Wow! Disappointed With CF

[Byrdman]

First of all, I'm new to CF, and sailing, but have been around boats my whole life and currenty own 4 ranging from a Hobie Cat learning to sail to a deep V we take 20+ miles offshore diving and fishing.

I just read the 31 page story this morning of the couple in Ft Lauderdale with boat trouble and it really bothered me with most of the responses in that thread.

The couple asked for HELP and mostly what they got were ADVICE and EXCUSES. Almost everone was giving excuses on why they could not or would not help vs what they could do to lend a helping hand.

As "experienced" and "knowledgeable" as everyone boasts around here, very few wanted to get off their ass, put that knowledge to work and do something, or at least make a call to someone in the area they know to check it out. Instead it was much easier to sit on their sailboat, or home, and play cynic. It sounded like a bunch of pompous, lazy jerks trying to prove they know more than the other lazy jerks because of their exceptional sailing experience.

Thank you for those that tried to do something and shame on those that didn't. Many of you showed your true colors. I hope you are proud of yourselves

And for those of you that are saying to yourselves who the hell do I think I am to question the expertise of the experts, I'm late 40's Florida native looking to retire and join the cruising life 5 years from now. Yes I am a newbie to cruising, but old enough to know humanity and young enough to lend a helping hand if needed and when I do get out there on the water full time, I hope im not in the same anchorage as most of you.

Just an outsider looking in and disappointed in what I saw... I'm out

[ur2slo]

The internet is permeating all aspects of life...Everyone is an expert nowadays.

We have removed humility and empathy for knowledge, although most have no clue what to do with it except to try to prove their worth...... to themselves.

Stay a sailor, no internet, is best, pick and choose.

Question Stupidity...............

[boatman61]

Byrdman.. I'm in Portugal so all I could do was offer suggestions/advice.. notice your just 200 miles away.. a 3 hr drive..
Where were you..???
Its an open forum and like most things from as small as a Tiki Bar to as large as CF there's good and bad.. its called the Diversity of Life.

UR2SLO... back before the internet there were the 'old salts' who hung around the B'yards and marina's who's favourite pastime was looking on and shaking their heads..
"Tsk Tsk.. that'll never work" or similar.. later would they admit they were wrong.. no way.
Nothings changed.. its just gone global

[Tricolor]

This thread (of the couple in Ft Lauderdale with boat trouble) showed more then Tricolors of some people, i never hope to meet these people...

[jimbunyard]

Originally Posted by Byrdman

First of all, I'm new to CF, and sailing, but have been around boats my whole life and currenty own 4 ranging from a Hobie Cat learning to sail to a deep V we take 20+ miles offshore diving and fishing.

I just read the 31 page story this morning of the couple in Ft Lauderdale with boat trouble and it really bothered me with most of the responses in that thread.

The couple asked for HELP and mostly what they got were ADVICE and EXCUSES. Almost everone was giving excuses on why they could not or would not help vs what they could do to lend a helping hand.

As "experienced" and "knowledgeable" as everyone boasts around here, very few wanted to get off their ass, put that knowledge to work and do something, or at least make a call to someone in the area they know to check it out. Instead it was much easier to sit on their sailboat, or home, and play cynic. It sounded like a bunch of pompous, lazy jerks trying to prove they know more than the other lazy jerks because of their exceptional sailing experience.

Thank you for those that tried to do something and shame on those that didn't. Many of you showed your true colors. I hope you are proud of yourselves

And for those of you that are saying to yourselves who the hell do I think I am to question the expertise of the experts, I'm late 40's Florida native looking to retire and join the cruising life 5 years from now. Yes I am a newbie to cruising, but old enough to know humanity and young enough to lend a helping hand if needed and when I do get out there on the water full time, I hope im not in the same anchorage as most of you.

Just an outsider looking in and disappointed in what I saw... I'm out

"I'm out".

Well, of course that's your decision, but, by your own admission, you've not been here very long...

Pardon me but it seem just a tiny bit--- provincial?--- to assume that everyone one encounters in any new experience is going to be representative of the 'ideal human'.

While I agree that the assh01e brigade was a little more well represented than usual on that particular thread, if you choose to stay you will find that there is, as might be expected, a fairly normal mix of personalities and attitudes here, though they may be a little more 'conservatively' oriented than a random selection of any population, precisely because of the selection bias produced by the ability of people to own and maintain a boat...

Give us a chance, if your ethical standards are high maybe they'll rub off on some of the rest of us....

[Kenomac]

Starting a "go-fund-me" and directing members to the site is clearly against the CF forum rules. So is starting a post to critisize members and moderators. Maybe the OP and some of the newbees should read the rules.

"NO SPAM! Our user base is not a resource to be "mined" by individuals, groups, or businesses, for profit or not for profit. Participants may not post affiliate links or links to direct others to any pages at their own commercial website or website in which they have a commercial interest. Exception to this may be found in Signature Standards, Marine-Related Commercial Posting, Sponsoring Vendors and Marine Service Provider Sections (see below)."

The purpose of this forum is to offer helpful "ADVICE" (which we did).... not to FUND.

[bobofthenorth]

That thread was a good example of what happens a lot here and out in the real world: starry eyed dreamers come up against the hard reality of life. Anyone who dares suggest ahead of time that their plan is stupid gets branded a cynic and anyone after the fact who suggests they made their bed and should now lay in it is called uncaring.

If that much reality offends you then probably it's best you don't stick around.

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.bobandmarilyn.ca

[Tricolor]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Starting a "go-fund-me" and directing members to the site is clearly against the CF forum rules. So is starting a post to critisize members and moderators. Maybe the OP and some of the newbees should read the rules.

"NO SPAM! Our user base is not a resource to be "mined" by individuals, groups, or businesses, for profit or not for profit. Participants may not post affiliate links or links to direct others to any pages at their own commercial website or website in which they have a commercial interest. Exception to this may be found in Signature Standards, Marine-Related Commercial Posting, Sponsoring Vendors and Marine Service Provider Sections (see below)."

The purpose of this forum is to offer helpful "ADVISE" (which we did).... not to FUND.

And you are the Forum Police Force? For me you have to many colors...

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by bobofthenorth

That thread was a good example of what happens a lot here and out in the real world: starry eyed dreamers come up against the hard reality of life. Anyone who dares suggest ahead of time that their plan is stupid gets branded a cynic and anyone after the fact who suggests they made their bed and should now lay in it is called uncaring.

If that much reality offends you then probably it's best you don't stick around.

R.J.(Bob) Evans
www.bobandmarilyn.ca

[Kenomac]

Originally Posted by Tricolor

And you are the Forum Police Force? For me you have to many colors...

I'm providing you with the reason why the thread was closed, you should read the rules.... before spouting off.

[boatman61]

Keno.. you have your viewpoint and that's fine.. however CF members rallying round to bail out folks in trouble is NOT a new thing.. a few long term members have been helped in the past including myself (and your opinion of me is on record).. some suffered rants like yours.. I luckily did not.
I must confess this 'gofundme' is something new to me.. in the past folks have usually done it direct via a PayPal account.
Furthermore.. since when have you been promoted to Moderator to tell me whether or not I can or cannot donate/receive or anything else for that matter..
Leave Weavis, Dockhead, Hudson Force and the others to run the site and be what your supposed to be.. just another member.

[fstbttms]

Wow, lotta noobs in here telling everybody else how to act.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I'm providing you with the reason why the thread was closed, you should read the rules.... before spouting off.

I think the thread was closed because it had descended into more abuse than use..
Nothing to do with funding

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Byrdman

First of all, I'm new to CF, and sailing, but have been around boats my whole life and currenty own 4 ranging from a Hobie Cat learning to sail to a deep V we take 20+ miles offshore diving and fishing.

I just read the 31 page story this morning of the couple in Ft Lauderdale with boat trouble and it really bothered me with most of the responses in that thread.

The couple asked for HELP and mostly what they got were ADVICE and EXCUSES. Almost everone was giving excuses on why they could not or would not help vs what they could do to lend a helping hand.

As "experienced" and "knowledgeable" as everyone boasts around here, very few wanted to get off their ass, put that knowledge to work and do something, or at least make a call to someone in the area they know to check it out. Instead it was much easier to sit on their sailboat, or home, and play cynic. It sounded like a bunch of pompous, lazy jerks trying to prove they know more than the other lazy jerks because of their exceptional sailing experience.

Thank you for those that tried to do something and shame on those that didn't. Many of you showed your true colors. I hope you are proud of yourselves

And for those of you that are saying to yourselves who the hell do I think I am to question the expertise of the experts, I'm late 40's Florida native looking to retire and join the cruising life 5 years from now. Yes I am a newbie to cruising, but old enough to know humanity and young enough to lend a helping hand if needed and when I do get out there on the water full time, I hope im not in the same anchorage as most of you.

Just an outsider looking in and disappointed in what I saw... I'm out

Byrd,

They initially asked for a tow from their slip to "open water". If you had promptly responded with your deep V and towed them out of Lauderdale and into open water they would be lucky to be in a CG helo now.

Goodbye and have a nice day.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by bobofthenorth

That thread was a good example of what happens a lot here and out in the real world: starry eyed dreamers come up against the hard reality of life. Anyone who dares suggest ahead of time that their plan is stupid gets branded a cynic and anyone after the fact who suggests they made their bed and should now lay in it is called uncaring.

If that much reality offends you then probably it's best you don't stick around.

I believe it is appropriate to add a few very important items to Bob's analysis, and Kenomac's.

1. Many of us asked the young lady who was writing the questions and replies: "What engine do you have? So we can better help you?" It took literally forever to get the answer in spite of pages of her regurgitating the "we got kicked off the dock by the seller" story a few times. We truly wanted to help, we couldn't.

2. And when she did, she told us the make, but not the specific engine.

3. And then she told us her husband was a diesel mechanic who already had the head off the engine. And showed us pictures.

4. And then she told us she didn't need a tow, just a cheap(er) dock.

Look, I understand stories evolve, and time marches on.

But the sense of frustration of the respondents here trying to help and being essentially ignored in their request for specifics was astounding. Yes, astounding. The folks who did get "short" shouldn't be faulted for wanting to help and being ignored.

You may want to re-read it, and count how many times the "bad seller, rotten dealer" story resurfaced when we were trying to figure out what engine they had in the boat.

English is an imperfect language, but an answer of "Westerbeke M-40" shouldn't take three pages. Mike did a humorous summary near the end.

Ken's mention of rules is true, too. He may be venting some frustration based on all of the above, but he's right.