Well, it looks like something around 64-0, in favor of an engine. I'll add one more. I would never have a boat without an engine -- not because you HAVE to have it (Matt Ruthersford just circumnavigated the America's with something around 20 gallons of fuel, and the engine died forever off Brazil), but because the negatives FAR outweigh the positives. For instance:
* Not making a wonderful trip to a party 20 miles away on Saturday because Sunday predicts no wind and you have to work Monday.
* Waking up on Sunday to find the forecast of 10-15 has become 0-1 and you have to work Monday.
* Heading off across the Bay at 1/4 knot, only to find that there is a northbound freighter doing 30 knts and you haven't crossed the channel yet (my father tells of a scary night many years ago on an engineless USNA yawl encountering a tug, with no wind and obviously no electronics like VHF).
* Making it up the creek to my slip. Last year with engine trouble, I beat in 10-15 knots in a channel 100 yards wide -- until the wind died and we paddled the last 1/2 mile -- on a 34' sailboat!
* Not having to use oil navigation lights, being able to use VHF, being able to use my Lectra-San, having fans for the summer heat, etc -- an engine makes electricity as well as propulsion.
* Being able to get into the slip when the "fairway" is a dead beat. Being able to leave the slip too!
* Being able to go to that really nice creek with the 100 foot wide entrance.
None of the above items reflect on seamanship. Joshua Slocum couldn't solve the above items. And I'm not willing to pay that price in the interest of "becoming a better sailor."
Oh, and with regard to slips, in some places (like the Annapolis area), publicly accessible moorings are nearly impossible to find. Some, but very few. The "Nation's Sailing Capital" has almost no publicly accessible waterfront. There are a few marina's that cater to moorings, but very few.
Harry