This past weekend I had the opportunity (in between rain showers) to talk with two couples at the club who just returned from a 3 week cruise around Lake Erie. They logged just about 400 miles and said about 90% was either motoring or motor sailing for the sake of getting to their destinations. As they explained, the purpose of the trip was to travel to different places around the lake, not just to go out and sail around. A combination of wind shifts, storm fronts and desire to just get to places meant using the sailboats as pretty much trawlers. No complaints, just stating the facts. One of the couples is talking about getting out of sailing all together, going with a trawler. They are even talking about pulling the mast, leaving it at the club and traveling through the Erie Canal.

There are times and then there are times.