Is There a Caste System in Sailing?

[Allio]

Originally Posted by Rakuflames

It was probably just the choice of the person making the video. Those were the boats he or she found interesting. I've been to Antigua, and particularly remember a harbor with a wide variety of sailboats anchored. In fact, I have a water color painting of it (bought before I actually started sailing or even thought I would be sailing).

It was one of the official ASW videos on their youtube channel...

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Allio

If I turned up at an event like that in a rugged but well founded Vega 27 all wind torn from a 2500 mile solo transat, barefoot in a hawaiian shirt and a pear of jeans I'd hacked off at the knees, dropped my hook in the middle of the fleet, how would the rest of the fleet react?

hmm, by demanding disinfection, maybe

Dave

[Bash]

Originally Posted by Allio

I don't think it bothers me per se. Other than I was watching a video about the antigua sailing week recently, and the video exclusively showed the million dollar boats, abercrombie and fitch sporting clientele and I was curious as to how the cruising world interacts with this group of people.

Antigua Sailing Week! Gosh, Darling, that event attracts the neuveau riche, at best. It's barely a step up for the Heiniken Regatta in San Martin, which is rumored to attract the sort of sailor who drinks beer. (You know the type!)

If you want to rub elbows with the upper crust, try Les Voiles de Saint Barth. Tell them Bash sent you.

[LakeSuperior]

I don't understand the OP's question.

[JK n Smitty]

Originally Posted by Allio

I don't think it bothers me per se. Other than I was watching a video about the antigua sailing week recently, and the video exclusively showed the million dollar boats, abercrombie and fitch sporting clientele and I was curious as to how the cruising world interacts with this group of people. If I turned up at an event like that in a rugged but well founded Vega 27 all wind torn from a 2500 mile solo transat, barefoot in a hawaiian shirt and a pear of jeans I'd hacked off at the knees, dropped my hook in the middle of the fleet, how would the rest of the fleet react?

It's more a curiousity thing?

You probably wouldn't want to anchor in that location. The provisioning, water and showers would be too expensive. While if you go to another harbor within a short distance you could get all of that for cheaper.

There are marinas that discourage liveaboards. The one we are currently in will only allow liveaboards that look up to the high standards they want for their marina. The 65-foot Hataress with a doctor and real-estate developer is fine but the 35-foot trawler with a working guy in his 30s with half done projects all over the boat was harassed until he left after less than 1 week.

We have a newer Catalina and keep it clean (more because I want to be sail ready within 10 minutes than caring what the marina thinks). Our friends have a project 1980s Freedom and they were litterly kicked out of the marina in a winter storm in December.

Fair winds,

Jesse

[Stu Jackson]

You might want to start reading Latitude 38 (Latitude 38 - The West's Leading Sailing and Marine Magazine) you can download the whole magazine. They've been doing this FREE magazine for 30 or so years now. Much better than the slick glossies.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

You might want to start reading Latitude 38 (Latitude 38 - The West's Leading Sailing and Marine Magazine) you can download the whole magazine. They've been doing this FREE magazine for 30 or so years now. Much better than the slick glossies.

Not a bad mag, but I dont see the relevance to the thread ( or do you mean that say , blue water sailing readers are snooty and Lats arnt ....)

dave

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I must say , I like the policy of French public owned marinas. ( which most are)

First the public have free access to the pontoons, hence the marinas become a socal centre with the public intermixing with the sailing fraternity, families with kids in buggies etc. That encourages restaurants and cafes etc and prevents this "hide away" from the public marina issue.

Funnily there is no vandalism or general security issue, You can walk around Port Vauban and gawk at all the superyachts up close

Its prevents the rich ghetto " issue too.

dave

My suspicion is that the US gated Marina (and elsewhere) tendency is less about crime and more that no longer being allowed to put up the signs they would prefer .

[Lagoon4us]

The system i use is just let the line out slowly avoiding overruns, if you try to caste you tend to bury trebles in all kinds of things....

Frank

[atoll]

i think you will find once you start cruising proper ie ocean passages all pretence and snobbery quickly falls away amongst yachts men and women on widely varying budgets,the sea is a great leveler

[Capt Phil]

If I recall correctly, the marina we lived aboard in San Diego had clearly written in the contract you were required to sign that there was to be no work of certain types performed while your boat was in the marina as well as having to keep your vessel in good nick. This included no work to be performed on the dock, whether the main dock or the fingers. Liveaboards were charged more than non-liveaboards, but the relationship you had with the Marina Manager really dictated what you were permitted to do and what you weren't. When we revarnished all of our cabin sole, I had no trouble getting permission to move the pieces onto our finger dock to sand and varnish them provided I put down a drop cloth which made sense to me. We even had a neighbor on a 65 footer have the whole hull tip and rolled by hand by a really competent painter.
My guess is that cost keeps out many 'non-desireables' but there were many really fine folks who lived aboard in our marina of modest means and didn't notice a 'class' or caste distinction between any of us. There was a difference between power and sail however. Those living aboard sailboats tended to look down on those who lived aboard powerboats. As we moved from sail to power due to health problems, we enjoyed both camps equally well. Those years were some of the best of our life! Phil

[rebel heart]

I don't think it's a caste system but in general these are some groups that have things in common so they hang out together:

- people with kids
- older people (ie, 90% of people living on their boat)
- racers
- anyone from a given nationality that's in a different host country

I think most people give deference to people who are actively underway. The biggest cliques I've seen are from long time liveaboards in any particular marina or anchorage who act like they are the Dukes and Duchesses of the harbor.

"I love to sit around the yacht club bar and talking about things I'm going to do..."

[rebel heart]

Originally Posted by Capt Phil

If I recall correctly, the marina we lived aboard in San Diego had clearly written in the contract you were required to sign that there was to be no work of certain types performed while your boat was in the marina as well as having to keep your vessel in good nick. This included no work to be performed on the dock, whether the main dock or the fingers. Liveaboards were charged more than non-liveaboards, but the relationship you had with the Marina Manager really dictated what you were permitted to do and what you weren't.

That's what I've seen as well. They put all the rules and contracts in so they can pull the trigger on problem boats, but if you act courteous and respectful they will bend over backwards to help you out.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Allio

It was one of the official ASW videos on their youtube channel...

Doesn't mean they didn't have a bias. I've seen all sorts of boats in Antigua, and they had to be selecting if they only showed super-expensive boats.

[Hudson Force]

It's true! Marinas (I'm most familiar with the US) are free to adopt the standards that they desire for their docks and set the costs as they please. I've been at marinas that don't allow hoses left on the docks even where a hook for such purpose sits next to the faucet, and require that all the vessels be docked "stern to"....you can't leave a towel out to dry and nothing,- no shoes, no matts, no potted plants on the dock and all dock lines are to be neatly coiled. I've also been at places where boats are covered with tarps, debris and unfinished projects strewn across the docks. I've been welcomed at both places. I've stumbled upon places like the combination bar and laudromat in Fort Myers beach and I've stumbled into the Annapolis and Newport Yacht Clubs with new found friends on the moorings. I can put on a polo shirt when appropriate and don my fifteen year old "regatta time" shirt with holes too. I don't feel that I'm opressed by a dress code. We did turn around when we started into a bar at Manhassett Bay where all inside were wearing dark coats with ties or black cocktail dresses. I've always been welcome when I dress as the "Romans"!