Thanks Eric, for saying what I was thinking, but just didn't have the
time to prepare a thoughtful post myself.

As a relatvely active 15m competitor for over 20 years and now an
owner of a self-launcher fo the last 2 years, I agree with most of
what Eric and Dave Nadler have said so far.

In the last 2 years, I have discovered that the motor has given me the
abilty to push the envelope of my weekend flying. I have also learned
that when I'm pushing the limits of a day while trying to not use the
engine it is more difficult than in an unpowered sailplane. I have to
stop soaring several minutes sooner than I would if not planning to
make an engine start. I can't dump my ballast (engine), so have to
make that low save while flying at a much higher wing loading than I
would if I'd removed the engine for the contest.

In my many years of soaring, I've watched other pilots of
non-motorized sailplanes head off over unlandable terrain, while I
deviated or worked that weak thernal for a few hundred more feet, or
landed. It's been done without a motor, and it's just as dangerous,
if not more so with a motor.

In most contests, all IGC logs are available for review. Stupid
decision while down low in any type of sailplane can now be replayed
and analyzed. Until we find several cases of unsafe flying that can't
be defended by the pilot, why not just give it a rest?

As for the motor allowing me to get home every day and be rested, a
good crew whith a motorhome will also provide that. Should we force
all retrieves to be by car to prevent this advantage some of us may
have?

Tom Serkowski
ASH-26E