, sailboats are magical, and challenging. And living in mine, it’s the only sport one uses their house to partake in that sport.
A sailboat is a motor boat…but with a sail. Assuming same size boats, they are both equally difficult to manoeuvre. You can use the motor without wind, like you can a motorboat. One could learn the sailing step by step. See it as motorboat with extra options and a way to get home when the motor fails or you run out of petrol 😊
I’ve owned a sailboat for 4 years now. It’s been awesome. But I moved to another state and can’t take my sailboat with me, so have to sell it. LOL But yeah, sailboats require you to learn a ton of stuff. Good point. I grew up in the USSR as a child, and took part in a children’s sailing club in my city. It was free. Even the sailing summer camp was free, except for food. Each kid my age was assigned their own little Optimist boat. Older kids had the 420s. Kids had to put all the work into maintaining their own boat. Many years later, I sent my son to a children’s sailing camp in United States. I paid a hundreds of dollars for a day camp. There were a bunch of Lasers with 5 kids stuck on each Laser. Wow, I thought. USSR mostly sucked compared to U.S., but some things were actually way better. Definitely children’s sailing clubs…
Good observations. However, it might be said that many “sailboats” are not sailboats, they are low powered motorboats with sail for when the conditions are perfect. And the more electical equipment and refrigeration on the boat, the more it relies on its engine. Then there is the rig. Why are most sailboats single masted? Because they use their engines while getting underway, or setting sail. The bottom line is that you are not a sailor until you have learned to sail without an engine and that is a serious undertaking.
Most of the “more work” comments are a matter of perspective. I sail regularly and never thought of the prep or “put away” process as overly-burdensome. The point about speed makes total sense of your time to destination is what matters to you (btw, a car trip would be even faster). But from a sailor’s perspective, you’ve already reached your destination the minute you are under sail. If speed and minimal fuss and low learning curve is what is important to you, then a power boat is definitely the way to go. But comparing sailing with power boating viewed from the perspective of speed and convenience largely misses the point. From a sailor’s perspective, power boating is both noisy and boring. The point being : sailors aren’t optimizing for the same goals as power boaters. They derive pleasure from the sailing experience itself – all those extra thing you need to do to operate the sailboat is a pleasure, not an inconvenience. And the challenge of learning to do it is part of the joy. So attempting to compare the two really just doesn’t make any sense.
One thing I think you missed, according to me, is that sailboats don’t typically have lots of headroom below compared to power boating. That to me, being 6′ 4″ is the only drawback. With fuel at 6 bucks or more a gallon, boating is turning into a rich man’s sport ( like flying became) if we don’t make more sailors… bur I prefer the solitude of sailing of the roar of bone headed jet skiers and go fast power boats churning the surface. Water brings serenity to me until one of those idiots with their motor come screaming by not caring about the environment they just destroyed…
Well I started out in a 20ft sailboat, with no knowledge read books watched articles asked others not as big a deal as you have made it out to be . When I first started it would take me say 2hrs to go from A to B, as I gained more knowledge and experience, like anything in life this improved and A to B was cut down to 45mins . We’ve since gone from a 20 to a 25 to a 26 sailboat to now a 24ft trawler style, and any of these I could handle on my own just fine . When you mention weather you did not mention that a sailboat will handle far worst conditions than most power boats . As far as speed goes, well sure if you love racing cars you’d probably enjoy a power boat better . For me it’s the journey as much as the destination . I think generally people end up with the boat that best fits their needs, and their budgets . It much like vehicles, if you are just driving around a big city you don’t need a 4×4, if you tow a boat or want to haul stuff a 2 seater car is not a good choice . Regardless of what you boat in, enjoy it, follow the rules and be considerate of others out on the water especially with your wake .
If you want a sailboat take a course. Before I bought a sailboat, I was sailing in club for a whole season with an instructor who learned we everything regarding controlling a sailboat in different situations. Today I am the happy owner of a 31 foot sailboat. Remember it’s all about the journey, not how fast you get there ⛵️
There’s no problem with sailboats. The problem is with people who do not have the discipline, the passion, or the skills to learn and operate a sailboat. They also don’t have the inner sense to simply enjoy the quietness, the wind in your sails, the humming of the shrouds and swirling of the boat as it spins through the water. Sailing is an ascetic thing which requires patience, spirituality and love of the sea.
@5:50 Heaven. Sailing is the destination. that’s it. get those sails up turn off the motor if you have one. just you the wind and the water. majestic. I’ve never been on a motorboat but i think the goal is to get somewhere and drop the anchor? With sailing the trip is just as fun or more fun than getting there.
I sail since im 8 years old and since than ive been sailing all over the place, mediterranean, caribbean, Brazilian coast Argentina, solo passages, deliveries etc and i can tell you one thing: its not for campers …Stay back in your couch! its safer and no work is included and then you can get your power canoo and go to have some donuts 100 nm away and git back for Lunch!
I agree. I started sailing at 20 and I owned 3 sailboats. The last one was a 23 sailboat that was our floating camper. My wife and I have been sailing for decades on large lakes and mostly on St.Lawrence river that connects with the Atlantic ocean. Sailing on St.Lawrence river is not always pleasure boating, it’s navigation with currents, tides and you need sea charts. When the wind blows against the falling tide, waves are from 5 to 15 feets high depending where you sail on the river. I remember once, we had to sail upstream against the river current. We waited for the rising high tide. We reached 10 knots on the bottom with the tide current that pushed the boat upstream. We loved sailing, to adapt to the elements. Sailing is more about enjoying the journey than to rush to destination. It’s a lifestyle. You learn teamwork. I was even able to dock under sail… for fun, but it was sometimes risky. A sailboat is like a pendulum because of the keel. For the same lenght, I’d rather cross de ocean on a sailboat than a motorboat. Sailboats have great seekeeping qualities. Since, we came back to camping and a canoe to paddle. I love floating. Last year, I bought a sail kit for canoe finely designed by a small company in Massachusetts, sailboatstogo.com/aboutus.php Happy sailing. Pierre Boucher, Montréal
Sailing is great, but racing is life. Any fool can get behind the wheel of a powerboat and buzz around for a couple of hours. Competitive sailing against other experienced sailors is a rush you’ll never get from powerboating. I’ve raced sailboats for 50 years in all conditions, round the buoys, offshore, overnight it puts YOU to the test. It’s your skills of sailing navigating and seamanship together with your crew that makes it all worthwhile. The comaraderie that is built can’t be matched by other pursuits. I love offshore powerboating as well, but it can’t match offshore or inshore sailboat racing. Cruising is fine, and is certainly a reasonable alternative, but racing is paramount.
The sailing websites are usually loony about boat speed. Which was almost never the initial focus. Something happens over time, where boat speed becomes the primary objective during any passage. For article viewers 5 knots or 8 knots means next to nothing, so the sailors just seem oddly out of touch with their own claimed passion. Let’s not even talk about how glad they are for the passage to be over.
Why are powerboats now far more popular than sailboats? Fuel injection plus better materials. I grew up in the ’70s and early ’80s when sailboats were at their heyday and powerboats were less common. Almost all boats, power or sail, were 20′ or less and motors got huge at 90 HP. Motorboats of the 1970’s were nothing like today’s boats. So back then, sailboats were as or more popular than powerboats, but it changed. In the ’80s, along comes fuel injection, oil injection and some better materials where they can eventually double the HP for the same size and weight. Pickup trucks become more powerful from the same technology and can easily tow bigger boats so you don’t have to live on the water to enjoy a powerful and sizeable motor boat. Out comes new boat designs of pontoon boats, jetskis, and bass boats to go with the generic fish and ski boat design everyone had. Usage: Powerboats < 30' are pretty much all day use boats for up to 5 to 10 people, which is perfect for the trailer boater. Fishermen and fisherwomen are still the same. Zip out to favorite fishing spots, fish all day then zip back home and that isn't done with a sailboat. Sailboats >= 24′ like the one in the background, are really designed for multi-day, multi-week trips for 2-4 people and tend to be overkill for day use other than they are forced to be that big if you want to take 5+ guests along (or stay completely dry). Even if their powerboat can support it, I doubt all but a handful might consider actually spend the night on the boat. Fair weather affects both types of boats but when the weather is nice, the powerboat can get in water quickly, go for a few hours, and leave the water just as quickly. Well, except for the few who are eternally baffled on how to back up a trailer.