> There are lots of arguments about this. The 45' will have everything scaled up, so sail handling is more difficult. Assistive devices, like roller furling, wh

> There are lots of arguments about this. The 45' will have everything scaled up, so sail handling is more difficult. Assistive devices, like roller furling, while a lot better than they used to be are still finicky. Ground tackle, especially, is so much larger and heavier that without mechanized assistance, you'd better be in really great shape. Finicky? I wouldn't say so, maybe in the past, but they've had a lot of time to improve now. Sure, they're more likely to break or foul than a system that simply isn't there, but they are also considered by some, as with a number of other modern sailing aids, to be pretty significant safety enhancements. Things that mean you don't have to go on deck in a heavy sea, things that save energy. It's a lot harder to get washed overboard when rolling in a headsail from the cockpit, and you're going to save a lot of energy over spending time getting up to the bow and working there. Plus, I'd say the chance of getting whipped in the face by a stray block on a line is less in the cockpit too, and less dangerous if it happens. John Kretchmer (https://johnkretschmersailing.com/ https://johnkretschmersailing.com/) in one of his books said (to paraphrase, I forget his words exactly) that he thinks a working autopilot is the biggest safety enhancement you can make to your boat. It lets you save energy. Go down below, make some food or a cup of tea, keep warm. It allows you to save energy and make better decisions. > Ground tackle, especially, is so much larger and heavier that without mechanized assistance, you'd better be in really great shape. So… get a windlass!