Sailing, as almost any endeavour, can be looked at as serving either of two
purposes. The first, and most common, is simply a form of escapism. It can
be an escape from the toils, drudgeries or stress of everyday life. The
second purpose is much more directed. That purpose is character building and
personal challenge.

It's obvious that Bobsprit sails exclusively for escapism but to what depth?
He has no regular job and really no stress in life. So what is it that he
escapes from? Himself. He goes back and forth to the dock and in and out of
the harbor - several times a day. It's his life and he has little to show
for it. For him there's no challenge, no building of skills, no building of
character. Why? Because there is nothing to put those acquisitions in.
There's nobody there to see him run an inlet when the tide changes, so why
bother? It's better if people just see him in his boat whether tied to the
dock or motoring around the pier.

You see, Bobsprit can only "find" himself in the material things he owns and
the facade he puts on for others. He chides others for working, realizing
little that others find productive achievement quite satisfying. He chides
others for owning lesser craft, not understanding that a boat is simply a
tool, an extension of the sailor's ability and not the other way around. His
only metric for the world is "what do others think".

It must be a living hell to go about life adrift in such shallow miseries.
For some they never know it, so it follows ignorance is bliss. For others,
such as Bobsprit, he knows. He only takes a quick glance in the mirror,
never a hard look. The Long Island Sound is a true allogory to this hollow
shell of a person.

Sid