Two thoughts:
First:
I just read an article about websites shutting down or closely monitoring their comments sections due to rude and nasty conversations. I've seen this on other sailing related sites as well. It made me think how enjoyable it is to check in from time to time with my fellow O'day owners and sailboatowners.com in general. There are often many ways to skin a cat, set a sail , pull an engine so the opportunity for disagreement is there. You all seem to handle it well and for that I thank you.
Second:
We are all very fortunate (or opportunistic) that the sailing industry has been conservative by nature generally unwilling to pursue planned obsolescence to encourage new boat sales. Looking back at the entire sailing fleet, our 1980 models look and sail very similar to 1990 and early 2000 boats. It seems it took the popularity of catamarans in the charter industry to push the boat builders into radically wide beams carried all the way aft, dual helms, and large portlights (I could call them windows)
This lumps our 1980 boats in with the majority of the existing fleet. This allows owners like Joe (25 years later), wishing to completely restore their boats, to surprise people at the dock thinking they are looking at a much later model boat.
How many people would you fool pulling up to your country club driving freshly waxed 1984 Cadillac Cimmiron. More importantly, why would you want to with the vastly improved passenger saftey, anti skid, traction control etc. that comes with the new models.
The greatest (IMO)improvement in the sailing industry has been the GPS and is easily added to any boat.
The boat manufactures have awoken to planned obsolescence and we will all enjoy watching radical new ideas appear just to disappear or set the trend for the next year or two.
Showroom new boats will quickly look out of style without the cool new features (think goofy daylight running lights on new cars) Our 1980's models will fall into the blur of what I call traditional 1980, 1990, and early 2000 boats that if cared for will remain on the water and the bulk of the fleet for years to come.
This site is important in keeping these boats afloat.
First:
I just read an article about websites shutting down or closely monitoring their comments sections due to rude and nasty conversations. I've seen this on other sailing related sites as well. It made me think how enjoyable it is to check in from time to time with my fellow O'day owners and sailboatowners.com in general. There are often many ways to skin a cat, set a sail , pull an engine so the opportunity for disagreement is there. You all seem to handle it well and for that I thank you.
Second:
We are all very fortunate (or opportunistic) that the sailing industry has been conservative by nature generally unwilling to pursue planned obsolescence to encourage new boat sales. Looking back at the entire sailing fleet, our 1980 models look and sail very similar to 1990 and early 2000 boats. It seems it took the popularity of catamarans in the charter industry to push the boat builders into radically wide beams carried all the way aft, dual helms, and large portlights (I could call them windows)
This lumps our 1980 boats in with the majority of the existing fleet. This allows owners like Joe (25 years later), wishing to completely restore their boats, to surprise people at the dock thinking they are looking at a much later model boat.
How many people would you fool pulling up to your country club driving freshly waxed 1984 Cadillac Cimmiron. More importantly, why would you want to with the vastly improved passenger saftey, anti skid, traction control etc. that comes with the new models.
The greatest (IMO)improvement in the sailing industry has been the GPS and is easily added to any boat.
The boat manufactures have awoken to planned obsolescence and we will all enjoy watching radical new ideas appear just to disappear or set the trend for the next year or two.
Showroom new boats will quickly look out of style without the cool new features (think goofy daylight running lights on new cars) Our 1980's models will fall into the blur of what I call traditional 1980, 1990, and early 2000 boats that if cared for will remain on the water and the bulk of the fleet for years to come.
This site is important in keeping these boats afloat.
