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[Palarran]

Originally Posted by WaynesWorld

In the last 4 years I have read every thread posted on this site but I signed up to respond to this one. I have wanted this lifestyle every since my mom rowed me to shore to catch the schoolbus. I am close to realizing that dream with a modest boat and a modest lifestyle. This will be my home and I cant afford to be wrong. I have come value this site as a source of information but recently information is harder to come by. As an outsider I see alot of " cant decide on the 67 or the 70 footer to singlehand" or " Thinking about buying my first boat in 3 years" and 3 weeks later giving advice on the proper tension of the ... on a 1977 .... Anyway here is my point at last. I value and need the knowledge that you delivery captains, liveaboards, shipwrights etc.. have and I emplore you not to lose heart and turn the site back into what you want it to be. Thank You. Wayne

That is one of the best first posts I've read - Welcome to the forum!!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, skinfear, & Wayne'sWorld.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by boatman61

... and having given up red wine ...

Say it ain't so, Phil!

[rourkeh]

A lot of interesting responses.
I have learned a lot over the years on this site as I refit my old boat and made it new. I have owned boats all my life and spent a lot of years in the marine industry both selling and building new boats/yachts. But even with above average knowledge I still profited from the advice and experience from some of the posters on here. I guess my original post was aimed at my perception of a lack of the practical "how to" threads that used to be the majority on this site. I understand the concept of change but there are always going to be constants such as some peoples need to be "right" at all costs, and others need to "snipe" at those they don't agree with. Good to know things haven't changed completely on here.

[Kenomac]

Some get tired of the mods jumping in to shut down a thread or begin deleting posts just because the ideas expressed are contrary to the opinions of the CF cabal. Especially when the members expressing the sometimes idiotic trolling posts are done by those with no cruising experience, no sailing or boating experience, no boat, no job, no money, a political spin (agenda) etc.

Now watch this one get censored or removed because some snowflake will feel insulted.

[Steven UK]

Originally Posted by rourkeh

A lot of interesting responses.
I have learned a lot over the years on this site as I refit my old boat and made it new. I have owned boats all my life and spent a lot of years in the marine industry both selling and building new boats/yachts. But even with above average knowledge I still profited from the advice and experience from some of the posters on here. I guess my original post was aimed at my perception of a lack of the practical "how to" threads that used to be the majority on this site. I understand the concept of change but there are always going to be constants such as some peoples need to be "right" at all costs, and others need to "snipe" at those they don't agree with. Good to know things haven't changed completely on here.

Actually it was the 'how to' threads that brought me here in the first place and it was some time before I took the plunge. The 'plunge' was when I started looking for experience as crew. There is a lot to learn here and a lot of 'community' and maybe because of the community banter there are lessons learned that did not necessarily have specific questions asked. This site for me is like the vertual pub where discussions around a common theme happen organically. Anyway my learning here went a long way to giving me the confidence to start chartering which has proven that 'real boat' ownership is what I want. I don't live in a coastal town and I don't come from a sailing family so it's hard to make the transition into the unknown.

Also I think if this forum becomes a strict data base it would loose its appeal for many especially the 'caracters' ( you know who you are ) which are sometimes the ones complaining.

Today's cruiser forum may have evolved but in my humble opinion it's very valuable.

Sorry for waffling... Then there was this one time......

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Some get tired of the mods jumping in to shut down a thread or begin deleting posts just because the ideas expressed are contrary to the opinions of the CF cabal. Especially when the members expressing the sometimes idiotic trolling posts are done by those with no cruising experience, no sailing or boating experience, no boat, no job, no money, a political spin (agenda) etc.

Now watch this one get censored or removed because some snowflake will feel insulted.

Wow -- As usual your post makes me laugh. The use of the term "snowflake" tells the tale and it is unbelievable that you would ever be bothered by forum trolls.

[Blue Stocking]

Originally Posted by Vasco

The site doesn't seem to be fun anymore. 90% of the posters I knew are gone. Maybe I'm getting too old but I'm still cruising. It is no longer a cruisers forum.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Don't leave Vasco. Yours is one of the few names I check for interesting posts.

Being more of a techie type, I pass over the " which color cushions " stuff, and read more than I comment nowadays.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Some get tired of the mods jumping in to shut down a thread or begin deleting posts just because the ideas expressed are contrary to the opinions of the CF cabal. Especially when the members expressing the sometimes idiotic trolling posts are done by those with no cruising experience, no sailing or boating experience, no boat, no job, no money, a political spin (agenda) etc.

Now watch this one get censored or removed because some snowflake will feel insulted.

well ............................... yeah, but you aren't allowed to call it as it is anymore as those days are over

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by PaulinOz

"I have however noticed an interesting shift in the few years I have been on here, there used to be many more question about older 30ish ft Mono's, now it seems there is a whole lot about 50' Cats."


"The Seattle Boats Afloat Show at Lake Union was full of big cats.
Ten years ago, I don't remember seeing any."


In the past 40 years the average size house that is lived in by the average size family in the USA has doubled. While the size of said family has fallen.

So it stands to reason that when that average person sells it all up and goes cruising they will want a vessel twice as big as was previously seen as suitable in the past. They also probably have at least twice as much money in real terms from selling their larger house to spend on the vessel.

I don't know what it is, however my observation is just over a three year period, not 30 yrs. So I really just don't know.
What I do think is happening is the Joe the plumber can't afford or isn't buying a cruising boat anymore, however Joe the plumbing supply chain store owner is, so what it looks like we are seeing is far fewer boats being manufactured, but the ones that are are way more expensive and larger than the median boat used to be, way bigger.
However what I was alluding to was there sure seemed to be a lot more threads about $30,000 boats, where now it seems to be more about half million dollar + ones, the cruising on $500 a month threads were active as well as many other how to save a buck and cruise on a budget threads. Now its more of a where to put my 50" TV and an additional ice machine and extra refrigerator, and is four heads enough
Now everything ebbs and flows, I actually think the pendulum has swung to the other side is all, and it will swing back.
I'm not so sure many people actually sell it all and put that money into a boat, we sold it all, but will cruise on the proceeds, if we put it in a boat, then we couldn't cruise. Nor am I very convinced that houses are selling all that great or many people actually have all that much equity in a house.
I got lucky and sold mine to a commercial concern, but the house and lands value astonishingly was about what it was in the 70's. I do concede that the Mcmansion craze is continuing as is the huge SUV that the wife has to have to drive around in, but I think very often they are carrying a large debt and if they were to liquefy tomorrow, there may not be all that much in the pot? I think what is fueling the Mcmansion craze is cheap money.
You can buy a Mcmansion with little down, and finance it forever at a low interest rate and the monthly payment is small.

People do seem to be more concerned about appearances and status, or is it just that now I'm older I notice it more?

[weavis]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Welcome to CF WW..
I could not turn it back if I tried.. red wine started giving me terrible hangovers..

I know that feeling. But Im not a quitter...........

[barnakiel]

'No longer a cruisers forum'.

?

Like why not change the name then and keep on rolling.

Yesterday I sailed an Open 40 boat. Sure, this is NOT cruising.

Today I am reading about the newest Standard Horizon 6500 model that is a VHF / AIS Class B transponder combo. This one may be our future ais transponder of choice.

Next I will read up on the newer better Class B AIS technology. (CSTDMA instead of SoTDMA). Who knows. Maybe we want a SoTDMA unit anyways?

And I checked Vendee website in the morning to check if Conrad has made it. He has 6.5 miles to go making +6 knots under a jury rig. (This is faster than most cruisers sail under their normal rig!).

OK. None of this is cruising. But no reason either to kill the dog.

Uh?

Cheers,
b.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by weavis

I know that feeling. But Im not a quitter...........

I gave the wine up years ago, and honestly any sweet, fruity type of drink. I would get a headache, before a buzz. I figure its a getting old thing, or maybe the few brain cells I have left have developed a defensive strategy?

[Mike OReilly]

I just popped in here as I usually do in the morning, to read my active threads, perhaps respond, and scan the others. I mostly just look at the active threads under the Recent Discussions side panel. It changes minute to minute as posts show up, but here is the ‘right now’ grab of active threads:

• Boom vang bracket wore out??
• How to prevent chafe on my...
• Comfort/stabili...
• Euro Price list for 42
• Anegada British Virgin Islands
• Raymarine EV 100 Tiller Pilot review
• Best Sailing channels on Youtube
• Do I Look Pretty? Or Are You Lonely?
• Epoxy or Polyester as I replace...
• Surveyor in Wisconsin?
• Cow Hitch vs Spliced Loop
• What's Normal Cost of Bottom Paint…

Of the above 12 I would say 10 are aimed at gaining or exploring specific “practical” knowledge. Sure, some of these threads veer off into “my way is the best way” kinds of discussions, but my observation is that most are still aimed at gaining or discussion practical knowledge.

I think A64’s observations are interesting. It's in line with what you’d expect to see from an ever-shrinking middle class, but to be honest, I simply ignore those threads. Not my crowd. I try to be helpful on things I know something about, but I know nothing about the challenges of how to spend $200,000 on a new catamaran so someone can sail around the world.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Some get tired of the mods jumping in to shut down a thread or begin deleting posts just because the ideas expressed are contrary to the opinions of the CF cabal. Especially when the members expressing the sometimes idiotic trolling posts are done by those with no cruising experience, no sailing or boating experience, no boat, no job, no money, a political spin (agenda) etc.

Now watch this one get censored or removed because some snowflake will feel insulted.