We find ourselves, in a time, where fuel cost, seem to dominate the daily news and conversation.  As sailors, we seem to be in an enviable position, for once.  Many people are not traveling as they used to and are staying home, during their vacations.  Meanwhile, many MSA members have been out, cruising for weeks and months, thanks to the low fuel consumption of their craft.  A few years ago, my neighbor came to me and said, “I have to get a sailboat.  I just spent $10,000 in fuel, cruising the Bahamas for a month.”  I can't imagine what it would cost today.  By the way he is living aboard a sailboat now.

The BYC racers can go out every week, for a month, race their boats and maybe they will use one gallon of fuel.  Even going out to Egmont Key, for the day might cost a sailor a few dollars, where it cost a power boater over $50.00 to go out and back.  Perhaps that is why there were so few boats there, yesterday.  We, on the other had were sailing at 9 kts plus, some of the time.

I know people who are taking it a step further, by using bio-diesel in their sailboat.  They say it smells like French fries and cost about the same.  At the Miami Boat Show, there were sailing catamarans that were using electric motors.  With solar panels and a large battery bank, it’s not difficult to see that cruising cost will be getting even lower.

While many people think of sailboats as being an “old fashion” mode of transportation, it could just be the wave of the future.  I can see a day when merchant sailing ships will be coming into Tampa Bay, with cargo that they brought from Mexico, Cuba and the Caribbean.  Sailing Ships may rule the seas, once more.

Fair winds