I think you miss the point. Donal is objecting to your _endless_
bragging of performance in what is basically a slow old design. You
cannot say she is the most beautiful or well finished boat either. That
it suits you as a stepping stone to learn some more about sailing we are
sure, but it is also clear that you don't really know what you want
-except that it should enable you in some way to say it is better than
others boats. This is a bit akin to the childish ploy of "My toy is
better than yours so I'm superior". Alas for you, everyone else here has
a boat that they _know_ is better than yours. This simple fact is
manifest in their calm confidence in their boats abilities, which means
they do not need to brag about them. For example, although I have the
most beautiful, fastest and highest quality boat here, I don't feel the
need to say that it is so comapred to ***'s boat. The reason is that I
know what Ella is and when you've really got it you don't need to brag.

Cheers MC

Bobsprit wrote:
On a regular basis, Donal has shown disdain for slower boats. While he's hidden
under the guise of singling me out, he's made it quite clear that he thinks
little of boats that have handicaps of 150 or worse. He's also disparaged older
vessels.
Of course there's no mistaking the advantage in quality that a C&C has over a
Beneteau or for that matter even a Pearson, IP or Nordic has over a Beneteau.
But I'd like to point out that your "attitude" and "pride" in your vessel won't
effect it's specific design attributes.
That said, only MC's Farr may earn Donal's "nod of approval" while those
Express 30's are too old. Billy's C&C is far too slow. Skitchy's IP (if it
exists) must be a sensless idea to Donal and Thom's PH an unsailable
contraption for the elderly.
To Donal...your boats are aged snails. I think he's gotten the hint and now
knows that his boat is far from a quality item, but still his comments about
Alien (C&C 32) spill over with ease on to Island Packets, Express 30's,
Nordics, Cals, Coronados, Kirie Elite and most any other boat that takes a
different, however worthy, approach to sailing.
To quote an equally limited sailor here..."He knows nothing about boats."

This concludes this lesson. Thank you.

Capt RB
C&C 32
NY