[Faster]

We sail the Windwards and Leewards in the Caribbean every couple of years with friends on their Farr-designed First 36.7. These are very hardy people who are able to live very simply, without all the bells and whistles that are typically seen on the cruising boats in that area.

We get EXHILARATING sailing in the dashes between islands... we have on a couple of occasions pulled this off with 6 people on board (all of whom were accustomed to boating and living in close quarters) but we're doing so with no refrig, no A/C, no wind or solar generators.. obviously not the plan for everyone when you look around you in any of the marinas down there.

Storage is minimal, no doubt, but for this type of sailing shopping each day is easily done, produce is fresh daily, an occasional caught fish enhances the daily menus.

There has been talk on board by the owners speculating about dashing across to the Med for a season or two over there. These experienced sailors do not view their own boat as one they really want to do that trip on.

A faster sailing boat does have rewards and advantages - for the right type of service. In the various caribbean anchorages you see a lot of awfully marginal looking boats in various states of care.. some of them do move from island to island (I reckon with a wary eye on the weather windows) but the ones that have clearly come a long way to get there are either more of the type in Cam's and Ilenart's list or, if of the racier set, generally larger than 40 feet.