Sailors vs. Stinkpoters

rgranger

rgranger

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Jan 19, 2010
12,387
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
So I have to admit something here... I bought a 19ft power boat about a year ago. I enjoy it! I still sail a hobie and enjoy that too but that is now why I'm writing.

I also joined "The Hull Truth" forum thinking it would be a power boat analogy to this forum. I could not have been more wrong... the character of the participants is dramatically different.

Comparing THT to SBO participants is analgous to comparing the the type of parents you see at a dixie youth (or little league) baseball game to the type of parents you see at a youth soccer game. :yikes:

Don't missunderstand, I coached both and love both games but there was a difference in the interaction with the parents in the two camps. :poop:

Hats off to the participants (and moderators) of this forum.:beer:
 
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dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
11,464
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Yes, there is a difference in attitude and civility between power boaters and sailors. And within power boating groups there is a huge difference that we experienced first hand traveling down the ICW. Courtney and seamanship seems to be inversely related to the boat's horsepower. On the other hand, if you venture into Sailing Anarchy, you will experience a very different world from SBO.
 
Siamese

Siamese

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Aug 2, 2009
643
Catalina 315 Muskegon
The sporting analogy is lost on me, but I get the gist of what you're saying. Yes, there are some broad generalizations that can legitimately be made about power boaters vs sailboaters.

Okay...here I go...the single most annoying thing about some power boaters from my perspective, is the morons with cigarette style boats with no mufflers. Grow up! You rumble through my otherwise peaceful marina, and when you mercifully leave, you can be heard for miles. I DON'T want to listen to you.

I used to ponder why they want to be so loud, and how could they be so inconsiderate. I couldn't figure it out. Then, I asked an old redneck friend of mine, and he had the obvious answer. "They just think they are so f- - king cool. Duh. That's really all there is to it. Consideration for others never enters their selfish minds.
 
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dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
11,464
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Siamese said:
I used to ponder why they want to be so loud, and how could they be so inconsiderate. I couldn't figure it out. Then, I asked an old redneck friend of mine, and he had the obvious answer. "They just think they are so f- - king cool. Duh. That's really all there is to it. Consideration for others never enters their selfish minds.
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At a large festival with outstanding fireworks at my old harbor a boater with a big ass cigarette boat backed away from the dock with his hood open. Of course with a large crowd surrounding him he had to show off. The stern dug in deep, flooded the engine compartment and when I came by the next morning the bow was pointed skyward. I thought, "Karma's a bitch."
 
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dlochner

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Jan 11, 2014
11,464
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
sail sfbay said:
I sail and power and consider myself a safe and courteous boater.............so maybe I am an outlier.
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Power boaters who are cruisers are for the most part courteous knowledgeable boaters. The boaters who are hot rodders have boats that by definition are loud and go fast, some are OK and courteous, except for the noise factor. Then there is the runabout/bow rider crew who seem to be quite clueless about wakes and rules of the road. The worst are the recreational fishermen who seem to see a boat as only a way to get to the fish and don't seem to care about much else.

These are of course generalizations; like all groups there are some at the fringes that are just out of line. Like the boater on the ICW who was called out on the VHF for waking everybody. His response, "This isn't a no wake zone, so I can go as fast as I want." Guys like him give power boaters a really bad name.
 
Leeward Rail

Leeward Rail

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Mar 20, 2015
3,095
C&C 30 Mk1 Winnipeg
@rgranger you motorboat traitor.. Go back to THT. We SBO people don't like yer kind! Especially if it is a small motorboat. Pfft :biggrin:;)

There... Is that more like THT or Sailing Anarchy? :laugh:

Pssst.. What kinda stinkpot do you have?

I have 2 stinkpots both inflatable and under 6hp. :p
 
Siamese

Siamese

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Aug 2, 2009
643
Catalina 315 Muskegon
Yeah, so much gray area in the stink potter sailor debate. I've pretty well trained myself to stay away from it, so I'm surprised I chimed in.
 
jon hansen

jon hansen

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May 25, 2012
4,335
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
i've got a 24' formula with a 454 rat block in it. red. name's cherrybomb

got a few sailboats, got a few powerboats. once upon a time i drove ships.

love them all, use them all, have loads of fun with each and every ...

some people like whining, some people don't, takes all kind. i like all kinds, people, boats, airplanes too

..... and what about librarians?

jon:cool:
 
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sail sfbay

sail sfbay

.
Feb 21, 2013
4,638
Hunter 46 Point Richmond, CA
Operated a 21 ft Sport Nautique ski boat for 20 years, in addition to a sailboat, and always respected other boaters and no wake zones.
 
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Shadowwalker

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Jul 26, 2022
18
Catalina 24 Olney Springs
Siamese said:
The sporting analogy is lost on me, but I get the gist of what you're saying. Yes, there are some broad generalizations that can legitimately be made about power boaters vs sailboaters.

Okay...here I go...the single most annoying thing about some power boaters from my perspective, is the morons with cigarette style boats with no mufflers. Grow up! You rumble through my otherwise peaceful marina, and when you mercifully leave, you can be heard for miles. I DON'T want to listen to you.

I used to ponder why they want to be so loud, and how could they be so inconsiderate. I couldn't figure it out. Then, I asked an old redneck friend of mine, and he had the obvious answer. "They just think they are so f- - king cool. Duh. That's really all there is to it. Consideration for others never enters their selfish minds.
Click to expand
I must say. Power boaters, at least the average weekenders are loud, have little to no understanding of seamanship or safety. all the competing stereos blasting away, all the short needless high speed runs, all the I have more power than you mentality is not your average sailor. Travailing silently over the waters enjoying nature for nature is one of the great gifts of sailing.
 
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