It's not my phrase/concept, but 3 days at sea in moderate comfort on a fast
boat, along with 2 days in port at
anchor, tends to trump 5 days at sea in a slightly more comfortable but slower boat.
That, & when harbor hopping up & down coasts, being able to count on covering an extra 20nm while the sun's still up can make a big difference in one's
boating experience & enjoyment. Especially if timing arrivals around the sun's location in the sky with regard to spotting
coral & the like is a factor.
Doing 60-90nm port to port, in one day, vs. turning the trip into an overnighter can make a big difference. As on trips where only 1 or 2 nights are spent at sea, for the most part, few if any of the crew get much quality rest to speak of. Off watch or not.
And yes, in order to count on getting to the next port that's 80nm away while it's still daytime may mean leaving at 0430. But typically once the anchor's up, then most of the crew's back in their bunks for a bit. Getting a few more quality hours of sleep, owing to circadian rythyms. Especially if it's still dark.
It's something worth pondering, the
concept that is. Especially if you'll be doing a lot of coastal cruising. Which actually constitutes the majority of cruising, except for the occassional ocean
passage. Where while miles per day sound impressive, once you're in the routine of being at sea, usually adding a day or two to a
passage is of little consequence. And many find long stretches at sea to be some of the most pleasant saiing there is.
So that other than speed giving you more options for dancing with
weather cells while on passages, it's not always a giant
game changer on longer stints that some might have you believe.