Are Sailors Individuals who differ from the norm..

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

The font used for my boat name is in 10" high Comic Sans, what does that mean.

I find boat names in unreadable, swirly script that can't be read from more that 15ft away or that are not proudly displayed on the bows irritating in the extreme.

As to what this has relevance to , is rather perplexing

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

As to what this has relevance to , is rather perplexing

Comic Sans.???

[Montanan]

Time spent on any of my sailboats is entering my happy space, even if it is just to do some repairs or cleaning while moored in the marina. I become a changed person when I walk down the pier towards my boats, and I also change again when I walk down the same pier towards my vehicle to return to my home and work tasks. I never bring my career work aboard my boats, just as I never bring my career work up to my remote cabins in the mountains of Montana where there is no phone or internet services, no means to communicate to the outside world or the outside world to communicate with me.

When I board my boat the cell phone is turned off for the duration of the voyaging, that drives my business associates a bit crazy because I just disconnect for the duration, be that a day sail, a day or two, or for a few weeks.

Oddly, I don't quite find the same sense of calmness when I am aboard a powered boat; I sold my cabin cruiser, yet there being some attributes of it that I remain fond of. The connection with the water and the breeze being so much more engaged when sailing. I really dislike having to motor, or motor / sail, but hey that needs to be done when the weather is not accommodating, or a schedule to keep, truly hate bringing aboard a schedule when I go sailing.

And I notice that there is a different character of people who are boaters, especially persons that spend considerable amount of time sailing or living onboard, versus say the day users and / or the recreational use boaters [water skiing, wake boarder, float pullers], or the fisherpersons versus persons who do not enjoy being onboard a boat. All though collectively all boaters, each of their unique ilk, are drawn to the water and its activities so there is a bonding of sorts within the community.

Yeah, even with PWC operators. I have one, but seldom use it anymore, really should sell it or give it to someone who would go have fun with it. Going fast is not of much interest to me anymore. I have a friend who is the owner of the building that we lease for one of my manufacturing facilities and he has a Go Fast racing boat, 115+ mph. It sure doesn't take long to get places in the few times I have gone boating with him, an entirely different experience on the water, or rather skimming the water. Odd thing is he really enjoys relaxing sailing on our lake sailboat. He has 20,000 feet of indoor heated storage for keeping his collection boats during Montana's long winter but has sold most of them in the last few years.

I also like river trips, either fly fishing in drift boats, or white water rafting and making multiday trips camping along the islands and banks and getting to know the wade fisherpersons and other drift boaters and remote campers.

Boaters, and particularly sailors, are a very small percentage of the population, and they are different in many ways. Privileged for sure given the cost of such ownership, albeit comparable to say privileged similar to the owners of RVs.

Different in a good way, or so I believe.

Comic Sans font is nice, a bit distinct, and easily legible.

[dannc]

People, you can't live with them and you can't live without them.

Years ago we went to a boat show and met a large number of people interested in the same boat as us. We spent 4-5 days together at the show and eating dinner at night. It was a very diverse set of people, who by profession, were software engineers, a variety of doctors, people in the movie business, writers, professional boat captains, professional pilots, along with the boat builder and boat designer. There was some overlap in professions as well.

We talked with the people who owned the boat design or wanted to own, and one of the common ideas was to go off and get away from people.

Having said that, I had noticed and mentioned it to some of the people, that as a group of people who had, with few exceptions, never met, we got along really well in spite of the desire to get away from people.

This was obviously because of the shared interest in the boat and cruising.

People, you can't live with them and you can't live without them.

Some of our best experiences, and worst, has been with people. Thankfully, the best experiences are far more numerous than the worst. It is often what you make of it as well.

We have met some very interesting people while traveling both by boat and otherwise. Traveling by boat seems to open up conversations with people in a different way than if one is traveling in a more conventional manner. Obviously stopping at a marina mixes one up with other boat people so there is the common interest and experience. This is completely different if one is staying at a large hotel in a big city. Being The Stranger In A Strange Land also seems to open people up to conversation irregardless of the mode of travel.

I can be very social, or not very social, it just depends. I really don't need people to keep me amused or occupied like some people seem to need. I can easily see myself traveling solo on a boat. My wife on the other hand has never met a stranger. Kinda drives me and the kids nuts sometimes. Having sad that, it does lead us to meeting interesting people.

Later,
Dan

[goboatingnow]

I never understood the characterisation of sailors as loners , its not my experience at all. most are extremely sociable and seek out people . Its a very small group indeed that seek ensuring solace

[JPA Cate]

I'm definitely a "family pod" type. But I also recognize some truth about me in the thesis Gord linked to. Because, yes, I was content, with my Jim, to leave the society that spawned me. We decided what we wanted to do and then made it happen. We both really enjoy passages, too. If anything, Jim is way better at socializing than I am. I was a single child, too for my first 11 yrs., so tend not to feel lonely when alone. We have friends, always did among the cruising fleet, pals, people some of whom we looked up to, many of whom we were friends among equals.

But, Jim and I were getting our hair cut by a local family land person the other day, and she asked me, "How long have you been living on a boat?"

"Thirty-five years," I said. She burst out laughing and said, "That's crazy!" Jim and I had to laugh at that spontaneous reaction. But really, it is true that we who actually get it together and leave are in the minority, and land based folk don't "get it." Except for the ones who claim we're doing it for them and who envy the freedoms, maybe they have the imagination to know they're missing something ineffable.

Ann

[goboatingnow]

But really, it is true that we who actually get it together and leave are in the minority, and land based folk don't "get it."

Its not really a land based thing , its more a human nature thing. Most people follow a predictable mainstream course through life , some follow a less predictable and less mainstream one .

I do find these days that more people are aware of "alternative living" and often are quite interested in those that practice it

[Martin S]

One of the most bizarre posts I have seen for a while!To quote Life of Brian. Brian: “ you are all individuals!” Crowd in unison “ yes we are all individuals”

[earthmover]

ewe people discussed me

[Tayana42]

I’ve never met a sailor named Norm. Who is he? Is he just your average Joe with an alias? I don’t know any sailor named John Q Public either.
I’m met some cruisers named Tom, Dick and Harry. Joe Blow would be a good name for a sailor. Or Joe Soap for a deckhand. Since this is an international forum maybe Norm is from Normandy and is Monsieur Tout-le-monde. Or perhaps Norm is just any Old mate Or Man on the Bondi tram. I’ve come to believe that, yes, Norm is an individual but not necessarily a sailor.

[davil]

Originally Posted by Martin S

One of the most bizarre posts I have seen for a while!To quote Life of Brian. Brian: “ you are all individuals!” Crowd in unison “ yes we are all individuals”

============================================
funny

Brian: Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't need to follow me. You don't need to follow anybody! You've got to think for yourselves! You're all individuals!
Crowd: Yes! We're all individuals!
Brian: You're all different!
Crowd: Yes, we are all different!
Man in crowd: I'm not...
Crowd: Shhh!

may be no funny?

forget it I give up!!!!

all this BS because we are not cruising!!!!

[Cadence]

I'm not sure what the question was. Most people I've met on the water have been nice with a couple of exceptions. I think it is because of a common interest no matter the boat size or type of sailing. The exceptions were those with statis symbols for their egos.

[billgewater]

OK. Here is my dollar’s worth.
I lived in Darwin for many years and met many of the international cruising mob. What we worked out was that they as a collective, were generally different to their normal countrymen.
The difference was a collection of features but mainly, these people were adventurous, polite, knowledgeable and competent. As one wit explained it, in the house of a lawyer, mechanic, salesperson etc. the light comes on when you push the switch, the water comes out of the tap when you turn it. These do not happen because of any innate technical competence. They come on because you have other skills and those skills bring in an income. That income allows you to employ the electrician and plumber.
Not so on a cruising boat. You need to be able to manage and maintain it all yourself. The electrical power, the fresh water system, the fuel systems, the navigation, the freezer, all the above deck paraphernalia, the dynamics of 24/7 personal relationships, victualing etc. in a closed environment. All this in a crowded, rocking, chemically aggressive environment.
Some of these required attributes can be acquired via money. E.g. complex navionics - no one could reasonably claim the ability to fix micro circuitry, or overhaul a gearbox at sea. We do still rely on external expertise – usually at set intervals (outhauls) – but generally it will all work when our competence matches our aspirations. Yes, we are a selective collection. Not unique, but generally more diversely competent.
There is then, an expected difference between the charter lifestyle and the totally independent international cruiser. My experience is that if you can set up a boat and cross the Pacific without external help, enjoy it all, and pass on that enthusiasm to others, then yes, you are a different, more interesting person.

[svfinlandia]

Originally Posted by boatman61

It has recently been claimed I am trying to be Individualistic because I choose to use Comic Sans when I post.. or use some alleged power because I support CF.
Three strikes and two bans prove otherwise about 'Power' methinks..
For me simply choosing to go to sea makes me an individual, different from the 99% of people I know who think I am insane to do what I do.
One of the reasons I joined CF (and stayed) is it gives me a chance to meet and converse with likeminded folk that I may run into in real life on my travels.. and I have been lucky enough to run into a few, from Turkey all the way to Australia.
In the main they have been great folk (with the very rare exception) whose company I have enjoyed (however briefly) so for me it has more than compensated for time spent posting on here.
But lets be frank.. even sailors come in various shades.. the one's who prefer to shoal, racing, the ARC etc, the social/team side of the activity is a major factor that drives their passion.
Then there's the family pods, couples with family, friends who sail together either recreationally or as a way of life.
Lastly there is the voyaging solo sailor, the one who (most of the time) likes to be out there alone without the distractions others bring.. and happy in his own company.
Which group do you feel you fall into, as an individual.???
Or.. do you feel we should all become an amorphous swarm dancing in unison.

I am in the solo sailor category. I have a fridge magnet that says “I love dogs, it’s people that annoy me”.
Actually, I like most people too, but I am very comfortable in my own skin and enjoy being alone at sea.

Al, S/V Finlandia

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Cadence

I'm not sure what the question was. Most people I've met on the water have been nice with a couple of exceptions. I think it is because of a common interest no matter the boat size or type of sailing. The exceptions were those with statis symbols for their egos.

Are you a weekender round the cans for a jolly then back to the club for a jar, the social as important as sailing, if not more.
Are you happier just out sailing with family or friends to get away from the hectic everyday workaday world or..
Are you a person who voyages for the journey with the destination of lesser importance till you arrive..
Example, solo Caribe to Azores but as they loom over the horizon think "Stuff it, this is too nice" and keep going another 1500nm..
Its you.. not other people you meet along the way, unless that's the reason you sail.. in which case take up club racing.