"Ryk" wrote in message
...
On 3 Sep 2007 12:43:02 -0500, in message

Dave wrote:

You're beyond my area of expertise here, but if the principle is that a
power driven vessel is more capable than a sailing vessel of maneuvering
to
avoid collision, and the vessel in question merely needs to push the
transmission control lever forward to start the prop spinning, it
certainly
wouldn't be irrational to treat the sailing vessel running its engine to
charge batteries as a power driven vessel. The generator, on the other
hand,
isn't connected to the prop, so the above reasoning wouldn't apply to it.

On the other hand, a vessel flying sails, even if under power, can be
subject to all the usual requirements for sailing handling while
maneuvering. If I am reaching along with a spinnaker up in twenty
knots of breeze, then the ability to put my engine immediately into
gear does not improve my options to avoid collision.


Actually, it would... put your engine in reverse and you'll slow down.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com