Admiral?

[downunder]

Originally Posted by ozsailer

Hello all,
I have to say I am still scratching my head on this thread and trying to work out why people think call the spouse "Admiral" is derogatory. Thinking I must be missing some point here I asked my better half to read the thread and at the end of reading all the posts she just laughed and said "Don't some of these people have a sense of humour"
If you seriously believe that being called Admiral derogatory then don't come to where I work where you will see spouses call each other far far worse . If it was not so serious at times it would be entertaining .
My wife and I are equal partners in life full stop. On the boat she has also been know to call herself the "anchor wench" as she has become so proficient at retrieving or deploying the anchor. I guess us Aussies have a weird sense of humour, an ability to just have a good laugh at ourselves sometimes and just not to take life so seriously..
By the way I still open the car door for my wife, stand up for women in trains or bus's and help women up escalators with strollers, does that mean I don't think women are not capable of doing these chores or that I still believe in the good old fashioned manners of yesterday that seems to be missing in todays society.

+1

[67Therapy]

Originally Posted by Bash

Not finding a hull leak, I sampled the bilge water, determined that it was fresh, and turned off the water pressure pump.

We have a "partnership" too...but since I am the one who "samples" the bilge water, I know where I stand. After that incident, my kids refer to me as "bilge-licker"...I'm pretty sure they mean it in an endearing way... I now own a tds meter...but my place in the pecking order is already established...

[minaret]

Pretty sure the whole "Admiral" thing was started and popularized by the Latts & Atts crowd. Almost as cringeworthy as "kewl".

[Bash]

Originally Posted by 67Therapy

We have a "partnership" too...but since I am the one who "samples" the bilge water, I know where I stand. After that incident, my kids refer to me as "bilge-licker"...I'm pretty sure they mean it in an endearing way... I now own a tds meter...but my place in the pecking order is already established...

Between you and me, I think there's something manly about a fellow who's not afraid to toss down a shot of bilge water for the team.

I've tasted worse. As a matter of fact, having just returned from two weeks in Scotland....

[Kache Walk]

Most of the Admiral references on this forum seem benignly pandering. No real malintent, but not truly respectful of real boating skills. Perhaps respectful of other skills. As the Captain, main mechanic and galley wench of my boat, I don't appreciate the term. Funny, you almost never see the women on this forum referring to their husbands/partners as the Captain.

[svmariane]

My wife is the Captain. Works for us. She's brain; I'm brawn. She drives and I handle the anchor - although I refuse to wear a bikini ...

According to my (German/European/EU) wife the whole "Admiral" thing is directed at wives who are not the Captain. So.... She claims that I'm the "Commodore"!

Doesn't help much with the chauvinists, though. Niue customs guy comes to mind. He was put off by having to deal with my wife and kept trying to engage me - finally I walked away and left the two of them to work it out. He got his revenge, though. When we checked out, in big, bold print the clearance papers had ME listed as Captain.

Took half-way to Tonga for her to calm down...

[Igotnuthin]

I agree with Tony B!

[Krogensailor]

So is it that cute little sailor girl avatar, falling from who knows where, with her legs all akimbo that need this question answered? Smiling

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Krogensailor

So is it that cute little sailor girl avatar, falling from who knows where, with her legs all akimbo that need this question answered? Smiling

And I bet your loud in complaints against sexism in Islam...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by BettyBSailin

Can someone please explain the 'Admiral' thing to me? I don't understand why all the men are referring to their wives as Admiral. Is it respectful? Akin to 'ball and chain'? Something in between?

I think the men (mostly) mean it as joking, but it's not always funny. Some men like to say that their wives make all the decisions and they just tag along, but if it's true (and they don't like it), whose fault is that?

It's just a hang-over from another time but unfortunately some people still live in that time. (My prediction is that those who still live in that past will piss and moan abut this post. )

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Plain patronising.
Haven't come across a woman yet who likes the term.
No idea why men here persist in using it .

It IS patronizing.

[bobconnie]

Well theres a problem! Connie really is the first mate! Shes on the ships paper as 1st Mate LOL and she just reminded me LOL

[deckofficer]

This thread sure has legs. Hope that comment isn't construed as sexist. I've always enjoyed being a lowly Mate, knowing the Captain's screw up won't cost me my job, but my screw up could cost him/her their job. Plus the food and pay is good.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by jgbrown

Interesting, though I've never used the term, I assumed it was respectful. A way of light heartedly balancing some tricky dynamics on a boat.
Since generally it is a guy who has purchased boat previously if not together and also generally the guy who tends to the engine maintenance, toilet maintenance etc...
I understood it to be a somewhat deferential way to defuse that, as the admiral is ranked above a captain but does not need the same day to day closeness with the vessel in question to be deserving of respect, and to be a higher level decision maker.

Well, you've got women here telling you that it makes things worse. Fellows can listen or not, but it defuses nothing ...

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

Well theres a problem! Connie really is the first mate! Shes on the ships paper as 1st Mate LOL and she just reminded me LOL

Someone has to be the captain/skipper, but it isn't always the guy. And it isn't always the guy who buys the boat. I know a couple of couples where it's the wife who knows more about sailing, and the wife who bought the boat. Really.