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John A · 04-09-2010, 15:10

There certainly is a different mentality out cruising these days. I won't dwell on those who harden up on their sails to cut across my bow to scream 'starboard' at me, mostly bareboat charter folk or those who have just earned their sailing certificate.
Sometimes on a night passage I'd come upon a sailboat becalmed with sails down and motor off. Upon calling on the VHF to see if they needed help I'd be told that they didn't like to sail when it was dark as it was not safe to do so.
The singlerhandler I buddy boated with down the west coast of Central America did not realize that the longitude lines on his chart became closer together as the latitude numbers increased. I finally taught him how to enter waypoints into his GPS after he found the functions, this from a person from the PNW.
Six times I was asked to give navigational help to boats that didn't have a clue as to where they were and/or how to get where they wanted to go.
I lost track of the number of boats I passed with no one in the cockpit. Everyone was down below watching a DVD, eating, or tinkering with their computerized navigation. But they were the first to tell me how irresponsible I was to sail singlehanded.
It's a funny word we sail in but that's part of the adventure.

hellosailor · 04-09-2010, 15:16

The old salts might still be going around in those circles you mentioned.<G>

They typically would say "arriving late next Monday, but don't consider us overdue until Wednesday night" while someone with a bit more new gear onboard these days might say "We'll be docking around 2PM and I'll call you if that changes". And might even be arriving on time, all else being equal.

Now, put your cell phone, landline phone, car keys, bus pass, and computer in a little pile outside the front door. You don't need all that newfangled stuff at all. Oh, and about the indoor plumbing...<G>....

Astrid · 04-09-2010, 15:24

Quote:

Oh, and about the indoor plumbing...<G>....

They have that now?

Therapy · 04-09-2010, 16:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Astrid

They have that now?

I have the newest - indoor/outdoor.

Poop indoors, pump and wallah, it's outdoors.

Pretty spiffy.

**Boracay** · 04-09-2010, 17:14

I hated the stuff that we had in the "good old days". It was expensive, uncomfortable, didn't last and needed specialists to maintain.

And worst of all, a lot of the time it simply didn't work.

SvenG · 04-09-2010, 18:12

Is this where we get to brag about how old we are ?

-Sven

psteele235 · 06-09-2010, 21:51

Thanks everyone - glad to see I'm not alone!

psteele235 · 06-09-2010, 21:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by SvenG

Is this where we get to brag about how old we are ?

-Sven

Sven, we don't get older - we just get better!

**Ex-Calif** · 07-09-2010, 00:02

VHF? - Bludy looxury that is...
Sextant? - Bleedin' 'ell. What we wudn'a give for a Sextant!

When aih started sailin' we had to build oor own bleedin' boat! An if we didn' our dah would crack us up side the head with a flud and waip out civilization!

Bleedin' softies the lot o' ya...

(Sometimes this place just cracks my stuff up)

zeehag · 07-09-2010, 10:01

love yer ark,matey----when we sailing!!!?? got masts for the thing yet???

rebel heart · 07-09-2010, 10:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by psteele235

I am becoming increasingly bemused by some of the technical and other threads on CF such as 'open CPM' whatever that means.

When I was growing up (admittedly Queen Victoria was on the throne) we sailed from the UK to Europe (many times), the Baltic, and around Britain with a B&G depth sounder (thing that showed circles going around and was impossible to decipher), VHF for getting the weather forecast and not much more (no ship to shore), hard dinghy lashed to the coach roof with oars and a Seagull that would start if it was calm, bulky lifejackets filled with kapok, paper charts etc etc.

Reading some of these threads I feel that if I don't have a Masters in Computer Sciences, laptop, desktop, refrigerator, AC, MC, DSC, EPIRB, 6 person liferaft for 4 people, windvane, drogue, etc etc I shouldn't leave my mooring!

Where are all the old salts who learned to sail and navigate without all of today's toys? Or have we all quietly drifted away?!

The maritime industry has convinced people that they need a lot of stuff that they don't, and that they don't need a lot of stuff that they do.

I think an electrical windlass is silly and I'm right, and someone who wants to use one and "needs" it is also right. Even back in the golden age of sail all the boats weren't built the same. It's somewhat natural that in this age of a technology boom there's more options (and accompanying opinions) on what is and isn't needed on a boat.

There's a lot more people that just want to hop on a boat and go. Even the sentiment of "just go now!" implies that you don't need to spend a lot of time learning, configuring, and adjusting before you set sail across an ocean. In order to "just go now!" a boat basically has to have the livability of a condo and the ease of operation of an SUV. There's not a lot of room in there for custom mounted gravity tanks for heaters, hanked on jibs, paper charts, or even ded reckoning.

rebel heart · 07-09-2010, 10:13

And I'm as guilty of this as the next guy, but the amount of time you spend behind a laptop is inversely proportional to the amount of time you spend at sea. In short, the salty dogs simply aren't on laptops chit chatting on message boards. They're sailing, cutting wood, and rowing across an anchorage.

zeehag · 07-09-2010, 10:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by rebel heart

And I'm as guilty of this as the next guy, but the amount of time you spend behind a laptop is inversely proportional to the amount of time you spend at sea. In short, the salty dogs simply aren't on laptops chit chatting on message boards. They're sailing, cutting wood, and rowing across an anchorage.

correct!!

i have been trying to find a manual windlass for my formosa--everyone i spoke to already is in laughter mode as they think electric windlass is the awesomest thing since slicing of bread---but i dont like them. i like simpson lawrence sea witch , plain and simple windlass--to eachhis/her own---and i think the sentence should be modified to :

"go now--AFTER learning how......