Roger Long wrote:
Do you think someone who deliberately outfits his boat with highly
tensioned lines, swinging metal tubes, and uses them to propel the
boat in a way which often restricts the course it can sail, hampers
emergency maneuvers such as picking up people who fall in the water,
and involves an enormous amount of extra effort and exposure to the
elements that can lead to operator fatigue an resultant errors in
judgement and navigation could possibly be considered a competent
seaman?


Of course not. That's why the gov't is taking steps to forbid sailing

The key point, of course, is what sort of rigging & gear is most desired
by the particular sailor in question, and perhaps doubly key is whether
or not he has the skills to use his chosen rig to best effect.

A lot of people clutter up their boats with stuff I wouldn't have if
given it for free; OTOH some of the things I like and have found most
useful can be considered awful by others. For example, recent discussion
of cotter rings... I've used them for years and never known one to fail.
Quite a few people posted otherwise... I'm not saying they're wrong,
just that *I* will continue to use them & rely on them.

Solid boom vangs, halyards & reef lines led aft, boom gallows, lazy
jacks, all of it can be very utlitarian or it can be useless deck
clutter. But I really don't think it's necessary to have a lot of
experience clambering around on bowsprits... or aloft in square
riggers... or swarming up the hoops of a gaff... to be a competent
seaman. Nor does one need to know how to swing a lead line, apply tallow
to deadeyes, sling a harpoon, etc etc.

I do happen to think that the skills of sailing small tippy high
performance centerboard dinghies are very useful, but that's just
because every weekend I see 'cruising only' sailors who obviously lack
some of those skills.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King