On Wed, 12 Nov 2008 06:10:30 -0500, "Roger Long"
wrote:

Justin C wrote:

Willy, your logic is flawed. It is exactly because Roger sails that he
needs to polish/clean/filter his fuel. If he motored everywhere
there'd be less need because the diesel wouldn't be in his tanks long
enough
to grow those organisms.

It's actually quite a bit more complex than that. First, Neal's affectation
that "real sailors" use their engine as little as possible is silly. If
that's the way he wants to play the game (at least in his fantasy life),
fine. One of the most respected saiors in Maine cruised and won races for
years in a boat that didn't even have an engine installed. Making a value
judgement about others who cruise differently, however, is just another
personality and perspective defect. I sail as much in my real cruising as
Neal does in his fantasy cruising but, because I have a real and reliable
engine, I ADD to that long periods of powerboat operation.

For sake of argument, sure, I'm not a sailor. I'm a mariner. I have a
sailboat because I prefer sailing to motoring when the conditions are right
and like the freedom, range, and economy of next to no cost power. When
conditions are not right for sailing though, which is a lot of the time in
this part of the world, I prefer motoring to sitting still or going very
slowly with the kind of concentration it takes to keep a boat moving in
light air. Strider is nearly as good a powerboat as sailboat and I'm just
as content to listen to her excellent diesel run as the coast of Maine
slides by as I am sailing. During sailing season in Maine, we typically
have wind for only half the day so I burn a lot of fuel.

I burn enough fuel and supplies are clean enough here that I don't need the
large capacity and polishing system at all. I'm getting the boat ready for
long cruises to areas with few fuel supply points. I'll have to do a lot
more light air sailing and sitting at anchor to conserve fuel but that's
fine because I won't have the time pressure of fitting the cruise in between
fixed shore commitments as I have had to do for the past few years. I want
the flexibility though of being able to operate as a powerboat for
reasonable periods. Since I consider power equally as much a part of my
cruising as sailing, I want the engine to be as reliable as the rig. Clean
fuel, especially in remote areas, is the foundation of that.

In fact, once you leave the realm of the weekend sailor and get into
actually going somewhere in a sail boat I don't know a single boat,
with the possible exception of the Pardies (who have been known to
call into a marina asking for a tow to get in and tie up) , who
doesn't have an engine.

A mate of mine, coming back from a trip to the W. Coast of India
motored for a week to get back. It is all well and good to say that
"real sailors sail, but had he not motored he would have got back next
year. You see, the monsoons were changing and had he not motored the
N.Easterlies would have caught him and that would have been that till
next year.

Of the blasted trip I just made to Malaysia, helping a friend take his
boat down. We had mild weather, "maybe no wind" forcasted and ended up
with 20 - 30 K wind and 3 to 4 M beam swell. Then the Main blew out so
we are now reduced to a reefed jib, and we were rocking and rolling.
Swell and wind on the beam, lee shore with no hidy holes 40 miles to
leeward, India to windward and 50 miles north or south to the closest
shelter.

Midnight, both wives down below barfing and me and Frank in the
cockpit hanging on with both hands.

So we motored.

By the way, for those nautically challenged, my wife says she has
discovered a better way of being seasick. Barf into a plastic bag. you
don't have to try to hit a moving target when theboat is rolling and
the bucket starts slipping and slidding and when you are empty just
twist the neck shut and hang on until the next spasm. One good size
bag will last nearly 8 hours she reckons.

Nope, no motor, no go.
Cheers,

Bruce in bangkok
(bpaige125atgmaildotcom)