Why the endless need for speed?

[bailsout]

In case your fast boat doesn't beat the storm, how well does she heave to?

[Lost Horizons]

The vast majority of so called speed boats travel much slower than actively cruised sailboats when the speed is expressed in miles per year, rather than in miles per hour.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

The vast majority of so called speed boats travel much slower than actively cruised sailboats when the speed is expressed in miles per year, rather than in miles per hour.

Wifey B: 16000-19000 miles a year in fast boats..... Power though, not sail. I'll go hide now.

[Lost Horizons]

Have you already made it to the Guinness Book or still working your way in?

[IdoraKeeper]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Good question. I'm often amused by this theme is a sailing/cruising forum. Seriously, if speed is important then get a power boat. Or better yet, buy a plane ticket. Sailing has to be nearly the slowest way to travel the world. If speed is paramount, then you've picked the wrong vehicle.

That's not to say speed is never important. But this constant need-for-speed, in everything from boat knots to anchor retrieval speed, always leaves me amused.

But Mike, why then is it always a race when ever two sailing vessels are going even remotely the same direction and there is winds?

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

Have you already made it to the Guinness Book or still working your way in?

Wifey B: Not going for a record, just having fun. There are plenty who cruise as many and more hours than we do, just we average greater speed. Ours is the equivalent of your 4,000-5,000 mile cruiser. Our average speed over the course of a year is about 18 knots.

[BandB]

Wifey B:

Mike OReilly

You said "this constant need-for-speed, in everything from boat knots to anchor retrieval speed, always leaves me amused."

Well, some times slow pokes amuse me, but not in a bad way. I think for whatever reasons we're all wired differently. In our case it's not just getting from place to place. We've always had people comment on how much we do in a given time, how fast we do things in general and talk about us "rushing" or "hurrying' but we aren't. To us, that's our slow. We made the decision to retire and move to Ft. Lauderdale from NC. In less than 2 weeks we were legal FL residents, had bank accounts there, driver's licenses, autos registered, voters card, a house purchased and a condo we were temporarily living in, Florida insurance, our house in NC listed, mover arranged and had both quit our jobs. I know it sounds like a lot but it was organized and we still had time to spend an afternoon with a friend, another afternoon on a rental boat, and the final weekend with nothing we had to do so time to drive around the area. On Saturday we even flew to NC and back. Someone commented on finding a house that fast and I said, "Well, we looked at 3." But we found our perfect house, had a great realtor. Oh also met with attorney and accountant during that time. Hubby's incredible at organizing. We pretty much planned it all in bed the night we decided.

We love the little bit of sailing we do but not as a means to get from place to place. We envy those of you who enjoy the slower pace. You seem happy and comfortable. We won't say we understand as we really can't understand emotionally how someone else feels, just intellectually. Don't expect you to understand our desire for speed and that's fine. Ultimately though we all cruise much the same, just at different speeds and that's pretty much irrelevant. We all enjoy the breeze in our faces, just some like more breeze than others.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by IdoraKeeper

But Mike, why then is it always a race when ever two sailing vessels are going even remotely the same direction and there is winds?

It is human nature, Nothing lost or gained. I think it is only checking out your own ability to squeeze what you can out of your boat. Win or not probably a drink over it, if you end up at the same dock.

[IdoraKeeper]

You guys stop picking on Ken..... He's got the Oyster of my eye. What he doesn't understand as a successful wage earning proto capitalist is that the tools on the 175 footers probably are greenies and socialists and they have the big boat:-).

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

The vast majority of so called speed boats travel much slower than actively cruised sailboats ...

You have a point here. The cruisers that own fast sailboats like normally to sail, they sail against the wind, tacking, while owners of slow cruisers just motor upwind. Also with very light winds, 5 to 7k, owners of fast boats sail when owners of slow heavy boats have to motor.

In both situations (directly upwind and with very weak winds) the cruiser with the heavy boat will go faster, I agree and you have a point there.

But the point is not about speed is about sailing versus motoring. Some like to sail while others prefer motoring, being motoring in many cases more efficient than sailing.

Also if you compare the waste in diesel between a fast sailing boat and a heavy one, it will be huge. That is why fast sailing boats have little tankage and heavy slow ones have a huge one. Me, I have a small deposit (150l) and I fill it up less than once in a month, sometimes close to two, having already made a bit less than 2000nm this season. And I also use the engine to help the solar panels fill up the batteries.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by BandB

Wifey B:



Mike OReilly



You said "this constant need-for-speed, in everything from boat knots to anchor retrieval speed, always leaves me amused."



Well, some times slow pokes amuse me, but not in a bad way. I think for whatever reasons we're all wired differently. In our case it's not just getting from place to place. We've always had people comment on how much we do in a given time, how fast we do things in general and talk about us "rushing" or "hurrying' but we aren't.

Quite so! You folk -- and by that I mean the busy "doers" of this world -- always amaze and impress me. The amount you do in a day takes me a week, or more. If civilization depended on me and my folk, we'd still be swinging from the branches, saying "this banana is good enough. Lets not bother with this whole planting/agricultural thing ... too much work."

(To be clear though, my amusement comments are aimed at folks like me who have already chosen one of slowest forms of locomotion: a cruising sailboat. After that choice it just seems funny to focus on speed as a major factor. If a cruiser wants speed, then do as you've done Madame B, and get a fast cruising powerboat.)

[BandB]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Quite so! You folk -- and by that I mean the busy "doers" of this world -- always amaze and impress me. The amount you do in a day takes me a week, or more. If civilization depended on me and my folk, we'd still be swinging from the branches, saying "this banana is good enough. Lets not bother with this whole planting/agricultural thing ... too much work."

(To be clear though, my amusement comments are aimed at folks like me who have already chosen one of slowest forms of locomotion: a cruising sailboat. After that choice it just seems funny to focus on speed as a major factor. If a cruiser wants speed, then do as you've done Madame B, and get a fast cruising powerboat.)

Wifey B: Civilization depends on a balance. All the same would be bad. I'd also say no benefit to an individual just in doing things quickly or a lot of things if they don't use the extra time made available in a constructive way.

Don't get hubby started on the quest today for productivity which is often just another word for working people to death. Well rested, happy, healthy people can do more but people worked 60 and 70 hours a week consistently work hard at it but don't product more and live miserable lives often.

I see people who like speed often concerned with fuel usage and it's like, duh. You didn't know? It's like the guy who buys a Bentley instead of a Rolls Royce to save money.

That all comes back to fast sailors. I get it if it's for sport, but otherwise they started off not emphasizing speed which I think is where the thread was aimed.

People always ask us why we don't fly instead of go by water. If they ask that, then no way to explain to them the difference and the joy of travel by water.