What you experience on a sailboat and a powerboat is pretty much two totally different things. Basically, it all comes down to how you prefer to spend your time on the water…

If we’re talking speed, you should know that most sails tap out at seven knots. Calm waters can allow for much higher speeds on a powerboat. The powerboat experience is also much simpler. There is almost no energy required and you don’t have to rely on the wind. Just hop on for a short trip or to head to open water. If we’re talking apples to apples, powerboats also offer more deck and interior space, as well as more amenities, like cover from the sun.

And here’s the high and low of it…You can usually dock more easily with a powerboat the shallower the water becomes because the keel of a powerboat will not be as sharp as a sailboat’s. Plus there is no mast height to worry about, so you will have nice, low clearance with a powerboat.

However, powerboat engines and their repairs can add up, along with the cost of fuel. With a sailboat, you might have costly equipment, such as sails and rigging, but you don’t have to be fuel-reliant. Speaking of engines, a sailboat can offer you the serenity that a powerboat can’t because there is no constant roar of engines. Speaking of fuel, without it, you can cruise along in a much more environmentally-friendly capacity.

Then, of course, there is the self-satisfaction you get with the sailboat…the fulfillment that relying on only manpower and connecting as one with the elements provides.