by SusanBailey

Created on: November 21, 2008   Last Updated: December 23, 2008

There is a huge difference between sailing and motor boating and I don't think it can ever be a question of which is better. They are both very different and saying that one is better than the other can only be a matter of opinion.

I plumped for the motorboat side of the discussion because I have experience of motorboats. Sailing boats don't appeal to me personally, but I know how enthusiastic lovers of sailing boats are about their sport and I respect them for that.

I enjoy watching sailing boats and they are lovely subjects for photographs, but for sailing one needs to be fit and energetic and I'm afraid I'm neither. Owners of sailing boats and those of motorboats seem to form two different groups within the boating community. I don't believe this is because of any kind of snobbery in either group, but more that owners tend to talk to other owners who have a boat such as their own.

The kind of motorboat we have, a 30 foot Linssen Dutch Sturdy 320, is built for travelling, not just for a Sunday potter along the river. It is a means of transport and a very enjoyable and comfortable means of transport. It has been our home for six months of the year for the past few years. It has a galley with cooker, oven and full size fridge. A circular dining area in the bow which converts to a double bed. A separate cabin with a double and single bed and of course a toilet and shower room. It is truly a home from home and a boat on which we could live full time quite happily. When on board we both take our computers with us so I am still able to write. The circlular dining area is my 'office' and my husband's 'office' is in the main living area.

Sitting out on deck with my sun cream and a cup of coffee, as my husband steers us along the beautiful rivers and canals of The Netherlands, is a very relaxing way of travelling. My husband and I take turns at the helm. It may not be the fastest way of seeing a country but it is the prettiest.

People who enjoy sailing boats love to be out in windy weather and don't worry about rain, they are hardy people who like a challenge. Although I don't mind rain and have often been drenched by heavy rain when tied up in a lock, I do like my comforts. Our boat has two helms; one inside and one up on deck, so we have a choice and if the weather gets too bad we can go in and steer from the warmth of the cabin and make a cup of tea.

Those who enjoy sailing boats do it because they enjoy the sport of handling the boat. That is their challenge and I'm sure that silently gliding through the water with only the power of the wind, must be an exhilarating experience. Perhaps, if I had begun boating at a younger age, I might have enjoyed sailing also, but for me now, motor boating is the most enjoyable.

We spend about six months a year on our motorboat, travelling around The Netherlands, Belgium and France and during that time our boat is our second home. We have a boat because we enjoy the peace and quiet of the rivers and canals and because we can see new places; towns are always much prettier from the river. It would have been impossible to do all we have done in a sailing boat.

There is nothing like sitting out on deck at the end of a day of travelling with dinner and a bottle of wine. We always feel that we have worked hard and deserve a glass of wine, but I think, perhaps, those who enjoy sailing work much harder for their glass of wine. I admire them, but I love my motorboat.

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