A case for the sailing YouTuber

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by john61ct

I have zero interest in gathering information by watching videos, 99.999% waste of time compared to scanning well-written text + static graphics.

Plus the quality of the data, knowledge of the author is usually ridiculously low.

I'll agree in many cases this might be true. But there is a wealth of knowledge that can be gained from YouTube. Watching someone do a particular job or task is extremely helpful.

I use YouTube as I would any good manual or tool. I have saved literally $1000's of dollars making repairs to things I would not have attempted, or that I would have ended up calling a specialist for. Car repairs especially. I've always considered myself a decent mechanic but some things I either wasn't comfortable with or just plain didn't know how to do. With YouTube, I have done repairs I didn't think I could. Same thing with some of my home appliances, washer and dryer at the top of the list.

Seems very short sighted to just ignore such a resource. Not to mention some of it is hilarious !

[PortClydeMe]

Originally Posted by atoll

some role models here.....screwing it up for the rest of the cruising community,in real time youtube style...........

hahahaha ... thanks, Senior Atoll! All I can do is laugh. About this video, and this thread. Love it! Millennials now begging on the Cruisers Forum? Dad & Mom must have cut off the "tap". Drip, drip, drip.

Travel writers. Sailing magazines. Hmmmm. Let's think about this for a moment. OK ... publishing houses, advertising, monthly subscriptions, circulation, money. YouTube is a website. The uploaded content is free to watch.

I remember years ago walking into a convenience store in LA. I forget what I needed. Anyway, a disheveled stranger approached and said "Hey dude, give me some money!" My quick and firm reply was .... well, I can't say it here. (haha)

Who needs a degree from an Ivy League university? Hell, children, just grab a cell phone with a camera and a rotting Chinese junk. You'll be good to go. Sailing school? What's that?

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by OldManMirage

Seems very short sighted to just ignore such a resource.

Yes I agree there are certain things, like a very specific technical demonstration that a short video is very helpful.

But **for me** something that goes on and on where all the useful content could be conveyed in a 12-second scan of text, it is not a time efficient medium.

For those that see it as entertainment, a way to pass the time, enjoy away.

That's what makes the world go round

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by billknny

If you produce content that people want to watch, and they enjoy it enough they pay you for it, good on you! No big deal if you have to ask them to do so. I don't find that offensive in any way. You are giving value, you have a right to get value in return. But to be sure, there are very, very few people producing content that I watch with that much interest.

I couldn't agree more. I have watched many Youtube sailors, some with experience so I can learn, and most with little to none so I can laugh

A lot of them are fair, some are great, but the only ones that really bother me are the ones that objectify the woman by showing constant T&A in party scenes. That's really the fault of the "big 2", LaVagabond and - shoot, I can't remember the guys. I think one of them actually made a video about how to make money on Youtube with the point that it takes a lot of T&A.

[Sojourner]

Originally Posted by Palarran

I couldn't agree more. I have watched many Youtube sailors, some with experience so I can learn, and most with little to none so I can laugh

A lot of them are fair, some are great, but the only ones that really bother me are the ones that objectify the woman by showing constant T&A in party scenes. That's really the fault of the "big 2", LaVagabond and - shoot, I can't remember the guys. I think one of them actually made a video about how to make money on Youtube with the point that it takes a lot of T&A.

Good comment, but I have a few points of my own... as someone with a starting channel and other social media outlets picking up sponsors and steam for our series, here's the thing: We kind of unique in that we have a few different categories (niches) we can focus on besides the actual sailing. Three cats sailing. A three person poly relationship with two nice looking young women (and me lol). A two person queer relationship between the above women. Nice scenery/history/travelogue type stuff. Guess which posts/Instapics get way more likes or views? It ain't even the cats, it's the two girls. We didn't make the market like this, but we'd be fools not to play that if our goal is viewers and subscribers. Not egregiously, but enough to put the proverbial asses in the seats, and then they might stick around to learn something or just have fun.

Second thing which no one has hit on in all these comments: Just what exactly are women supposed to wear on a sailboat? The dudes all walk around shirtless all day but no one says a word, shouldn't they be in polos?? Yeah I also can't take one more full moon party vid, but c'mon, dudes sail in swim trunks, girls sail in bikinis. And cats, well, they sail naked.

[sailorchic34]

For myself, being someone who reads 5-6 books a week ( I know who reads anymore right) and gave up tv long before reality TV became a thing, well I never watch youtube sailing video's. First because bandwidth on cell wifi is quite spendy when living on a boat, the information content is quite low and heck I already live on a boat and have for 14 years.

I am blessed in that I've never heard a single Kardashian speak, never watched a single minute of lost or survivor. and never saw or heard a single political commercial on TV or radio, during the last three election cycles.

The few times I've watched a technical video, of how to take the $%^&* back off a tablet to change the battery, for example, I had to fast forward to avoid being, well bored.

Yes I'm older then Dirt.

In fairness, I use my cell phone mainly as a wifi hotspot and treat it exactly like a landline. I've not made a single phone call on it in the last month. For the people born after 1995, a landline is much like a smart phone that has a broken screen, and is attached permanently to a wall, with a cord. I don't even take photo's of my meals... I'm a barbarian.

Though I have posted cat photo's on facebook .

I have clicked into youtube video's here, though mainly to make sure they are not spam or other nefarious things.

Sorry folks, life is too short to watch other people sail or whatever. Sort of like watching uncle Jim's vacation films on super 8. (long before batamax/VHS for the younger generation).

[Sojourner]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

For myself, being someone who reads 5-6 books a week ( I know who reads anymore right) and gave up tv long before reality TV became a thing, well I never watch youtube sailing video's. First because bandwidth on cell wifi is quite spendy when living on a boat, the information content is quite low and heck I already live on a boat and have for 14 years.

I am blessed in that I've never heard a single Kardashian speak, never watched a single minute of lost or survivor. and never saw or heard a single political commercial on TV or radio, during the last three election cycles.

The few times I've watched a technical video, of how to take the $%^&* back off a tablet to change the battery, for example, I had to fast forward to avoid being, well bored.

Yes I'm older then Dirt.

In fairness, I use my cell phone mainly as a wifi hotspot and treat it exactly like a landline. I've not made a single phone call on it in the last month. For the people born after 1995, a landline is much like a smart phone that has a broken screen, and is attached permanently to a wall, with a cord. I don't even take photo's of my meals... I'm a barbarian.

Though I have posted cat photo's on facebook .

I have clicked into youtube video's here, though mainly to make sure they are not spam or other nefarious things.

Sorry folks, life is too short to watch other people sail or whatever. Sort of like watching uncle Jim's vacation films on super 8. (long before batamax/VHS for the younger generation).

Ciao from Italy, Sailor Chic! It's morning here and sometimes I think I type too much with my caffeine buzz, but here goes:

I totally get what you mean about keeping kardashians and the like out of one's life! Two of us are published US authors so believe me we value the written word. However, there are 10000 unlucky landlocked (would-be or have been) sailors out there who enjoy watching this stuff, just like I did before we got out there on our own boat finally, for every one of us lucky enough to be living this life.... It's aspirational, inspirational, and frankly, after reading an article just last week about how sailing is dying out due to the lack of younger people with the resources to do it, I don't think it's a bad thing to tickle the tastebuds of a younger generation (that didn't sound right )

But what do think of my second point above, as a woman? Ie: what the heck are women supposed to sail in if not swimsuits? Men sail in their trunks shirtless all the time, but a bikini is verboten? Doesn't seem fair....

Anyway, good morning or night or whatever it is where you are....

[john61ct]

You are straight shooting that you use sex to get the eyeball$, provide a service for money.

Own that then and never mind the "sexist exploitation" critics, maybe just make sure to include sexy guys as well for those with that preference, be an equal opportunity exploiter.

Those who titillate less and film more average bodies won't make the big bucks, just the nature of the beast.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

Good comment, but I have a few points of my own... as someone with a starting channel and other social media outlets picking up sponsors and steam for our series, here's the thing: We kind of unique in that we have a few different categories (niches) we can focus on besides the actual sailing. Three cats sailing. A three person poly relationship with two nice looking young women (and me lol). A two person queer relationship between the above women. Nice scenery/history/travelogue type stuff. Guess which posts/Instapics get way more likes or views? It ain't even the cats, it's the two girls. We didn't make the market like this, but we'd be fools not to play that if our goal is viewers and subscribers. Not egregiously, but enough to put the proverbial asses in the seats, and then they might stick around to learn something or just have fun.

Second thing which no one has hit on in all these comments: Just what exactly are women supposed to wear on a sailboat? The dudes all walk around shirtless all day but no one says a word, shouldn't they be in polos?? Yeah I also can't take one more full moon party vid, but c'mon, dudes sail in swim trunks, girls sail in bikinis. And cats, well, they sail naked. [emoji3]

I learnt through business that you don't create the market, you create the product the market wants. You can waste alot of time and money trying to get the market to look your way, mostly you will fail. I don't judge the market right or wrong, it just is.

Regarding a niche, it's absolutely critical to have a unique selling point, how else do you cut through the noise? Queer Poly is a great USP!

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

For myself, being someone who reads 5-6 books a week ( I know who reads anymore right) and gave up tv long before reality TV became a thing, well I never watch youtube sailing video's. First because bandwidth on cell wifi is quite spendy when living on a boat, the information content is quite low and heck I already live on a boat and have for 14 years.

I am blessed in that I've never heard a single Kardashian speak, never watched a single minute of lost or survivor. and never saw or heard a single political commercial on TV or radio, during the last three election cycles.

The few times I've watched a technical video, of how to take the $%^&* back off a tablet to change the battery, for example, I had to fast forward to avoid being, well bored.

Yes I'm older then Dirt.

In fairness, I use my cell phone mainly as a wifi hotspot and treat it exactly like a landline. I've not made a single phone call on it in the last month. For the people born after 1995, a landline is much like a smart phone that has a broken screen, and is attached permanently to a wall, with a cord. I don't even take photo's of my meals... I'm a barbarian.

Though I have posted cat photo's on facebook .

I have clicked into youtube video's here, though mainly to make sure they are not spam or other nefarious things.

Sorry folks, life is too short to watch other people sail or whatever. Sort of like watching uncle Jim's vacation films on super 8. (long before batamax/VHS for the younger generation).

Ah Sailorchic I can completely agree with you. I often tell my kids about the times when we only had 3 channels on the TV and phones that sat on the wall. And I repeatedly tell them how easily and contentedly I could go back to those simpler times. If only we had time machines ! Truthfully, that's a part of why I sail. It gets me away from a lot of modern stuff.

[Palarran]

Originally Posted by Sojourner

Second thing which no one has hit on in all these comments: Just what exactly are women supposed to wear on a sailboat? The dudes all walk around shirtless all day but no one says a word, shouldn't they be in polos?? Yeah I also can't take one more full moon party vid, but c'mon, dudes sail in swim trunks, girls sail in bikinis. And cats, well, they sail naked.

It's not what they wear, it's how thay act in what they are wearing and how their buddy is filming and editing it afterwards. I don't disagree that T&A sells - it always has from the oldest written word, I just don't personally like it.

These guys are great.
Sailing Yacht Florence
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkE...CdSjmxQ/videos

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by daletournier

Regarding a niche, it's absolutely critical to have a unique selling point, how else do you cut through the noise? Queer Poly is a great USP!

Why? I couldn't care less about this in a sailing channel.

Especially when folks mention in every other post that they are gay / queer / cat-lovers.
I just get bored of the "hey, we are so special you just have to watch us".

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by Palarran

It's not what they wear, it's how thay act in what they are wearing and how their buddy is filming and editing it afterwards. I don't disagree that T&A sells - it always has from the oldest written word, I just don't personally like it.

+1

Sex sells but nobody takes a T&A channel seriously. As a sailing channel with too much T&A makes it just a T&A channel in a special surrounding.


I just read somewhere that this girl of Sailing Vagabond is pregnant. This will be a major shift in the way they edit the videos I guess.

Will such a YT boat be a healthy environment for the kid? I have my doubts

[danstanford]

As some have written here, it is entertainment for us to live vicariously through these folks out there doing it while we are at the dock or at work wishing we were out there. I have been conflicted over this issue and as of yet have not chosen to financially support folks as they have asked.

For what it is worth to the author, I believe if you choose to ask for support in this fashion, you choose to expose yourself to those claiming you are begging...it comes with the territory. I am in business and I understand that this exposes me to all kinds of criticisms as a 'greedy businessman' and I will continue to do what I do until I don't want to anymore. IF those criticisms hurt too much I could always stop.

Finally, explaining things in such a calm and objective way is the best response possible and I am adding it to the reasons I admire these two and would love to have a drink with them!

Dan

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by rabbi

Why? I couldn't care less about this in a sailing channel.

Especially when folks mention in every other post that they are gay / queer / cat-lovers.
I just get bored of the "hey, we are so special you just have top watch us".

You may not careless but theres most likely a market that can relate to their sexual preferences and few providing the product. Do you represent everyone?