"Joe" wrote

I have to agree with others Roger.

Well, good thing it isn't a vote. You're all all wet on this one.

Offering to help is wonderful. Forcing it on someone after a polite decline
is obnoxious and unhelpful. Being ****ed off that an offer of help is
declined is juvenile.

The stanchions are not going to rip off but avoiding unnecessary straining
and abuse is imporant to being sure they will hold up when you need them.
Even if they did break, fixing them after they have saved someones life is
one thing; after some gibboni has exercised his ignorance and juvenile
insistance on them is another. They are strong enough to keep a falling
person aboard.

Surely you jest about training young crew to deal with adults who barge into
the process. This isn't a large sail training vessel (something with which
I have a fair amount of experience). It's just me with a couple of sons who
really aren't into it all that much and don't want to be "trained". It was
a rare moment that they wanted to be part of operating a boat they know I
single hand frequently and this fellow's social ineptness squandered the
opportunity.

I can live with a fellow whose feelings are this easily hurt thinking I'm a
jerk.

--
Roger Long