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Old 07-01-2015, 04:37 PM   #88
BandB
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City: Fort Lauderdale. Florida, USA
Join Date: Jan 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marin View Post
I find the notion of applying the term "trawler" to a recreational cabin cruiser to be ludicrous given what "trawl," "trawling," and "trawler" actually mean. To say that there are "fishing trawlers" and "recreational trawlers" is simply silly. That's like using the term "commercial airliner" to describe a Cessna 150.

I fully understand the reason why the term "trawler" has become applied to recreational boats, but to actually defend what in fact originated as a marketing scam is, to me, a fairly ignorant position to take. Why perpetuate a totally bogus description instead of defining one's boat accurately as Mark and the manufacturer of his boat have done?
Wifey B: I think Marin was one of my college professors. However, when one gets into Etymology, the list of words that have been taken to different meanings vs. their origins will drive you like completely bat crazy if you take it too seriously. Madam, a perfectly innocent and respectful word until it becomes a procurer of prostitutes. The word "Nice" is from the Latin for ignorant.

Oh and car enthusiasts can argue for hours over what is a "Sports Car."

The key is whether the word is effective in communication and whether the speaker and listener will interpret it the same. So in this situation, it's like if you say Trawler will the other person know what you mean. Well, I think quickly here they will know you're not meaning you own a fishing boat. Will it though clue them in to the type boat? Does Cruiser? I don't think Trawler or Cruiser either one does it better. They're both general and vague. It's going to take naming the brand or further expanding.

But the bit about trawler being inappropriate outside fishing, I'm like "get over it, dudes". No one here is confused thinking that the forum is about fishing. Everyone here had some vision of trawler that told them they belonged here.

Now, we don't have a trawler by any definitions but we are into "Trawlering"" although we might be an abomination of that as we're into "fast trawlering." But then Beneteau has used the term "Swift Trawler" quite successfully and the use of that term immediately gave most who saw it a picture of what they were trying to accomplish.

What image or distinction do you get with the use of the term "Trawlering" vs. "Cruising?" I immediately get a feeling of slower power boating where as Cruising sounds broader and even includes those funny boats with the things sticking up in the air trying to catch the wind so they can move.
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