Bumfuzzles give up on sailing, at least for now

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by SailBender

I haven't read very much, mostly because they seem to be very the grass-is-always-greenfuzzler type people and whatever they are doing is the best and everything else is crap.

I can see liking other parts of the world more than others, but their last post painting the Caribbean and S. Pacific as terrible destinations is pretty ignorant.

Looking at the South Pacific just as a destination is one thing. Looking at the 3-4 weeks of underway time to get there, speed at which you need to move through it, condition of the vessel to handle the whole thing safely, money you need to have before you go, and limited options once you get past it, is a whole different bag of potatoes.

We're leaving for the South Pacific in a few months and on the one hand it will obviously be terrific, but there are some no-kidding realities that need to be contended with.

And to me that's the crux of the issue: who wouldn't want to go sailing through tropical destinations forever? But there's a heavy physical and financial price to pull that off.

And let's not forget they are circumnavigators. They've gone farther and done more than 98% of the people who criticize them.

[jeepbluetj]

Hey - it's a change, good for them. I followed the blog religiously during the RTW, less in mexico as it became more of what the kids are doing today type of deal.

I see the allure - a boat gets old after awhile. A motorhome can go inland easier.

Good luck to them.

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

SNIP

And to be honest for "non-sailors" they did circumnavigate. I'd have that guy on a boat with me going anywhere.

This is not the first time I have seen a poster call some one a "non-sailor" or similar, or the first time it has bothered me.

There are lots of posts along the lines of sailing is the easy part of cruising, something I agree with. So just what makes someone a sailor. Pat and Ali did circumnavigate and from what I know almost all of it was sailing. They were able to avoid any real disaster.

Not the first time many of us have seen this but here are the five important rules of cruising, looks like Pat and Ali did them all:

• Keep the water out
• Keep the crew on the boat
• Keep the keel side down
• Keep the mast up
• Keep the rudder on

The rest is small stuff.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by Mr. Expert Says

They took unnecessary risks.

Frightening....
Dangerous.....
Someone Call the Government fast to protect them from themselves....


See what the Bums showed the sailing/cruising/snob world is that you didn't need ASA this, Certification that, or years of experience to sail around the world. They blew up the "it takes a special person" club and that pisses people off who want to think it's "special" to go cruising or sail around the world. Personaly I love it, because Cruising is so much easier than the seminars and experts want everyone to think. If a Bozo like me could put on 11,000nm in our 4 yr cruise....heck anyone can do it and that threatens some people and takes away a bit of their 'I'm special" image. But then again, I'm just a self confessed Bozo who only cruised Mexico...what do I know...forget it, you are special.

[SailBender]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

The Defintion of Ignorant:
lacking knowledge or awareness in general; uneducated or unsophisticated.

You may not agree with their opinon, but you really can't call their comments "ignorant" since they have been there after all.

The more I travel and the more places I visit, the more I realize how ignorant a person has to be to use a blanket statement that a certain place or country is less worth than another. Using a blanket statement about these two places that would take a hell of a lot longer to explore than even a couple of years seems really silly.

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I think instead of saying "I haven't read much", perhaps, not read enough. They are generally positive with a can do attitude. I would like to know where the term "terrible" came from their blog.

You can't be serious. They said they would rather have their teeth pulled than sail to the Caribbean. This is the kind of stuff that makes me wonder why their blog is so popular, but then again I think that this is EXACTLY what kind of stuff makes their blog so popular. They say a lot of controversial things and that gets visits and people talking about them. It just didn't take me more than about 15 blog posts to see a pattern of this, sorry, it just isn't an attitude I like when reading blogs.

[Jim Cate]

Some of the above comments dissing the South Pacific as humdrum or worse are in stark contrast to our experience. We have liked it so much in this area that we, well, just stayed here instead of pressing onward westward.

Part of the reason for this was the opinions of many of our long term cruising friends, folks with one or more circumnavigations behind them: many of them said that the SP was far and away the most enjoyable part of their voyaging. Now obviously this depends on one's specific areas of interest and enjoyment, and for some the lure of Turkish history, French wines or Scandinavian fjords outweighs tropical venues... not so for us!

FWIW, we met Pat and Ali in the Whitsundays some years ago, not knowing them from a bar of soap or understanding their history of pot-stirring. We found them to be a pleasant younger couple with an unusual sailing history... just some more interesting cruisers met in passing. Later, when we began spending time here on CF we were astounded to find how much controversy surrounded their voyages. Weird!

And now they have tacked, changing their course. So what? They owe no one an explanation for their actions, and I for one wish them joy of their new endeavours.

Cheers,

Jim

[wincrasher]

I find their blogs a very entertaining and inspirational read. I appreciate their stating their views without trying to white-wash it for public consumption or offending the sensibility of forum posters. So what if they didn't just love every destination? Or love some enough to go thru all the work and effort to re-visit them.

They certainly are encouraging to people sitting on the couch thinking how they can't afford to go cruising or are afraid the worst will happen. They've proved you don't have to be an absolute expert or spend $1 million on equipment to make it happen.

I wish them well on their next adventure!

[Blc7]

My wife and I have been avid readers of the Bumfuzzles for the past year or so, since we began contemplating buying a boat and cruising. We have now been living aboard for a year and plan to circumnavigate in one more year. I am thankful to Pat and Ali for their inspiration for us to do this. My wife, especially, may not have agreed to make this drastic change in our lives if not for their story.

We'll continue to follow their RV adventures, because we've enjoyed their story thus far and appreciate Pat's sarcastic (at times) writing style. They truly are adventurers at heart, and have been doing little adventuring aboard Bumfuzzle for the past few years. They were stuck living in a small area of the world aboard a boat that needed lots of attention. If they were not going to cruise, they are doing the right thing by RV'ing.

God speed to the four of them!

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

They took unnecessary risks.

I guess people say the same about me. I always meet people who are amazed that I am cruising without a watermaker, chart plotter and the list goes on. Of course most of them are on the "2,3,5,7 year plan". When I have enough money, when I can afford a 45'+ bar of soap in the water, when I have enough safety gear, after I complete sailing 101,201,301 and have an advance ticket in "know it all". I'm watching people out here with 30' wooden boats built in the 50s with barely a pot to piss in or a port to throw it out of. No radar. Some with no lifelines! Oh no! You just go when you're comfortable. Each person has to find that for themselves.

Originally Posted by tomfl

This is not the first time I have seen a poster call some one a "non-sailor" or similar, or the first time it has bothered me.

There are lots of posts along the lines of sailing is the easy part of cruising, something I agree with. So just what makes someone a sailor. Pat and Ali did circumnavigate and from what I know almost all of it was sailing. They were able to avoid any real disaster.

Not the first time many of us have seen this but here are the five important rules of cruising, looks like Pat and Ali did them all:

• Keep the water out
• Keep the crew on the boat
• Keep the keel side down
• Keep the mast up
• Keep the rudder on

The rest is small stuff.

I use to tell my crew when departing..."Today, we want to bring everyone and everything back that we want to".

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Frightening....
Dangerous.....
Someone Call the Government fast to protect them from themselves....


See what the Bums showed the sailing/cruising/snob world is that you didn't need ASA this, Certification that, or years of experience to sail around the world. They blew up the "it takes a special person" club and that pisses people off who want to think it's "special" to go cruising or sail around the world. Personaly I love it, because Cruising is so much easier than the seminars and experts want everyone to think. If a Bozo like me could put on 11,000nm in our 4 yr cruise....heck anyone can do it and that threatens some people and takes away a bit of their 'I'm special" image. But then again, I'm just a self confessed Bozo who only cruised Mexico...what do I know...forget it, you are special.

You had to go tell everyone that! Now the secret is out.

[Boatguy30]

Been there, if you want to really voyage with young kids; it's super hard.

Especially if you have done it as a couple before. Not sure I would do the RV thing, but whatever I guess!

[ausaviator]

You never know, they might get a yacht again one day..... I reckon it will be a Catamaran though, because Catamarans are better (the Bumfuzzle's have said it them selves)... who am I to argue with them? they have been around the world and I haven't.

[estarzinger]

Got to say I completely sympathize with them. After a while, continually fixing the boat sucks. And after a while you seen and done what you intended. Beth and I certaintly felt a bit that way after our first RTW. After thinking about it a bit, our solution was (a) to build a boat that would break way less often and sail better, and (b) to head out of the tropics. That worked well for us for another 15years. We are now working our way thru another decision point, as we have seen most of the high latitudes a couple times and we are now old enough to worry about health care. Not sure where we will go . . . .

But this was not about us . . . my point was I sympathize and empathise with the struggle thru life decision points. We all have them . . . Times to rethink what we are doing.

But a very old RV . . . If he was complaining about engine repairs!?

[deckofficer]

Just a sign of the times. Last time I was cruising was pre-GPS, and cruisers prepared for going out of Loran C range by learning celestial navigation or for coastal cruising, DR. Those needed talents were a roadblock for potential cruisers and 'Fuzzles. As to them going the motorhome route, makes sense for them. A very knowledgeable cruiser here on CF also owns and uses a motorhome for inland travel, S/V Jedi.

[sww914]

Originally Posted by SV THIRD DAY

Not really...I get the same comments from Cruisers around the world.
Maybe your opinion comes from your SOC experience? I have the advantage of shipping gear around the world and getting to know my clients. They are not buying gear to be sailors...but to be comfortable at their Destination...at least that is what they are telling me anyway...what does this Bozo know?

Rich, I spoke to you and this Bozo in Ensenada, on the same dock, on the same day.

[SV THIRD DAY]

Originally Posted by sww914

Rich, I spoke to you and this Bozo in Ensenada, on the same dock, on the same day.

I always tell people that I'm taller, slimmer and not as big of a smart ass in person...ha ha ha. I do remember and I'm planning an Ensenada Taco run after Christmas! That is if the Mexican officials haven't impounded all the boats there by then...