In a recent thread about some new design features appearing more and more on sailboats, some comments were made regarding what real sailors vs people who aren't "real" sailors are looking for in a sailboat. This, of course, also leads to ideas on what is a "real" sailboat, as opposed to a push button power boat with sail pretending to be a sailboat. The concept is that there are "posers" who want to live the "mystique" of the sailor, but want the comfort and automatic features of powerboats.
I thought of starting this as a thread of its own, but then I thought, this is really a philosophical question.
What is a "real" sailor in contrast to a bogus sailor? We have, on this forum, sailboat owners who sail everyday, who sail weekends, for a few vacations during the season, who make their living on boats, who drink cocktails in their cockpits, day sailors, ocean cruisers, who work on their boats and who race, as well as those of us who own a driveway sailor and just dream about the day they get to sail. Is there a criteria that can be universally, or near universally agreed upon, about what makes a legitimate, bona fide, real sailor?
-Will (Dragonfly)