Where has this forum gone?? This was the Cruising World forum

Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
when they changed formats and many left- Phil saved it, and it used to really thrive- I see fewer and fewer posts now and sometimes days between.. Is there no interest in cruising any more?? Last post of any sort was 4 days ago ???
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
Well, a way up North it's still Winter ( sort of ). We are getting the boat ready but cruising doesn't start for us until 1 May. There will be another Sun Gypsy Cruise starting then. Those further South may start sooner.( not offshore , just the B.C. coast)
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
We won't be in the water until the end of May. Lake temp will be barely 50°. Way too cold.
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
I guess the Cruiser Forum was not considered when we posted our 2019 Extreme Winter Cruise. It was posted in Sailor Call Lounge. .

We will be more attentive in the future. It was watched with over 5k views and 300 replies. Maybe in Cruising there would have been more interest. Another time. Certainly cruising is still a popular activity.
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Is there no interest in cruising any more??
In my view, there is not as much interest in cruising today, Charlie. I think the 'cruising world' life style that originated in the 60's and 70's peaked in the 80's and seemed to loose steam in the 90's - 2000's.

Those cruising days revolved around a life style, ala the Pardy's, that saw cruisers going off for years. 'Sell Up and Sail' books were popular.

Today, I don't see the word Cruising, alone that often. Comes to mind what's left of our CSBB and Cruisers Forum.

Sailing anarchy has it's Cruising Anarchy which I visit, but I can only recall maybe two posters doing the cruising thing, going slowly around the globe. Most of the activity revolves around sailing and sailboats and Cruising Anarchy is small compared to the general Sailing Anarchy traffic.

And so it goes elsewhere: Facebook has several sailing groups these days I visit. Sailing and Cruising Scotland, Maine Sailing and Cruising, Sailing and Cruising(World wide), and similar. Gone as a stand alone title is the word Cruising.

Sailing is alive on the web but Cruising is not the focus it used to be, it's part of the broader world of sailing.

Maybe we should have seen the writing on the wall and changed the CSBB to Sailors Forum. :)
 
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TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Tom. Perhaps the YouTube monetization of Cruising has impacted what was once a written sharing experience.
Spot on. I forgot to mention that I've gone into the Youtube rabbit hole. I've found some wonderful sailing footage there but I'm of the opinion Youtube Sailing is polluted with the movement capture the little bit of big $$ that only the major players are benefitting from. I've been following this new genre through Dylan Winter who has been making a small retirement living with his videos.

I fear the worst fall out of this media is the growing movement of buying a boat to live aboard and sail the world. All a fantasy as we know, it's not that easy and it sure isn't cheap. :)
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,992
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Tom. Since you may still have a few more days of fireside reading available before spring prep I might suggest the following three books.
The last looks at an ambitious youth’s decision to buy a boat and go sailing. I enjoyed all of these.
 
Jan 11, 2014
11,321
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
I too have gone down the YouTube rabbit hole. Initially I thought these folks were just looking to have someone fund their cruising and long term vacation and was reluctant to support them through Patreon or by watching the ads. Then I had an awakening. I made a few videos and began to realize how time consuming and difficult it is to make an interesting well planned video. Some where I had read that it takes an hour of work to make one minute of decent video. My own experience is that it takes more than an hour for a minute, but then again I am a neophyte.

My thinking has changed. If I am deriving entertainment value or learning something valuable, the person making the video deserves compensation. Now, I subscribe to a couple of channels through Patreon and give a few minutes of time to let the ads play on those I don't support on Patreon. It is a small contribution to support their efforts.

Here's one of my better efforts, the 4 minutes of video took maybe 8 hours in post production time (its not monetized!).

 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Tom. Since you may still have a few more days of fireside reading available before spring prep I might suggest the following three books.
The last looks at an ambitious youth’s decision to buy a boat and go sailing. I enjoyed all of these.
Thanks, I have read the two books by Jonathan Raban.

I'm not a cruiser by my definition. I did a little cruising early on and while I liked it, the lifestyle isn't for me.

My sailboat(s) is too much baggage to take along to travel a distant land. Too slow, too much stuff to worry about. (I like the simplicity and lightness of a carry on bag for my long distance cruising).

I'm a life long sailor and simply love the sailing part. I follow some cruising adventures but prefer reading and watching sailing, sailboats, the people that live a sailing life, a coastline, stuff like that. Plus I love old boats and there are outlets on the web and other media for that.

The internet now gives me an outlet to follow sailing, all around the world.
 
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Apr 8, 2010
1,942
Ericson Yachts Olson 34 28400 Portland OR
Dave, Thanks (!) much for posting. The water and the scenery is similar to the side channels along the lower Columbia River that we have been cruising since the 80's.
 
Mar 1, 2012
2,182
1961 Rhodes Meridian 25 Texas coast
LOL-164 views in 12 hours?? I guess the site is being read :)

I consider myself a "cruiser" I'm NOT a long distance voyager by any means, but I've got nearly 12,000 miles under my keel in the last few years. Three round trips to Florida and back, one single hand. Months in the Bahamas, on a trip here to Maryland and return- sadly the return was single hand, including 32 hours out in the Gulf of Mexico

I too frequent Facebook, and I feel it has drained a lot from forums such as this. I participate in one called SailFar, who's motto is "long distance, small boats" It also has slowly slipped away, sad to say.

Oh well, sign of the times I supppose
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis


i'll talk cruising, charlie,

in sturge, 5 feet out of the slip is some great cruising. i cruise down to the end of the bay everyday. all of the bay of green bay is to the north, south of town is northern lake michigan. as the weather off the great planes slams into the lakes we get allot of great rides. aeolus is kept ready to go anywhere, fresh or salt :)
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
i keep bean bag chairs on the boat. always can find a comfortable seat :)
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
i do not stow gear on deck. windage is slow. weight is above the water line.
 
May 25, 2012
4,333
john alden caravelle 42 sturgeon bay, wis
i think that dodgers should only be deployed if motoring. i'm not in the tropics so i do not have a bimini. both of those slow the vessel when under sail.