Is Cruising on the Decline ?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Now back to some healthy conversation! Looks like there will be one more boat out there soon. I have given notice on the house, had the phone and broadband disconnected and am packing.

Hey, that is good news, I hope you maintain enough connectivity to keep in touch and report your travels.
Fair winds...

[Wand]

Originally Posted by Factor

No its too obtuse for me - you see I am a Queenslander - so obviously I am far too busy bending bananas to understand your witty and ironic comment. I maintain Meyermm moved here from Victoria. BTW - had a look at your angus inlet website - got some interesting stuff there, and seems like an interesting group. Good luck with the collections.

Aw Factor, now you've gone & embarrassed me with nice words about my new blog. Are you sure you're a real 'bender?

Really, I was just trying to move this thread to something resembling a vaguely civilised exchange but I see this morning that Meyermm (and I agree; must be a Mexican) is back and has scuttled that!

To my compatriot Meyermm, I offer advice in the form an old adage from my working days: "When you're in a hole, stop digging!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by At sea

Aw Factor, now you've gone & embarrassed me with nice words about my new blog. Are you sure you're a 'bender?

Really, I was just trying to move this thread to something resembling a civilised exchange but I see this morning that Meyermm (and I agree; must be a Mexican) is back and has scuttled that!

To my compatriat Meyermm, I offer advice in the form an old adage from my working days: "When you're in a hole, stop digging!

LMAO...
opps... sorry

[Brent Swain]

$300 is just the thin edge of the wedge. If one has to pay that in every island across the Pacific, it eliminates anyone but the super rich from the cruising lifestyle, which may be the objective. Then we will have Australia to thank for it. Best nip it in the bud, and boycott any country which tries it.
It's not as if boats leaving BC go non stop to Aussie then non stop back again.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by At sea

Aw Factor, now you've gone & embarrassed me with nice words about my new blog. Are you sure you're a real 'bender?

Really, I was just trying to move this thread to something resembling a vaguely civilised exchange but I see this morning that Meyermm (and I agree; must be a Mexican) is back and has scuttled that!

To my compatriot Meyermm, I offer advice in the form an old adage from my working days: "When you're in a hole, stop digging!

A grand idea and a stout effort.
Except now you've unearthed a bunch of smart alecs who can cross out and invert their text, and I still can't for the life of me work out how the hell they do it.

I've got B I U and then various alignment options. Where are the fancy tricks icons?

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond

A grand idea and a stout effort.
Except now you've unearthed a bunch of smart alecs who can cross out and invert their text, and I still can't for the life of me work out how the hell they do it.

I've got B I U and then various alignment options. Where are the fancy tricks icons?

Hi, its Alec here, you are kidding me aren't you (but if you are not then read on).

Are you using the "post reply" button to get to the "Reply to Thread" window or are you just using the "quick reply" window.

The cool stuff is available at the "Reply to Thread" window at the right hand end of the bottom line of tool icons.

[savoir]

Originally Posted by Factor

Its an endearing term of derision - every state in australia has one, Queensland is banana Benders or Cane Toads, New south wales is Cockroaches, South Australia is Crow eater Western Australia is sand groper Victorian is Mexican, tasmania usually involves references to two heads or inbreeding etc.

Its all in good fun. The difference between the various states of australia is minuscule compared to the provinces of Canada (where I lived for a while) and I think even more minuscule to the states of the USA (haven't lived there but travelled through it a bit whilst living in Canada).

I stand corrected, (but the Big Banana is still in NSW - coffs harbour to be exact

It beats me how someone with a big pineapple could possibly be jealous of someone else with a big banana. Everyone who has played slot machines knows that pineapples always beat bananas. And so here is a peek at Queensland's #1 tourist attraction and something no cruiser should miss.

The Big Pinapple - WOOMBYE - Queensland

The big banana pales in comparison but if you are in Coffs Harbor anyway . . . .

The Big Banana - It's a whole bunch of fun!

So much culture, so little time.

[Wand]

Originally Posted by savoir

It beats me how someone with a big pineapple could possibly be jealous of someone else with a big banana. Everyone who has played slot machines knows that pineapples always beat bananas. And so here is a peek at Queensland's #1 tourist attraction and something no cruiser should miss.The Big Pinapple - WOOMBYE - QueenslandThe big banana pales in comparison but if you are in Coffs Harbor anyway . . . .The Big Banana - It's a whole bunch of fun! So much culture, so little time.

And talking of culture, here is a lobster and an orange (not so big though; way down here we do everything in moderation http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Ora...outh_Australia) and Big Lobster - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by Wotname

Hey, that is good news, I hope you maintain enough connectivity to keep in touch and report your travels.
Fair winds...

Will do! I am looking at getting another mobile net stick soon.

[SurferShane]

Originally Posted by hummingway

Way to go SurferShane! Where to first?

I was hoping Tasmania for the Wooden Boat Festival, but an worried a few commitments might stop me leaving early enough. Otherwise it is just going to be a matter of seeing which way the wind blows.

Long term plan of sorts is to eventually head somewhere like Cairns or Darwin where I could find work to fund a Pacific surf trip.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

Will do! I am looking at getting another mobile net stick soon.

Lucky Buga.... I'm just looking to get Mobile....

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by SurferShane

I was hoping Tasmania for the Wooden Boat Festival, but an worried a few commitments might stop me leaving early enough. Otherwise it is just going to be a matter of seeing which way the wind blows.

Long term plan of sorts is to eventually head somewhere like Cairns or Darwin where I could find work to fund a Pacific surf trip.

G'Day SS,

Sounds like half the cruising population in the southern hemisphere is heading to the Wooden Boat fest... hope we all get there, and hope to have an eyeball with you and any other CFers who make it.

We're delayed a bit here in the Sydney area for medical reasons, but still hope to make it in time.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying towlers Bay, NSW, Oz

[jimships]

I believe the bell curve of boat volume in cruising sailboats is visibly changing from 28-38 foot peak to an increase at both ends...smaller and larger vessel lengths. The addition of fiberglass as a boat material in the 60-70's has extended the life of boats - making the introduction of new boats less. The cost per unit volume ft3 has also changed up due in part to the decline of currency value, addition of new features and increase in raw cost of materials. Cruising boats are is not immune to these dynamic changes.

I just completed a research project for a client which confirmed older marinas here in the USA, (and I think also in other more developed locations), are changing to other land use purposes to extract best value and highest investment return. It is expensive to cruise.

It takes a special person to want to throw off the lines, spend months at sea and cruise to distant ports and seas. Is this person profile in decline? No. What is changing are the costs, the time available and the personal demands on shore.

If connectivity to the internet could be equal to shore, there would be more telecommuters who would work from the boat. Now, I am not saying that staying connected to the world is a "need", nor even "desirable", but it is a factor limiting people's balance of time away, to daily life.

I believe the number of cruising boats in sailing marinas on a typical weekday confirm the desire is there, but either the funds, time, or both are keeping them tied up or limited to weekend excursions.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by jimships

I believe the bell curve of boat volume in cruising sailboats is visibly changing from 28-38 foot peak to an increase at both ends...smaller and larger vessel lengths. The addition of fiberglass as a boat material in the 60-70's has extended the life of boats - making the introduction of new boats less. The cost per unit volume ft3 has also changed up due in part to the decline of currency value, addition of new features and increase in raw cost of materials. Cruising boats are is not immune to these dynamic changes.

I just completed a research project for a client which confirmed older marinas here in the USA, (and I think also in other more developed locations), are changing to other land use purposes to extract best value and highest investment return. It is expensive to cruise.

It takes a special person to want to throw off the lines, spend months at sea and cruise to distant ports and seas. Is this person profile in decline? No. What is changing are the costs, the time available and the personal demands on shore.

If connectivity to the internet could be equal to shore, there would be more telecommuters who would work from the boat. Now, I am not saying that staying connected to the world is a "need", nor even "desirable", but it is a factor limiting people's balance of time away, to daily life.

I believe the number of cruising boats in sailing marinas on a typical weekday confirm the desire is there, but either the funds, time, or both are keeping them tied up or limited to weekend excursions.

Well said.

[sctpc]

Originally Posted by jimships

I just completed a research project for a client which confirmed older marinas here in the USA, (and I think also in other more developed locations), are changing to other land use purposes to extract best value and highest investment return. It is expensive to cruise.

Could you elaborate on the other uses thanks (very interested)