Hey guys,
If you need the drives installed to be comfortable sailing I understand. My wife sails with her's in all the time. I'm just saying that if you want to learn to sail learn not to depend on the training wheels.
There are many people who have bought 30 plus foot boats who have removed the engines to get more storage and then sailed around the world. But then I see many people motor sailing when the conditions are perfect for sailing.
I'm not a purest. I always tie a mirage drive in to my boat when I go sailing but if conditions are such that I install it I don't try to kid myself. If I am using the mirage drive I am NOT sailing. About two weeks ago I put in at a ramp, installed my mirage drive and peddled through a narrow channel before I unfurled my sail. Then I pulled my drive, sailed for 5 hours, furled my sail, then peddled through the channel back to the ramp. The drives are very useful and come in handy. Ssometimes it doesn't make sense to sail especially if the wind dies.
chrisj wrote:
Jerry, looks like you have nice wide waterways available to you - St Johns River. Not quite the same as tacking upwind, against a current, in a 30-50 yard wide channel. I'll leave the training wheels in for that!
I agree in a narrow channel they make life easier but in the video with Max sailing with three kids on board it looked like he was out in open water and he had his drives installed and was using them every time he tacked.
My point is if you are in a sailboat and you are using auxiliary power from an engine, oars, a paddle, or a mirage drive you are not sailing. It's OK not to use these devices but don't kid yourself, if you can't tack your boat without peddling you really can't sail.