So in the real world Tacking is often done (in larger boats) where you can go miles in each tack.

In this game most of the time the tacking needs to be done in fairly narrow channels all things considered... or force you into ocean biome where you can get a sea serpent attack before you may want one... which of course is going to slow you down anyway.

Also I have spent hours sailing and it is remarkable how often the wind is a head wind... I mean literally the other day I sailed up found a new swamp... realized I forgot some of the mats for a portal so I turned around an headed home.

I had a good wind for the first 1/4 of the trip and then a head win the whole way to finding the swamp.
I turned around wind should be at my back... nope I didn't even make it 1/4 of the way and there is that head wind again... Real wind doesn't change direction like that.

So since my options are...tack and crash into rock, or get attack by sea serpents or paddle and actually get where I'm going without a loss of ammo and wasting time... I usually choose paddling.

If I'm sailing in blue water anyway I will tack as it is always faster.