What makes one a 'cruiser'?

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

And I liked Tetepare's definition, although there are really so many different types of cruisers.... Some never leave their country of origin, but still cruise. Some do not cruise full time, yet cruise. And some are cruisers manque (sorry about the missing accent), like Mike and El Ping, whose boats are far from them.

There's a good question... when does one cease to be a cruiser? I haven't even seen my boat in over two years, thanks to the Covid Apocalypse. Do I have to hand in my CF membership card?

[Don C L]

I looked at the poll, read the responses, and once again I find I am in the wrong forum!

[AKA-None]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

Umm... sure are lots of CFers who don't even own a boat or know how to sail...



Jim

I own a boat and pretend to sail

Sometimes I even end up where I’m going

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Don C L

I looked at the poll, read the responses, and once again I find I am in the wrong forum!

^

[DMF Sailing]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

There's a good question... when does one cease to be a cruiser? I haven't even seen my boat in over two years, thanks to the Covid Apocalypse. Do I have to hand in my CF membership card?

In my view, and never having met you, I'd say you are the operative definition of a cruiser.

[Island Time O25]

A cruiser is a person who owns a sailing vessel but does not own a tie, wingtipped loafers or an umbrella.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Island Time O25

A cruiser is a person who owns a sailing vessel but does not own a tie, wingtipped loafers or an umbrella.

No wingtips... check

No tie... check

No umbrella... WHOA! We use an umbrella to keep groceries dry in the dinghy at times, and ourselves at times, and upside down to catch dropped bits of hardware at times. And I thought I was a cruiser...

Jim

[OldManMirage]

Ok, I'm gonna throw in my .02.

I think the definition is in the word itself, i.e., "cruise." This word can have many different sub-categories, but in this case, we are going somewhere in a boat for extended periods of time. (Don't get bogged down by the motoring/sailing debates !)

I suppose we'll have to put some kind of number on the time. More than week ? A month ? I like at least a month. You can really feel like you did something.

I am not a cruiser at this time. I plan on going "cruising" at some point in the not too distant future.

I have been a "Liveaboard." We lived aboard for 3 years. We went sailing often, but it was all local, usually just weekends, so I wouldn't have called us "cruisers" back then. We were liveaboards. A "cruiser" is by default also a "liveaboard," while cruising - but not vice-versa.

You could further refine the definition to exclude charters, because charters are often just days or at most a couple weeks, and usually limited in area. Now, if you chartered for a month or more then ok, we'll give it to you.

So, the guy who spends a season in the Bahamas on his Skipper 20 is as much a "cruiser" as the couple making their way around the world in a 42 Westsail, and the group who chartered for a month in the Med. One might end up a more "seasoned" cruisers than the other when all is said and done, but I think they all fit the definition. They CRUISED !

I hope to be out there somewhere.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

There's a good question... when does one cease to be a cruiser? I haven't even seen my boat in over two years, thanks to the Covid Apocalypse. Do I have to hand in my CF membership card?

Pretty much never. They can still spin stories that weekenders only read about. They still wear the exact same clothes they cruised in, and don’t get all caught up in stupid stuff. And their hair is still crazy.

Don’t worry Mike, you’ll cruise again. Don’t give up, and don’t buy a bloody RV.

[rotrax]

Forget cruiser, not a good word.


First Mate and I travel by boat, a Motorsailer.


We are often aboard for 5 months at a time.


We average 1500 NM's each season, mostly UK South and West Coast, the Channel Islands, Northern France and both parts of Ireland.


Been doing it 12 years now and will continue until we cant cook it as we get older.


On the downward spiral as we are both mid 70's!


Call us cruisers if you wish, we dont care what handle we have.

[OldManMirage]

Originally Posted by rotrax

Forget cruiser, not a good word.


First Mate and I travel by boat, a Motorsailer.


We are often aboard for 5 months at a time.


We average 1500 NM's each season, mostly UK South and West Coast, the Channel Islands, Northern France and both parts of Ireland.


Been doing it 12 years now and will continue until we cant cook it as we get older.


On the downward spiral as we are both mid 70's!


Call us cruisers if you wish, we dont care what handle we have.

Yep, I'm calling you a "seasoned" cruiser.

And I only mean that as a compliment in the best way possible.

[Sparx]

Originally Posted by rotrax

Forget cruiser, not a good word.


First Mate and I travel by boat, a Motorsailer.


We are often aboard for 5 months at a time.


We average 1500 NM's each season, mostly UK South and West Coast, the Channel Islands, Northern France and both parts of Ireland.


Been doing it 12 years now and will continue until we cant cook it as we get older.


On the downward spiral as we are both mid 70's!


Call us cruisers if you wish, we dont care what handle we have.

From here this looks absolutely splendid!

We too enjoy revisiting places we know well.

[Auklet]

Around Florida we used to call ‘em sail bums. Worn out boat, worn out sails, deck cluttered with junk, barking dog—living on the cheap. “Cruisers” congregate in places where the weather is warm and hang out. While I’m sure this image would not apply to everybody, those are the examples one sees a lot of. Yet, we do have our RESPECTED icons of the cruising life.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

Pretty much never. They can still spin stories that weekenders only read about. They still wear the exact same clothes they cruised in, and don’t get all caught up in stupid stuff. And their hair is still crazy.

Don’t worry Mike, you’ll cruise again. Don’t give up, and don’t buy a bloody RV.

Thanks TP.

√ Same clothes (been living out of my duffle bag for two years now )
√ Hair still crazy (what little I have left )
√ Not caught up in stupid stuff (except here on CF )
√ I can still spin stories (whether anyone wants to hear them is another matter ).

And no RV -- yet . Never say never .

[carstenb]

Originally Posted by Tetepare

. Don’t give up, and don’t buy a bloody RV.

We have bought a bloody RV. We have been stuck in Port Angeles Washington for almost 2 years on our way to Alaska, because Canada has been closed. So rather than just sit in our salon looking at the Washington rain for another year - we bought an old RV and are now making the Great American Road Trip.

But - we will be back aboard Capri april 1 and resume our trip northward on May 1st.

After - well

We have no plan and, by golly, we're gonna stick to it!

So we'll go southward and spend a winter in the Sea of Cortez and then who knows - we will only have been full time cruising for 6 years so we wtill ahve lots of time