Ragbag or Stinkpot?

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by minaret

... I notice we have a lot of new members with "Captain" in their name. And, dammit, they all seem to be Americans.

Good point. I think it's pretentious plain and simple but:

Kinda goes along with American thinking that "we" seem to think we run the world and everything in it. While that may have had a milligram of truth in it in the last hundred years or so, like the Brits before us, the sun now sets on American spheres of influence.


One of the things I like about CF is learning new stuff. As an example, for an American, I know a lot about Australia, having watched Crocodile Dundee multiple times, plus having a serious crush on Nicole Kidman. So if in Oz a sailboat is properly called a yacht and a powerboat a launch then it behooves "us" to incorporate that terminology rather than think it stuffy. Or, we could just go back to ragbag and stinkpot, the term raghead having fallen into that whirlpool of political impoliteness. Personally, I have trouble calling my 25' Swan a yacht, so calling your Hunter a yacht is out of the question for me, but if you want to, I'm willing to expand my mind enough to accept it rather than LOL.

Moreover, while I am old and Biigh-ish, we have many worldwide newer members/lurkers who are young guns; ignorant of the old ways, nor give a **** about them. Rather than jump and dump on them as many of us do, perhaps it's time to embrace them and their household terminology and general know-nothingness; rarely correct but never in doubt, circumnavigators all.

Aye lads and lassies, tis a fresh breeze ablowing up. Not only that but it's warm and sunny. Think I'll get off my bum and go work on the boat yacht.

[jared]

I think I might be one of those newbies that you may say I'm ignorant of all the traditional ways. It isn't that I don't care, it's because I prefer function over fashion. I like learning from people who know more than me. But kids like me filter all advice through filters like: What is coming from experience? What is based on a specific scenario that may never apply to me? What is coming from a textbook from the 60's? What is steeped in tradition and nostalgia? When it come down to it, I'll go with the way that serves my need best.

I'm in the middle of a boat rebuild project for RTW cruising. Some things I'm doing to her are quite non-traditional and would attract the concerned glare of more seasoned boat designers. But in the end, it will work fine and I will be happy out cruising! To most she will be a conglomeration of parts, randomly found, to make her seaworthy. In my eyes, she will be my yacht who takes me to far off lands over the horizon!

Someday, when I grow up (I'm 42 now), I will have the time to become a seasoned sailor and take the time to learn it proper. And I might even have enough money to dump into a proper "yacht" at that time, but that's at least 2 decades away and I have sooo much sailing to do before then ;-)

[Cheechako]

"As an example, for an American, I know a lot about Australia, having watched Crocodile Dundee multiple times, plus having a serious crush on Nicole Kidman. "

[goboatingnow]

Funny I always find myself conflicted . Not sure I was meant to live I'm the 1750s. Or the 2150s. I like naval history and practice the lost arts of older navigation techniques.

Yet the electronics engineer in me feels that function triumphs form. New is better then old and only facts not belief inform

I remain amused at myself.

Dave

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by jared

I think I might be one of those newbies that you may say I'm ignorant of all the traditional ways. It isn't that I don't care, it's because I prefer function over fashion. I like learning from people who know more than me. But kids like me filter all advice through filters like: What is coming from experience? What is based on a specific scenario that may never apply to me? What is coming from a textbook from the 60's? What is steeped in tradition and nostalgia? When it come down to it, I'll go with the way that serves my need best.

I'm in the middle of a boat rebuild project for RTW cruising. Some things I'm doing to her are quite non-traditional and would attract the concerned glare of more seasoned boat designers. But in the end, it will work fine and I will be happy out cruising! To most she will be a conglomeration of parts, randomly found, to make her seaworthy. In my eyes, she will be my yacht who takes me to far off lands over the horizon!

Someday, when I grow up (I'm 42 now), I will have the time to become a seasoned sailor and take the time to learn it proper. And I might even have enough money to dump into a proper "yacht" at that time, but that's at least 2 decades away and I have sooo much sailing to do before then ;-)

I hope so, Cap. My seahorse is so high now and then, I'm not sure I can get off with all limbs intact. But be aware of those broken dreams in boat boneyards. And be aware that a boat that looks unconventional will likely not be welcomed both hither and yon. And, of course, beware the jabberwock!

[Stu Jackson]

windows, toilets, kitchens and bedrooms, oh my!

[Auzzee]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

windows, toilets, kitchens and bedrooms, oh my!

Walls and ceilings and floors........
As with the OP, I dislike the self included prefix 'captain'. This has little to do with the nautical, but is a pretention just as surely as anyone introducing themselves with a title or qualification would seem in any gathering.

"Hi, I'm Master's Degree Dave", "I'm Journalist John".

But, as with the OP I also agree that if it is a cultural norm in the US to promote one's line of successful study in a social setting, then I bow to that particular idiosyncracy and will nevermore visibly wince when greeted by "Hi, I'm Captain Crunch".

We must all be tolerent of others' traditions and cultures...just as countries like the US are toler-e-n.........um, another well thought out analogy bites the dust.

[rebel heart]

If you call yourself you had better be more experienced and officially licensed than me, by a mile. Otherwise you're kind of a joke.

[SmartMove]

I clearly missed something since the first post I saw on the thread started with a quote!

[Sir Rondo Normal]

What about something like "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince"? Which is more pretentious, calling yourself Prince or an artist formerly known as?

I see I'm the only self-titled Capt to swagger out from the shadows so far.

[deckofficer]

That is why I go by "deckofficer". Everyone is a captain of their boat, some with a license. By using deckofficer, then others in the Merchant Marine will know I'm a brother MM&P member and might ask which academy. In the last month I just changed my signature here on CF, but as Rebel Heart knows, I was on the forum for over a year before a thread he posted pulled me out of the closet. I always thought that cruisers might have had some negative experiences with ships over time and I was going to stay low key. Eric'e thread pulled enough out of the wood work I didn't feel alone.

[Capt Rottnest]

Before I de-lurked I noticed the controversy over self proclaimed captains on this board.
Disgusting!
Wouldnt hear of it!
Took it all on board (lookee here, a nautical metaphor!) when I chose my nic

[Seaworthy Lass]

Originally Posted by SmartMove

I clearly missed something since the first post I saw on the thread started with a quote!

That quote came from this thread:
http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ure-90231.html

Reading this before I joined CF, I felt that as a newbie I needed to show some respect to all the old foggies traditional old salts from the US that dominate contribute to this forum, so I refrained from calling our boat a "yacht" in my profile LOL (even though in Australia & NZ anything with sails and a cabin goes by this term).

PS Have you launched yet?

Originally Posted by Capt Rottnest

Before I de-lurked I noticed the controversy over self proclaimed captains on this board.
Disgusting!
Wouldnt hear of it!
Took it all on board (lookee here, a nautical metaphor!) when I chose my nic

Capt Rottnest
You are obviously WAY braver than me LOL .
'Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi”

[SmartMove]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

PS Have you launched yet?

Surely you jest!!! No. The rigger swears the mast will be stepped today. The people doing the thru-hulls, the prop stuff and bottom paint say the boat will be splashed tomorrow. I have my doubts on that since the cutless bearing wasn't ordered until last Thursday -- surprise there was not one in stock in PR!!! My patience and sense of humor are getting thin!

We just got word that friends we thought we were meeting in St. Thomas in January will be there Christmas Day! We are off to the boatyard now to have a few heart-to-heart discussions. We are the smallest boat in the yard, I think this is working against us as we see all of the big ones come in and go out while we sit. Wish us luck!

[Sir Rondo Normal]

Well in my defence, I am not really a "self-titled" capt as I stated above. The monicker was given to me thanks to hollywood.