Michael wrote:

1 When to use them: In an out of harbors obvously.

Not necessarily. It greatly depends on the harbor, the wind & tide, the traffic,
the boat, the skipper, etc etc.

Usually my consideration is wind & tide, and traffic. Sailing around in
unfavorable currents, light & flukey winds, and playing stoop-tag with
freighters is not good.


In narrow fairways and rivers or canals.

The C&D canal and the Cape Cod canal both forbid sailing through. I've been told
they are both equipped with spy cameras nowadays for enforcement. In times past
I have cheated and sailed through....



When the speed of sailing is not sufficient to the arrival
goal, unless you are a purist which I'm not.

Trying to cruise under sail and keep a schedule is stupid. It can be dangerous
too. Adds stress. Worse than motoring IMHO.


When caught in the doldrums.

Or trapped by bad priorities, having chosen a boat that sails like Grandpa's
barn.



When water is low or you have an emergency on board.

Agreed.

Here's one trick.
Sail Motoring as opposed to Motor Sailing. When you can't go in the right
direction due to the winds running the prop at slow rpms enhances the
ability of the boat to point high by 10 to 20 additional degrees. (Variable
as to hull and conditions). If that will get you through a narrow passage
between islands so be it.

How would you define the difference between Motor Sailing and Sail Motoring?
Just curious.


When on delivery jobs with a deadline to meet.

Agreed. But I don't do that any more (tentatively, a friend has asked me to help
with a delivery this spring)


When getting out of the way of or handling the presence of a storm
condition.

Disagree here... although there may some situations like this, such as getting
out of the danger quadrant in the calm before the storm. But most boats should
sail well enough that this is unnecessary.


When you need electricity to listen to the NBA, NFL, America's
Cup or World Cup finals.

Your battery bank is too small.



3. Add your own reasons.

You forgot running bridges. In many places it is against the rules to sail
through open bridges.

Now that we cruise in a tugboat, it's really not a question. But we can get to
anchorages quicker and set up the windsurfers or sailing dink sooner

Fresh Breezes- Doug King