Cruisers' Psychology

[GordMay]

I don’t know how to put this more delicately, so please accept my apologies for any unintended offense.
Those of us who dwell on personal security and self-defense, and the like, may not be psychologically suited to cruising. It’s hard to be happy, when you’re always concerned about the perceived dangers you face.

I think anyone unfamiliar with, and contemplating the cruising life, might be well advised to read the (2) following texts, which will provide some interesting insights that may help you determine if you are psychologically suited to the “cruising lifestyle”.

Ocean cruising: A study of affirmative deviance
A Doctoral Thesis ~ by Dr. James Macbeth, Phd

Abstract
Modern day ocean voyaging in private sailing vessels dates back to the turn of the century. Despite this, the present thesis is the first academic study of ocean cruising to be completed. Of the thousands of people who make ocean voyages, only a few hundred are committed to the lifestyle of cruising, that is, see cruising as a whole way of life that they will pursue indefinitely. The thesis first presents an ethnography of the lifstyle of cruising with particular attention to
(1) what activities constitute the lifestyle,
(2) why people cruise, and
(3) what values, attitudes, and characteristics attach to the participants.
Second, the thesis relates this ethnography to several theories in socialogy and psychology.

In sociology, subculture and deviance theories are used to place cruising in the context of the wider scholastic study of society. Pearson (1979) and others are drawn upon in placing cruising in the context of subcultures while the work of walter Buckley (1967) is used to modify deviance theory to account for the apparently positive nature of the deviance inherent in the cruising lifestyle.

In psychology, theories of autotelic rewards, enjoyment, and human satisfaction are used to understand the experience of and motivation to cruise. In addition, theories of personal growth developed by Hampden-Turner (1970) and others are applied to cruisers and their way of life.

The thesis concludes that cruisers, as cultural 'heroes', can be seen as affirmative deviants. That is to say, given an humanistic and western individualistic value system their deviance can be seen as contributing to their individual health and growth, and to positive social evolution.

Goto: http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/bro...0050628.120609

Read Dr. Macbeth’s entire (485 page) thesis at:
http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/pub...09/02Whole.pdf

See also:

”The Voyager's Handbook”: The Essential Guide to Blue Water Cruising
by Beth A. Leonard

The first chapter covers the psychology profile of successful voyagers. This section is a must read for couples condsidering a live aboard lifesyle. The remainder of the book covers all the information required to live and travel safely on your sailboat.
"In most cases, the human element determines whether a long-term voyage is a success or a failure..."
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...81437?v=glance
More:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0070...3D#reader-link

Good reading,
Gord May

[NoTies]

Have to add some humour here, very good topic Gord.
I cannot see any reference to whether or not cruising creates deviancy or, as in my case, I am a deviant, therefore I should cruise.

[allan C&C less]

As a follow Canuck and also a C&C experienced sailor let me say this... I agree with you 100%!!!!

I have sailed the Carib and had a couple of close calls...but my flare gun always came thru for me! No need for rifles,guns, cannons, or womd.
I prefer the laid-back lifestyle anyway...eh?

4 more years of the North Shore then I'm headin south again!

Cheers, Allan

Well placed GORD. I could not agree more.
Pwederell, deviant behavior is a desirable character trait amongst the people I call friends. Even a requirement
It is very true that worriers are not ideal cruisers. A recent post describing my wife's first sail is a perfect example. The boat owner was so nervous about everything, that we were all tense and uncomfortable. It takes an ability to take things as they come to be a successful cruiser. Consider how many cruisers have given up on the dream by planning it to death. After years of preparation, and planning, then eliminating all the places that might have bad weather, might be too cold, might be difficult to clear into, might have piracy, there is nothing left worth being a destination.

[CaptainK]

Here Here!!

[Alan Wheeler]

I'll make a reply once I have finished looking up all those big words, in the Dictionary.

Hey Pete, sorry dude, it's the latter.

[CaptainK]

Ya Ya.

Wheels, it's payback for that post on audio equipment I figure I am due about 30 college credits just for reading it

[CaptainK]

I'm at least 60 to 90 credits due. Since I contributed more than once. And read the hell out of the others. Including Wheels' posts?

[NoTies]

What, no sheep jokes?
When Sue & I decided that cruising MIGHT be an option for us, we sat down and picked each other's psyches to pieces to see if we had what it takes. Sue's main reservation was that she MIGHT be fearful in rough conditions. This is the lady who went on a 48 km trip away from base to climb a 1000 metre hill in -40deg weather in the middle of the Antarctic winter. Fearful, yeah right.
My main fear was how long it was going to take to adapt to sailboat tactics as opposed to powerboats. I have yet to find out.
Piracy isn't an issue for me, I've had a couple of brushes with these guys when I was in commercial shipping and they came to nothing by following well thought out mitigation techniques. Incidentally, one of the brushes we had was diverted by the presence of massive military power. We were carrying tanks, armoured personnel carriers, soldiers and white phosphorous back from Bosnia so it would have been a shame not to display them. The ship was fully pirate protected with passive measures so we weren't under much personal threat anyway but it sure was fun showing all that firepower. I would love to have heard the conversation aboard the pirate boat when we opened the stern door and they saw what we had.

[CaptainK]

Here sheep. Here sheep.

Damn it. I wonder where I left those velcro gloves sitting at?

[NoTies]

That's better. I would hate to be a Kiwi married to someone called Naaaaaancy.

[CaptainK]

Ha ha ha !!!!

[S/V Aphrodite]

Isn't the successful cruiser the one who plans to deal with contingencies?

I'm not likely to use my Jordan Series Drogue or lifeboat either, but I'm not crossing the ocean without them.

I'm also planning to carry a good supply of martini olives. Those I'll use!

Cheers,

Carl

[Lodesman]

pwederell once whispered in the wind:
I would love to have heard the conversation aboard the pirate boat when we opened the stern door and they saw what we had.

"Woo hoo! We've hit the mother load. Now we can start that coup!"

Other than the intimidation factor, I doubt all that stuff would provide decent protection. For one thing, tanks aren't very useful at sea - they tend to sink! And I'll bet there wasn't one single soldier with a bullet in their possession.
Methinks my deviance is showing.

Kevin