Why do many Med sailors motor instead of sailing?

Sunday afternoon, beautiful day, force 3-4.

However:

Going up the Forth directly in to the wind.
Need to get home for tea to avoid divorce.
Just about to miss the tide.
Can't be bothered to tack 10 times up the river after having had a cracking sail back from Bass Rock.

Engine on!!
 
Billows said:
Come on admit it, modern yachts are used as displacement mobos with auxiliary sails
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I love sailing but there is a lot in that. A large part of the pleasure for me is having a floating caravan and swimming platform. Whether in marinas, town quay, anchorages or watchiing the coasts go by there is a lot of pleasure in seeing the world at a slow speed. Having all the creature comforts too adds to the pleasure. If I wanted sailing for its own sake I would carry along a windsurfer.

But there is a great pleasure to be had in sailing whenever the conditions allow for it and you don't need to run the motor for fridge etc. I just don't have the patience to allow many days drifting along at 1 or 2 knots, so set a 4 or 5 knot minimum depending on other constraints. If I was a liveaboard rather than snatching a week here, a week there then I hope I would do a lot more sailing.
 
I live and sail in the Med. If i just "hang around" for an afternoon sail, then it is sailing no matter what speed i do. If i go somewhere close to (20-30 miles) i sail provided i am doing around 5 knots at least otherwise it is motor sailing. On longer passages (those 100+ miles) it is motor sailing unless conditions are ideal.
 
Billows said:
Come on admit it, modern yachts are used as displacement mobos with auxiliary sails
Click to expand...

Having just had a blast sailing in a race on the Forth this evening I disagree. It would be quite hard getting in and out of the marina without an engine but the racing doesn't involve the engine!!
 
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