Naked sailing!

[Cap Erict3]

It is the mystery not the nudity. Exotic dancers know this well.

I bet children of nudists are unlikely to be peeping toms.

[noelex 77]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i bet they are different. i look forward to the differences. i doubt i will run into many people 150' from me doing naked calisthenics on their foredeck.
also i will not be seeking out this behavior.

Looking forward to the differences is good, that is lot of the reason we go cruising.

No you won't see a lot of naked calisthenics, but that's because not many people do calisthenics.

You will see plenty of naked people anchoring, swimming, bathing, walking around, in fact doing all the normal everyday things (even waterskiing, but honestly that has got to hurt ).

I am not trying to judge your views, just pointing out the realities that will confront you.

[bene505]

Originally Posted by scoobert

...IMO if i need binoculars to see detail, your far enough away to be naked.
that is my comfort level, what right is it of yours to make someone uncomfortable?

Scoobert,

That is the flaw in your logic, that it's OK for your comfort level to impose on the rights of others.

By way of example... I find it uncomfortable the people named "Scoobert" have left feet. It really makes me off-the-charts uncomfortable. You will now please cut your foot off. Be quick about it, I can't stand the discomfort much longer.

And that quickly decends to... Maybe I'll just have to come over to your house and cut your foot off. It's the right thing to do, because my discomfort tells me so.

--

In reality, people are uncomfortable with anything new. Jumping into murky water to change your zinc can be very uncomfortable. But after spending enough time in the murky water, coming out of the water can be uncomfortable.

Discomfort is there to remind you to think and take things slowly -- nothing more and nothing less. Still uncomfortable about something -- think some more and lessen risks by taking other measures. I am uncomfortable climbing the mast, right up until I attach a second halyard to my TopClimber with a prussic knot. After that, I go up slowly so I can get use to the altitude along the way. The most dangerous part is coming down to right above deck level where you bang you knees on the boom. Had to learn that. Now I get a bit uncomfortable on the way down -- think, go slow -- watch the boom.

--

Don't worry, it's a natural reaction to fear what makes you uncomfortable. Think it through and get past it, instead of letting it justify contempt, criticism or even (in some) violent acts.

Are they really endangering your life? No. Are there whole countries that are held back in the stone age by discomfort leading to violence? Yes.

You are much better that this. Enjoy the fact that you live somewhere where people are much freer to not be one-size-fits-all. It's means you are much freer to do what you enjoy! (I don't partake of nude beaches, but I'm glad they exist.)

Sail on.

Regards,
Brad

[barnakiel]

I think offshore on your own you can be 100% naked as you please.

But inshore?

If the beach is naked and you anchor in front, that's too OK.

But if it is not?

And if you are not the only boat, what about other cruisers?

I say be naked, or not, and sure the world is large enough for you and me, naked or whatever.

Avoid offending others, even if there is no offense in YOUR eye. Playing nice and civilized pays back in the long turn.

b.

[deckofficer]

For my time in England I've noticed the Brits have a quaint tradition, the season long renting of "changing sheds" at their beaches. They also store beach chairs, umbrellas and other related beach items, but the main purpose is to change into and out of swim wear. Very quaint indeed.

[jongleur]

Think it was in Hal Roth's book:
"Two Against Cape Horn," where
he tells of the Yahgan Indians.

They were always naked, even in
that cool, damp climate. Yet,
because they coated themselves
in grease and developed a
coating of dust over that, they were
fairly impervious to the constant rain
and mist, drying off quite fast.

The religious missionaries came and
forced them to bathe and wear clothing
which kept them damp and cold, thereby
rendering them susceptible to various
diseases. This pretty much wiped them
out as a race.

Naked is good, and so are Hal Roth's
sailing books.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by scoobert

don't believe everything you hear.
some isolated nation people worshiped a god they called "an unknown god"
long before missionaries arrived.
many wore clothing. not because a church said to wear it, but because they felt shame. do a bit more tribal history research before you believe one elder who would probably prefer to see all the women naked.....

I wonder how you feel about the truly spectacular penis sheaths sported in Papua New Guinea and the Solomons/Bismarcks, etc.?

Otherwise naked, that is traditional clothing worn while hunting, hanging with your mates, etc.

Just to fit in, I'd wear one, but I'd have to find one painted red on the left side and green on the right.

[S/V Alchemy]

Originally Posted by Alecadi

As I said you have a BIG problem
Since when guilt and shame are good
And what do they have to do with religion?

About the same as a foundation has to do with a house, I would suggest.

It's simple: If you are in a place where peeing naked off the rail is acceptable, don't worry about it. If the person in question takes more than three shakes, it's exhibitionism.

Another point I would submit is that the more public nudity one experiences, the less of a big deal it continues to be. On water or on land.

A practical reason for nudity (and I would wear a hat, sandals and sunscreen myself) on board is that it cuts down on the laundry and the towel use considerably, a real problem at sea. You can wear a knife on a belt or a lanyard, and even carry one of those pack of gum-sized PLBs.

If I was a guilty-shamey country, I would be more circumspect. To not do so would be as rude as staring at nude people onevocally disapproves of, and yet secretly ogles.

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by Cap Erict3

I bet children of nudists are unlikely to be peeping toms.

On of the things naturist (not nudist!) parents will confirm is that their children have trouble getting the point of some of the jokes their peers tell them...

[K_V_B]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i find the 50% to be quite misleading.

1.6 billion Muslims views are more strict then mine
1.2 billion Catholics are about the same
2 billion Chinese cannot be overlooked
1 billion Hindus

there are only 7 billion people in the world.
your fact is not very factual, if taken literally.

I find your assumption that all religions share the same attitudes towards nudity that you have actually rather misleading.

For example, the late Pope John Paul II himself stated that nudity itself is not shameful. The Catholic Church does not equate nudity with sex.
I attended Catholic school when I was a kid (as did basically everyone in the European country I grew up in) and we did have religion as a subject, and during one class our teacher (a Jesuit) explained that the modern "nudity taboo" is actually quite recent, and mostly a product of 19th century upper middle class attitudes becoming mid stream. Common people in the 19th century usually didn't bother with swimsuits, as you will find out if you read such classics As "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". Another classic I grew up with is the Dutch "De scheepjongens van Bontekoe" (The Cabin Boys of Bontekoe", a story that plays in the 17th century on a Dutch VOC ship. One of things mentioned is that in the tropics the crew usually didn't bother with clothes... You see, naked boating isn't new.

[bobconnie]

I can't even believe that someone thinks shame is a holy thing!! Haveing cruised places in the 50s and 60s when island folks still dressed in there old style. there was never any shame shown by them! and there was really never any pressure put on them by there church to wear clothing except when they went to church! Thinking that nudity is ungodly is almost something form the dark ages!! Heck if a man can be grossly aroused by nakedness, he sure has little control and should never be allowed to leave the house LOL Ive seen naked folks in ancorages all over the place, even done a little skinnydippin myself! Gosh its not like folks turn into drooling fools when they see a naked lady or a man LOL Come on folks grow up! Just wait till after dark to pee over the side when theres a bunch of boats in your area !!

[jkindredpdx]

Originally Posted by scoobert

i believe your wrong. we as humans need some shame. this is not the garden of eden, this is 2013. we are not animals.
i would find nothing more shameful then having a young girl see me naked. why expose young children to nudity?

Spent some time in the Amazon a few days from Iquitos... Natives there didn't know modesty and after a short time among them one forgets they are not clothed. I was amazed how accepting and welcoming they were of us and our peculiarities.

[Wraith_Mac]

Wow, Open CPN couldn't plot the thread drifts here and B&G sure couldn't predict a course change. Tack or jibe? Tack or Jibe?
I wait in suspense to see:
1/ How many more reasons some can invent to avoid using the windlass and moving on to a less offensive [to them] location?
2/ Why the locals should adopt the morality of a tourist from another culture?
3/ Why the indignant tourist/s think they should have their moral values recognized by said locals, are they there as tourists or evangelists for their culture?
4/ How to continue introducing all the controversial aspects of cruising taboos whilst denying they're doing so into a seemingly unrelated thread.
As ridiculous as it seems, this sure beats the anchor/gun/religion/cultural superiority wars because it's all in one place!
The reality series would be a ratings winner for sure, no one needs to follow a plot there.
Cheers,
Mac

[sparau]

Originally Posted by scoobert
i find the 50% to be quite misleading.

1.6 billion Muslims views are more strict then mine
1.2 billion Catholics are about the same
2 billion Chinese cannot be overlooked
1 billion Hindus

there are only 7 billion people in the world.
your fact is not very factual, if taken literally.

Originally Posted by K_V_B

I find your assumption that all religions share the same attitudes towards nudity that you have actually rather misleading.

For example, the late Pope John Paul II himself stated that nudity itself is not shameful. The Catholic Church does not equate nudity with sex.
I attended Catholic school when I was a kid (as did basically everyone in the European country I grew up in) and we did have religion as a subject, and during one class our teacher (a Jesuit) explained that the modern "nudity taboo" is actually quite recent, and mostly a product of 19th century upper middle class attitudes becoming mid stream...

So that wipes out a fair chunk of 1.2B plus you would have to advise against travel in most of South America.

Hindus used clothes historically for adornment rather than necessity and created the Karma Sutra among other texts, statues and reliefs depicting nudity or even sex so i'd say thats another chunk of a billion who aren't as hung up as you

[mausgras]

As a small kid I remember my father taking me to the beach and letting me run around naked. At first I didn't care until I noticed I was the only one and from that time on I insisted on wearing swimming trunks like everyone else.

Now I am a grandfather and enjoy the freedom of clothesless activities once again, especially swimming. I do make a concession for the potential of skin cancer from over exposure and often wear a top but not a bottom if spending long periods in direct sun.

While I live in a country that is infamous for its night time sex entertainment industry over exposure during the day is very much frowned upon so I have to chose my time and location with discretion.

Footnote ... How times change, today my father would probably be arrested as a pedophile for letting me go naked in public.