Sailing Commune ?

[callmecrazy]

And yes, I was a hippie

I left after they gave me lice and I had to shave my dreads off

[SailboatLarry]

Okay here is the real deal as I see it. (through rum soaked eyes). We are a community! Probably should be a sovereign nation. Made up of small cummunities all working together.

Reality is if I have a loaf of fresh bread and you anchor next to me and have none, well guess what you have half a loaf!

There are exceptions to this rule! Not that I am perfect but I do retain my right to judge you. If I believe you are a filthy crackhead it is best you keep on sailing. Sorry if that sounds cold. The use of "CrackHead" is not only limited to people who like cocaine. Just messed up people that I care not to deal with in general.
Spend a lifetime in the South Florida waters you will know what I am saying.

So I guess my next prop is how about several groups that are connected? No Bylaws and all that BS. Just people that wish to sail and can take comfort in knowing someone is there for them if crap hits the fan.

I have no wish to join a club. In fact I would never join a club that would allow the likes of me in!

But I would sail with most any of you. Maybe we could get the admin here to set up a section for regional sailors looking for cruising boat buddies.

[SailboatLarry]

I am not sure 90 pecent of what I was saying came out correct. Now it looks like I am typing in italics????? Damn I need a cold drink!

[SunDevil]

Boat bucks sounds like too much work. And, if I get a boat it is because I worked very hard on land, and I will want to be lazy. I wouldn't be trying to break free of purchasing things, and will have enough money to survive. I would like to think that the boats would be self-sufficient and might just need a little help rarely.

But, I like the idea of being nice. If I catch a fish and cook it, I would share the extra leftovers. Or it would be nice to have an organized cook out/pot luck dinner once in a while at a park.

The other part is the travel plans part. It would be nice if there was a way to see who was waiting to go towards the Bahamas from Florida let's say. And be able to form an impromptu floatilla. Or have a scheduled trip from NYC to The Keys each year. People might not go the entire route, and you can join up or stop as you wish. Different boats would go at different speeds, so you might need to have activities for the fast boats to do at a city, or let them get to the destination a few days ahead of time. Some people will leave early, others will travel later.

It would be a good application for AIS. I use an app called Waze on my iPhone to see where other users are on the road. But, it would be nice to have a well thought out route and good anchoring spots, even if there are 100 boats. Ranging from this:


to this:

[jgbrown]

Quick note since I'm on my phone. For application of tribal ideas with modern technology to link them, check out metatropolis. Community uses visual cues(tags with data encoded) to identify. Some basic structure and US and them, barter within trade for income without. Shared tools space resources. Good example would be a scuba compressor, though in the story a lawn mower was the example. Not every boat needs scuba compressor, but access to one is important to diving.

Re tribe and identity, my suspicion is forums are our way of re creating tribes in a world where we are becoming anonymous. Dialect, social norms, conventions etc all apply. People feel allegiance and self identify or move between them. Our tribes online center around an interest instead of location.

Harnessing modern technology and that concept is an interesting idea. But care would be required.

[GypsyGal]

Originally Posted by Gelfling

U·to·pi·a   
How about my thoughts of a 'brotherhood', like that of motorcycle gangs? Not the ones that get together and destroy things for the sake of 'making a name', but those that are actually a positive contribution to society, with fund raisers and such. And while I was thinking again along those lines, maybe this 'tribe' could be set up like a 'Moose' or 'Elks' or 'VFW' lodge, in that there are different chapters in individual states (to start) and then like 'Moose International' it could branch out and have an international presence as well. HELL, it could just as easy start in the MED or EU and branch its way to the US. It could even work with organizations like the Red Cross. There were probably cruiser out there that were close to Haiti or India during their crisis that would (and could) help but didn't have the direction to do so....maybe. . Etc. Etc.Etc.

But isn't a society where there are rules, regulations, demands, requirements, limits and restrictions exactly what most cruisers go cruising to get away from....?????

[hummingway]

Originally Posted by GypsyGal

But isn't a society where there are rules, regulations, demands, requirements, limits and restrictions exactly what most cruisers go cruising to get away from....?????

I think that's a pretty large generalization. Some of just like sailing and nature, the ocean and visiting beautiful places.

[Bash]

Originally Posted by hummingway

I think that's a pretty large generalization. Some of just like sailing and nature, the ocean and visiting beautiful places.

Perfect! I want to start a commune of those who "just like sailing and nature."

They should all be guitarists of course, or fabulously good cooks.

[s/v Beth]

I tried this concept a while back. Was in a secluded cove and another sailboat came in. We had caught and cooked too much fish, so I took it over to them. They thanked me, ate it, and never talked to me again.
Go figure.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I tried this concept a while back. Was in a secluded cove and another sailboat came in. We had caught and cooked too much fish, so I took it over to them. They thanked me, ate it, and never talked to me again.
Go figure.

People are funny that way. I had new neighbors move in across the street a few years back, and made some coffee and juice for the kids, along with some cookies, and brought it over to welcome them to the neighborhood as they were unpacking a van.

They thanked me, were pleasant, and have not talked to me since.

[TeddyDiver]

Is there a flag sign for potluck?

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

Nothing was divied up. If you had an extra t-shirt, it was expected that the guy missing a t-shirt would wear it. It was a share and share alike community.

It worked well until people that were not as like-minded attempted to join. then things became complicated.

No sh#t

Everyones idea of "Sharing" and "fair" is different. For me it is giving a hand when I am able (whether time or resources). For others it will include a go on me wife........and some to the point of being offended if not freely offered .

IMO that is why any society needs rules to prosper. apart from those which are happy to spend their days vegetating and declining whilst watching lentils grow as the world moves on around them.......and usually will find that even those are not as self supporting as they claim, or even think.......including from "da man".

I appreciate that with the "Rules" thing I may not be very popular with the free spirit end of the spectrum . But f#ck 'em the Tribe does not have to work for everybody, it simply has to recognise that it won't work for everyone - and then have ways and means (aka Rules!) to deal with those who will nonetheless join and then either demand their free lunch or seek to change the (unwritten) rules to own advantage.....or simply have lots of "good" ideas .

Rules provide a framework of certainty and stability as well as clearly sets out the expectations that folk can either subscribe to or not (and folk will change opinions on what works for them over time). But the rules do not have to be onerous (unless one likes living under facism ).....and the most important rule to first decide is how to change the rules (societies do also either evolve or die).

when people start expecting something in return for their work, problems happen. there is no way to have a "commune" without 100% sharing.

That probably is true for a commune. But my take is that is not what OP was talking about. More about people each having own pot, but being willing to contribute to the Group / Tribe for own benefit, although not neccessarily getting that benefit "now".

Strange no one has mentioned Pirates yet or a Viking raiding party .

[s/v Beth]

Yeah they did Pirates DOJ (post 22) and I though you were single! And I thought I would have to protect my wife from folks like you!
BTW- Hippy Communes have had some of the highest community rates of VD in the world. Not my model for society...

[Kenomac]

There's a great book by George Orwell on communism, which would be a good read for home-schoolers. Be sure to Read "Animal Farm" by George Orwell to find out how well communism will work out in the sailing community.

In most cases, I've found that those folks who praise the virtues of communism to be ones who've decided for some reason that it would be more beneficial to their lifestyle to have other people carry the water and do the heavy lifting.... and not have to pay for the service.

[Nemo55]

Your scary Soviet Union Collapsed in on itself quite a few years ago, and your still freaked out about people wanting to share the wealth???
Wake up man,,its 20 freakin 12 already.
Hunting commies is something in the history books labeled "Paranoia"

Originally Posted by Kenomac

There's a great book by George Orwell on communism, which would be a good read for home-schoolers. Be sure to Read "Animal Farm" by George Orwell to find out how well communism will work out in the sailing community.

In most cases, I've found that those folks who praise the virtues of communism to be ones who've decided for some reason that it would be more beneficial to their lifestyle to have other people carry the water and do the heavy lifting.... and not have to pay for the service.