I see that most posts made are that the wind dictates your travels. From our experience it's not just wind and plans but also the 'weather window'. For instance,, a passage from Bocas Del Toro Panama to Providencia Colombia is a little over 300 miles to the 'North Northeast'. You can sit and wait for a wind direction and speed that works but the reality is that it might not come this month. Instead, the report is for settled weather with variable winds starting 4 days from today lasting perhaps a week. What do you do, wait for wind direction and something more than 8 knots or just motorsail during the variable weather window with winds on the nose? Most people cruising we've met cruising will opt to motorsail the distance sailing whenever they can.

Take a different direction to Providencia. You want to make a passage from the Bay Islands of Honduras (Roatan) to Providencia (about the same distance except due east) The wind comes from the East and that's the direction you're traveling not to mention you have a 1 knot current against you the entire way. Do you wait for favorable wind that will never come or just motor to weather? Chances are that you will motorsail with a good settled weather window.

From the posts so far no one has addressed that issue. It has nothing to do with plans or time. Sailing the protected or even unprotected areas not far from home is a different animal then trying to get somewhere even if you have months to do it.

It's easier crossing oceans than trying to go against the current and a wind that isn't going to be favorable in the forceable future. It makes no sense and isn't prudent to have a rhumb line of 300 miles but choose to go 600 over the bottom just to sail. I love the magic when it work but you can't count on it.