"Old Guys Rule!"

[TaoJones]

From today's 'Lectonic Latitude, comes word of an event scheduled for tomorrow evening (April 16, 2009) at the Oakland Yacht Club to honor the inimitable John Guzzwell. Anyone close to the Bay Area should try to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.

From the piece:

"Not that we have anything against youth, but we're strong believers that old salts with boatloads of knowledge and experience should be revered. That's why we've organized a special event for tomorrow (April 16) at the Oakland YC honoring legendary solo circumnavigator John Guzzwell. It was 50 years ago that John completed his singlehanded lap around the planet aboard the 20'6" Trekka . . ."

For the rest of the story, go to:

Latitude 38 - The West's Premier Sailing & Marine Magazine

Scroll down to the piece headlined "Old Guys Rule!" (Gotta love that headline.)

TaoJones

[Soft Air]

Thanks Tao, very interesting

[MarkJ]

"Revered"????????????

Give it a break! You old buggers ought to meekly go to pasture... hopefully far from the coast as possible.

Who needs to dredge up your knowledge of splicing and main braces?

Over 60 and you're past your use by date, ready for recycling, and only good to hobble into some bar and sit and dribble the world away. And don't make it some sailors snug harbour - I can't listen to the tall stories of "When I kilt me a pirate" or "Back in the big bust of '09... or was it '08?"

And computer forums? Don't be silly. But you can play Wii computer bowls at the nursing home. Maybe one of us young bucks will write a sailing program, featuring an old tea clipper, so you can while away the hours.....


Mark

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

<snip> You old buggers ought to meekly go to pasture... hopefully far from the coast as possible.<snip>

Heh. This from a man who'll soon be crossing the half-century mark. In fact, MJ, I think you should then have to call yourself "Half-Century Mark!"

Sad, but true - you're closer to the end than the beginning. And though your child-bride will make you feel ever-so-young now, when now becomes then . . . ever-so-old. Still, enjoy it as long as you can, my friend.

All the best,

TaoJones

[Christian Van H]

Child Bride? I thought that was his kid! Do they still have arranged marriages there?

[Tropic Cat]

Nah, It's his wife. Rumor has it that she came from that last ship he pirated.

[Tempest245]

TOO Funny!!....

[MarkJ]

Is she younger than me? Stuff it, she can climb the mast!

[DeepFrz]

What was the Bob Hope line. Something about trying to push a car up a hill with a rope??

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

Is she younger than me? Stuff it, she can climb the mast!

Hmmmmmm . . . somehow, this creates a mental image for me that is . . . disturbing. I find myself thinking of Nelson Rockefeller, dying in the saddle (so to speak.)

TaoJones

[Sandero]

I'm out to pasture... send me the Clipper Ship game please.

[Joli]

[svHyLyte]

The half century mark is naught but a speed bump. Not long ago I finally got sick of listening to the braggadocio from the "children" in our club and in the course of a subsequent race sailed a complete circle around our taunting young (40'ish) competitor and his "hot" racing yacht, not once but twice in the course of a 30 miles contest, and then passed the finish a good five minutes before he arrived on the scene. Of course, the combined age on our yacht with a crew of three was 208 years or we might have been a few minutes earlier.

FWIW...

s/v HyLyte

Our Monday morning sailing squadron is know as the "Geritolers", aka "OFSC" ("Old Farts Sailing Club!")

[Christian Van H]

Originally Posted by TaoJones

Hmmmmmm . . . somehow, this creates a mental image for me that is . . . disturbing. I find myself thinking of Nelson Rockefeller, dying in the saddle (so to speak.)

TaoJones

Is there a better way to go? ( for the husband, I mean...)

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

sailed a complete circle around our taunting young (40'ish) competitor and his "hot" racing yacht, not once but twice in the course

Did you old blokes forget to stop at the finish line? Why did you go around twice? My mum forgets things too....
They prolly sent the rescue boat out to tell you to pull down the sails and go to the bar.

Here's another old coote that ought to follow you lot out to the mountains (he was one of my sailing mentors from, well, ages ago):
Sail World - Powerboat-world: Sail and sailing, cruising, boating news

Gordon Ingate, nearing 82 years of age, today became the oldest skipper ever to become an Australian yachting champion when he was declared winner of the 2008 Prince Philip Cup for the International Dragon one-design class.