This is to indulge my curiosity more than anything else. For sailors
with at least 30 years experience, or more appropriately for sailors
who started at a relatively young age and continued to sail as they
aged. Feel free to elaborate on your answers with comments that
provide additional explanation or information.


1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?


6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.


7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?


8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

My Answers

On Wed, 18 Jan 2006 09:46:23 -0600, Frank Boettcher
wrote:

This is to indulge my curiosity more than anything else. For sailors
with at least 30 years experience, or more appropriately for sailors
who started at a relatively young age and continued to sail as they
aged. Feel free to elaborate on your answers with comments that
provide additional explanation or information.


1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?

35 years total, more in the first five years by a factor of 10.


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?

NA


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?

Yes, three boats over that time each bigger and better


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?

Yes or I could not have been able to afford the progression.


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?

Yes Sailed less overall as the boats got larger.


6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.

Yes, although they sailed with me, and each went through a club
school, they had other interests that diverted attention away from the
sailing.


7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?

The saddest yes of all. My closest three sailing buddies, two of whom
were primarily responsible for getting me involved as a teenager/young
adult moved to power in their forties.


8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.

Not so regular, three charters in 35 years.


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

Yes and Yes. Raced Hobies when very young, switched to GORC crewing
in the late seventies through eighties, and still do some club race
crewing. Did two series 04-05 seasons crewing on a friends Bendytoy
311 took second in class both seasons

Very good post Frank, hope a lot of people get into this thread.

Frank Boettcher wrote:
This is to indulge my curiosity more than anything else. For sailors
with at least 30 years experience, or more appropriately for sailors
who started at a relatively young age and continued to sail as they
aged. Feel free to elaborate on your answers with comments that
provide additional explanation or information.


1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?


35 years total, more in the first five years by a factor of 10.


I don't remember my first 5 years of sailing very well,
although I do have some memories of specific incidents like
being caught in T-storms, playing with toy boat off the
transom, etc etc. Since we bought the tuboat I have been
sailing OPBs a bit less then we sailed ours, but have been
on some longer trips including deliveries and the Chi-Mac
race which has been a long-term ambition.


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?


NA


Don't know, I'm as retired now as I'll ever be, and hope to
get in another 40+ years of sailing before I'm done!


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?


Yes, three boats over that time each bigger and better


Bigger ain't necessarily better and vice versa. If you count
small one-design dinghies, I've owned maybe 25 boats; the
biggest (in length) was when I first got out of the Navy and
went in shares on a custom 1-Tonner, the biggest in
displacement is our current tugboat.


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?


Yes or I could not have been able to afford the progression.


To a large extent, yes. I am fortunate in not having as many
time constraints as many people, OTOH I also put my
priorities differently.


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?


Yes Sailed less overall as the boats got larger.


This may be a reflection of disenchantment with new toys, or
it may be a reflection of not choosing the boat with
practicality in mind. I've never owned a boat I couldn't
singlehand... that said, it's very true that some are more
difficult to handle than others. I have been spoiled by our
last two sailboats which were both very effective designs in
getting a lot of bang for the buck and being very simple to
maintain as well as user-friendly.



6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.


Yes, although they sailed with me, and each went through a club
school, they had other interests that diverted attention away from the
sailing.


No kids, but have invested a lot of time in taking other
peoples kids (including our nieces and nephews) sailing &
cruising. I would love to get them into racing but so far
none have gotten the bug.



7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?

The saddest yes of all. My closest three sailing buddies, two of whom
were primarily responsible for getting me involved as a teenager/young
adult moved to power in their forties.


What's so sad about that?????



8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.


Not so regular, three charters in 35 years.


Not regular, but did a few charter trips. All were with
friends whose main interest was an exotic vacation, not sailing.



9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.


Yes and Yes. Raced Hobies when very young, switched to GORC crewing
in the late seventies through eighties, and still do some club race
crewing. Did two series 04-05 seasons crewing on a friends Bendytoy
311 took second in class both seasons


Sounds great!
My answer: yes & yes, crewed on almost every one-design
dinghy there was back in the 1960s & '70s, skippered a few,
then became partner in a fairly serious 470 campaign aimed
at getting into the Olympics. At the same time started
getting invited to skipper big boats in day races, also did
a few deliveries. I went cruising with my family a number of
times but at the time felt this was 2nd-class sailing.

The most fun racing was in college, very close competition
in identical boats; along with almost daily practice &
intense focus.

Fresh Breezes- Doug King

Frank Boettcher wrote:
This is to indulge my curiosity more than anything else. For sailors
with at least 30 years experience, or more appropriately for sailors
who started at a relatively young age and continued to sail as they
aged. Feel free to elaborate on your answers with comments that
provide additional explanation or information.


1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?

The past 5 years


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?

No, but we didn't have kids to run to soccer, tennis, basketball or
school events any longer.


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?

Yes. Mr Sails started out with a Flying Dutchman, the we had a
19'mahagony daysailor, vintage 1935. From there we went to an O'Day
22 and then to an O'Day 27. Finally, we have Chanteuse.


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?

Not really.


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?

We sailed more with each boat we owned.


6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.

We had all the kid stuff (5 kids takes a lot of time) plus 4-H,
horse shows, etc.

7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?

Most people we know who sailed then sail now. A few have fallen
away, but the majority are still at it.

8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.

never


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

I didn't race early on but Mr Sails did with the Dutchman. I race
every now and then at Wednesday night beer can races at the yacht club.

1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?

I've sailed more in the last five years. The older I get the more I
like sailing and living aboard. It's a good life and one worth working
towards.


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?

Yes, I've been retired since 2001. Worked hard and retired early with
enough cash reserves to sail in comfort and style until I'm as old and
cranky as Ole Thom.(But, I'll never be as ugly!)


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?

Negative - I've owned one boat - ONE PERFECT BOAT! No need to own
anything else.


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?

Only fools move up in boat size. An intelligent man decides which size
boat is perfect for him and sticks with it. It is a fact that it takes
a lifetime to learn how to sail any one boat to perfection. People like
Bobsprit who jump from boat to boat without ever learning how to sail a
single one of them are in no sense of the word sailors.

As for professionalism, any sailor who does not take and pass the exams
and obtain a Captain's license from the USCG exam centers is no sailor.
Or, if in Europe, some of the Yacht Master programs are adequate.


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?

Does not apply.


6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.

Kids are for women and fools. Sailors have as little to do with kids as
possible!


7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?

Most, if not all, lost interest in sailing because they never owned a
decent boat or stuck with any boat long enough to sail it to perfection
or discover and correct its shortcomings. People like DSK who've "gone
trawler" are losers who never understood the beauty of sail in the
first place and did not have the wit to understand it even after
pursuing it for years.


8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.

What! and grovel in somebody else's germs and filth while constrained
to floating homes that are ugly and worn out?


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

I raced boards when younger but found out most people who race are
losers and decided to no longer associate with that crowd of egomaniacs
who have more money than sense.


I hope this helps.

Respectfully,
Capt. Neal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Capt. Neal® wrote:
I raced boards when younger but found out most people who race are
losers

The only losers are the ones who give up without learning
anything.

DSK

In article ,
DSK wrote:
Capt. Neal® wrote:
I raced boards when younger but found out most people who race are
losers

The only losers are the ones who give up without learning
anything.

DSK

Neal is back?? Well, I wonder why... I see nothing much has changed
for him. Lots of anger still, apparently.




--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

Brilliant!


"Capt. Neal®" wrote in message
oups.com...
1. Did you sail more in the first five years or in the last five
years?

I've sailed more in the last five years. The older I get the more I
like sailing and living aboard. It's a good life and one worth working
towards.


2. If the answer to number 1. is the last five years, were you retired
during that time?

Yes, I've been retired since 2001. Worked hard and retired early with
enough cash reserves to sail in comfort and style until I'm as old and
cranky as Ole Thom.(But, I'll never be as ugly!)


3. Have you owned multiple boats and has each one been larger and more
expensive than the one before it?

Negative - I've owned one boat - ONE PERFECT BOAT! No need to own
anything else.


4. As you moved up in boat size did that also correspond with moving
up professionally with more stress, responsibility and time
constraints?

Only fools move up in boat size. An intelligent man decides which size
boat is perfect for him and sticks with it. It is a fact that it takes
a lifetime to learn how to sail any one boat to perfection. People like
Bobsprit who jump from boat to boat without ever learning how to sail a
single one of them are in no sense of the word sailors.

As for professionalism, any sailor who does not take and pass the exams
and obtain a Captain's license from the USCG exam centers is no sailor.
Or, if in Europe, some of the Yacht Master programs are adequate.


5. If the answer to 4. is yes did you sail less with each new boat
after the intial purchase year?

Does not apply.


6. Did you raise kids and during the time that they had conflicting
interests and activities, did that contribute to less sailing.

Kids are for women and fools. Sailors have as little to do with kids as
possible!


7. Did a high percentage of your closest sailing friends and
acquaintences at the start of your sailing carreer at some point move
from sail to power or off the water altogether?

Most, if not all, lost interest in sailing because they never owned a
decent boat or stuck with any boat long enough to sail it to perfection
or discover and correct its shortcomings. People like DSK who've "gone
trawler" are losers who never understood the beauty of sail in the
first place and did not have the wit to understand it even after
pursuing it for years.


8. Even when you owned boats did you do bareboat charters on a regular
basis.

What! and grovel in somebody else's germs and filth while constrained
to floating homes that are ugly and worn out?


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

I raced boards when younger but found out most people who race are
losers and decided to no longer associate with that crowd of egomaniacs
who have more money than sense.


I hope this helps.

Respectfully,
Capt. Neal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On 18 Jan 2006 08:34:09 -0800, "Capt. Neal®"
wrote:


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

I raced boards when younger but found out most people who race are
losers and decided to no longer associate with that crowd of egomaniacs
who have more money than sense.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~


You have failed to draw an important distinction between racing as
crew and racing as an owner.

As a crew member, you don't have to worry about rounding up a crew, as
an owner you do.

As a crew member you can get drunk and not show up for the Sunday race
after the Saturday party, as an owner you have to hunt up the drunk
crew member who doesn't show up or find a warm body on the pier.

As a crew member, you don't have to pour money into your boat in order
to figure out how to beat the rating, as an owner your ego often
causes you to feel obligated to.

As a crew member you can convince the power hungry owner to press hard
at the start or at marks, as an owner you have to pay to repair the
contact damage created by this tactic.

As a crew member you can beg off of the return trip after a long race,
claiming you have to fly home to go to work, as an owner you have to
figure out how to get the boat home without a crew.

Yes many racing owners are egomaniacs as you state, however, you miss
a great opportunity for great sport with minimal input.

All of the above is related to handicap racing. One design is a more
pure form and the above doesn't necessarily apply.

"Frank Boettcher" wrote in message
...
On 18 Jan 2006 08:34:09 -0800, "Capt. Neal®"
wrote:


9. Did you race (either your own boat or crewed on others) when you
were young and do you still race.

I raced boards when younger but found out most people who race are
losers and decided to no longer associate with that crowd of egomaniacs
who have more money than sense.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~


You have failed to draw an important distinction between racing as
crew and racing as an owner.

As a crew member, you don't have to worry about rounding up a crew, as
an owner you do.

As a crew member you can get drunk and not show up for the Sunday race
after the Saturday party, as an owner you have to hunt up the drunk
crew member who doesn't show up or find a warm body on the pier.

As a crew member, you don't have to pour money into your boat in order
to figure out how to beat the rating, as an owner your ego often
causes you to feel obligated to.

As a crew member you can convince the power hungry owner to press hard
at the start or at marks, as an owner you have to pay to repair the
contact damage created by this tactic.

As a crew member you can beg off of the return trip after a long race,
claiming you have to fly home to go to work, as an owner you have to
figure out how to get the boat home without a crew.

Yes many racing owners are egomaniacs as you state, however, you miss
a great opportunity for great sport with minimal input.

All of the above is related to handicap racing. One design is a more
pure form and the above doesn't necessarily apply.

Agreed, but if you crew and are in the habit of not showing up for races,
the crew chief will find a replacement. On the whole, it is infinitely
better to crew than to own, with the exception that your name rarely appears
next to the results.

John Cairns