"Sooner or later we find those moments of terror separated from the hours of
boredom. If your focus is a stand up engine room , queen aft bed, speed,
varnished flat transom, then  you will do better tied up to the dock."

I find myself in considerable disagreement with this categorical defamation
of a whole class of vessels (and their proud owners) unless the words
"rather than challenge the open ocean far from shore" were added to it.  The
comment has the arrogance of an open-ocean sailor with disdain for anything
but hazardous living.

I think people challenging mother nature in the middle of an angry sea in
small pleasure boats of ANY type are fools, and those doing so in boats like
mine are idiots to boot (those friends of mine here who have done so know
that I mean nothing personal).  We don't live in the age of Columbus and
have no need to put to sea in frail vessels not designed or required by
their trade to be there.  I know of no commercial or naval vessel under 200
feet long in which I would be comfortable attempting an ocean crossing.

I have been through hurricanes (my first at age 6) and typhoons (multiples
of both) at sea in SHIPS designed for the task.  These situations were NEVER
of my choosing, and when I had command of a ship, I once went clear to the
equator to avoid trouble when there were four typhoons simultaneously
lingering about the Western Pacific because I HATE rough weather.  Why
anybody would go out there voluntarily in a small boat is quite beyond me.

Said another way, if you find yourself in a "moment of terror" surfing down
a big ocean wave in a semi-displacement hulled trawler (or any pleasure
vessel for that matter), you have obviously done something stupid like
"taking a knife to a gunfight."  That's my 2 cents.

There are plenty of prudent folks out there with vessels fitting the
author's description enjoying the heck out of life and not endangering
themselves by taking these boats to places they were not designed to be
sailed.  You do not need to build a battleship to enjoy life on the more
comfortable waters most on this list enjoy.

On a personal level, my opinion of my own boat is that it is a poor sea
boat, but that's OK because I am not inclined to take it out in seas
forecast to 3 or more feet (just for admiral comfort) and more than 3-4
hours from shelter.  Just to be clearly understood, I am ONLY talking about
coastal waters here (and seldom if EVER out of VHF range of help), NOT river
and ICW transits, where my vessel can handle pretty much anything mother
nature normally has to offer.  Nothing I ever saw in "the uttermost parts of
the sea" made me want to go back there on my own.  Sorry, not a romantic or
a nut.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42-295)
Southport, FL

Those who have not ventured into the open sea and looked into the bright eyes of danger know but half of life-Lewis Mumford, Even if accidently Kevin

Rich Gano richgano@gmail.com wrote:  "Sooner or later we find those moments of terror separated from the hours of
boredom. If your focus is a stand up engine room , queen aft bed, speed,
varnished flat transom, then you will do better tied up to the dock."

I find myself in considerable disagreement with this categorical defamation
of a whole class of vessels (and their proud owners) unless the words
"rather than challenge the open ocean far from shore" were added to it. The
comment has the arrogance of an open-ocean sailor with disdain for anything
but hazardous living.

I think people challenging mother nature in the middle of an angry sea in
small pleasure boats of ANY type are fools, and those doing so in boats like
mine are idiots to boot (those friends of mine here who have done so know
that I mean nothing personal). We don't live in the age of Columbus and
have no need to put to sea in frail vessels not designed or required by
their trade to be there. I know of no commercial or naval vessel under 200
feet long in which I would be comfortable attempting an ocean crossing.

I have been through hurricanes (my first at age 6) and typhoons (multiples
of both) at sea in SHIPS designed for the task. These situations were NEVER
of my choosing, and when I had command of a ship, I once went clear to the
equator to avoid trouble when there were four typhoons simultaneously
lingering about the Western Pacific because I HATE rough weather. Why
anybody would go out there voluntarily in a small boat is quite beyond me.

Said another way, if you find yourself in a "moment of terror" surfing down
a big ocean wave in a semi-displacement hulled trawler (or any pleasure
vessel for that matter), you have obviously done something stupid like
"taking a knife to a gunfight." That's my 2 cents.

There are plenty of prudent folks out there with vessels fitting the
author's description enjoying the heck out of life and not endangering
themselves by taking these boats to places they were not designed to be
sailed. You do not need to build a battleship to enjoy life on the more
comfortable waters most on this list enjoy.

On a personal level, my opinion of my own boat is that it is a poor sea
boat, but that's OK because I am not inclined to take it out in seas
forecast to 3 or more feet (just for admiral comfort) and more than 3-4
hours from shelter. Just to be clearly understood, I am ONLY talking about
coastal waters here (and seldom if EVER out of VHF range of help), NOT river
and ICW transits, where my vessel can handle pretty much anything mother
nature normally has to offer. Nothing I ever saw in "the uttermost parts of
the sea" made me want to go back there on my own. Sorry, not a romantic or
a nut.

Rich Gano
CALYPSO (GB-42-295)
Southport, FL

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