On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 06:06:49 +0000 (UTC), wrote:

I used to say that I didn't need an electric windlass.
Then I bought a boat that has one. I LOVE this machine!
I will never not have one.

I'll bet it sucks the power right out of your batteries. And I wonder
how long it will be before it starts to give you headaches. Will you
still love it then? Will you love shelling out the cash to rebuild it?

People say the same thing about their beloved autopilots and computer
chart plotters.

The one thing I really miss having on my cruiser is a high-speed
internet connection, but I can't afford it. No electric windlass,
autopilot, or big-screen chart-plotter either. -

poor, poor pitiful me,
it's amazing that I can get from point a to point b.

On 20 Jul 2006 02:27:02 -0500, Vallie wrote:

poor, poor pitiful me,

Yes.

On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 10:37:47 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On 20 Jul 2006 02:27:02 -0500, Vallie wrote:

poor, poor pitiful me,

Yes.

She or he has a point. People who use all the "stuff" never really
become sailors. They may think they're sailors, but they would
probably die or head for land if their engines, windlasses, chart
plotters and other gadgets were taken away. They would choose another
hobby because they are not really interested in sailing. They want to
play, not work. Perfectly understandable. The art of maneuvering and
anchoring must be reduced to the push of a button.

It takes little or no skill to 'even circumnavigate' with that stuff.
Not a flame, just a fact. And if someone who loves the ancient
vanishing art is disgusted by the laziness of slovenly cruisers who
like to discuss how best to anchor in coral and must have air
conditioning and windscreen televisions, well, I can understand the
feeling.

I can also understand the response. It stings to be told that you're
not a sailor. The response is almost always "F-you". They imagine
themselves to be Caption Cook, when really they are more like
Gilligan.

On 20 Jul 2006 18:22:01 -0500, Ruskie wrote:

I can also understand the response. It stings to be told that you're
not a sailor. The response is almost always "F-you". They imagine
themselves to be Caption Cook, when really they are more like
Gilligan.

Make that "Captain" Cook.

On 20 Jul 2006 18:22:01 -0500, Ruskie wrote:

The art of maneuvering and
anchoring must be reduced to the push of a button.

It takes little or no skill to 'even circumnavigate' with that stuff.

With all due respect, that is utter BS. Any time you want to test
your skills by pulling up my 120 lb anchor with 3/8 chain and a big
glob of mud on it, be my guest.

Do you have a row boat with a 12 lb Danforth and light nylon rode?

On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 20:36:19 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On 20 Jul 2006 18:22:01 -0500, Ruskie wrote:

The art of maneuvering and
anchoring must be reduced to the push of a button.

It takes little or no skill to 'even circumnavigate' with that stuff.

With all due respect, that is utter BS. Any time you want to test
your skills by pulling up my 120 lb anchor with 3/8 chain and a big
glob of mud on it, be my guest.

Do you have a row boat with a 12 lb Danforth and light nylon rode?

An unskilled cruising couple considers the electric windlass to be
safety gear. And to them, it most certainly is.

My elderly parents use an electric windlass. They need it. As does the
person with no anchoring skills, who will also carry different types
of anchors with massive amounts of heavy chain so that he/she may drop
it anywhere at anytime. This allows him/her to let loose right on top
of pristine coral heads without worrying about chafe. Or on top of the
few remaining kelp forests, as another poster in this group proudly
proclaimed just a few strings up.

As a diver, I can tell you that anchor damage is an unmitigated
disaster. But more to the point, the use of an electric windlass is
one of the major contributing factors to the dumbing-down of cruising
sailors world-wide Followed by the "autopilot".

Still, if I had a bad back I would get an electric windlass, and I do
have GPS. So I'm no purist.

The point that Ruskie makes is that most cruising sailors are totally
unskilled. And that is a FACT.

Ruskie wrote:
On Thu, 20 Jul 2006 10:37:47 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On 20 Jul 2006 02:27:02 -0500, Vallie wrote:

poor, poor pitiful me,
Yes.

She or he has a point.

Not much of one.

People who use all the "stuff" never really
become sailors.

But people who have sailed without the conveniences for 30 years have
certainly earned the right to use them. I'm a bit offended by people
who use a chartplotter but don't know how to read a chart. On the
other hand, it seems like the number of groundings I see in the harbor
has gone down a lot since GPS.

They may think they're sailors, but they would
probably die or head for land if their engines, windlasses, chart
plotters and other gadgets were taken away. They would choose another
hobby because they are not really interested in sailing. They want to
play, not work. Perfectly understandable. The art of maneuvering and
anchoring must be reduced to the push of a button.

So they're not sailors if they don't live up to your standards?


It takes little or no skill to 'even circumnavigate' with that stuff.

If you think that, then you're certainly not a sailor!

Not a flame, just a fact.

The fact is, its a flame.

And if someone who loves the ancient
vanishing art is disgusted by the laziness of slovenly cruisers who
like to discuss how best to anchor in coral and must have air
conditioning and windscreen televisions, well, I can understand the
feeling.

I can sort of agree, but unless you sail a wooden boat with flaxen
sails, hemp lines, and a rock killick you really can't criticize which
conveniences somebody picks. I'm certainly old enough to remember
when lots of people claimed that real sailor would never sail a
fiberglass boat.

It takes little or no skill to 'even circumnavigate' with that stuff.

If you think that, then you're certainly not a sailor!



Do an internet search and you'll find a gaziilion couples who have
sailed around the world as a life-long ambition. Many of them had
never been on a cruising boat prior to their big, three-year
adventure. Then they create websites relaying their daring
achievements to the folks back home, and dispensing advice. Many of
these trips amount to nothing but three-year shake-down cruises,
afterwhich they no longer want their boats, and declare them to be for
sale.

Look at the photos. There they are playing card below while the boat
runs on autopilot. Don't worry - the C.A.R.D. system will keep
everyone safe - and the beer - it's all nice and cold. And if they
have to anchor, boing...plonk. No problemo! Worried about the weather?
Well;;, here comes another weatherfax, so who needs that barometer
thingy. Need to poop? Don'y worry, cuz we got the latest vacuum
flusher and special TP too! Want to watch a movie or cool off? Just
flip on that generator, bro.

In addition, although their names escape me, there have been a number
of inexperienced sailors who have circumnavigated. Modern technology
makes it possible for anyone to do it. In fact, right now there are a
group of blind sailors doing it. That's right - blind.

"Jack" wrote in message

Look at the photos. There they are playing card below
while the boat
runs on autopilot. Don't worry - the C.A.R.D. system will
keep
everyone safe - and the beer - it's all nice and cold. And
if they
have to anchor, boing...plonk. No problemo! Worried about
the weather?
Well;;, here comes another weatherfax, so who needs that
barometer
thingy. Need to poop? Don'y worry, cuz we got the latest
vacuum
flusher and special TP too! Want to watch a movie or cool
off? Just
flip on that generator, bro.


That sounds nice!

In article ,
says...


I can sort of agree, but unless you sail a wooden boat with flaxen
sails, hemp lines, and a rock killick you really can't criticize which
conveniences somebody picks. I'm certainly old enough to remember
when lots of people claimed that real sailor would never sail a
fiberglass boat.

Hell! I am old enough to remember when sailboats of any size had
neither stanchions nor lifelines and children sailed in tippy dinks and
catboats with never a thought to PFDs. They learned to swim as well as
sail.