On Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:25:41 -0400, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

"Jessica B" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:19:33 -0400, "Wilbur Hubbard"
wrote:

"Jessica B" wrote in message
...
snip

OIC... well, I guess a really small boat going fast or slow wouldn't
be as safe as a bigger boat in bad weather?

Depends on the seaworthiness of the boat. Any size boat can be seaworthy
as
long as it is built stoutly and has a crew that knows how to handle her in
a
blow. A ships life boat is a good example. The ship founders in a storm
and
the crew takes to the life boats which are very small in comparison and
expects to survive the storm conditions in them. Sometimes small is
better.

Ok. That makes sense. I read somewhere about big ships breaking up
because the weight of the boat is suspended between waves.


It can happen! Seas that can destroy a ship often succour a disgarded light
bult.


Ok, I don't understand past "often". :}


snip

I believe you. I just thought this was about sailing not using an
engine. What about on a slightly longer trip.. wouldn't you want to
use sail power as much as you can, so you don't run out?


One would think so, but . . .

Most of the people posting here NEVER sailed a boat that didn't have an
engine. An engine on a sailboat is supposed to be an auxiliary which means
a
secondary means of power. Sadly, most of the Rubes here run their diesels
even when the sails are up. And should the wind die and they can't do hull
speed, they 'supplement' the sails with the diesel. It's shameful! Why
don't
people like that just admit to themselves that they are not interested in
sailing and just sell the poor sailboat to somebody who would appreciate
it
for what it was designed to do and buy a motorboat such as a trawler?

That's what my friend with the Catalina said... an auxiliary powered
vessel... right when he started the engine!


I've seen way more sailors who use their engine as a crutch in lieu of
learning how to handle their boat under sail. I've even had some of the
Rubes in this very group try to say it's irresponsible to anchor under sail
if there are other boats anchored. They say such nonsense because they never
learned how to anchor under sail and if they tried they would most likely
ram somebody. If they weren't so inept or inexperienced they would discover
that a sailboat has better steering functionality under a balanced sailplan
than under engine power alone.

Wilbur Hubbard



I'd imagine that if the sailor is experienced in anchoring when
sailing that it wouldn't matter if there were rocks or other boats
around. I don't think I could do it, but ....