Rename this thread

[GordMay]

This Forum might want a more enticing name and descriptive tag line - something that might seduce women into actively participating in their own unique place.

Can anyone suggest a more attractive & enticing name?

[never monday]

Sailing, Her way.

[s/v 'Faith']

Clean restrooms here!

[CaptainK]

Women Afloat

Has a nice ring to that title.

Now the ladies can post stuff, that the ladies can talk to one another.

Well, ladies. Here you go. Hopefully this'll turn to fruition. And I'm all behind you laides, for your own forum posting area.

[wannasail]

I haven't been here for a while and am so glad to see this subject! I don't care what it is called, Women Afloat is just fine. What is more important is a place for women to ask questions that they might be otherwise hesitant to ask. I have learned so, so much from forums like this but also in talking to other women aboard I know we have different issues and perspectives! Great idea here, hope it catches on.

[nockerwhite]

Quite a number of women are regular contributors on the YBW/PBO fora - are American women more reticent?

[Jon D]

never monday once whispered in the wind:
Sailing, Her way.

I like it

[seagypsywoman]

I just posted a list of reasons of why women are different from men on the other thread and I see that we did get our own thread. Women Afloat. Wonderful. Thank you.

By the way, I'm all for having a man's thread if the guys want one.

One of the questions I wanted to ask is this:

I have crewed in the past for male skippers and they have crewed for me. But all the time, other people assume that we are in a relationship when often that's not true. I feel uncomfortable in this situation yet it's not always possible to find women to crew for me and of course, I would like to meet a man who loves cruising, who might end up being more in the future. But I don't want the vibes of 'easy come easy go, girl' that I sometimes get from other cruisers.

This is not like the usual dating situation on land, because often where we meet, hotels are very expensive and I can't afford several months of hotel bills until we get to know each other well enough so that I feel comfortable with the relationship becoming intimate and moving in on the boat.

So it means that we, pretty much strangers, end up living together on his boat and even though we have our separate bunks, this is somewhat a strange set up. We often spend 24 hours a day in the same vicinity and sometimes under stressful conditions. Talk about diving off the deep end!

There has to be a better way. Any ideas? (I hope the men reading this will offer some advice as well.)

[BC Mike]

I used to go out with a nice lady named Jamie. That caused enough confusion for me. To me Jamie is a girls name, why folks would name there kids with confusing names does not make sense for me. But then my X mother law named her son James and he gets called Jamie. I guess at times we have to explain that there may be different rules for sail boats. I quizz new crew about their sensitivity to sailor language, politics, sex, booze and drugs. I am not advocating these things, I just want to know if discussing any offends them. If it does, I can leave them at the dock the next time we go sailing. Actually one of my crew can not sail on Sundays because she goes to church. When I take the bank teller lady she will likely be thought of as my granddaughter.
Oh heck, some things can not be explained.
Michael

[capt lar]

Gord - You folded fast. Did Miss Maggie correct your errant thinking ?

seagypsywoman - as to stereotyping...
I saltwater flyfish alot in Ptown, which has a huge gay population. I know plenty of people down there. I often fish with a fellow captain that looks like a pirate..ponytail hair, beard, earring. I'm just plain. While having sushi at a local eatery, someone asked how long we had been together. They were amazed we were not a couple. Stereotyping with associated assumptions is everywhere, and i learned it varies depending on what the locals consider normal. Do what I did...laugh ! Life is too short to get hung up on the small stuff.

Larry

[Alan Wheeler]

Who cares what other people think? Go for it. All that really matters is that you have been able to live with a strange man in a confined space and kepth the rules in place as much as you want the rules to be. If that works for you and your male crew at the time, who cares what the others think. Hey, what if it was Brother and Sister sailing? Would you still care then? Go for it girl.

[CaptainK]

Hey if the sailing lifestyle makes you happy. Who cares what other people think.

If I were in your shoes. I'd just laugh at them. And shake my head. Turn around and make them be mocked by you. Make them stand in place!! In wonder?

Men and women like to discuss things in different ways, not different things. I think the new thread was a great idea. Good to see a section like this, as I think it is badly underrepresented on sites such as this. (or as close as any of the others can come)

[NoTies]

It's not always so easy to not care what others think. When I was running small fishing boats I often left a good potential female crew on shore in preference to a just OK male crew. I did this because I did not like the innuendo and how it might affect my relationship ashore. My older sister has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and I have many old bruises to prove that girls can do anything, so it's not a sexist thing. In an ideal world these problems might not exist but unfortunately they do and some degree of allowance needs to be made for some people.
Not an issue for me now as I have my boat and my girl, so the sex of extra crew is a non issue.