Sailboaters

I'm going to be totally non PC. I seem to suggest controversy with my posts and I did a search for the word sailboaters and nothing came up.

In my 30 years experience as a boater and over 25 as a liveaboard, I soon saw there were distinct differences between types of boats and the people who owned them.

I realize going into this subject that there are x-sailboat owners now owning trawlers and I mean no disrespect to anyone here. So please look at the humor.

Also, I can only speak of the California sailboater and these are special people.

First, I see power boaters being divided into sport fisher types and cruiser types. Here the fisher types pretty much keep to themselves and are not the friendly ones. When they come back with a big catch, they clam up the most but they love show and tell. Just don't ask for any.

The cruisers are the friendly ones, offer you a cold beer and love dock talk. I have many of them as friends and they use their boats both at the dock and going out.

Sailboaters are also divided between real cruisers who are either outfitting their boat for a long cruise, or just came back from one. The other group is the 'air is free" bunch and live by that motto. They never admit to being powerboaters even though they motor all the way to Catalina. They can sail back which is downwind and that makes them a sailor.

There are a few exceptions, the guy who sails down the busy harbor with tug and ship traffic tacking in front of everyone. Oh, that's what five loud blasts of that ship's horn means. It means they will stand back for me. Woo Hoo!


When you have a dock party, you won't have to worry about left overs. The sailboater will take them. must be he thinks food is free air.

It's all in fun.

The trawler guy is not accepted by the sport fishers, liked by the other power boaters and loved by the cruising sailboaters. We seem to be the odd man when it comes to boating. Anyone else notice that?
Not that I care, but it's funny. I get the returning cruisers all saying they are seeing more and more trawlers out there and they want one. Especially the wives. I think comfort plays a lot into that and I've seen a lot of 50-65' sailboats cruising with just a couple onboard. That has to be work.

What do you think? Am I wrong? or am I right?

Up here I see little difference between the sailboaters and the powerboaters. The boating club we belong to is split about fifty-fifty with the sailboats continuing to have a slight majority. Because of the high tidal range, strong currents, and twisting courses the islands force us to follow sailboats tend to cruise under power most of the time unless they have no schedule and really want to sail no matter what.

Perhaps as a result of this I cannot recall encountering a save-the-earth, wind-is-free attitude on the part of a sailboater.

The people we kmow who have made the switch from sail to power did so because as they got older and knees and backs got more tired it is simply easier the get about on a powerboat. And we know some people well up in years who continue to use their sailboat.

The sportfish crowd up here tends to be in smaller boats for inside water fishing. So 16 to 25 feet typically, in things like Arimas, Grady-Whites, Bayliner Trophies, C-Dories, Sea Sports and all manner of locally built aluminum boats. So we don't get the big sportfish boats one associates with the east coast or SoCal.

There is litle conflict between the fishermen and the power and sailboaters except in the matter of the monster wakes thrown out by the unobservant or inconsiderate operators of the larger plowing sleds like Bayliner/Meridian, Sea Ray, etc. And in these cases it's not the boat, it's the boat driver who's at fault.

Sailboaters and powerboaters seem equally sociable on the water if one is into that sort of thing. At our club cruises I never hear any sail vs power or ragbag gear vs stinkpot sort of thing.

I like sailboats, particularly from an aesthetic standpoint. I've never owned one but I've crewed on them interisland in Hawaii and in local races here in the Seattle area. The primary factor in steering us toward a cruising boat instead of a sailboat was the desire for better visibility from the cabin while underway and the ability to drive the boat year round in relative comfort.

But sailboats can sure be efficient even under power. Good friends of ours spent five months a few years ago doing the Inside Passsage and SE Alaska up as far as Juneau. They were able to use their sails exactly twice during the whole trip for a few hours at a a time. The rest of the time their 30' Newport was under power. For the whole five month voyage they used 185 gallons of fuel IIRC.

I wish they were that way here, Marin. The cruisers who come here from long cruises are the best sailboaters. They are always eager to help others and are full of useful information about cruising and life aboard in foreign countries. I always like the stories.

I was in a yacht club here that was 95% power boats. The old guard was dying off and they opened up to anyone who wanted to join and we had about six sailboat couples join. As soon as they got past the hi, hello phase, they demanded change. They wanted almost everything changed and it went against what the club stood for. This was a club of sport fishing people who won marlin tournaments and other fishing events. That all ended and soon the club lost more members, me being one. I was Vice Commodore too.

Now, the club is nothing but a floating bar. They don't do any events except food and drink and watch TV. Not my idea of a yacht club.

We used to be yachties, which is a term I prefer to sailboater, which is a clumsy term in my view. And since we were yachting, we understand where they are coming from, and we moved to power boating because we wanted more room, less labour intensivity, and because Moreton Bay where we now do our boating is not really yacht friendly. However, we often look back with fondness to our yachting days, as we found fellow yachties very open and friendly, well, in our part of the world anyway, and it was the fizz boaties who seemed less environmentally friendly, but open enough to us in other ways. We never encountered many trawlers where we sailed, but now we are in that category, we try to remember how important it is to be tolerant of others sharing the water. Out there is meant to be a way to escape stress, not create it. Some just don't seem to get it.
Sometimes we still miss swooshing along in relative silence under a steady wind.....

I've sailed on a few sailboats on overnight trips. One a 34' Irwin the other a 50 something Columbia. I just didn't get it. Both skippers always made issue about speed and who had the right of way while forcing the boats in compromising situations at times. Don't get me wrong, but sitting on a boat heeled over in a cockpit with cold seas splashing on you for a six hour ride and you are going 5 kts while the skipper is bragging at his speed and constantly trimming his sails, just isn't my idea of boating.

Then, try to use the head while at a 45 degree angle.

They always say getting there is the fun. Oh?

Capthead said:

I've sailed on a few sailboats on overnight trips. One a 34' Irwin the other a 50 something Columbia. I just didn't get it. Both skippers always made issue about speed and who had the right of way while forcing the boats in compromising situations at times. Don't get me wrong, but sitting on a boat heeled over in a cockpit with cold seas splashing on you for a six hour ride and you are going 5 kts while the skipper is bragging at his speed and constantly trimming his sails, just isn't my idea of boating.

Then, try to use the head while at a 45 degree angle.

They always say getting there is the fun. Oh?

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Obvious you NEVER did an Atlantic crossing......

Did 2 Atlantic crossings with a Bavaria sailboat and 1 with my current (steel build) Motor sailor. I can't imaging to do it without sails. Because of my, new to me, wife I went over to the Motor sailor, should have done this long before. The space we now have... Time wise, from an average of 150 Nm per 24 hours I am now happy with an average of 110 Nm per 24 hours. Out side we not use our 135 PS DAF diesel engine.

Capthead said:

I've sailed on a few sailboats on overnight trips. One a 34' Irwin the other a 50 something Columbia. I just didn't get it. Both skippers always made issue about speed and who had the right of way while forcing the boats in compromising situations at times. Don't get me wrong, but sitting on a boat heeled over in a cockpit with cold seas splashing on you for a six hour ride and you are going 5 kts while the skipper is bragging at his speed and constantly trimming his sails, just isn't my idea of boating.

Then, try to use the head while at a 45 degree angle.

They always say getting there is the fun. Oh?

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As a sailor..

Reiziger said:

As a sailor..

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It's funny how quick you learn that.

Capthead said:

It's funny how quick you learn that.

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Know it for +35 years................

Same on my trawler. I always tell everyone to sit to pee. Besides I hate splatter even at the dock. I do get weird looks. Like you, since '83.

I think sailing a boat is FAR more interesting and challenging than driving a powerboat. The "right of way" rules were created for very good reasons which have to do with the maneuverability (or not) relative to the wind and each boat's relation/angle to it.

I've never owned a sailboat outside of the sailing dinghy on our Grand Banks but I've crewed on cruising and racing sailboats in Hawaii and here in Washington. In terms of boating itself, sailing is the most fun I've ever had on the water. In comparison, I find running a powerboat to be the equivalent of driving a car with the cruise control on down a straight freeway.

And the heeling of a sailboat is an absolute hoot. Fastest I can recall going in a sailboat was about 13 knots with the lee rail buried and the water foaming down the deck. THAT's boating.

Sailing on my sweet sixteen or a friends Hobie is a blast, bet not mind getting wet cause if your sailing on a Hobie it's going to happen. Only thing that may be more fun I saw a guy on a board with a kite I think he could've outrun my cruiser. When he went down & the kite was in the water I thought he was done, but he got the kite back up & he was gone. Lots of ways to enjoy water other than with scotch.

We still have our sailboat and the Tug . . . where does that leave us (other than poorer two sets of dock fees)? In my opinion, we are all boaters and that is what matters. Oh, except for the guys with the hairy chests, hair plugs, and gold chains driving the speed boat and oogling every woman on the water - they fall into their own category.

Carolena said:

Oh, except for the guys with the hairy chests, hair plugs, and gold chains driving the speed boat and oogling every woman on the water - they fall into their own category.

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I resemble that remark!

We still have a sailboat and can take our old sailboat out anytime we wish. Avoids the whole 2 berth payments thing

Capthead said:

I'm going to be totally non PC. I seem to suggest controversy with my posts and I did a search for the word sailboaters and nothing came up.

In my 30 years experience as a boater and over 25 as a liveaboard, I soon saw there were distinct differences between types of boats and the people who owned them.

I realize going into this subject that there are x-sailboat owners now owning trawlers and I mean no disrespect to anyone here. So please look at the humor.

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Many sail boaters on the Great Lakes are schoolteachers with summers off. They often travel in groups...and they're notoriously cheap. A well known practice is for one member to rent a slip in a marina while the rest anchor out. The door lock codes for the showers and rest room facilities will then be passed along to the rest of the pack. When the marina staff secures for the night, the dinghies emerge under the cover of darkness and the facilities get trashed. I've also seen them rotate through the one rented slip to take on water and dump their trash. Swash buckling pirates...shiver me timbers. It's also interesting that the pack will brag about spending weeks at anchor in the pristine waters of the North Channel of Lake Huron without ever once visiting a marina....which means they're either "holding it" for weeks on end...or dumping sewage overboard. At the same time, they're the first to boast about not polluting the environment with carbon emissions. They teach your kids.

Another group of certified low lifes are many of the participants in the vaunted Chicago-Mackinac race. Don't get me started....oh, wait....

skidgear said:

Many sail boaters on the Great Lakes are schoolteachers with summers off. They often travel in groups...and they're notoriously cheap. A well known practice is for one member to rent a slip in a marina while the rest anchor out. The door lock codes for the showers and rest room facilities will then be passed along to the rest of the pack. When the marina staff secures for the night, the dinghies emerge under the cover of darkness and the facilities get trashed. I've also seen them rotate through the one rented slip to take on water and dump their trash. Swash buckling pirates...shiver me timbers. It's also interesting that the pack will brag about spending weeks at anchor in the pristine waters of the North Channel of Lake Huron without ever once visiting a marina....which means they're either "holding it" for weeks on end...or dumping sewage overboard. At the same time, they're the first to boast about not polluting the environment with carbon emissions. They teach your kids.

Another group of certified low lifes are many of the participants in the vaunted Chicago-Mackinac race. Don't get me started....oh, wait....

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Exactly my point!! Thanks.

I had them come uninvited to my dock parties, eat and want to take food with them. One invited the wife and I over for drinks and they brought out leftover happy hour food they grabbed at a bar the day before, which was free food.

Capthead said:

Exactly my point!! Thanks.

I had them come uninvited to my dock parties, eat and want to take food with them. One invited the wife and I over for drinks and they brought out leftover happy hour food they grabbed at a bar the day before, which was free food.

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I hate cheap **sholes

Don't get me started on the grotty yachties.
I have a lot of friends with rag boats but they can also be cheap skates.
Don't like using their engines to much but realise that to get from A to B the diesel must be started.
Don't go over expecting a good glass of wine as usually it is cask wine decanted into a good label bottle just to fool you until the first taste.
But we are all cruising together and having fun.
Cheers
Benn

Just keep in mind that not all sailboaters fall into this category - I know we didn't. We've certainly encountered the type, but in our experience they seem to be evenly divided between sail and power.

Carolena said:

Just keep in mind that not all sailboaters fall into this category - I know we didn't. We've certainly encountered the type, but in our experience they seem to be evenly divided between sail and power.

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Speaking from So Cal, where we are the jumping off and returning point for the cruising bunch, we get people from Canada to Los Angeles coming and going. Those are very gracious and sharing people. That's not who we are talking about here. We are talking about the cheap skates who think the air is free and they can sail everywhere for nothing.

I haven't met a powerboater that fits that. The good thing here is we really don't have the Gucci hairy chested gold chain speed boat with the loudest exhaust available boaters either. The powerboats here are cabin style accommodating boats whether they are sport fishers or not and the trawlers.

The powerboaters are the ones who never leave the dock on their own boats because it means buying fuel, or maintain their boats because it means buying parts and supplies. But, they always seem to show up when there is food and drink around . . .

Personally, I don't find hanging at the dock particularly fulfilling

beachbum29 said:

Personally, I don't find hanging at the dock particularly fulfilling

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I don't either. At least in my marina I'm far enough out near the end I don't see many people at all and I have a great view from my cockpit. I can enjoy a great sunset and then the lights of a bridge over a shipping channel a mile away with the full harbor in view. It's a great slip to have.

Only friends and family ride in my boat. I keep it that way.