Rufus wrote:

1) What time yesterday do you need to buy your boat? ..g

Another one who needs remedial reading... Sheesh.

IOW, don't rush into things, or you'll burn out quick or
get into trouble. There's lots to know about boats, and what
of that actually matters really depends on the individual.

So why don't you get off your lazy ass and tell the guy what
you think he needs to learn? Or better yet, as him what he
wants to learn? That be too much trouble for you, skippy?

Mostly you need to learn about yourself in relationship to
this boat thing you're thinking of getting into.

You don't know what he is thinking of getting into. You haven't
asked him a thing. Nor have you answered any of his questions.

2) It's almost always really dumb, in every way, to buy big
expensive toys without having lots of personal experience.

That's right. Tell him that you think he's too stupid to run
a boat. How encouraging!

Once you have experience, you start to know what questions to
ask and to form some of your own opinions.

Or, you go to a newsgroup, which is supposed to be filled with
people who should be ready to offer advice, encouragement, and
the benefit of their experience. No, wait. What was I thinking?
This is the real world, where there are morons like you who do
nothing but denigrate, demean, and discourage people who want to
learn something.

Without that, nothing anybody says much matters one
way or another.

Then why are you adding in your useless two cents worth?

3) A boat isn't a set of skies - at least not for most people's
budget or liability insurance coverage. You don't go buy one and
try it out and have a bang bang weekend to talk about at the office.
Unless you're in the bucks and can afford to write off some really
_big_ mistakaes.

You should have spent some of that money you have to waste on your
boat on remedial English classes, skippy. Do you mean "Skis"?

And while you're at it, do you think you could be a little more
condescending to this guy? I'm sure he really wants you to tell him
that he doesn't have enough on the ball to get into boating again.

So go get some experience. It's easy. It can be free. It's fun.

Not with people like you and your buddies around, it can't.

You want sail boat?

You really do need those remedial reading classes, skippy. Nowhere
did he say he wanted anything to do with sails. But we all know
where you're coming from. Address everything but what he has asked,
and then put him down, discourage him, and try to keep him out of
boating. Feel better now?

Go be rail meat for some racing skippers at the local yacht
clubs. Learn some ropes. Get screamed at. Bloody you hands.
Stuff a spiniaker. Puke over the side. Sop up brew at the
commiseration bar after the race. Take the CG Auxiliary courses.

I'm sure someone did all of this to you. With advice like that,
I wouldn't want to sail a rubber ducky in a bathtub. Way to go,
genius.

Boats are great - go for it. But give yourself a chance. Let
somebody else pay the $2000 for a ripped sail. Let somebody
else insurance cover the gash he makes in the paint of the
neighboring rich guy at the dock. Make a fool of yourself in
front of your sneering comrades - who might at least get a good
laugh out of it - instead of in front of your scared ****less
"significant other". Let the _owner_ get freaked out when his
GPS batteries run out and the fog comes down - see how a real
pro does it so you find how _you_ would like to do it. g

Bet you think this is funny... You and your kind wouldn't last
ten minutes around my marina. You'd have been thrown in the water
already.

You may decide you'd like ocean motorboat racing better - much
faster, louder, and macho. Or maybe kayaking will start to
look better...

If you honestly think this is any kind of helpful advice, you
need to get out of the sport ASAP. You do the rest of us a huge
disservice.

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Those who complain about others not being "team players"
are the same ones who never give up the ball.
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