Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

they know the wind and sea currents and air flow patterns. is more than basic sailing can teach ye and is a big part of sailing.

Consider how long they spend out at sea and in places most boats won't go. At least not for recreation. I owe my life to other fishermen. I definitely would use them as a model. Oh how I love a good pissing contest...lol look u got some prity strong points but everyone is diffrent as for me ill stick to my way. Thanx

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

not sure who you are talking about...heck many sailors I know definitely are weak on weather and tides/currents...true cruisers (a rare few) are up mrethan many and the real weather guys usually have some sort of flying background.

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

good luck...just make sure when you are putting to sea...you aren't leaking faster than the pumps can keep up with (as many of your commercial bretheren do)!!!!! :D

Ice sat and watched fishing boats pump water our nonstop for days at a time (not engine water) and I can see why you'd say that.. But if I had to chose between a cruising skipper and a fishing skipper with equal amount of miles under their keels, I'd take te fisherman every time.... I like a guy who knows how to opporate a constantly flooding boat in ridiculous conditions :)

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

I'd rather gamble at the blackjack table...not hundreds of miles at sea..:whistling:

Right.. But taking a cruising sailor who's never seen 20 foot waves in a half sunk boat is somehow less of a gamble?

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

I'm guessing most cruising sailors (by definition rather than daysailors or newbies) have been in 20 footers...if they haven't then they are only inland sailors...even coastal cruisers have probably encountered 20 footers at least once.

And most cruisers might be smart enough to avoid 20 footers letalone in a leaking boat...:rolleyes:

I'm sorry but I doubt that the majority of cruising sailors, anywhere, have seen 20 foot rollers... I'd expect the majority of fishing skippers to have, though.

This is heading off topic, of course, but the point is. Fishing skippers go out in any weather, no waiting for windows, no planning weather routes, they just go to where the fish are despite the conditons or the condition of their boat. As a result, they have more experience in nasty situations than anyone else, and if you take them out in a cruising boat, they could skipper it in their sleep :)

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

And a lot of fishermen that were probably from the school of "learning by doing" never make it back...thus many poster's point.

Remember.... in those very same conditions there's plenty of other commercial, government and military vessels out there too that make it home with no trouble...and some of them are cruisers in their off time.

20 footers in the Gulf stream or on the West Coast are pretty common.

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

Commercial fishermen usually have a long resume' on how to get things done with whatever is available, in any condition. Unfortunately, there's no "certificate" for this. They are very good at engaging hands and brain to get it done. They also have a much better feel for weather than your weekend warrior because they are actually OUT in bad weather, having no choice if they want to put food on the table. There are plenty of capable yachties but someone who sits behind a desk for a living can't expect to have the capability of most commercial fishermen when the going gets rough and things start going awry. The thing commercial fisherman have to remember is to disguise their amusement at yachties in their $800 sailing jackets. It's easy to think that a long list of certificates and yacht club endorsements will make you proficient but as we all know, some of the most "certified" people, with patches and bars all over their bodies, are among the most incompetent in real situations.

I was one of the lucky idiots to get a good skip. And a good crew. But I also feel im like many ppl and stand by the hands on way. For me its the best way to soak up info. But with the little knowledge I do have im not dumb enough to get myself into trouble.....I hope lol u never know after a night of rum and debauchery

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

Glad you through that in....:D

I been in some nasty sea off of dutch harbor in alaska with a skip who only recently got his ticket and it was nothing and I've hit a small craft advisory on my way to san clementi island off California in a tiny little crab boat with a guy who had supposedly been fishn for years and the idiot damn near capd us. So I think a lot of it is knowledge but also a lot of keeping cool and level headed no matter what the situation is.

Re: Whatever Happened to Learn by Doing ? Read a Book and Go for it !
 

Bingo!!!!!.................:thumb: