What does "ICW on the NC coast" mean?

Maybe that was because all the Brommis were stored out of sight under deck due to their small footprint whereas the Dahons, due to their clumsy nature, had to be stored on deck? Honestly: If you are talking about the US Brompton's presence has not been very strong until recently. Which might explain why you haven't seen a lot but does not say a thing about how good they are suited for sailing. I am not a sailor myself but a lot of my friends are and if I hear one thing from them it is that storage space is an issue on a sailing boat. And a lot of them look for a folder to take with them on trips. And that's where the Brompton's footprint shines. In other aspects any bike will do: The typical sailer won't cover a lot of miles on his bike, he does not use the subway or commute, he does not ride in the rain, etc. etc.. And as sailing is not a very cheap thing to do the higher price of the Brompton often is not too relevant for sailors. However: Obviously you can use a lot of other bikes as well as long as your boat offers the necessary space to store them.