I am a professional USCG Licensed 200GT Master of Power and Auxiliary Sailing Vessels. I drove large commercial working vessels for thirty years and now operate a small sunset charter sailing business in my semi retired seagoing life. before all that I served as a Quartermaster in the US Navy for twenty years. Speaking only for the "pleasure boater/sailor" Hands down the sailboat sailor normally is a much more capable, learned, respectful and safety minded boat operator. Wayne you said it yourself, You can get into your powerboat turn the key and off you go with little to no training. And that mentality in many pleasure power boaters shows. For most new sailors on a sailboat that just does not happen. A novice sailor is introduced to sailing and taught by a licensed instructor at a club, community sailing organization or friend. For those of us that love sailing it's for all the reasons you stated are the problems with sailing. We know our boats better because we love working on them and have a DIY mentality. We watch the weather closely and get excited when we have a perfect weather window for a fine sailing day. We pay close attention to our navigation because most sailboats have deep keels (Draft) and we don't want to run aground. Sailors plan a voyage in advance paying close attention to navigation, weather, local laws and Navigation rules in the areas we sail. Seven knots is a really big deal for sailors. That's really fast. I like to say to my passengers " Power Boat people are always going someplace in their boats. Fishing, water sports, dinner or maybe to a beach. But sailboat people we were where we wanted to be the moment we stepped on our sailboat". I drove big powerful motor vessels for a living. But I always went sailing for the love of sailing and the sea.

I bought a sailboat at 62 thinking I needed to learn something new heading into retirement. I took a sailing course at a local community college and found I love the challenge of learning to become more proficient. There is also something magical about the feeling of the wind moving you to your destination that is hard to describe to non sailors. It never becomes boring because there is always something new to learn. Just sorry I got started so late.

I've been sailing since my early years.. I went on to become a professional yacht skipper, initially carrying out delivery work for owners and boatyards, both sail and power boats, then moving on to being a full-time skipper aboard the mega million $$$$ super yachts based in the world's exotic playgrounds... I state this just to make it clear that I'm reasonably qualified to comment. I've owned numerous boats of all types. To sail, you have to have a passion for sailing.. that means a passion for the peace and tranquility of sailing, and an appreciation of the skills required. If someone asks me where I'm going, I generally say.. 'I'm going sailing, I don't necessarily have to have a destination.. I'm going sailing. With a power boat, I'm generally heading somewhere, a destination. Under the right circumstances, and in no hurry, this can also be a tranquil experience, but more often than not, it more resembles a commando exercise, all noise and drama. It's up to the individual. Motor boaters generally stay close to home.. sailors are more in search of new horizons and adventure. Motor boats tend to be bought as a luxury.. sailing boats more as a passion.

Going sailing for a day by myself makes me more relaxed than most people get from spending a day at a spa. The sun, wind, waves and quiet are pure bliss. Starting the engine depresses me.

Let me fix your title: "Why doing almost anything is much less popular than sitting on the couch and watching TV". Top 5: 1 If I do something I might have to learn something new, that sounds hard. 2 The weather might not be right. The weather never changes in my living room. 3 Doing things sometimes requires other people. I can watch TV alone. 4 Doing things takes a lot of time. 5. Doing things is just a lot of work. Joking aside your list of bugs are actually features. Good hobbies challenge us. Driving a boat around on it's own is fun but can get boring. That is why a lot of long time boaters will fish, waterski, or turn to sailing to provide that extra challenge and fun on the water. So as you say it's not for everyone, but that is true for pretty much everything except sitting on the couch.

I have been sailing since I was about 6 years old, but I also have a lot of experience in powerboats. My thing is, is that powerboats are there to get you from point A to point B and I will admit there is something awesome about doing 30kts over a glass sea, but when it comes to actually enjoying and respecting the ocean, sailing is far, far better, kinda like the old adage of "its not the destination but the journey".

Thank you. A reason that sailors are not too keen on motor boaters is that they don't seem to love the sea but use it as a medium to blast through, create noise and wake that others have to deal with. Jet skiers are the worst but speed boats and larger motorboats in my area constantly break speed limits. I do, however, have a number of motorboat friends who captain their boats responsibly and with polite regard to other water users. (From UK)

As a sailor, there is nothing better than turning off the engine and having the boat make way under wind. That said, bombing along in a powerboat has its appeal too. A sailor can also pilot a powerboat, but a non-sailor powerboater can’t pilot a sailboat. Lastly my sailboat has an engine, and it took me a while to not think of using it as a necessary evil, but as I get more experience I realize both how little I need it, and how much I appreciate it when I do.

I’ve been sailing for almost 70 years…and have owned 6 sailboats…I think being on the water (whether sail or power) is a good thing and as I age out I’ll likely have to look at some form of power boat so that I can continue my journey. What I have always appreciated about sailing (like skiing) is that when I’m sailing, my mind is occupied with the dozen factors needed to make a 10 ton vessel move effectively against the wind…and in that preoccupation comes respite from the tensions and demands of life…Just steering under power allows my mind to drift back to what’s sitting on my work desk…After 2 or 3 days sailing, I suddenly remember and recall that I have mundane responsibilities at work or home…

As a power boat and a sailboat owner there is a purpose for each. When I am alone I pick the sailboat every time. There is nothing better than gliding through the water with wind alone.

I couldn't operate a 24 ft sailboat with jibs and spinnicars and all that, but when I was 14 my family stayed at a cabin on a lake in Wisconsin for several weeks. The cabin came with an 8ft sailboat with 1 sail,1rope and an anchor made of a paint can filled with cement It took me less than a week to master that boat

Real Sailors drive Sailboats and boaters drive power boats. You really have to have the passion to be a Sailboat driver and the folks I know who own a sailboat love everything that most of us would view as a hassle or work. They just love the journey and the challenges associated with Sail boating. I'll stick with my 21' power boat which is easy to drive with minimal hassle. Owning a Sailboat requires a certain temperament that I know I don't have. Good video Wayne, thanks for posting.

Thinking about it some more, you could have easily titled this video "Why sailboats are better than motorboats" and kept pretty much the same content - just with a different perspective: 1. it's a great way of learning new skills, 2. it teaches you to really think about the weather (but there's still an engine if you need it), 3. solo sailing is a good test of boatmanship, 4. its about the journey not the destination, 5. take pride in looking after your beautiful boat.

I love sailing. Have been sailing all my adult life. I have crossed the Pacific Ocean 3 times, once solo, in a cruising sailboat. What's the rush? As a sailor, you can have a schedule or you can have a destination, but you can't have both. Keeps me young, even at 80. Can't sail without wind, but the weather doesn't have to be JUST right. Have to be adaptable and know how to deal with a wide range of conditions safely.

I sailed for many years with my family and the one thing you missed out is that blessed moment when you switch off that noisy engine and are just sailing and the only sound is the wind in the sails and the lapping water. Sail boat owner for over 60 years, power boat owner for 2. Need I say more!

Just an observation, my experience has been that for every photo or painting of a motor boat, there are ten or twenty or more photos or paintings of sailboats. They are just beautiful out on the water.

Sailing is magic, to move forward limitless without an engine, noises or fuel is pretty amazing. For me that magic never fades, I'm always amazed. Sure they are slow but if you need to go somewhere fast and loudly, take a car or a plane!

A small cruising sailboat like the one you are on appears somewhat daunting due to the plethora and seeming complexity of lines. The principles of sailing are relatively simple, running, reaching and beating close hauled to weather. The best way to learn the principles of sailing is in a small sailing dingy; the rest is just more of the same on a larger scale. You can learn the nomenclature in an afternoon. Don't over complicate it. You can learn the basics in short order, and then spend the rest of your life refing those skills.

4:40 I grew up sailing on a sailboat. I would always choose a sailboat over a motorboat. It's more challenging because of the fact that you relay on the weather. And they can be fast under the right conditions. But the slower speed is relaxing.

Horses for courses. If you're not the type of person that likes constant learning and challenges, get a power boat. If you're the type of person that likes problem solving and making the most of the tools at hand in the environment you're in, get a sailboat. Both have their place. Your choice as to whether or not you want to turn a key or develop a skill set.

I’ve taught myself to sail on a 27ft hunter Cherubini I moved into full time. UKposts is a great resource sailing really isn’t that hard. You just need patience for good conditions relative to your locations and patience with yourself. Don’t let fear stop you because anyone can learn. You just need to apply yourself a bit more.

My first experience was less than ideal but it got better. When you are leaned over and moving along at the most efficient speed for your conditions there is no comparison to the feeling of controlling that vessel on your own.

The first point you mentioned that most sailors were exposed to sailing at a young age. I think this is true. Though there are exceptions. I was fortunate to of grown up with access to boats. Small boats of all kinds on an inland lake. Fishing boats, runabouts, ski boats, scow sailboats and catamarans. I have been sailing on Lake Michigan now for over 20 years and I will say this. Power boats are awesome machines and so are sailboats but we are all one community. The community of boaters is eclectic and how we enjoy our time on the water is our choice, be it fishing, day tripping on a cocktail cruiser, exercising massive horse power with a offshore cigarette boat, racing a sailboat with crew around the bouys, distance racing, day sailing, or cruising...it is all one community of boaters and we all share a love of being on the water. I will say some advantages of a sailboat are as follows: Slowdown. Enjoy a different pace on the water from life ashore. Sailing is slower paced at 6 or 8 knots maximum speed. But under sail in a breeze of 20 knots at hull speed of 7 knots you feel the same exhilaration as a power boat at 20 knots. But when the wind is gusting to 20-25 and 6-8 seas the only boats you will see are sailboats and professional fisherman and charters. A sailboat is more comfy under sail in more weather than a power boat. One thing you get with a sailboat is silence under way. That is magic. Also if you invest in learning how to sail the rewards are more than can be expressed here. Also...with a sailboat, there is a motor too...cruising a sailboat results in many hours under motor power. As you mention, sailing has a deep historical connection to ancient technology. We keep old technology alive because is defines who we are and where we came from. Sailing is a skill that is too valuable to lose. One day it may be our only way across the seas again. As such, for some, we have some deep desire to become one with the sea, the boat and the wind. Just as the earliest mariners did thousands of years ago. Using the same technology in the same way. Don''t fear sailing. Understand and respect it. Learn and enjoy it if you can but above all find the boat that speaks to you, care for it and enjoy the water and boats of all kinds with all the people who love them too.

I like sailing cause it’s about adjusting your sails to get the most of your speed. I agree there is a lot I learn. I joined a club and sailed a lot last summer. Learned a lot. I’m older. I am constantly watching videos or reviewing online courses. Took a course on NautEd and started a resume.

I just started sailing a few years ago. I started small with a cheap beach cat and now I'm hooked. It's something I really enjoy doing by myself but it's hard to get people to come with me because I need to give them a 20 minute lesson to keep everyone safe beforehand. It's a niche hobby but I love it.

Perhaps I am going against the tide of opinion here but after a period of owning both sail and power boats I consider myself a born again power boater. As boaters we all have our reasons and priorities about what we want to use our craft for. I am not a blue water sailor just strictly a coastal and inshore adventurer who eventually settled with living on both sail and power boats along the British Columbia coast year round and mostly cruised in the summer. I learned to operate sailboats and appreciate their potential but also realised how much more maintenance and expense they required over a single engined powerboat. Most cruising sailboats have engines or outboard motors on them. Inboard engines tend to be badly placed and difficult to get at for servicing unlike the ones found on powerboats therefore they tend to be more neglected and troubleprone. Outboard motors like on a sailboat I once owned are badly placed when aft of the transom and are useless for propulsion when the sailboat hobby horses in a head sea while the crew tries to pull the sails in. With sailboats of course I had to deal with recanvassing sun deteriorated sails, worn out rigging and the greater potential hazards of equipment failure and injury from it or making sail changes on deck in rough conditions. Power boats spared me those concerns and expenses. Power boats also tend to have helm controls in much better locations higher up and forward which offer much better visibility over the sea and potential hazards which lurk ahead. An aft cockpit sailboat with a vinyl windshield dodger, mast and full sails doesn't offer such an unobstructed view. Living aboard sailboats when the interior floor is below sealevel, like the two I once owned, during sub zero weather made it very difficult to keep adequately heated. The last powerboat I owned had a raised floor, was much easier to keep heated and even had somewhat larger windows than a typical sailboat which made it brighter, easier to view the outside surroundings, and less cavelike over a typical sailboat. Sailboat experience taught me to appreciate the importance of having a seaworthy, low profile, and slower propulsion type of boat which I found in two of the craft I owned. Unfortunately the powerboat industry these days doesn't seem to market a simpler slower speed cruising boat. My last boat was a 36 foot ex-troller which was very sea kindly, had a single simple old quiet naturally aspirated 3 cylinder diesel engine that powered her to a 6 1/2 knot speed using 3 1/2 litres per hour. Unlike the sailboats I've owned, these slow speed power boats never let me down. I loved the feel and sounds these boats made, the journeys made from the comfort of their wheelhouses in all kinds of weather, and the many destinations made good irregardless of the wind and weather. There were challenging conditions at times but that made the destination much sweeter.

Dear Wayne, your "5 problems" reminded me why I actually adore sailing. I am a 58yr lawyer, discovered sailing only 5 years ago, and now can't get enough of it. I've been learning for 5 yrs, and have just scratched the surface. And yes, understanding the wind and trimming the sails is science. Wind dependant? Much better than petrol station dependent. On average I need 10 gal of fuel a week. Motorboaters waste that in an hour. We look at the meteo and plan our trip accordingly, and there is always some wind. Too slow? Well, it seems that for you the ocean is an obstacle to cross asap, for us it's a whole new world to explore. And we can go solo sailing, but it does require more skill. And besides, we prefer sailing with friends. You are looking for zero maintenance? Hire a taxi. Sailboat is like a house on sails, with auxiliary motor. You do need to work around it to keep it tidy, in good shape and operational. And even on an odd day when we don't go out, nothing can beat a morning or sunset coffe/drink with friends in a cockpit of your sailboat. Cheers 🥂

After watching videos of a couple that is circumnavigating the world I have a big appreciation of the skill it would take to do it! There is a lot of freedom for travel but so much thought and preparation that you point of it being bout the journey is spot on! Nice video!

Sailing is easy .... Pull the rope (line) sail goes up the wind blows and your sailing. Love it as the boat slowly heals over and you pick up speed. Soon you trim the sails in to match your sail plan if you have one and you become one with the boat. The sails (sheets) do talk to you, pointing into the wind the sheets start to rumble and complain. Again if you have a sail plan like we are doing a crossing you check the heading, change it or trim the sails. Back to being one with your boat. Sometimes you have a discussion do we hold the heading that takes us 20 miles too far north or wait it out perhaps the air will change. Let's do lunch and the tack back.

I was fortunate enough to have grown up with a father who taught me many things, but one of the greatest was how to sail. He taught me the love, pease and serenity of sailing on the water. Like a walk with nature through the woods or a field, sailing is time with nature at a pace where it can actually be enjoyed, minus the noise and fumes. And as my dad use to say, "the wind is free."

Learning to sail is on my bucket list before I get too old. I loved canoeing when I was younger and even spent a week in the Boundary Waters. When you don't use mechanical propulsion you become part of the environment and your senses open up. The sound of the waves, the feel of the breeze. Suddenly you have time to look around and enjoy creation. I can't handle canoeing anymore. My back, knees, and ankles hated me when I was younger, now it would be even worse.

Sailing off Manhattan Island NY recently, ferries and tugs were coming and going from every direction. At one point I turned to scan the area and a tug was headed our way so we promptly tacked. A collision was maybe 3 minutes off. Later it occurred to me that one of the many things I love about sailing is that we have 2 means of propulsion. I always took for granted that if wind died, or we had a rigging failure, I'd just power up the little diesel. Nice peace of mind to have a backup. My powerboat friends love jumping out for a sail thank goodness because I don't often relish going out on a loud powerboat. If I need to get somewhere quickly, I keep gas in my car ; )

I have had and enjoyed both power boats and sail boats. I found that after a while I got bord with the power boat. Learning how to sail dose take some time but I found it enjoyable and rewarding there is a connection with nature that is special. I have been in storms that would have swamped and sunk a power boat that the sailboat handled with ease I felt safe.

When it comes to weather the thing that is worse than dead calm is when you get caught in a storm and the winds are raging and constantly shifting. You better know what you're doing (especially in big water). If you want to dip your toe into sailing, get a little Sunfish or Cat for close to shore sailing. The learning curve is a lot easier and can be a lot of fun.

First time I went sailing (cali to Washington) on a 100ft double-ender. My friend who was much older and wiser than me. Straight up lied to me and said it will be like a vacation and we (him and I) will sipping bubbly 🍾 on the deck and it will be amazing. I ended being the deck hand with no pay. While him and is family (wife and 4 daughters)were on a vacation. I had to do 80-90% of the work. Man the helm on night shift ect.. when we got to Washington I got a taxi and left with out saying a goodbye 👋. Never talked to any of them again. Thanks for the vid 👍

I owned a 16’ hobie catamaran years ago and loved it the rigging took a while but once out on the water it was so much fun, as a kid my dad owned a 25’ hunter sail boat on Lake Erie so relaxing with the wind coming off the sails especially liked the night sailing he didn’t mind me drinking beer out on the boat lol 😊

I grew up in the mountains where nobody had a sailboat. My wife and I learned in our early 50s. We spent months on small sailboats. There's a magic when the sails go up and the wind takes over. The peace and quiet is amazing and no exhaust gases. My wife grew up on powerboats so she knows that world well. She fell in love with sailboats too. I must admit our first day out didn't go well. Never got the sails up. We remained calm and tried again the next day. After the first successful day we were hooked. More knowledge is required, but that's a good thing. Too many powerboaters don't know basic right of way or navigation. We've even been approached by a powerboat in the Gulf of Mexico. The guy was asking for directions as he didn't know how to run his gps. We were able to give him a compass setting that got him back to his port. You get into trouble a lot slower on a sailboat. :)

I learned to sail at seven by reading Royce's book "Sailing Illustrated" and going out on a 8' sailboat on the bay. I was sailing in literally minutes. Best way to learn sailing is on the smallest and simplest boat you can fit on with only one sail. Then there are only two controls, the rudder and the mainsheet. A child could do it! But if my first try were in a 32' sloop I would now be motoring stinkpots. As for no wind my solution is a fast kayak. A joy when the water is like glass. BTW, one real joy of sailing is waving at the fuel dock.

I had both and you nailed it. You want convenience you get power. You want serenity, then sail.

We used to take my friends power boat over to an island to go scuba diving. With calm seas the morning trip out was smooth and fast. In the afternoon on the way back the seas were choppy and it was a bone crunching pounding we took as well as having to slow down to avoid breaking something. Later I bought a sailboat and learned how to sail it and the peace and tranquility were only occasionally broken by the terror of a bad storm.

I have experienced both worlds, and they truly are different worlds. A dear friend of mine just bought a 34' power boat, 600hp, brand new with all the electronics. He invites me often. It bores the hell out of me, though. It is not much better than riding in his huge pickup truck. Actually worse, it's loud and uncomfortable underway; you can't really have a conversation and you have to hold on while roaring across the water. I see no redeeming factors. And then you arrive somewhere and then you go back. We don't really connect with the water, it is like driving to a sightseeing place, whereas sailing is more like hiking in nature. You take your time, the journey is the prime objective. More like the difference of going through life while enjoying personal growth, gaining experience and enjoying your profession for its own sake. In contrast to working a job in order to make money, so you can retire and (hopefully) enjoy life then. Then all the work on that sailboat trip of your life - is not work at all. It is your calling. Sailors work with the sea and the wind and weather. We cannot change the wind, but we can always adjust our sails. Powerboaters drive across the sea. Nothing to adjust there. And when the fuel runs out they are looking for a gas station.

One point about sailing long distances. Each person on that yacht needs to know how to solo sail because you just take turns at solo sailing while the other sleeps 👍 also most sailors have a go fast tender. So we have the best of both worlds Loved this vid and the comments. Thanks

the post trip work on a sailboat is relaxing. it decompresses me while i think about how the sail went.

It IS the JOURNEY that makes sailing so appealing. From my smallest (13.5' Blue Jay) to largest (38' Sea Wind ketch) and a few in-between, the journeys have been awesome. Only one time did we have an issue with an unplanned jibe in an unexpected wind gust to avoid a novice sailor's impending collision of his raised outboard tearing a hole in the Blue Jay's 1/4" plywood hull. The jibe caught my crew on the lee side and we swamped the boat - once on its side we righted it, bailed and shortly continued our sail. Just another story to tell time and again. Understanding the rigging and how it all works can be daunting but with coaching and experience, it all makes sense. The positives include the economy of not needing fuel all the time but the negative is always the weather... either too little or too much wind. Passage making is not for the faint of heart and that brings new issues since you will definitely be off-grid and on your own without close-by assistance if needed... gear up and learn up before trying. With sail or power, both ALWAYS require maintenance and special skills. For the most part, sailors can be more skilled and water/wind savvy than motorists. I recall a discussion with a Coast Guard friend about the time we got swamped in our 13.5' sloop on that clear and sunny day and lost my laminated chart overboard. He told me that most recreational power boaters don't even know what a chart is.

Sailing is not a hobby. It's an obsession.

I grew up on powerboats my dad was a big fisherman after he passed I found sailing and I fell in love and it has changed my life ive met great long life friends thru it I changed my career cause of sailing and now I'm saving to cross oceans

I am super excited because I signed up for my lessons for Mid-May. Been wanting to do it for decades but finally at the point I can actually do it. Exciting

Anybody who wants to try sailing can sign up to be 'crew'. If you can pull a jib sheet properly and lean out the correct side of the boat when told you can be a crew member and the learning process begins. Reading books and taking sailing courses are great ideas but the skipper/crew route is like the apprenticeship program for tradesmen.

I think your title could have been: The problem with sailboats for novice boaters. I think all of your reasons not to have a sailboat are the actual reasons why people enjoy sailing. Because it needs a lot of expertise, because it can go anywhere, because it can go a great distance, because it needs little fuel, because it depends on the weather (but can't use any weather).

When I was 15, I built a small plywood sailboat. It was probably about the worst built sailboat to ever successfully sail. I think it sailed only 12 times. But in its short life, it taught four people how to sail. And this was without an instructor or even a instruction book. I had instruction books, and I found them worse than useless. The other three people did not. They learned faster than I did!

I know of a Montgomery 17 that sailed from San Francisco to Hawaii. I also know of one that left Oriental NC, went through the panama canal, and ended up in New Zealand. Matt Rutherfold was the first to Circumnavigate the Americas non-stop in a 27 foot Albin Vega. He left the Chesapeake, went up through the Northwest passage, then all the way down past Patagonia, and back up to the Chesapeake non-stop. As far as sailboats go, I have three. I have my Seasprite 23, an ancient GP14 sailing Dinghy that I recently finished restoring, and a small 8 foot Eastport pram that I built as a tender for the 23. It's a riot on those almost windless days.

I found starting with a smaller sailing dinghy made learning much easier. A couple of sheets and a rudder are a lot faster to pick up than tossing in multiple sails, sheets and winches without understanding how a sailboat operates at its most basic form.

A good summary Wayne. But there are two types of people, one that wants to get there and the other that enjoys the journey. Part of that journey is learning. Learning to sail, first in a little sailing boat is easy and fun. Then you get a bigger one... The real and increasing issue with bigger sail boats is the time and cost of maintaining them which increases with the volume of the boat rather than the length. However for those in the slow lane the pleasure of sailing to an island, dropping the anchor, having a swim before drinks then a meal of fish, caught on the way, as the sun sets before tucking up in a bed for the night is immeasurable. Your house on your back, go anywhere you like, don't have to refuel, eat what you catch and be free from imposed controls and enjoy nature before it is lost due to global warming from all those emissions from what sailors call stink boats. Now, if you were comparing it with an electric powerboat that might be different. See you on the water sometime. Cheers.

Sailing is an art and you have to love it enough to put the work in even when you’re tired. It also comes with a sense of accomplishment and freedom you just can’t get with a power boat. Living on and sailing a sailboat provides the most well rounded education you could ever find.

I bought a sailboat and went sailing, job done. That was over 50 years ago and I'm still sailing, though now it's a 24 footer for ease of use.

Fun for me getting out there on a fairweather day and I like to get in fast when foulweather approaches. CHEERS from HERE!

Hey, Wayne. I was interested to watch this video as I got a sailboat as my 1st boat ever. Powerboats - not interested, boring... Your video is spot on most of the time. Not going to argue, I like the video. Couple points : - steep learning curve - yes. For some people,like me it's not a problem, that's what attracts me in sailboats. - weather. In light air sailboats can use motors, but when wind exceeds 20kn, most powerboats are gone, it's a sailboat weather now! Sailboats handle rough weather much better than powerboats. - sailboats are faster than powerboats. Seriously, you can get from point A to point B quickly on a powerboat. But on a sailboat, you get from point A to your happy place as soon as you out of marina and sails are up. As for point B - who cares? 🤷‍♂️ Again, your video is right just about everything. Still love my sailboat

My sailboat slip was 20 minutes from the bay. I would stop and drift near the entrance to the bayou and put my sail cover on and everything i needed to do so all i had to do is tie up the boat and check the shaft packing gland and make it tighter a fraction so it didn't drip when i am gone. My dock lines stayed on the dock and all I had to do is put the loop over the cleat. They were already the right length so no adjusting was needed. Lines stayed doubled in case of a hurricane i don't need to do much but remove the sails and bimini to decrease windage. Hope some of this helps you.

I'm still new to sailing but I've been sailing a 1950s flying junior fj and even though it capssizes alot I love sailing it

I sailed from San Diego to Golfito Costa Rica single handed with my dog, first time I ever raised a sail. 71 days out of sight of land 73 days at sea. The worst part was the doldrums, sometimes several days with no winds. Second worst part was storms, and not knowing if you'd be dead in 15 minutes... Other than that, pretty good, knew alot by the time I arrived.

I was out training on water rescue and one of the people I was with saw me looking at a nice sloop tacking by. The person mentioned those "Blow-Boaters" don't know what direction or where they want to go. I told him that Motor-Boaters are always trying to do something else, either going to a harborside pub, fishing, diving water skiing or a bayside concert. Sailors on the other hand when the sail is up, they're exactly where they want to be....sailing.

I learned to sail as a kid. We had a 23 foot sloop. As an adult I raced 30 foot J boats in Annapolis. I also sailed 40 some odd foot catamarans in the British Virgin Islands as the captain and had some of the best vacations ever.

Great points. I have always loved boats, but don’t use them often enough. Have had power boats ranging between 20 and 12 feet a sunfish sailboat, jet ski, canoe, kayaks and a wind surfer. Some boats were expensive to repair, maintain, store and sailboats are harder to use bc they rely more on wind / weather. All were tons of fun when I used them! I kept the kayaks bc they are easy to store with little maintenance and purchased a used 14’ aluminum v bottom boat bc is also easy to maintain, store, trailer and launch. Great video on pros and cons.

I’ve been sailing for sixty years. My small boats are trailer sailers. My kids learned quickly because they could easily handle them safely. Our family regattas on local lakes were great at stimulating growth and they had more fun in small boats when they were in control instead of just being ballast on a bigger one. Yes we bareboated the Virgins too.

Taking a one week sailing course at a reputable sailing school is a good way to get into the sailing game. I did and it's got enough confidence in myself that I'm not afraid of of being on the water alone. I have a old plastic classic full keel 26' Cape Dory style sloop that I'm able to single hand alone that has a tiller steering of which I can set to keep on course while tending to other matters at hand.

Turning off the motor the boat healing over hearing the water against the hull. Getting to your destination sometimes in the dark strategically setting your anchors getting thrown out of bed by rogue waves in the middle of the night. My best memories are on the water where every trip is an adventure very similar to reading a good book.

Sailing is the journey itself, not the destination. To get it just right, to have those sails trimmed to get that little extra performance is thrilling and rewarding. To me, motorboats are transport. Sailboats sailed well are the ultimate in satisfaction.

Lifelong sailor here and I am a member of a Sailing Club in Annapolis. It's great to see a number of middle-aged+ couples who just up and decided sailing would be a great pastime. I've watched them take lessons , sail regularly and already begin cruising within the first couple years. And the great fun for me like a lot of sailors is showing other people the ropes.

Gosh, thanks for telling me all the reasons why I should crew on a sailboat. For me, sailing is an art and a challenge. One has to use nature, the wind, to get you where you want to go. It's a beautiful thing too, just look at those sails, the mast, the lines of the boat.

I love sailing for the same reason I love surfing and mountain biking. It gets me out in nature and I enjoy being out in nature. The powerboat thing is ok for water skiing or fishing etc but that incredible feeling of the wind pushing you forward is like nothing else. It's not the destination but the actual feeling of sailing itself that's so enjoyable. No noisy motors, no noisy hull bashing.

In South Florida, at least, there's almost no place to keep them anymore (and no hurricane holes anymore), and very few self-service boatyards. I sold my 34' when my annual haul-out went from $1500 to $15,000.

A very good summary, thank you! Having owned 7 boats from 1968-2017, all sail, I have experienced all the disadvantages you cite, and I would like to add two more: 1. The sailboat owner will often say sail is more economical. This is false. While of course it's true that a sailboat consumes less fuel (you mention this in the video), the reality of any pleasure boat's "speed-time profile", as the Navy term has it, is that it spends more time tied up than underway. Storage and maintenance are the largest expenses on the owner's budget, and the sailboat suffers from the disadvantage that it has two propulsion systems, both of them requiring maintenance. Sails and rigging deteriorate from exposure to sunlight even if they are rarely used, while the engine needs regular oil changes and probably winterization for the off season. 2. As the sailor ages (the human, not the boat), the physical agility and strength the sailboat requires to clamber up onto the cabin top to fold up the mainsail and tie it to the boom, not to mention adjusting the sails to the wind, or just moving around the boat as it pitches and rolls, declines, leading to a traumatic moment in the sailor's life when he recognizes he's no longer able to safely control the boat and has to get out of sailing. At that point he's presented with the choice I'm myself facing -- never go out on the water again, or switch to power. However, you didn't address the main reason I opened up your video: I have observed that sailboat ownership has declined (along with the value of existing boats), while powerboats continue popular. You can see this by just driving around looking at marinas. Why should the disadvantages of sailboats be more important to the prospective owner now than they were in 1980? Even though the "greens" are agitating ever more for fuel conservation? Would you care to make a guess?

Good job as usual Wayne. Thank you.

I took a 9 week college course, one afternoon a week. Each person rigged, sailed alone, and unrigged the boat each time. Towards the end, we were racing our classmates. It was great fun operating this simple boat: one mast, one sail, removeable centerboard, hand tiller. I agree with the disadvantages of sailboats, but operating a trailerable fishing boat involves some work too. The funny thing is, when operating my open small outboard skiff in bad weather, I had to use a basic maneuver I learned in that sailboat class, like tacking into the wind until I could run downwind for the launch ramp. And If the wind is blowing hard enough, a tall powerboat at low speed starts acting more and more like a sailboat. So that short class, besides being fun, was worth it. I had my daughter take a beginner's sailing class when she was old enough. It's best to start small, power or sail.

We used to have a cabin cruiser that we would take out on the ocean, and I would watch the Sailboats. It was amazing how easily they could slice in between really huge swells.

I made training as a coastal skipper a few years ago. It is much effort to make it happen, so I was questioning myself on the way, is it worth investing time and money into it. The real motivation came as I was prepping for the practical exams - the first 300 miles on a boat. It is the sound of the wind in the sails and splashes of waves on the boat hull, no motor or other distractions.. Feels absolutely magical, as if this is the only natural way of sea faring.

I have had both power and sailboats for a long time (ie, I am old 😃). Both are fun, and experience with each adds to the fun. With a power boat, my wife and My favorite is to motor to a open area and drift and watch the sunset. On a small outboard boat, I often find myself sailing the powerboat in the breeze using the non running outboard as a tiller. Sailing is addictive.

AS you noted, sailing is all about the trip plus the destination. I got my first at 28 ( a Venture 22) next was a Hunter 27 . We sailed the heck out of that boat. The Hunter was my baptism for offshore sailing that trip was made more exciting by a violent squall that flattened the waves of what had been a roller coaster ride. Next up was a 36 foot custom build from a bare hull., then a Southern Cross 31and finally a Cal 33. The years flew by until they added up to 80 & the physical requirements became more than what was safe. My wife & I treasure the stories we have to tell and the experiences in our "memory banks". Note: we downsized to a 19 foot CC.

I've been on one sailing boat the Glen L Sweatman out of Biloxi harbor. As someone that's been on the water in small craft and shrimp vessels it's another word when they turned the engine off and let the sails take over. To be out on the water and understand people talking on the beach.

I think you did a bang up job of introducing sailboats. The biggest differences are deep heavy keel fins for ocean sailboats, and distance/ duration covered. Only freshwater or close in sailboats lack weighted keels, and have wide hulls, instead. Slow? Yes, but not by much. In a long haul, power boats slow down or run out of gas. Higher maintenance? No. My friend's Sea Ray had much more maintenance and gas used. The challenges to sailboats are where you keep them ( same ), rigging and outfitting them for prolonged storms, and stocking them for weeks at a time. Most sailboats and many power boats have plumbing, but sailboats use it for weeks or months at a time. Sails and figging isn't that hard unless you chose battles with Mother Nature.

I like both. When I want a day on the lake skiing, that's only possible with a powerboat. But I also sail, and that makes sense for longer trips where the trip itself is part of the adventure. Single class sailboat racing is also fun, where winning is dependent mostly on knowledge (and some luck).

I grew up spending summer weekends on the Grand Traverse West Bay sailing with my parents. We sold the sailboat in 2008 and I deeply miss it. Everything you said is exactly correct!

I grew up sailing the bay with family as well as solos in sunfish and daysailers. Even with all that support I still see sailing yacht ownership as very daunting. The only thing more daunting is a stinkpot gas bill!

As a US Sailing instructor, I agree with this video. However. For $12-1500 you can take a series of classes that will easily and methodically enable you to safely operate a 30 foot sailboat, and yes, that size sailboat properly outfitted will be able to traverse most of the world. (The sailing the world part will take more training). You can learn on you own, but it takes a good bit longer and is more hazardous. That may sound like a lot of money but you will spend that in fuel pretty quickly in a power boat.

Even though I have several boats, two of them are sail boats. My first one is a AMF-Mini Fish, very simple to sail, I It's a lot of fun in lakes and rivers. I've been sailing it since the 70's. My newest project is a 1964 ,19ft. O'day Mariner,with a cuddy cabin, that I'm resorting, it will be in the water next season. If there is no wind or breeze, the 6hp. Johnson will move it along.

Another disadvantage is no covered moorage in your home marina, so the sailboat is exposed to the winter and inclement weather when you are not using it. A lot of marinas have rules against "cocooning" - putting a full boat-length plastic cover on your boat - and a similar cover in canvas can cost as much as your older boat itself! They are also dark. The floor is on the top of the keel and the portlights (windows) are small and don't let in much light. In the PNW where I sail, the darkness can become a psychological problem if you live on your boat. Yes - you can move to the cockpit, but sometimes it's raining, or you want to cook something, or it's cold out there, or wet from splashing waves. But I love sailboats and live on one part of the year: Islander 30 Mark II.

I have several sail boats in my life, but had to give it up in my 70’s ! Still dream about sailing and miss it greatly ! Mostly sailed solo since most friends didn’t want to go sailing !

I’ve been sailing most my life and I think why sailors don’t like power boaters is that they don’t have respect for what the ocean can do and they think they can just throttle down and blast by us leaving a massive wake. But on the sailing is hard thing it really isn’t as long as it’s calm you just trim until your tell tails are flying right and the sailing vocab just comes along as you get more into it as far as learning id say as long as you can safely motor in and out of harbor just go offshore a bit on a very calm day and mess around and practice

I have a 13' day sailer. Friends and family don't get why I enjoy ghosting along on low wind days, or going out when it's blowing hard. If I offer to take them out, I hear excuses like "we'll be stuck out there", (on calm days) or "isn't it dangerous?" (on windy days). They think I'm joking when I say it's more challenging than it looks, but won't give it a try. Handling the tiller, main and jib sheets will keep you busy, but also teach you about aerodynamics, wind patterns and currents of your local lake or bay and how weight and it's placement affects your boats performance. As you learn how to sail your boat, sailing to the dock becomes more and more fun, yet anyone that isn't willing to try sailing can't comprehend how you can make something without a motor go where you want, when you want. Another aspect of traveling slower is that the space you are in becomes "larger" by taking more time to cover the same distance. That gives me time to enjoy my beer properly.

My father said this about sailboats." A sail boat is a hole in the water lined with wood or plastic into which you pour money"

I agree. I started sailing at 20 and I owned 3 sailboats. The last one was a 23 sailboat that was our floating camper. My wife and I have been sailing for decades on large lakes and mostly on St.Lawrence river that connects with the Atlantic ocean. Sailing on St.Lawrence river is not always pleasure boating, it's navigation with currents, tides and you need sea charts. When the wind blows against the falling tide, waves are from 5 to 15 feets high depending where you sail on the river. I remember once, we had to sail upstream against the river current. We waited for the rising high tide. We reached 10 knots on the bottom with the tide current that pushed the boat upstream. We loved sailing, to adapt to the elements. Sailing is more about enjoying the journey than to rush to destination. It's a lifestyle. You learn teamwork. I was even able to dock under sail... for fun, but it was sometimes risky. A sailboat is like a pendulum because of the keel. For the same lenght, I'd rather cross de ocean on a sailboat than a motorboat. Sailboats have great seekeeping qualities. Since, we came back to camping and a canoe to paddle. I love floating. Last year, I bought a sail kit for canoe finely designed by a small company in Massachusetts, www.sailboatstogo.com/aboutus.php Happy sailing. Pierre Boucher, Montréal

This video has quite deep information. The concept of boating has changed over the decades. This info also explains why sailboats are not existent in commercial marine traffic such as commercial fishing. Thanks for sharing this excellent summary.

The apparent “ease” of driving a power boat is partly the source of conflict with sailboats. Some/many power boaters have not learned the navigation rules for safely operating among other boats. I’m not saying all sail boaters know the rules but I believe a greater percentage of them do. As far as weather opportunities for going out, many power boaters will stay in their slips when the wind and waves pick up…exactly the weather that sail boaters will find fun. Plus, as you note, we can go out (motoring) when it’s flat calm. So we have more opportunities to get on the water, not less. Finally regarding speed…for sail boaters it’s the journey. If you really want to get to Annapolis fast then get in your car and drive. Sailing may look intimidating but it’s really not that hard. I enjoy power boats as well as sail boats. You make some good points in your video. I just wanted to add a bit of a different perspective.

I agree w some of the points mentioned in the video. sailing isn't for everyone. I can say having grown up in a sailing family, experience helps a lot. If it is something someone wants to do and they want to spend the time, it is a great experience. typically not the kind of thing where someone buys a book, then buys a boat and is out on the water. People do it and they can usually be spotted from miles away. Best approach to getting into sailing is go out w someone first. Local clubs often have weekly evening racing which is a great way to learn a lot in a short period of time. most boats have room for one or two novice sailors.

It takes one weekend to learn to sail small 24 foot boat. It takes another week to operate larger sailboat. Once you have that training all it takes to go out and sail. I used to sail Chesapeake for years. Now I am in the Caribbean and handle 50 foot sailboat alone. Just like with everything in life sailing is a skill and can be mastered if you put your will to it.

I love sailing! A friend taught me enough to get by many years ago. Started with a 26' McGregor pre water ballast retractable keel boat. Then later the same friend bought a Jenson Marine Cal 30. Nothing like being heeled over with a strong wind behind you. That brings me to another subject, tacking. The sailors here know what I'm talking about. ;-) That boat was also a blast. That friend passed on much too early. I haven't been sailing since. Good memories though.

My sail inventory and rigging cost about $120,000 to replace . Rigging every ten years and sails about every 15. Now my Suzie diesel burns one gallon per hour at 7.5 knots and my Spencer Ketch weighs 40 tons. My sail boat is basically a two stick trawler unless winds are favourable. It costs double the cost of a passage maker to operate. You own a sailboat because you love to sail period.

My husband and I are avid sailors. We enjoy the challenge of constant learning. To us rushing around doing something simple is just plain boring. Anyone can rush around on a power boat. A sailboat ⛵is more about beauty and pride. Artists frequently paint sailboats. Have you ever seen a painting of a power boat?

Learning to sail can be a very enjoyable undertaking. It's like learning to play a sport well. Is golf a "problem" because it takes a lot of practice to learn to play well? Sure, sailboats are not fast if you compare them to forms of transportation that are designed to get you somewhere fast. If that is your goal, take a car or a plane. Sailboats are all about the journey. There is something very special about being one with nature as you are transported through the water only by the power of the wind and your skill at using it. No noisy engines, no smelly exhaust, and no big fuel bills.

Sailing isn't about getting somewhere. Sailing is about the trip, not the destination. If you are in a hurry to get somewhere, fly. I drive between Ca. and Tx. I like the trip. I never fly. I even take different routes sometimes. Now that I'm retired, I avoid being rushed.