NavList:

Corallina wrote:

> I was out on my kayak  and was surprised to see so many powerboats and jetskis
> running back and forth at speed behind the breakwater rather than going out
> beyond the psychological barrier of the open ocean.
> I will shed zero tears when gasoline becomes to expensive to use for sport or
> is rationed.

The first lines I used to open this years introduction to sailing course,
"Why sailing?  Marine gasoline, $3.61 a gallon and rising."

In my observations on Lake Michigan, a lot more Carver 30-something and Sea
Rays owners are using the boat as a summer cottage and partying on the dock
all weekend, a lot fewer heading to Chicago from Michigan City for dinner
and back or vice versa. (The yacht club marketing mavens seem to have this
deal where they are reciprocal with other clubs, but only outside something
like outside a 30 or 35 mile range, so Michigan City and the MCYC are a
target destinations.) $700+ to fill both tanks to the brim when empty, and
1-4 mpg.  In the northern cruising grounds, far fewer power boats harbor
hopping these days I'm told.  It is a rarity to me to see more sailboats
offshore than powerboats on a relatively calm day (except during sailboat
races) on the big lake. On a small-craft-warning day, sure, more sailboats.

Heck, running around my local dinghy-racing pond costs a PWC owner $40 an an
afternoon.  We can power up the iron jenny on a  Catalina 350 over 10 hours
for that.

Bill


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