On 11/10/2012 1:12 PM, Bruce wrote:

Another e-mail from a mate who is "part way 'round" regarding engine
use. He gets a little heretical at the end but he is a bit outspoken
:-)

Hello Bruce,

To get from Langkawi to where I am now, I have used 1385 liters of
diesel and I've traveled 8735 nautical miles. A small economical
trawler may have used 6550 liters. I have probably done the steep
uphill part of this journey now as from now on, I will have trade
winds and favorable currents to go with although I envision using the
engine a lot in the Caribbean. I could have done it for less if I
waited in the shallows for the favorable wind before leaving places,
drifted offshore when becalmed and used a transport ship to carry me
up the Red Sea and through the Suez Canal. The fast sailing Clippers,
which were built to obtain tea from Ceylon and get it back to England,
etc. in a record breaking time was put out of work when the Suez Canal
was built as steam ships could go that route much faster instead of
around the cape. The Clippers couldn't make it up the Red Sea. Most
people who have circumnavigated using the "milk run" from east to west
usually spend about 10 years doing it. One reason for so long is that
they do a lot of sight seeing but also it is due to needing more rest
at each place because of fatigue from "working" their way (tacking &
tacking) to get anywhere (sometimes no where). In addition there are
many places nowadays that do not allow engineless passages,
Singapore straits, Suez Canal to name a couple. And having an outboard
hanging off the stern or using a dinghy powered by an outboard tied
alongside the yacht defeats the act of sailing totally by wind. Also,
I am now convinced that most stories told about trips have been
glorified a lot. People just don't admit using their engines. Most of
the famous guys like Joshua Slocam, Bernard Mansurie, Bruce Roberts,
George Beuller made/make their money from book sales so they have had
to stretch & modify the truth. :-)

Regards .... Wayne

That cost of diesel is really ****ing me off too but there are days here
in the Med where there is no wind period. Full stop. Even with my new
u-beaut take-off-in-under-ten-knots sails we can't move. I've got too
much to see before I die to let time slip by.