What's A Cruiser?

[Blue Crab]

Ooooh ... Ooooh, Whitby 42

I was working at a fuel dock a couple of days ago and encountered a vessel that had just ducked into the Beaufort, NC Inlet to avoid some offshore weather. A bit of conversation indicated they'd been out a year and were returning to Maine (US). They'd been to Panama and Belize, and I'm not sure where else.

The Whitby was just about the most gorgeous boat I've ever seen for cruising. A fortyish couple was aboard, and the gal partner was not just a hood ornament (tho quite attractive). They fueled and watered up, asked about paying for water (not required; it would be a crime to charge for our water) and moved on.

As we turned them around I noted a Mantus anchor, and a Bruce on the bow. The lady said that they liked the Bruce, but loved the Mantus, and "had lived on it for the past year."

...

A little later two guys in their twenties came along going the other way in the ICW. They had an old Pearson (I'd guess a Wanderer) in some disrepair in its dotage. I didn't ask but these were two dudes off to some great adventures on a vastly different budget than the Whitby duo, tho with no less fun I'm certain.

Day sailing does not a cruiser make.

[Mike OReilly]

Not sure if this is what you were aiming at BC, but I've been mulling over the difference between sailors and cruisers. Or rather, I'm becoming more aware of the differences between sailors and what I'm doing, which I guess is cruising.

Sailing around the bay for a few hours or even a day holds little interest to me. It's not that I don't enjoy sailing -- I do! But I'd rather spend my evening cooking and eating a good meal (with a few beers or glass of wine ), than going through the bother of getting the boat ready to go sailing around nearby waters for a few hours.

The difference (other than me being lazy ) seems to come down to how one views sailing. I see it as an entirely desirable way to travel, and to move my floating home around. It's fun, but it's not really an activity I need or seek. It's just how I live. Sailors on the other hand, just seem to love to, well, sail. A few hours or a day of going nowhere is just fine for a sailor. Sailing is the end, not the means.

To me, sailing is a utilitarian task. It's fun, and environmentally friendly, and cheaper than fuel, and aesthetically pleasing, but it's still just a means to an end.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

To me, sailing is a utilitarian task. It's fun, and environmentally friendly, and cheaper than fuel, and aesthetically pleasing, but it's still just a means to an end.

I am somewhere in the middle. We live on and cruise our boat, but the best moments aboard are when we are sailing well and fast. Motoring would be a means to an end also but I don't think I would want to do that.

[Blue Crab]

I wasn't really aiming at anything other than sharing my pleasant experiences that day, Mike; I should have left the last line out. I do think cruising implies travel tho, and I say that while approaching three years as a mere liveaboard in the same (wonderful) spot on the current (wonderful) boat.

Enjoying being on the water is what we all share in common I'm sure.

[chuckr]

I am with Mike -- cruising to us as a means to an end - we are full time liveaboards for the past 9 years - do we want to go out for a day sail - Nope -- we are sitting in Istanbul right now and the wind is howling - 20-25k - and the folks are coming down to their boats all excited about going out to catch some big wind - not us - we came in to duck the winds (and get some propane, spare boat parts, make sure cruising permit is in order, ect)

Would we go for a day - maybe earlier but not now -- we spend enough time underway and yes when we get those great days when we can sail it is quite delightful and really take advantage of it - but it is simply a means to an end

But then again we are not great sailors - we just get there one way or the other -

As for living on the water - hummm - will have to think about that one as not sure if I would live on or near the water when we quit this life style - it is to be seen

[sailorboy1]

I like sailing on nice days. But I got into sailing to become a cruiser, not a sailor.


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[Mike OReilly]

Oh using the old tractor engine to make distance is definitely a utilitarian choice SVNeko. But that's also part of being a cruiser vs a sailor. As a cruiser I rarely have a fixed schedule. When planning passages I try and make sure we have lots of options for bailing out if wind become uncooperative. And I always try and give ourselves as much time as possible. I hate to rush.

I love the feeling of our boat under sail. Put 15-20 knots on the beam, with soft seas and she just hums. I engage the windvane and stroll around tweaking sails or just read a book in the cockpit: Bliss . Even heading off to a nearby anchorage for a few days of secluded living is good too.

But the idea of going out in the evening for a few hours, or choosing to head out in 25+ knots (or no wind) for "fun," is just not on. I leave that to the sailors. Me? I'll have another beer please

[Siberianhusky]

Interesting, I'm a sailor who is going live aboard/cruiser in a couple years.
My biggest fear is what to do when I'm not sailing.
I honestly come to a big mental block about what to do at anchor in paradise, to be honest it kind of sounds boring as hell!
I think I'm more into the challenge of getting to these places, could see me doing some repairs, re-stocking the boat and leaving in a few days.
My idea of a winter vacation is going ice climbing in the Rockies, not sitting on a beach.
Guess I'm planning on continuing being a sailor, just going to farther away places.
Oh ya this will all be done solo.

[SVNeko]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

Interesting, I'm a sailor who is going live aboard/cruiser in a couple years.
My biggest fear is what to do when I'm not sailing.
I honestly come to a big mental block about what to do at anchor in paradise, to be honest it kind of sounds boring as hell!
I think I'm more into the challenge of getting to these places, could see me doing some repairs, re-stocking the boat and leaving in a few days.
My idea of a winter vacation is going ice climbing in the Rockies, not sitting on a beach.
Guess I'm planning on continuing being a sailor, just going to farther away places.
Oh ya this will all be done solo.

You're gonna be fixin' stuff

[zeehag]

whenyer not sailing yer fixin.
fixin to wake up, fixin to eat, fixin the boat, fixin to meet folks, fixin the boat, fixin......

crabby , it sounds like you had a fun day .....

[Siberianhusky]

LOL owned sailboats most of my life, I know all about fixin stuff.
Keep it simple. Keep it reliable.
I'm up to 32 years of boat ownership, not bad for somebody who is 47!
Lots of miles under the keel.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Siberianhusky

Interesting, I'm a sailor who is going live aboard/cruiser in a couple years.
My biggest fear is what to do when I'm not sailing.
I honestly come to a big mental block about what to do at anchor in paradise, to be honest it kind of sounds boring as hell!
I think I'm more into the challenge of getting to these places, could see me doing some repairs, re-stocking the boat and leaving in a few days.
My idea of a winter vacation is going ice climbing in the Rockies, not sitting on a beach.
Guess I'm planning on continuing being a sailor, just going to farther away places.
Oh ya this will all be done solo.

As Neko says, there's rarely a time when something doesn't need fixing, or changing, or upgrading, on a cruising boat. I often like to get off to a remote anchorage just so I can focus on getting work done. Then there's endless exploring to be done, or learning about where you are. But I also like to just kick back and do nothing. Relaxing in my cockpit or on a beach while sipping coffee or wine is just great. I can just soaking up the surroundings or reading a good book for hours, days, weeks. I like to be still.

It's an interesting question about temperament and suitability to the cruising life. Some people need to being doing something all the time. They need events, projects, plans and people. They just can't be still. Perhaps it's an introvert/extrovert thing, but I honestly don't know how people-who-must-be-busy-all-the-time manage to cruise. I've sailed with folk like this, and I find it exhausting

[Blue Crab]

I came up as a small boat purist but I've had to alter my game over the last few years in my dotage. I love my Yanmar but still have to laugh at folks who can't even sail up to their mooring or brag about be able to single hand their 40+ fters with furling and powered everythingies but turn out to be totally helpless when the simplest thing goes belly up. With cell phones, now we've even lost the entertainment value of listening in to the distress calls.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I came up as a small boat purist but I've had to alter my game over the last few years in my dotage. I love my Yanmar but still have to laugh at folks who can't even sail up to their mooring or brag about be able to single hand their 40+ fters with furling and powered everythingies but turn out to be totally helpless when the simplest thing goes belly up. With cell phones, now we've even lost the entertainment value of listening in to the distress calls.

i am one of those who hasnt the latest anything except i do have a new engine--lovely noisey tractor workhorse.
the rest of boat is long overdue for upgrades and repairs..
ok. we doing that..... i notice that, even as i sailed and motored a crippled boat from point a to point b i was cheered and checked up on by those with all the bells and whistles. i guess as they didnt see parts and cushions floating around in pacific, they became concerned.
i guess no one really sails anymore.
what will the folks with all those fancy items ever do WHEN their stuff goes tits up--- ye gotta know how to handle a boat to get a ¨bad boat¨ or broken boat to port.....
so is the cruiser the guy with all the fancy dancy over priced stuff or the one limping into port with a well worn sailing boat and blown out sails and noisey manual winches that still kinda function, or is the real cruiser in between somewhere or is the cruiser all of the above...
let the games begin.

[RKO]

If you are talking about people, Id say a cruiser is a sailor who is headed somewhere.

If you're talking about boats, tbe one he Or she is sailing on when headed somewhere Is a cruiser.