YouTube Sailors - Overly Romanticized Or Just Lacking Details?

[tenchiki]

Two not mentioned that I like that seem much more down-to-earth are kinda opposites: "how to sail oceans" is a long time sailor new to youtube,single-handing an engineless gaff cutter. He frequently shows off the skills needed. "learning by doing" is rather the opposite, a very new sailor, with some "that didn't go how I thought it would", or "wow,look what I just figured out", along with some really exotic locations.

[wolfgal]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

At first read, I totally agreed with you!

Not for me to share and not interested in doing public videos.

Then I remembered that I had shared photos of private anchorages with Zaida wading in the foreground.

Attachment 189460
I'm very proud of her looks which only complements her much more attactive character, but I wonder, is it wrong to share the dream if it inspires others?

Pelagic,

when you posted the image of Zaida a while back, it was a though you could not refrain from sharing the immense happiness you feel in your life with your femme. some of the guys were surely a bit jealous (as she is quite beautiful), but i'm just plain and simple happy for you. it was truly touching to witness that beautiful life stories, like yours, do exist.


among the couples vlogs, i find that i cannot stand any of the "couples" videos out there except Emerald Steel, who exude deep mutual respect and who clearly set out to provide useful and concrete content for future cruisers.

they also clearly do not exist in their own individualistic bubble: they recently told the story on an old gent who needed help, had health issues and who later was forced to go back to land. it was a very sad but true story, and very realistic. i find that they have merit in how they attempt to include this community aspect of cruising.


now this is rather sad but perhaps the part of the underlying popularity for all the different vlogs: it could be that most vlogs feed on the viewer's self-doubt and/or loneliness

i say this because i am aware of how or rather, WHEN they work for me: i find that, sometimes, watching an Emerald Steel or Skip Novak video (i've watched Novak's over and over, actually) helps me along, gets me through those moments when the doubt sets in...





wolfgal

[Wyamba]

I like the Youtubers and don’t mind them asking for money. After all, Slocum had a book deal when he set out, and charged people in Sydney to come on board.

[Aguabago]

Try whereisbrickhouse to see lots of reality on boat setup and great suggestions for cruisers.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

Pelagic,

when you posted the image of Zaida a while back, it was a though you could not refrain from sharing the immense happiness you feel in your life with your femme. some of the guys were surely a bit jealous (as she is quite beautiful), but i'm just plain and simple happy for you. it was truly touching to witness that beautiful life stories, like yours, do exist.


among the couples vlogs, i find that i cannot stand any of the "couples" videos out there except Emerald Steel, who exude deep mutual respect and who clearly set out to provide useful and concrete content for future cruisers.

they also clearly do not exist in their own individualistic bubble: they recently told the story on an old gent who needed help, had health issues and who later was forced to go back to land. it was a very sad but true story, and very realistic. i find that they have merit in how they attempt to include this community aspect of cruising.


now this is rather sad but perhaps the part of the underlying popularity for all the different vlogs: it could be that most vlogs feed on the viewer's self-doubt and/or loneliness

i say this because i am aware of how or rather, WHEN they work for me: i find that, sometimes, watching an Emerald Steel or Skip Novak video (i've watched Novak's over and over, actually) helps me along, gets me through those moments when the doubt sets in...

wolfgal

Hi Wolfgal,
Lots in there and yes after 14 years together, still madly.in love with each other (but now both with a much sharper sense of humor[emoji6] )

Just started watching Emerald Steel and remember her dressing the old sailors wounds... Real people and real steel!.

I watch more of these videos when we are stuck in shipyard situations like now, both to entertainin and remind us why we are batteling thru the dust and mess of yard work.

What I think is more of a shame with some of the YouTube bloggers is that some loose a part of themselves, trying to "Sell" the dream and forget that pure unadulterated joy of just experiencing the view (without framing)
OR
Talking with strangers (Without considering your 'Image'

[Kolanorton]

The key to successful long term cruising - is your ability to adjust to whatever happens and make the best of it. Not near as easy as it sounds!

[MartinR]

Originally Posted by MJH

My roundtrip voyage to Hawaii had little in common with the glamorous YouTube videos. There were no exotic meals and few carefree days in the sunshine. More remembered are the tiresome nights working on a four-on/four-off hour shift for almost two weeks nonstop, no showers, living on can goods, a head that wouldn't flush properly, a broken windvane & repair at sea, crew conflict requiring separation, being becalmed three times, and thousands of dollars in repairs on return...But it was worth it.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH

Sounds like cruising

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by Pelagic

I'm very proud of her looks which only complements her much more attactive character, but I wonder, is it wrong to share the dream if it inspires others?

I personally try not to waste time and energy judging fine points of "right vs wrong" in others' behaviour, live and let live.

The bigger point is what medium gives me solid information / education in an effective and time-efficient manner prior to actually getting out there?

YT can great for short specific visual how-to demos.

Following these sailing channels I find, for me, not a great use of time for that purpose.

If I have / make time for entertainment, different story, but then I have a very long backlog list of media to consume that better pushes my buttons.

[Mike OReilly]

I’ve got nothing against the vlogger world. They are mostly selling the dream, much like the glossy popular mags did (and still do), and to a lesser extent they are providing useful information to those in the planning stages. Just like with the glossies, once you move from dreamer to planner to finally doer, they become less interesting, and less useful.

They are targeting the dreamer audience b/c that is where the masses and the money is. So to answer the thread question: yes, of course they are overly romanticizing the life. Any good salesperson knows that (for most markets), it’s the sizzle that sells.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

I’ve got nothing against the vlogger world. They are mostly selling the dream...

They are targeting the dreamer audience b/c that is where the masses and the money is. So to answer the thread question: yes, of course they are overly romanticizing the life. Any good salesperson knows that (for most markets), it’s the sizzle that sells.

In this regard, traditional television shows are no different. Much has been written about how television families enjoy nice large houses, new clothes, trips, etc, that average families cannot afford. The few shows that do reflect the average household finances are set in a scene that looks poorer than the average real-life household.

Only the rare TV show tells it like it is...like the old Roseanne (in the US)...but the market has only room for one such show at a time. The rest are escape fantasy entertainment.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Singularity

In this regard, traditional television shows are no different. Much has been written about how television families enjoy nice large houses, new clothes, trips, etc, that average families cannot afford. The few shows that do reflect the average household finances are set in a scene that looks poorer than the average real-life household.

Only the rare TV show tells it like it is...like the old Roseanne (in the US)...but the market has only room for one such show at a time. The rest are escape fantasy entertainment.

Yup… the parallels and examples are near-endless. Most of youtube cruising vlogs are entertainment. So they present a distorted, glitzier view of reality, b/c that’s what sells. Nuthin’ wrong with that, as long as people understand it’s not completely real.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Yup… the parallels and examples are near-endless*. Most of youtube cruising vlogs are entertainment. So they present a distorted, glitzier view of reality, b/c that’s what sells. Nuthin’ wrong with that, as long as people understand it’s not completely real.

The problem, here, is that most of us are stuck in "Good Times" (tv show about poor people) while the famous vloggers are the latest version of "Star Trek." I'm not ashamed to admit that sometimes I'd love to be in Star Trek, but the casting process for that show isn't for me...and I like to know how the toilet works.

*=example of the synchronicity concept...nothing magical, just how stuff sorts itself out in patterns

[Time2Go]

Originally Posted by wolfgal

Pelagic,


now this is rather sad but perhaps the part of the underlying popularity for all the different vlogs: it could be that most vlogs feed on the viewer's self-doubt and/or loneliness

wolfgal

This exactly why the most successful vloggers
refer to their “Patreons” as members of their Family
or members of their Tribe
If they were referred to by what they really are,
“Customers” who are buying a product
The cash would dry up in a heartbeat
There is a bit of psychological manipulation
going on here.
“Give us some money and YOU ARE PART
of our “ Journey, Project, Experience”
Send us a few bucks and you are part of us
Latest craze
Have a baby and exploit the little one
A bit creepy in my book

Plus
I just simply find them all boring
compared to real on board sailing

Cheers
Neil

[CatNewBee]

Originally Posted by Time2Go

This exactly why the most successful vloggers
refer to their “Patreons” as members of their Family
or members of their Tribe
If they were referred to by what they really are,
“Customers” who are buying a product
The cash would dry up in a heartbeat
There is a bit of psychological manipulation
going on here.
“Give us some money and YOU ARE PART
of our “ Journey, Project, Experience”
Send us a few bucks and you are part of us
Latest craze
Have a baby and exploit the little one
A bit creepy in my book

Plus
I just simply find them all boring
compared to real on board sailing

Cheers
Neil

no need to watch them, if you dont want to...

I find them entertaining to some extent, than move on...

[alansmith]

Pelagic,
“I'm very proud of her looks which only complements her much more attactive character, but I wonder, is it wrong to share the dream if it inspires others?”

I love that picture of your woman wading in the water with your schooner in the background. This is not the type of photography I reference. It is the soft porn pics of that show way more of a woman’s rear end or chest. My wife is quite lovely also and any man can see that from a photo. But taking close up on her chest or rear end ... just not the right thing for me to share.