is always the issue with cruisers. How to do it! Should I load up my boat with wind generators and solar panels and AC generators or should I just use the engine? I think it comes down to how much time one spends at anchor. If you're cruising and spending all year at anchor except once in a while when you end up in a marina for a wash down or something then it's more likely that your boat looks like, well, a cruising boat with all that "stuff" sticking out all over the place. If you're spending most of the time at the marina and just the summer cruise or two a year then using the engine is more likely cost effective and certainly less congested. Simple is good but sometimes it just gets away from you. I like simple but "Brendon" is not a simple boat anymore. It is, however, a very comfortable boat.