Is There Snob Value in a Boat's Name?

[Bash]

Originally Posted by hogfighter

It's not what you sail, but how you sail her. Hamburger in any package is still hamburger.

Truer words were never spoken!

Back in my racing days I campaigned a boat with high snob appeal. When we were able to put together back-to-back PHRF season championships, everyone naturally assumed it was because we had a great boat.

The one time I cruised that boat down to the Channel Islands I was disappointed in how difficult it was to sail it boat short-handed. So I moved to a production cruiser, happy to put my racing days behind me.

Eight years later, when I purchased my current boat, a 46' Hunter, I wanted to see whether I could still race competitively. As Faculty Advisor to the university sailing team, I was able to recruit some worthy winch monkeys. I entered my Hunter into five races in a beer-can series where 30-some boats showed up on the start line every week.

We won three of the five races. In a Hunter. The entire yacht club was shocked, especially because I was living aboard the Hunter, and it had such cruising amenities as 300' of chain, et cetera. (Of course, I wasn't carrying 200 gallons of water in my tanks during those races.)

On one of the races we won, during the final downwind leg we were BBQing burgers on the grill while the spinnaker was still up. Back in the yacht club that evening, one of the fellows spoke at great length about how disheartening it had been to be passed by a Hunter with meat on the grill.

As the wise man said, a hamburger in any package is still a hamburger.

[ohdrinkboy]

maybe you are taking it the wrong way. as the owner of a very modest pocket cruiser, I like to ask. It usually leads me to ask lots of follow up questions about your boat. it's not about judging, but about learning more about what i want in my cruising boat.

for example if it is a ketch rig, it will lead me to lots of questions on how you set your sails in what conditions.

[Lt.]

When people put you down, they're just trying to bring you to their level.
¡~) <~ wink

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I think sailing people are pretty snobbish. I would expect the same, if to a lesser extent, from any landlubber.

b.

Yep, but I'd go one further Barny; I think PEOPLE in general are snobs. In all different ways. But it is also true that queries such as "What kind of boat do you have?" are often just general get aquainted conversation starters.

Originally Posted by Bash

On one of the races we won, during the final downwind leg we were BBQing burgers on the grill while the spinnaker was still up. Back in the yacht club that evening, one of the fellows spoke at great length about how disheartening it had been to be passed by a Hunter with meat on the grill.

LOLOL... I bet 'your' hamburgers were top notch ; -)

[VirtualVagabond]

Sooooo, good railmeat wins races???

[sailorboy1]

I hate the hamburger slobs, you know the ones with ground prime rib and that fancy mustard that the people in the Rolls Royce's pull up next to you asking for. Add a sailboat to the it and ...........

they also always seem to be up wind from me

[Gelfling]

"Sailors" are usually more interest in 'how' you sail 'what' you have to sail.

"Sailing People" are usually only interested in the 'what' part.

To one, it is a lifestyle.....to the latter, a status.

Sometimes ya just gotta dust off your feet and move along!

[Wotname]

This thread got me thinking again (one of the reasons for reading CF) .

If someone is kind enough to ask about your boat it seems to me that the right response is just the plain old fashioned truth. Any other response is really a case of you pre-judging them in the first place.

They may or may not be genuinely interested in knowing about your boat (or even you), the continuing conversation will soon give you the clue in that regard. I give them the benefit of the doubt initially.

[Nostrodamus]

Originally Posted by Wotname

This thread got me thinking again (one of the reasons for reading CF) .

If someone is kind enough to ask about your boat it seems to me that the right response is just the plain old fashioned truth. Any other response is really a case of you pre-judging them in the first place.

They may or may not be genuinely interested in knowing about your boat (or even you), the continuing conversation will soon give you the clue in that regard. I give them the benefit of the doubt initially.

I think you have pretty much hit the nail on the head with that reply. You are going to have to stop thinking so much.
Having said that we have met people who's attitude does change when they see our boat. The one constant we know is that we do not want to change. A sailor is a fellow sailor what ever boat he is in.

[mangomuffins]

Hear Hear Nost.

RE: earlier post on thread.

I think it important to remember that boat/$$$ does not always = attitude regardless of perspective.


cheers,

mm

[Wotname]

Originally Posted by Nostrodamus

I think you have pretty much hit the nail on the head with that reply. You are going to have to stop thinking so much.
Having said that we have met people who's attitude does change when they see our boat. The one constant we know is that we do not want to change. A sailor is a fellow sailor what ever boat he is in.

We are a funny breed.

Before joining CF, if you told me your owned an Oyster, I would have replied along the lines of "I am sorry but I don't know them, what is it like" or similar. Of course now I better informed but none the wiser and I still don't know what Oyster owners are like .

The other side of the coin for me is when I am asked what sort of boat do I have. The conversation often goes like this:
me - Van de Stadt Dogger
them - Oh, I thought they were plywood boats
me - they are
them - it looks like 'glass, is it really ply
me - yes, about 40 years old.

About now the conversation usually goes in one of two directions; either a detailed conversation about maintenance, repairs and such like or the subject is changed completely (but still sailing related).

This is when I get to judge the other person as someone who has a love of sailing boats or someone who has a love of sailing on boats. While I identify with the former , I am happy to talk with the later

[David_Old_Jersey]

I think probably more snob value in a boat's length than name (especially to those with no knowledge of boats. and little interest - and are largely simply being polite!).

and probably by how the vessel is described:-

- 40 foot sailing boat
- 40 foot yacht

Of course many boat owners are competitive - not simply if racing (formally or not!), but also in condition / use / whatever......and boat brand (but that is simply because they are people!) - IMO 50 foot of Oyster does have more snob value than 50 foot of Beneteau, not by being a better (or worse) boat - but simply on how much it cost.....whether that is important to you or someone else is a seperate matter.

Personally I have no problem with pre-conceptions and stereotypes (saves time! - and always nice to be pleasantly surprised to be wrong!).

He who dies with the best boat wins!

[DumnMad]

Hear hear again Wotname. I'm new to boating and keen to meet cruisers, hear their stories and learn what I can glean. Every intelligent being makes judgements but unless its a pirate coming over the side with a cutlass in his teeth its not easy to guess a persons intentions or attitudes. Good hearts are often hidden under rough exteriors.

[VirtualVagabond]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

Personally I have no problem with pre-conceptions and stereotypes (saves time! - and always nice to be pleasantly surprised to be wrong!).

He who dies with the best boat wins!

That's taking dying to win a step too far, IMHO

[zeehag]

i refuse to hang out with snottys--i like the boat bums. they actually KNOW something.
myy last 5 yrs at work i made 90 to 90k usd annually--and i gave it all away... lol i like helping folks who NEED help.