having 12V power or living in the dark ages?... generator or solar?.... refrigerator or Icebox?... A/C or not?.... electronics and how much? engine propulsion or bare-bones traditional sailboat without any unnecessary clutter?......
there have been a countless number of sailors who have came and gone before us that never had to ponder these questions, and got along fine in all parts of the world, in all seasons.
it is true that the more equipment we have on-board, the more maintenance (time and money) is required to maintain the boat in aggregate, and the more we depend on these devices, the more of an issue it is when one piece of the puzzle stops functioning as it should....
in our modern world, even as it has become, it is still not necessary to have
any of these "luxuries" on board and this is proven by the traditionalists and historic boats that continue to sail the world without them.
but, because the luxuries are affordably at our fingertips, almost all of us will have some of them...
some of the comforts we seek are driven by the latitude in which we live, and because of the latitude in which we live, some of us fail to see the need for some of the luxuries chosen by others.... the people above the 45th parallel have as little need for an air conditioner on their boat, as someone below the 35th parallel has need for a heater on theirs.... sometimes it would be nice, but not really necessary... but this is only an opinion from someone who has a seemingly normal range of tolerance for heat and cold... others may not have such a forgiving tolerance
....
and its not only a latitude thing that determines the climate, as there are many variables throughout the world that would change the climate, and in turn, the comfort requirements....
I am one of the strongest advocates for everyone being able to do what ever they want, how ever they want to do it, as long as it does not interfere with someone else or their rights, no matter where they are.... and I will freely give advice on how to best help them along to make it the most enjoyable experience
(based on my own successes and failures), and I would agree that one should outfit themselves properly so that they can be as comfortable as they should be when trying to get some R&R at the boat... a good supply of 12 volt power is only the beginning