It's paid for: so, Sailboat or Powerboat?

[SnowedIn]

Someone gives you $100,000 (or your country's equivalent) and pays for fuel, maintenance, and slip/docking/mooring fees for life. Which do you choose and why?

Sailboat

... or...

Powerboat

Updates

+1 y

Thank you everyone for your answer!

Just for giggles, as of 2:45pm Eastern Time in the U. S., there were 20 responses. Of the 20 responses:
* 1 said "track car" (well played)
* 8 said "powerboat"
* 11 said "sailboat"

I love power boats and grew up using various Boston whalers and Chris Craft but, if I were in this situation I'd go for the sailboat and live aboard. (My wife, for the record, is not a fan of this plan.)

[Revvl]

Great question, because I've been through this before. I dreamed of having a sailboat, but I wasn't sure if it was the right decision. I decided to talk to the only guy I knew that had a sailboat.

Me: Jim, why did you choose a sailboat?

Him: I wanted one.

Me: But couldn't you get there faster in a motor boat?

Him: Get where?

Me: There!

Him: When you step foot in a sailboat, you're already "there."

I bought the sail boat, and I was always there. (and so were my puppies)

[SnowedIn]

Such a FANTASTIC answer; thank you!

[Revvl]

It's a true story. I had no idea how to sail, but I just wanted to sail. I took a class from the city. I didn't understand how you can sail into the wind. You absolutely can, but it just takes a long time to get anywhere if you're sailing into the wind.
The Hawaiian fella explained it very well. He said that if you squeeze a watermelon seed between your thumb and forefinger, which way will the seed go? It can't go left and it can't go right, so it just splits the difference and escapes in its own direction. That's exactly how sailing works. Anyone can drive a motor boat, but it takes skill to operate a sailboat. The wind wants you to go South, but you want to go North. So you adjust your sail and rudder, and the wind will allow you to compromise. You can go North East, but not North. Then you "tack" and head North West. Tacking is the tricky part, because you don't want to get whacked by the boom when it shifts positions. My puppies loved to go sailing with me.

[SnowedIn]

Additional fantastic answer! And dogs and cats on boats, YES!

[Revvl]

Thanks for the MHO.

I can't send you a pic, but Google Geary 18

The Seattle yacht club wanted to increase their membership, but they knew that not everyone can afford a fancy yacht. So they hired a retired naval architect and asked him to design an affordable sailboat. He came up with the Geary 18. It was a wooden boat that was fast as lightning.
I worked with a woman who was always bragging about how fast her catamaran was. I challenged her to a race! Catamarans are fast, but they don't turn for shit. I finished the race course before she got around her fist buoy. My Geary and my puppies could turn on a dime! lol

[WhitneySnow]

Sailboat but I like powerboats too. But sailboats are more elegant.

[SnowedIn]

YES! Gossamer winged vessels.

[WhitneySnow]

Plus you can race sailboats too

[SnowedIn]

SOOOOOOOO true. I enjoyed racing when I was a lot younger. @WhitneySnow you might enjoy reading this piece: magazine.atavist.com/.../

[WhitneySnow]

Oh wow! That’s an amazing story

[SnowedIn]

Right? I suspect you have way more to do than time available and more books to read than you know what to do with. BUT... there's a great book called "A Voyage for Madmen" by Peter Nichols about the first Golden Globe race. It is riveting. The other sterling recommendation is "Flying Cloud: The True Story of America's Most Famous Clipper Ship and the Woman who Guided Her" by David Shaw. Tells the tale of the wife of a clipper ship captain -- she navigated the Flying Cloud to the fastest clipper ship time from New York to San Francisco.

[WhitneySnow]

Thank you

[nolabels]

Throw in a qualified sailing captain and crew and I wouldn't mind having a sailboat.

I already have enough powerboats to satisfy my desires, short of having a yacht, maybe.

I'm getting too old to be learning how to sail, much less running around a boat actually making it happen!

Thanks for the question!

[SnowedIn]

Thanks for the answer. I really wouldn't want a crew unless I was on a huge yacht. Something special about being my own skipper.

[Revvl]

You're never too old to learn how to sail. I paid $5.00 for a sailing class, and I was a good sailor. I sailed alone, so I just used the main sail. Using all three sails is just too much for one person, and my dogs were of no help.

[nolabels]

I prefer being my own skipper, too, but like I said, I'm getting too old and feeble to be running around a sailboat more than I already do on my powerboats.

Unless sailing is easier than I imagine it to be.

I've got the brains to learn how, I'm sure. The brawn has more than begun to flag on me, tough.

A hired captain and any necessary crew would need to tend to their business and be discreet. 😊👍

[andreasderjuengere]

100k won't get you too far. I'm a naval architect ( :D )

But no matter how ''small'' - I'll always pick a sailboat for myself.

[SnowedIn]

We are honored by your presence! A designer not just a user. And, you're right, the 100k won't get far at all. But, we can all dream, right? Thanks for answering!

[andreasderjuengere]

I earn less than one may expect :) My ''secret'': I know boat owners - that got me a number of even skipper positions up to a size of 55 ft. All for free :D
There are also quite affordable 'dreams' as long as 'you' don't attempt to go round the globe...

[SnowedIn]

That's fascinating.

[slatyb]

Depends on what you want to do. You can get a used Hobie Cat for a few thousand and have a lot of fun, but you can't go anywhere.

[NathanDavis]

a sailing boat... just because a good friend of mine from down under is into these boat and her family have been on it for generations so, I think it would be a great opportunity to enjoy and experience with them and I do value that the most... I know that a sailing boat would be so much more of an interesting experience and challenge as well, right?

[SnowedIn]

Definitely a challenge! Thanks for the very personal answer.

[Koalamate]

sailboat as lower fuel cost and more comfortable in my opinion.

im a sailor so i could be biased

[SnowedIn]

You're not biased. *salutes you* Former Navy Sailor here.

[Lliam]

Since I know nothing about sailing, I'd take the power boat.

[SnowedIn]

Smart man. Takes skill and energy and a lot more to sail.

[Truth0225]

Power boat for sure because it’s faster and I love how they look

[SnowedIn]

Most of them really do look gorgeous.

[douride2]

I'm going to spend the $1000,000 on a fishing boat.

[SnowedIn]

That's pretty cool! Do you enjoy fishing?

[douride2]

I do fish summer & winter.

[SnowedIn]

That's awesome! Then this boat will come in handy!

[douride2]

Yes especially with you paying for the gas & upkeep.

[SnowedIn]

🤣 Here to serve!

[ElvenMr]

100k wouldn't be enough in my opinion. I would go with the sailboat out of those two, but a yacht would be probably more nicer to live in.

[SnowedIn]

Well said!

[Anonymous]

Powerboat but $100,000 doesn't buy much boat.

[SnowedIn]

You are very right. Which is sad. It should be easier and less expensive to get out on the water in either kind of boat.

[dustybiker]

Sailboat… with a motor (for emergencies) 😬

[SnowedIn]

BRILLIANT bridging the divide.

[dustybiker]

Thank ye. 😎

[TrueConfection]

Sailboat!

[SnowedIn]

Thank you!

[TrueConfection]

You're welcome. I used to sail. I miss it.

[SnowedIn]

YES! Me too. My parents "made" me sail when I was a kid and then I did it until my early 20s and I can't believe how much I miss it now.

[TrueConfection]

I only stopped a few years ago. I need a friend with a boat. 😇

[SnowedIn]

when I find the 100K I'll let you know! 🤣

[TrueConfection]

Yay! 🎉 🍾

[TrueConfection]

Re: update

If my husband and I ever split up, my plan will be to crew on a sailboat for 6 months to a year.

[SnowedIn]

The crewing sounds heavenly (not the split up 🤣)!

[TrueConfection]

Right!😂

[Nikki1989]

Powerboat

[SnowedIn]

Well said.

[EmmaMary]

Powerboat.

[SnowedIn]

NICE!

[EmmaMary]

@Snowedin

I've replied (late I know) to your latest pm.

[slatyb]

Track car.

[SnowedIn]

Love this! 🤣

[Agape93]

Powerboat

[SnowedIn]

I'm seeing you in a boat with like nine 500hp motors on the back!

[Agape93]

Lol. I have no idea how to drive a boat xD

[SnowedIn]

It is shockingly less intuitive than it sounds.

[Agape93]

That's why I picked it xD want to go ashore? Let me hit the throttle and we will definitely get ashore xD

[SnowedIn]

As I said, I knew you'd have tons of motors on the back!!! lmao

[Agape93]

Lmao

[exitseven]

Powerboat.

[SnowedIn]

Nice!

[BJP21]

Sailboat.

[SnowedIn]

YES!

[Lee1515]

powerboat

[SnowedIn]

Great choice!

[Lee1515]

yeah thank you

[Jedi_Master95]

Power boat 🛥️

[SnowedIn]

Great choice. (and great username).

[Anonymous]

Sail boat.

[SnowedIn]

Simplicity on a certain level, right?

[Opinion Owner]

Exactly.

[Astarlessnightsky]

Sailboat

[Astarlessnightsky]

Its much cooler and i can pretend to be a pirate.

[SnowedIn]

This is such a fantastic answer. I'll loan you my cutlass.

[SnowedIn]

... and, yes, I actually have one.