wrote

(Sensible stuff)

The dramatic speed differences between sailing cats and monohulls are due to
the ability to generate the required sail carrying power on very slender
hulls. The speed differences, for equal horsepower and displacement,
between power cats and monos are significant but much less dramatic. At low
speeds, a cat may even require more.

The large fuel consumption on my recent trip does mostly reflect the
weather, lots of wind for brief periods but more long calms than I've seen
on most cruises of similar length. Boat and personal characteristics do
play a part though. This trip was on an ambitious schedule, one leg to get
to a birthday party, and the rest to see some of far downeast Maine. I'm as
happy motoring as sailing as long as there is shore to look at. Although my
engine is louder at max continuous RPM, it is smoother and the overall
effect is more soothing. Throw in a pinch of impatience and you have a
perfect recipe for large fuel bills, by sailboat standards anyway.

Now that I've revisited all the cruising grounds of my youth and seen all
the coast from Buzzards Bay to Cutler, I feeling an urge to make next year's
cruising a lot slower and more relaxed as well as reducing my carbon foot
print. This recent trip would have been a much better 2 - 3 week cruise but
my schedule made it a choice between seeing places I've spent a lot of time
or getting past Schoodic delivery style. Next summer, I should have much
larger blocks of time, hopefully the whole summer, and will take it much
easier.

--
Roger Long