Are YouTubers wrecking it for the rest of us?

[Boatguy30]

It's not really my thing. I have sent an unofficial goal of appearing in as many others videos as possible. The first one was LuckyFish and a kiwi friend living in China sent me a message that's he'd seen it. Hadn't heard from him in quite a while. So there are positives.

Look at all the damn books the pardeys and others wrote still being hawked at boatshows. Probably a net positive from an industry perspective.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Renegde_Sailor

. . . Then on the other hands you have guys like Erik Aanderaa with NBJS doing hard core sailing and filming it.

He has pulled down almost 1.2 million views on this video for a reason.

Erik is the only sailing youtuber I spend any time at all watching. His video of the trip to the Faroes is epic -- probably my favorite sailing video. His drone work is excellent also.


I have to say, however, that this particular video shows surprisingly poor seamanship! Crazy Norwegian approaching a rocky lee shore in an F8 or even F9, running between islands with 6 meter depth between them! Not even being behind the helm most of the time, trusting the electric self steering and moderately big sea conditions. If that had been an actual F10 as advertised, he wouldn't be with us, I guess.

[Pegu Club]

Since we started full time cruising I / we have stopped watching even the few cruising vlogs we did watch, with the exception of trying to glean a bit of info on a specific destination. We are living the cruising life ourselves and Have no desire to watch a stylized tv show about what we are already doing. I do on occasion watch, Keep turning left, I like Dillon’s style.

As to ruining “it” for everyone else, to me it’s the same as any obnoxious tourist anywhere else, if one behaves poorly while traveling it does effect how other tourists/cruisers are treated, but that can be over come to some degree by being courteous and respectful towards the citizens of of the location you are visiting.

To me, most vlogs that I have sampled over the past six years are just not particularly interesting, so I never watched them.

Fair winds,

[sailorboy1]

As a boater, the only time I read someone else’s blog or utube crap is when it comes up on a google search for something.

I bet utube are missing it up for real cruisers to same degree as sailing magazines. It’s such a small part of the cruising grounds

[LittleWing77]

Ditto Dockhead! That video shows AMAZINGLY poor seamanship. Classic example of really dumb people not knowing what they don't know.

To add to your points, he also has no lifejacket on and has no harness or tether. In F10? An idiot.

I was once caught out in the Atlantic in 4 days of hurricane-force winds and we all felt as if we were walking on the edge of a precipice. It's indescribable how dangerous such a situation is and how it feels. Once we realized we were in for it, we shared an unspoken understanding that we couldn't afford to make a single mistake. We stuck to the old maxim: "Take care of the boat and she'll take care of you." Fortunately, we had reduced sail well before getting into the weather. The seas were daunting - as we crawled up each mountain, reached the top and went screaming down the other side, each time wondering if the thud at the bottom was going to be the one that dismasted us. (We kept the rigging cutters and hacksaw at the ready near the companionway. At one point, I was wedged in on the floor to sleep and had the hacksaw clutched to my chest with my arms crossed.) We hand-steered in 2-hour watches and clipped on before stepping into the cockpit. We couldn't risk doing anything else.

It was unforgetable - and NOT for entertainment.

Fair winds All,
LittleWing

[ttex]

Sounds like you want the kids to get off your lawn.

Yall crack me up.

[Mike OReilly]

The question of getting permission to image someone is a question of common decency. It's one thing to show a scene where the people are part of the background, but if you're focusing on individuals it seems just basic good manners to ask permission.

Like I said, I don't think tubers are "wrecking it" in particular, but I think Pegu's comments are bang on. It's the proliferation of wealthy tourists who may be "wrecking it" for everyone.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

The question of getting permission to image someone is a question of common decency. It's one thing to show a scene where the people are part of the background, but if you're focusing on individuals it seems just basic good manners to ask permission.

Like I said, I don't think tubers are "wrecking it" in particular, but I think Pegu's comments are bang on. It's the proliferation of wealthy tourists who may be "wrecking it" for everyone.

I have often thought the single best thing we could do for the world is jack airline prices up to a point people like me can't afford it. The I realize how screwed I'd be and I change my mind. Typical human logic

[tarian]

It is a criminal offence to point a camera ,, video someone in the UK without their permission unless for crime prevention , CCTV it is also illegal to have security cameras in one garden pointing towards the road were it can take a person's picture ��. But to the OPs question , it is common decent not to take any video of anyone unless you ask permission we of the first world think we have the divine right to anything when away from our espresso machines ����.

[toddster8]

Everyone's a "local", somewhere.

There are a few "Instagram Points" near my home. All day, every day, idiots stand in line to take the exact same selfie in the exact same spot as a million others. One of the points is in the middle of a narrow highway bridge. Another is the edge of a cliff, overhanging a narrow highway. They all climb over the railing, and photograph the view between their feet, (as if they had scaled the height, instead of driving to the parking lot.) They are seriously eroding the cliff - kicking rocks (and trash) down onto the cars below. Sometimes big rocks. One of them finally died doing it a few weeks ago.

Totally mindless behavior that causes annoyance and real danger for the locals. I feel as if "Instagram" owes us something for this.

Decades ago, I visited one place (as a tourist) where they strictly controlled the number of visitors and instituted a "camera tax." If you had a camera in view, it had to have a tax sticker on it, or you were asked to leave. It seemed a little over-the-top at the time, but now I completely understand. Of course back then, cameras were easier to spot and control.

[Discovery 15797]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

As a boater, the only time I read someone else’s blog or utube crap is when it comes up on a google search for something.

I'm with you. I don't think I have ever spent more than 30 seconds watching a Delos video. I have yet to see what all the hoopla is about this La Vagabond stuff.

If these folks can make money with what they are doing...good for them. There are a lot of people who seem to live vicariously through other people and these silly "reality shows."

I suspect there are some armchair sailors who spend hours watching these videos simply to critique them.

I also suspect that those who actually sail their boats have way too many other things to do than sit down & watch youtube videos of people manipulating real life into some sort of idealistic fantasy and asking you to give them money to support their altered reality.

I will occasionally read a blog where I learn or can gain a glint of information. I also try to provide some info from time to time when I have down time (like now I am back in ConUS for the holidays). With all the work I need to do on my boat...I have a hard time posting on my own website & blog much less spend time on someone else's.

[Jdeuel]

I feel like the YouTube videos are a take 'em or leave 'em situation, but I do think they are helping bring sailing and (their edited version of) the sailing lifestyle to a new generation of potential sailors. I suspect the folks who make their living from the industry probably LOVE these vlogs/blogs.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by tarian

It is a criminal offence to point a camera ,, video someone in the UK without their permission unless for crime prevention ,

Really?

https://www.askthe.police.uk/content/Q717.htm

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I have often thought the single best thing we could do for the world is jack airline prices up to a point people like me can't afford it. The I realize how screwed I'd be and I change my mind. Typical human logic

Interesting how quickly this whole cheap flying thing has evolved. It's only been in the last, say 10-15 years that flying has become relatively cheap. Not long ago it definitely was only the relatively rich that flew regularly. For most people they either never flew, or when they did it was a rare and major life event. Heck, I remember when people used to dress up to fly.

This change has happened lock-step with the massive growth of foreign tourism. I wonder if there is a causal relationship here, and if so, which way does it flow.

[Hardhead]

Originally Posted by Jdeuel

I feel like the YouTube videos are a take 'em or leave 'em situation, but I do think they are helping bring sailing and (their edited version of) the sailing lifestyle to a new generation of potential sailors. I suspect the folks who make their living from the industry probably LOVE these vlogs/blogs.

It's definitely a take it or leave it thing. I've watched a few parts of videos - just for the neat sailing scenes - but the trouble is the people keep popping into the video. Next thing you know it's a close in head shot, and they're talking to themselves again in front of the camera. Completely ruins the scene.