We Switched From Sail to Power. Here’s Why
Sailing represents the romantic side of life on the water. No noise, no gas, no fumes. Just the sound of water lapping on the hull as it slices through the sea. If sailing as a whole is like a beautiful poem, then each journey is just one more captivating stanza. Powerboating, on the other hand, leaves little to the imagination. Turn the key in your boat and go. As long as there is fuel in the tank—and a gas pump or fuel dock within reach—then the journey need not end. Despite the romanticism of the sailing life, at some point, many experienced sailors make the switch from sail to power. They trade their sails for engines.
Their decision rarely comes from losing their love of sailing. Instead, it reflects changing lifestyles, aging crews, expanding cruising ambitions, and a desire to spend more time enjoying destinations rather than waiting for favorable winds.
Powerboating Less Demanding for Maryland Couple
“Our last sailboat was the one that we were going to sail the world in,” said Peter Bisio, who lives near the Chesapeake Bay and sailed on a 44-foot, 6-inch Hallberg-Rassy 43 with his wife. “But in 2024, as we were starting to seriously plan some long-distance journeys, we started to find sailing to be far more strenuous than it had been in the past. [It was] the result of some health issues and being on the wrong side of 60—we both turned 61 in 2024.”
As 2024 went on, the Bisios found they were getting increasingly tired after even one- or two-day sails on Chesapeake Bay. That made them question whether their plans of sailing to the Bahamas and beyond were realistic. The move from sail to power took root.
“This led to a discussion about whether we should consider switching from a sailboat to a powerboat, which we assumed would be less physically taxing,” Bisio said. “After thinking about it a lot and visiting some boat shows, we decided to make the switch and started looking for a powerboat in late 2024.”
In early 2025, the Bisios purchased a 2010 Nordhavn 52, with an LOA of 54 feet, 4 inches. They named her Rose Marie (formerly Dirona). The vessel features two cabins, a 266 hp John Deere primary engine, and a get-home wing engine on an independent shaft-drive system.
“The boat carries 1,745 gallons of diesel and was built to cross oceans,” Bisio said. “The first owners sailed her all over the world. Rose Marie has solid, waist-high bulwarks and a Portuguese bridge that make it very safe to go outside and move about the boat while underway, unlike a typical sailboat, which only has lifelines.”
In December 2025 the couple took Rose Marie down to Florida on their own, then on to the Bahamas in February 2026.
“We came back to Maryland in May and plan to head south again this fall. While switching from sail to motor was a difficult decision, it definitely was the right one for us.”
Fishing Became More of a Priority Than Sailing
Michael Torres learned to sail in college and spent nearly two decades cruising aboard various sailboats, including his last sailboat, a 2004 Catalina 30.
“But five years ago, I got into offshore fishing and diving,” said Torres, based in Dania Beach, Florida. “I bought a 32-foot Contender with twin outboard engines. I realized I wasn’t sailing nearly as much as I was towing fishing gear, dive equipment, and coolers.”
The Contender’s deep-V hull allows Torres to get to the gulf stream fishing grounds quickly and comfortably. In addition, the boat is a stable fishing platform with lots of rod storage, fish boxes, and livewells. For diving and snorkeling, the boat’s open layout makes reboarding easy. His move from sail to power had less to do with extended cruising with less effort and more to do with new hobbies.
“It’s right for me because with a lot of comfortable seating it’s good for Intracoastal evening cruises where I live,” Torres said. “It’s big enough to run down to the Florida Keys. And then you can island hop, enjoy the waterfront establishments, and beach it at popular sandbars.”
More Time Cruising, Less Time Waiting for the Wind
For some boaters, waiting on the wind becomes too much of a burden. That’s what happened to Seattle’s David Miller, who found himself waiting for favorable weather too often.
“I still love sailing,” said Miller, who had a Beneteau Oceanis 38.1, with an LOA of 35 feet, 5 inches. “But I was organizing every vacation around the wind instead of around where I wanted to go.”
Miller bought a 34-foot Mainship 34, a semi-displacement trawler that can run at displacement speeds. At that slower speed, it offers the fuel economy and range he wants.
“A powerboat lets me leave and arrive according to a schedule rather than waiting for the wind,” Miller said. “Friends who were uncomfortable with heeling under sail now like coming out on the powerboat.”
Moving from sail to power is rarely an easy decision for boat owners, especially those who still love sailing. Sometimes, life circumstances make the decision for them. Staying connected to the water is really what it is all about, and powerboats make that possible, too.
Doug Thompson
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