Help Me Pay My Way (Well, Not Quite ... )

[kerrydeare]

I have been reading a few cruising blogs lately (no real excuse), and I've noticed that a few younger couples have taken to begging for money to support their habit.

Evidently it's become respectable to ask other folks to send money so that these individuals can continue to wander aimlessly, go swimming when they have the urge, buy spares and engine replacement parts, eat well, feed their pets, etc.

I don't remember doing anything like this during the 8 years I lived aboard during the 1990's. Don't remember any friends doing this either.

How did I get so far out of touch?

[GaryBode]

If anyone reading this would like to give me money PM me!

[NYSail]

It’s a different world...... however some of these you tubers like sv Delos are major entertainment with no commercials...... so they ask for sponsors to support their lifestyle which in turn I for one find it quite enjoyable and educational to watch. And if you follow these shows there is a lot of work that goes into the production of their videos..... it’s not just turn on the camera jump in the water and post. I am not a supporter directly however I do buy some of the products they recommend (sponsoring companies) and have bought t shirts. Difference with TV is that there is a commercial every 10 minutes. So one way or another somebody has their hand out wanting you to pay.

Greg

[john61ct]

Just so we don't need to rehash covered ground
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rs-202767.html
But maybe some newer members do have something new to add

[ShellBack89]

Originally Posted by NYSail

It’s a different world...... however some of these you tubers like sv Delos are major entertainment with no commercials...... so they ask for sponsors to support their lifestyle which in turn I for one find it quite enjoyable and educational to watch. And if you follow these shows there is a lot of work that goes into the production of their videos..... it’s not just turn on the camera jump in the water and post. I am not a supporter directly however I do buy some of the products they recommend (sponsoring companies) and have bought t shirts. Difference with TV is that there is a commercial every 10 minutes. So one way or another somebody has their hand out wanting you to pay.

Greg

I'm in agreement with Greg. The YouTube channels I support (Tulas Endless Summer, Ben & Ashley on Sailing Nahoa, Gone With The Wynns & RAN sailing) provide education, entertainment and an honest look into the life of cruising. They aren't on GoFundMe asking for handouts. They are providing a service which is entertaining. These particular channels don't use sex or women in sexy bikinis (not that there's anything wrong with that) to sell their entertainment. Each of these are couples cruising and the men completely respect the women with them and I can appreciate that.

They post these videos free on YouTube but also ask to support the cost associated with their video production via Patreon. It's not a requirement to view their videos but I look at it this way for every 1 minute of video it takes 1 hour of editing. Most videos are 10 - 15 minutes long so that equates to a number of hours putting together quality videos. This time doesn't take into the time spent behind the camera.

I donate approximately $5.00 per video and they usually put out one video a week. That's about $20 per channel and their entertainment is much better than anything on TV right now. Take a look at some of these I think you'll be surprised at the quality.

[kerrydeare]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Just so we don't need to rehash covered ground ...

Not to quibble, but "rehashing covered ground" is the lifeblood of many if not most online discussion.

How many times have you or I or someone else labored over a carefully written and researched post or reponse, only to discover one or two posts later in the same thread that another author has essentially repeated the same content?

This has been my experience ever since Arpanet, and there is no clear change in sight.

[Sojourner]

Youtube is the new cable TV. People who complain about content-creators wanting / asking for VOLUNTARY contributions for what amounts to lots of hard, expensive work for people to view for free are probably the same people who ask graphic designers and professional photographers to work for them "for the exposure".

[Mike OReilly]

This seems to be the new ‘most repeated’ topic here on CF...

People who are producing quality content, and then encouraging their readers/viewers to pay something, are not begging for money. They are doing exactly the same thing previous generations of writers and film makers did. The only difference is the payment mechanisms have changed.

In the past you’d get a magazine or film contract, with an agreed fee, from a publisher/producer. In this day of “everyone can be a writer/videographer” content has been devalued, so few fixed contracts exist now. But these people are still working their @sses off to produce something worth paying for — at least this is true of the good one.

There are the outright beggars out there. The “go fund me so I can sail and surf without concern for money, ” Or “I’ve sunk my boat so I need you to give me money so I can continue being an idiot…” These people deserve scorn. But these are the exception, not the rule.

In both cases, it’s easy to ignore them if it bugs you. No one is forcing anyone to pay anything. I really don’t get why some people get so miffed over this.

[a64pilot]

Ref the TV thing. In the US TV used to be free, paid for by the occasional commercial.
Now you pay for TV, either cable or Satellite, and the commercials are even more frequent.

People have always had their hand out, however it used to be better disguised, some still is, send us money to support blank, and we’ll send you a “free” t shirt, now they don’t bother to hide.

[bill352]

Originally Posted by kerrydeare

I have been reading a few cruising blogs lately (no real excuse), and I've noticed that a few younger couples have taken to begging for money to support their habit.

Evidently it's become respectable to ask other folks to send money so that these individuals can continue to wander aimlessly, go swimming when they have the urge, buy spares and engine replacement parts, eat well, feed their pets, etc.

I don't remember doing anything like this during the 8 years I lived aboard during the 1990's. Don't remember any friends doing this either.

How did I get so far out of touch?

You may not have done it, but it's not just those wretched young people. I remember in the past getting mail from quite respectable organizations (Olympic sailing committee, or some such thing) wanting:


1....me to go to work;


2....instead of going sailing;


3....to make money;


4...to send to them;


5...so they can go sailing;


6....instead of going to work.


Some things never change.

[Adelie]

Originally Posted by kerrydeare

Not to quibble, but "rehashing covered ground" is the lifeblood of many if not most online discussion.
. . . .

+1...

[kerrydeare]

Originally Posted by NYSail

... some of these you tubers like sv Delos are major entertainment ... there is a lot of work that goes into the production of their videos ... one way or another somebody has their hand out wanting you to pay ...

I'm not suggesting entertainment should be free. I pay a fair price for my passions, and I'm not alone on this.

I specifically mentioned blogs in the original post, and later another writer introduced video into the mix. While video has been very helpful to me for some time, my video comsumption normally consists of arcane instruction on repairs and the like. Less so for entertainment, although at home we are happily part of the streaming tribe.

In true curmudgeon style, I remain blissfully unaware (and stubbornly so) of all the "brand new latest" I can manage. Still take pictures with a camera, and call friends on a phone. Imagine!

[Group9]

I donate to a couple of the youtube sailing couples. They entertain me , just like cable TV, netflix, or any other event I pay to go be entertained at.

[Shrew]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Ref the TV thing. In the US TV used to be free, paid for by the occasional commercial.
Now you pay for TV, either cable or Satellite, and the commercials are even more frequent.

Don't lose sight of whom is paying for what.

You are paying a content provider (cable, satellite, phone) for delivery of a clear signal, possibly in HD. This can include other features like On Demand, and DVR. The alternative is rabbit ears, tin foil, banging on the side of the TV, and fine-tuning a VHF dial like a submarine sonar technician.

Commercials pay the individual networks which, in turn, pays for the content they produce.

These are somewhat mutually exclusive concepts.

[OldManMirage]

Right now I don't support any of them, and truthfully I have no plans to, but I do watch quite of few of the ones mentioned. If anything, I'd like to get my own channel to the point where people can send me money ! HA ! I don't really see that happening - because I doubt I'll ever be that interesting - and so I'm not planning on funding my cruising that way.

But - here is the way I see it.

I am subscribed to both Sail magazine and Practical Sailor. I was offered 3 and 4 year subscriptions for a very low price, and since I never have enough to read I took the offers. Each magazine that comes my way is usually looked through cover to cover. What am I getting for my money ?

Very little that is of real interest to me. One, sometimes two articles per issue that actually are related to my kind of sailing or something I am wondering about for my boat. Almost zero when it comes to the advertisements.

At least with YouTube I am looking at videos of things that truly interest me. To the point where I am considering paying for the Upgraded version so I can do away with the advertising. Which does annoy me.

So, anyways, be sure to subscribe to my channel folks, and if you want to help me go cruising, well, uh....at the moment....ummm….I guess I'll have to get back to you on that ! LOL