I can tell you that far more people are cruising today than when I first went offshore (1992). The boat are bigger, flashier, have far more bells and whistles. (What, how can you have a boat without a bow thruster? says the latter day cruiser). And spend far more money on repairs to all that stuff.

I am not immune to the gotta have it mentality either. My boat is complex. with a lot of bells and whistles BUT I installed them and I can fix them or live without them.

BTW: Thanks for the AIS receiver. It does make watches easier now that we are warned of a ship coming our way long before it is over the horizon.

OH, and BTW: it's W o l o s h i n. (Smiley face)