[PUP] $100 per barrel oil

[Scott E. Bulger]

Oh Lord help me keep my cool...  There is so little in this posting that's
on topic it's hard to comment

Kevin:  "the real cost on cruising under power will be the lost value in
fuelish yachts being operated fuelishly-they were wrong when they were
concieved, often wrong in operation and will be difficult to sell with fuel
costs going where they are bound to go.

[scott]  The market will establish the resale value of the boat based on
supply and demand.  Time for recreation will always be a factor to many who
will choose faster boats so they can extend their cruising area with limited
time.  I doubt many "Passagemakers" will fall into the category of boats
that loose value because the price of fuel goes up.

Kevin:  Relative to boat design most builders know their market (free
market) and buyers given the choice between 50 or 300 Horsepower on a 20 ton
trawler yacht-make the traditional more is better route, the ethic of less
is best, simplify-simplify-is not within most of us.

[scott]  I couldn't disagree with you more.  Few of the people I know are
not aware of the relationship between HP and displacement hull needs.  I
don't see any boats out here with 400hp motors.  If your talking about the
high HP boats like Sea Ray, Meridian or the Italian jobs, I don't think they
fall into the Passagemaker category.
   
Kevin:  These lessons are being ignored in our automobile industry, we could
be making efficient turbocharged/intercooled sub 1000cc 4 passanger cars in
diesel or gas that exceed 50mpg-do 0-60 in sub 10 seconds and have speeds
exceeding 100mph but instead the technology and research is directed towards
the 600HP/200mph feel good car.
   
[scott]  Huh?  That's funny, in Mazatlan and PV I saw a bunch of Ford and
Chevy cars that fit the category of sub compact cars, but by far the ruling
auto is a Nissan.  The same kind you can buy in the states.  Perhaps
relaxing the safety standards and having tort reform would do more to
advance the trend in building small cars in the US?

Kevin:  In 1951 0-60 in a Jag XK120 was 10 seconds--in 1966 VWs were pokey
at 20 seconds, today sub 3 seconds is the standard and anything that takes
more than 8 seconds is "dangerously slow"-That's what we are being marketed
and thats what we buy.

[scott]  Yea but the Jag is a terrible passage maker.  It doesn't have good
sleeping accommodations, doesn't have good range and won't even float, so I
think everyone would agree it's a lousy boat!  :  )
   
Kevin:  So leave a "clean wake", and be moderate in your speeds, do some
reengineering when you repower in terms of HP needed and the costs of
Voyaging Under Power will be modest and your resale will be better.

[scott]  Here I couldn't agree with you more!