* Capt. Rob wrote, On 4/10/2007 12:29 PM:
Yes, there is a contrast between RB and Wilbur. One difference is
that RB has never actually sailed out of sight of his slip. Although
he talks frequently of "cruising" he's only spent a handful of nights
at anchor in 10 years.



Well, this is not true of course, but lets assume that it is and
wonder why it would be a problem for Jeff. Suppose I liked to keep my
yacht on land and use it for lawn decor? It's my boat and if it
pleases ME then that's all that matters. People of Jeff's sort are
consumed and angry with how others enjoy themselves. They feel that a
toy, tool or even art form must be used and experienced the way they
say.

Its not a problem for me, you are entitled to waste your money however
you see fit. The issue is whether you are qualified to give advice on
nautical issues. If someone asks what the most comfortable boat is
when sitting at the dock, or even the most fun for a one hour day
sail, I might send him to you. But this poster is looking for a small
boat to live on, while gunkholing in the Keys. Since you've never
done anything remotely like this, your advice isn't worth a lot.


Of course this is not what sailing is about. Not one bit. For a
balanced individual sailing is about sailing as you please, when you
please to where you please. If sailing a Swan 60 a few miles a day
makes you happy, that's wonderful. If sailing a 19 footer across the
Atlantic is your cup of tea, drink away. Sailing is about freedom, not
about knuckle headed numb nuts like Jeff or Scotty Potty (who sails
less distance than I do year after year) suggest how you enjoy
sailing.

yada yada yada. Its the same old lame argument. Every time I point
out to someone that they should be careful about taking cruising
advice from a marina queen, you throw a little tantrum about how its
your God-given right to sail or not sail anyway you please. Well, I
agree. It is your right to buy a nice racer-cruiser and neither race
nor cruise it. Just don't think you can fool anyone into thinking
you know about either.


Telling someone how to enjoy their boat is like telling them
what foods they should prefer. It's shameful and only someone who's
life came up short would do it.
If you're lucky enough to own a boat, enjoy it YOUR way and never let
someone like Jeff suggest you're "doing it wrong."

I've never said you're doing it wrong, in fact when you got your boat
I commented that it was a good choice for your type of sailing.
However, you have repeated this so many times that we can only assume
that you believe you're "doing it wrong" and you're desperately
seeking my approval. Let me say here and now that its just fine with
me if all you do is daysail and do a long weekend once a year. I fact,
I can honestly say that for my first dozen years of sailing I never
went out of sight of land, and never did an overnight. And I can say
I sailed more (in terms of hands on the tiller, tacking and sail
handling, etc.) in those days then almost any time since.

Then of course, I grew up and found that tacking back and forth in the
same area a bit boring if you're not racing. I'd much rather cruise
the Keys or the Maine coast, even if it means powering a bit, and just
hanging out a bit. And for most of the last 35 years, that's what
I've done.