The Interview With A Cruiser Project

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Well yes I agree but it has very little to do with opinions on political party's one way or another. That in it's self is a perception.

I disagree that its just perception, some political parties definitely campaign with a us and them agenda and this definitely effects the status quo, haves and have nots! Our financial system has all so lend it self to creating large inbalances that also change how governments and locals in places we cruise interact with us. Its all connected, has to be.

Sent from my vivo Y35 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Sandero]

A survey of cruisers out there "full time" would probably yield different "results" / profiles today than it would 15, 20 or 25 years ago. The actual dates of the survey in time may not be critical... but clearly things for cruisers are changing.

Perhaps the survey should also identify those who have been out there cruising full time for decades rather than a few years. There may be very few in this category, but they would / could have the perspective of time.

Decades ago... paradise was probably rather much more underdeveloped than what we find today. Now we expect communications., wifi, all manner of yacht related services... maybe not in every harbor.... but somehow available within a few days sail perhaps.

I think... a guess... we are seeing people with perhaps more cash and a dream going cruising... or even a bunch with a big dream and less cash, more balls and more tech giving it a go... and blogging their adventures!

Does this matter? Probably not. Conditions have changed and so the genre of cruising would evolve as well into something different.

I am reminded of change when I see some of the new sailing machines with foils which go at 30 knots or whatever...barely touching the sea can called sailboats... which technically they are.... but are very very very different than the sailboats that raced 25 years ago. No? I marvel at them... but can't "relate" to them very well.

The world has changed.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

Well yes I agree but it has very little to do with opinions on political party's one way or another. That in it's self is a perception.

No argument there...Interviews are by definition "perceptions"
[emoji106]
Whether interviews support the premises that there has been a significant increase in fees and regulations dealing with cruisers stands alone in the findings.

My theory as to what became a catalyst in the US is only a personal opinion

[Livia]

I think I can sum up the suggestions so far as (mostly): How have things changed, from people who have been out there long enough to say how things have changed? And why do they think things have changed?

Any other topics/formats/suggestions?

(For those not familiar with the project, the types of questions I had already been asking people can be found in the original question bank)

PS - If anyone wants to continue the political discussion, would you mind starting a new thread? Thanks!

[Celestialsailor]

I guess another way of looking at cruising "then and now" is we may be seeing a saturation point with too many yachts, too little undiscovered areas, too costly and disenchanted participants.
It has also been said many times that technology has changed everything. Mostly the advent of GPS. In the 70's most people would be too weenie to attempt cruising. Now, not only can they navigate at a push of a button, they can have their vessel serviced by locals while they update their facebook page.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I thought political opinions were Taboo on this forum.

They are.
I'd suggest in the future not using any names or names of political parties.
Wasn't the point to say that now it seems that being a Yacht owner, you have been demonized and are a source of income or whatever was meant.
Adding a name and or a political party actually detracts from the point that was trying to be made.

My personal belief is calling yourself a Yacht owner is somewhat alienating to the average person. Its why when asked I tell people we have a boat, and we are going to retire on the boat and travel.
Not cruise on our Yacht. We may be bringing some of this, if it exists on ourselves?

[Livia]

I am going to ask a bunch of experienced cruisers some questions.

What do you want to hear them talk about? How did you like the old format?

Here is an example of one of the original interviews.

[a64pilot]

I had never seen your question before myself.
I think they are excellent, all I would add maybe is a portion about, if you had the chance to go back in time and talk to yourself before you left, what would you tell yourself?

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by Livia

I am going to ask a bunch of experienced cruisers some questions.

What do you want to hear them talk about? How did you like the old format?

Here is an example of one of the original interviews.

To be honest Livia, I cannot think of a better more friendly format or questions asked (especially the last one). Excellent!

Perhaps to add to the 'then and now' concept would be:

"What do you feel are the most significant changes, cruisers will face in the future ?"

[JPA Cate]

Good morning, Livia, et al,

I just read the Totem interview. Good questions, brilliant answers, imo. I'm not going to help you decide about adding Pelagic's question, though, because to me, part of the answer involves political changes world wide, and we cannot write about that, here.

I will take a stab at the other part of it, though, and I would expect the availability of more and fancier technology changing it. The thought of drones whizzing around overhead in the quiet anchorages of yore, chills me, for instance. But I imagine underwater robots will show people the bottoms they're anchoring in and how the anchor's set.

If people become more paranoid, I suspect the socialization will change. There's also the growth of the Internet. People who used to happily live in subsistence farming economies, without much formal superstructure, see all the goodies the yachties have, and that the parent cultures have, and start wanting more and more material goods, causing a shift towards a cash economy from the subsistence farming. [If you have an outside kneeling hearth for doing your cooking, having a gas cooker may be attractive--and all us yachties have one.]

A change: the large number of people 60 or older who are suddenly having the dream to cruise, and the funds to actualize it, but not having the experience base that years of sailing gives, which I would expect to yield poorer seamanship and less self reliance. They will also buy into the opposite of Totem: they will want every bell & whistle known to man, and they will spend more time in marinas waiting for *stuff* to be fixed. The whole fleet is older, and ideological conservatism will not be balanced as much as when there were more young families cruising. The islanders' experience of us will change, and so will they. There will be more yacht oriented services, the the remote places become ever less remote.

Ann

[Sea Dreaming]

Ann,

Your comments make me sad. One of the reasons I want to cruise is to "change me". I mean, I was / am looking forward to having experiences that make me question myself. The world you describe sounds like Disney Land. Your description sounds like future (present?) cruisers are insular and want their delusions preserved.

To Livia - I apologize for the thread drift. I'll take myself off the thread.

[weavis]



Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Ann,

Your comments make me sad. One of the reasons I want to cruise is to "change me". I mean, I was / am looking forward to having experiences that make me question myself. The world you describe sounds like Disney Land. Your description sounds like future (present?) cruisers are insular and want their delusions preserved.

To Livia - I apologize for the thread drift. I'll take myself off the thread.

It is people like you and your expeience/attitudes that give a balance to other peoples experience and attitude. Your hopes for the future show the spirit of sailing for expanding horizons is alive and well.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Sea Dreaming

Ann,

Your comments make me sad. One of the reasons I want to cruise is to "change me". I mean, I was / am looking forward to having experiences that make me question myself. The world you describe sounds like Disney Land. Your description sounds like future (present?) cruisers are insular and want their delusions preserved.

To Livia - I apologize for the thread drift. I'll take myself off the thread.

Don't apologize and don't leave!

In my experience it is incredibly simple to avoid insularity and insular people while cruising. Don't worry about it. For example, find out where the rallies will stop (or if no official rally, listen to the SSB nets and find out where people are going that year en masse), and then don't stop there. Easy peasy.

[Capt Phil]

Thanks for posting again, Livia... the first time I read about your survey was in Mazatlan in Mexico. I didn't reply and kept cruising with the occasional trip back to the US to put a couple of $ back in the cruising kitty. All told, we cruised from San Diego to the PNW back to Mexico then back to San Diego... not much over a period of 12-15 years but enough for us. We spent almost a year in British Columbia and a couple of years in Mexico.
While we were out there, I noticed the same change in fellow cruisers as Ann Cate mentioned. As time went by, the level of self absorption increased significantly, the knowledge of seamanship seemed to decrease exponentially and the desire to step outside ones 'comfort zone' also diminished. A lot had to do with the focus on the bells and whistles new cruisers had aboard in communication gear and navigation assists, I believe. I think learning how to operate the stuff as well as maintain it took a lot of time away from personal interaction with natives and other cruisers. The early am nets seemed filled more and more with questions concerning gear and how to successfully troubleshoot it.
We retired from cruising about 10 years ago and don't miss it at all. We do miss the old days where we had a mugup every evening with whoever was in the anchorage. Still maintain contact with many of the friends we made although quite a number are now only a memory. Phil

[JPA Cate]

Sea Dreaming,

Please do not leave the thread.

I say what I think I see will happen, and mostly no one believes it, anyway. Sorry to have made you feel badly.

But that pessimistic future is something you can help make not happen, by continuing to be open and genuine. You can get out there and row or motor slowly in an anchorage and make friends, encourage friendly gatherings.

The advice above about finding your own anchorages and also avoiding huge mobs is right on. Cornell's rallye usually only stop at one destination per area, and I believe they miss the Tuamotus entirely. You can go to the less frequently visited atolls, and have experiences that will make you look both in and out, as it happens.

Pick your own time to leave Mexico for French Polynesia, do not go on a rallye. The experience for you and your partner will be relationship enhancing if you do it on your own. Celebrate your crossing of the equator, and give Neptune/Poseidon a libation. Make your entry at Atuona--woohoo! first French Polynesian anchorage!--and in a few days, beat back to Fatu Hiva. This can be a once in a lifetime experience that many will envy you, not that you care about that, but once you leave Nuku Hiva, it's a long way back, dead upwind, or all the way around, unless you return from the South Pacific. [Fwiw, we left Mexico in April one time, and in March, the next.]

Don't miss the church at Tahuata. Be prepared for sandflies. And for making friends with brown people who speak French.

Ann