"Joe" wrote the following stuff that I replied to
while waiting for a call back from Ms. Manners

Yes it is, but why compound the problem with a bad attitude. Perhaps
he mistakenly thought you were about to scratch your gel coat and
wanted to be your hero.

Depends on your tone in declining Roger.

Boy, I'm glad I don't have to deal with you except in a newsgroup where I
can decide when I feel like a ****ing contest

Why would you jump to the bad attitude conclusions? There must have been
dozens of times this summer that I've called out the same thing and the
would be helper has smiled, waved, and gone gratefully back to their beer.
It was the other fellow who was behaving differently this time.

Many on the dock now know I like the satisfaction and practice of doing it
myself. It's part of the enjoyment of single handing. A couple have even
said, "It's fun to watch you do that so smoothly." There was also the windy
day when gratefully accepted the help that prevented me from having to rig a
set of lines to hold the boat off the dock during departure.

Most equipment I have aboard that starts with the word "life" has to
be the best maintained equipment aboard my vessel. If I have any
question as to its sea-worthyness I stop everything else and focus on
getting that right. Half assed is not good enough.

And Larry , who also jumped to the conclusion that the lifelines (wires
replaced this year) must be junk because I don't want people heaving on
them:

Another broad conclusion leap. The stanchions are bolted through 3/4 inch
of fiberglass with aluminum backing plates. One is slightly bent so I know
they'll give before they come out of the deck. Part of maintaining any
safety critical structure with the tough engineering geometry of a lifeline
stanchion is not subjecting it unnecessary strains. I'd like to put larger
backing blocks under them someday, not because I have any worry about their
failing to keep a person aboard, but because I won't have to worry about
dockside helpers and other such things. This is being typed by a designer
of boats, sailboat rigs (up to a 170 foot full rigged ship), and other
marine structures so I slightly resent the implication that I'm sailing
around willing to scatter children and friends randomly across the waters of
the world because I don't understand my stanchion base


I'm not joking. You're the Captain and should instruct your crew on
everything you might encounter while docking. I always have a meeting
with new crew and tell each one what I expect (blah blah)

Do you have kids? If I subjected them to a lecture like that before every
short daysail, they would sail with me even less than the do now. Your
comments make sense for a large vessel starting a cruise. The fact is, I
don't need ANY help or participation in handling this boat. Any
participation in things like docking and sail handling is strictly for the
guests enjoyment.

Fun sparring with you but I've got to do something more productive.

Hmm, Ms. Manners never called back. I'll have to send her an email.

--
Roger Long