"fishing boats in the North Sea or Bering Straits" are a far cry from our cruising boat? But you are correct, I seldom confront them if I don't have to...

Looks like you may be heading west? Through the canal? If so, I would caution you that although it's called "the coconut milk run", it is not as benign as one might infer from that name. And, it can be the longest blue water passage on the planet, 2,700+ miles from Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to Hiva Oa or Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia. And once you have to go beyond the Marquesas it is no milk run.

I also just got another note from Ed.....;

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OK,
Here it is---Since Fiji------cause ya canget here from there!
First you have to eliminate all the multi hulls--the vast majority.
Next you have to eliminate the"Day Sailor/weekends locals that live here.
Next you eliminate the Aus/NZ "vacation boaters" that come here every season and return--because cruising those places is so damn problematic they all come here.

Next you have to eliminate the very large "cruising Boats"--in the above 50 ft range---

What you are left with are the "World Cruising Yachts"- that most sane /normal folk can afford-----all two of us here--and we both have Vane Gears!

Just kidding there.

Back to the Bog Boats----they are "Obscenely" large----they have wheel steering with hydralic (not cable) systems and they ALL have autopilots---expensive ones--that certainly do the job--when they work. They also have very large engines and very large diesel Generators to keep up with the outrageous power needs.

And--they are always getting some sort of repair or other.

They also have outrageously large arches which hold HUNDREDS of lbs of Solar panels --there arches also sport built in Davits for and ultra large RIB inflatables with large engines. Some of these are so large that the skipper climbs into the dinghy while in the davits and lowers the entire rig with him in it----and this is a "get away from it all cruising boat." So---they also have auto pilots---

They also have obscene marina and yard bills--which they of course complain about.

So---the rest are the real people--world cruisers that "continue onward"---boats of around 34 to 40 ft----of these---

most Europeans all have vane gears. (they always sail)
Americans have auto pilots---(they only sail when they have to)
Brits go both ways--

The vane guys keep moving---the auto pilots guys all look for repairs and parts.

I have come to the conclusion that Aussies and Kiwis are very well healed financially---when you consider the sized of these boats and the maintenance cost---and how extremely expensive it is to operate a boat in those countries---these people must be loaded!
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My how the face of cruising has changed! When I first started heading out, no one was on a multhull. Now there are bunches.

Greg