What do THEY think of us?
- Thread starter Bad Obsession
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We are actually looked at as the "trailer park" section of the marina...especially since the new dockmaster (a sailor on a Morgan 30) has started to bunch us all together. We are usually looked down upon by the power boaters (not the fishermen...the like hanging with us) because we love to hang out on the docks and not dress in our finest clothes and head up to the casinos.
When the big yachts come in, the owners (there is an ocassional exception) head up to their penthouse rooms (as opposed to their multi-million dollar superyacht) while the captain and crew end up on C-Dock.
I lose absolutely no sleep over it though!
When the big yachts come in, the owners (there is an ocassional exception) head up to their penthouse rooms (as opposed to their multi-million dollar superyacht) while the captain and crew end up on C-Dock.
I lose absolutely no sleep over it though!
Bill Roosa
I'm with you. I've been married for 35 years and my wife and I got into sailing about 15 years ago. She enjoys sailing as much as I do. She keeps the interior of the boat in top shape and I do most of the maintenance activities. In fact the only thing that we often find ourselves arguing over who get's the helm, though I have to admit she is a better helmsman(woman) than I am. I am very lucky indeed.
I'm with you. I've been married for 35 years and my wife and I got into sailing about 15 years ago. She enjoys sailing as much as I do. She keeps the interior of the boat in top shape and I do most of the maintenance activities. In fact the only thing that we often find ourselves arguing over who get's the helm, though I have to admit she is a better helmsman(woman) than I am. I am very lucky indeed.
If you were to open a sailboat supply store would you...
a. Market to nearly-homeless live aboards that never leave the dock and never spend money.
b. Market to better heeled live aboards that maintain their boats to a good standard.
c. Market to racers. One design or larger?
d. Market to the appearances set that spends $$$ without knowing what things are worth.
e. Market to long distance cruisers.
f. Market to DIYs.
g. Market to "average joe" weekend sailors.
h. Market to all of the other "catagories."
You would also look at each inventory item and try to determine how many you will sell and whether the customer is likely to successfully seek that item elsewhere. Clearly, we are willing to pay too much sometimes, for convinience; 7-11 learned this early.
I'm not about to say what's right, but you would very carefully add up what each group spends and how much margin each group will generate, and take a composite approach. I believe that is what we see. Some ridiculous over pricing and some competitive pricing.
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Case in point. 30 years ago, when I started rock climbing, climbing gear was sold in specialy strores. Yvon Chuinard started a hardware company called "Chuinard Equipment"... but he sold the equipment company (became Black Diamond) and put his energy in Patagonia Clothing Company, because life-style clothing is where the money is. North Face used to make climbing gear; now 98% of what they make is not really very suitable for climbers. It is lifestyle clothing equipment, designed to look good in the mirror. Junk, for real climbing. REI (recreational equipment Inc) was started by several Seatle climbiner, including Jim Whittaker (first American up Everist) so that they could get climbing gear wholesale, but now days I visit REI and see that I have a far greater selection of climbing gear in my closet; they realized they make money on ski parkas and stuff for the climbing gym, not on hard-core gear. I had a friend that started a climbing gear store, that morphed into a ski-wear store in one season. That's where the money was.
So that is why we see some much overpriced clothing at WM. Easy money. Having a good selection of sanitation hose or obscure fittings... not so much. If the catalog has an expensive and less expensive version, they stock the more expensive one, since you are buying convenience; if you were cheap and had time, you would have shopped around.
I don't fault them. I buy there when it makes sense to me.
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Is it a high-class activity? Who cares. However, bricks and mortar stores logically market to that segment.
a. Market to nearly-homeless live aboards that never leave the dock and never spend money.
b. Market to better heeled live aboards that maintain their boats to a good standard.
c. Market to racers. One design or larger?
d. Market to the appearances set that spends $$$ without knowing what things are worth.
e. Market to long distance cruisers.
f. Market to DIYs.
g. Market to "average joe" weekend sailors.
h. Market to all of the other "catagories."
You would also look at each inventory item and try to determine how many you will sell and whether the customer is likely to successfully seek that item elsewhere. Clearly, we are willing to pay too much sometimes, for convinience; 7-11 learned this early.
I'm not about to say what's right, but you would very carefully add up what each group spends and how much margin each group will generate, and take a composite approach. I believe that is what we see. Some ridiculous over pricing and some competitive pricing.
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Case in point. 30 years ago, when I started rock climbing, climbing gear was sold in specialy strores. Yvon Chuinard started a hardware company called "Chuinard Equipment"... but he sold the equipment company (became Black Diamond) and put his energy in Patagonia Clothing Company, because life-style clothing is where the money is. North Face used to make climbing gear; now 98% of what they make is not really very suitable for climbers. It is lifestyle clothing equipment, designed to look good in the mirror. Junk, for real climbing. REI (recreational equipment Inc) was started by several Seatle climbiner, including Jim Whittaker (first American up Everist) so that they could get climbing gear wholesale, but now days I visit REI and see that I have a far greater selection of climbing gear in my closet; they realized they make money on ski parkas and stuff for the climbing gym, not on hard-core gear. I had a friend that started a climbing gear store, that morphed into a ski-wear store in one season. That's where the money was.
So that is why we see some much overpriced clothing at WM. Easy money. Having a good selection of sanitation hose or obscure fittings... not so much. If the catalog has an expensive and less expensive version, they stock the more expensive one, since you are buying convenience; if you were cheap and had time, you would have shopped around.
I don't fault them. I buy there when it makes sense to me.
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Is it a high-class activity? Who cares. However, bricks and mortar stores logically market to that segment.
What do THEY think of us? See my previous post...
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=138084
http://forums.oday.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=138084
So when people "bash" the Macgregor boat series - they are really trying to destroy the sport of sailing? 
- The main barrier for future participation is the perceived cost of sailing. Boat ownership, maintenance, storage costs, and annual membership payment, are expensive, especially for a family.
- The main barrier for future participation is the perceived cost of sailing. Boat ownership, maintenance, storage costs, and annual membership payment, are expensive, especially for a family.
The sailing club I belong to costs 100/year.
There's a yacht club down the channel that charges 5000/yr.
There is a difference in the clientele to some extent.
IMHO, the ones at the yacht club care about what you wear, and ours cares about how you sail.
Boating in general is a luxury. how big a luxury is up to you.
There's a yacht club down the channel that charges 5000/yr.
There is a difference in the clientele to some extent.
IMHO, the ones at the yacht club care about what you wear, and ours cares about how you sail.
Boating in general is a luxury. how big a luxury is up to you.
People scoff and make those negative comments because they don't have any experience with the magic of sailing. There total view is in reference to putting a key in and starting the motor and going from point A to B. They have no reference to the skill set and knowledge that it requires to sail. It is truly one, if not the only place left that a man or women can be truly free, that they can feel the power and awe of nature, mother ocean and the Gods. Fair winds and sail on.
This is all speculation is it not?
I have for the past 4 years had a "Friday night sailing" invitation to most of my office and former co-workers. I have to confess that if I wanted any crew at all I had to email invite over 100 people. Some already have plans, for some it is too far or not far enough or we would be staying out too late or not late enough........about 98 excuses on a normal go round.
While it could be that I'm inviting the wrong people they all did say they would be interested in being added to the list of invitees.
What does that say about "what they think of us"
I think is says lots of folks enjoy the idea of doing stuff like sailing but few actually can get organized or motivated enough to actually get there. So does that imply that the sailing community is more organized or motivated than the mean person or perhaps even more than the upper standard deviation person???
I think that to the rank and file person out there we are a curiosity, but not one that is worthy of much investigation.
I have for the past 4 years had a "Friday night sailing" invitation to most of my office and former co-workers. I have to confess that if I wanted any crew at all I had to email invite over 100 people. Some already have plans, for some it is too far or not far enough or we would be staying out too late or not late enough........about 98 excuses on a normal go round.
While it could be that I'm inviting the wrong people they all did say they would be interested in being added to the list of invitees.
What does that say about "what they think of us"
I think is says lots of folks enjoy the idea of doing stuff like sailing but few actually can get organized or motivated enough to actually get there. So does that imply that the sailing community is more organized or motivated than the mean person or perhaps even more than the upper standard deviation person???
I think that to the rank and file person out there we are a curiosity, but not one that is worthy of much investigation.
I agree there's a perception that boating is extravagant, but we now know that isn't strictly accurate. When someone actually sees our little boat, some of that sinks in
I got the boat itch 6 seasons ago, primarily seeking something that I could share with my wife. We found that trailersailing was possible at a very reasonable price-point, and that's how we got in. Now that we're in, we now know that trailersailing with a well-chosen used, fixable boat is insanely good recreational value. I can't think of a better return in pleasure per dollar spent. But, we're boat people, we know it. We also now understand that ownership of a reasonable-sized used keelboat is within the reach of most middle-income families.
What does concern me is that it seems 'yachting' is still a Caucasian (or even WASP) pursuit. In our very multi-racial, multi-ethnic city, it's still the case that most sailors are white and middle-aged. But I see that slowly changing, and i try to invite all my friends out to see for themselves what sailing can be.
Something not mentioned
What has not been mentioned is what we sailors actually think of each other. I have friends from way above the upper middle class, to a guy who has an old C22. Each and every one of them considers the rest of us an equal. There is no elitist mentality, nor class envy. Among my circle of friends, a sailor is a sailor, and the rest of the world don't count.
What has not been mentioned is what we sailors actually think of each other. I have friends from way above the upper middle class, to a guy who has an old C22. Each and every one of them considers the rest of us an equal. There is no elitist mentality, nor class envy. Among my circle of friends, a sailor is a sailor, and the rest of the world don't count.
wish i could say the same, but I've been "run down" (forced to give up my right-of-way in open water) by too many big boats - stinkpots, motoring sailors, and even yachts under sail, to have an untarnished regard for all "sailors". Seems our 19' boat isn't worthy in some eyes. I'm thinking about a paintball gun....:cussing:
We've also been cold-shouldered at a posh club we visited, then treated like family by another older club just half a nautical mile away.
Amen! The only envy I have is when the cruiser tells me where he's going to be tomorrow when I know I'll be at work!!!!
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