isn't sftp just ftp after establishing an ssh tunnel?..in which case you should be able to do likewise. i think the sftp modules just provide a bit of convenience.
the hardest line to type correctly is: stty erase ^H
No, it's not. SFTP is a different protocol as is FTPS. FTP over SSH is normally called Secure FTP but there are a ton of products with similar names so the waters are really muddy. I have to explain these differences on a monthly basis to new customers (we support SFTP only). They normally complain bitterly *after* they've set up FTPS or Secure FTP. I guess it's an example of the second toughest problem in software development - naming things.