Is it a "size" thang...?!

Bravo!

Airship... you've just declared our creed. YachtForums is comprised of people who dig big boats… not super-ships, ferries & freighters. For any forum to be successful, it’s important not to dilute the theme.

The same goes for giga-yachts. This category remains a curiosity for most and a reality for few. Still, they are yachts and therefore a few owners and enthusiasts will have an elevated level of interest.

The majority of YF members (around 80%) own boats in the 50’ to 90’ range. Another 10% have MUCH larger yachts. The remaining 10% appear to be buyers, enthusiasts or the simply curious.

There’s a reason why YF has found some acceptance, because we often discuss “real” yachts, something that us everyday mere mortals can relate to. If you want to lure in lurkers and add to the knowledge base bottom-line… then we need to keep it relevant, informational and fun.

I want to commend YachtLuver for finding interesting news and bringing it to YachtForums. Far too many lurkers around here. Not enough people posting! YachtLuver keeps the momentum going and a little diversity is good.

That being said, Airship’s post was excellent (as we’ve come to expect). It’s this kind of creative and well-informed wit that has far greater value than the biggest boat afloat.

Carl

Giga-Yachts are NOT something that many (if any) of us will ever own, or have the good fortune to go onboard. Frankly, they are NOT yachts. They are SHIPS... and you need the income of a 3rd world country to afford them. Too much time is spent talking about these colossal giants that are more like an anomoly by definition.

Let's get REAL and let's talk about REAL-istic yachts... the kind of boats that we can all aspire to, get informed about, work toward and purchase. I am not suggesting any parameters on the size or stature of the yachts we discuss, but I would like to see more people become members and participate on YachtForums. Discussions about 300-500 foot yachts is NOT the way to do this.

Yachts that are more mainstream in size will result in more participation. Ultimately, the more active people we have, the more we will ALL learn.

Ok, here's my boat. An EX Camel Trophy Ribtec 6.5M deep V with three fuel tanks 200ltr, 200ltr and 125ltr. Lots of Raytheon stuff, chart plotter, fish finder, three fuel monitors, flow scan, tach, speedo, clock, music etc.

OK, without turning this into a "sexist" thread...
I think you have more female membership than you realise.... some of us prefer not to advertise it too loudly since we do still occasionally get the "Oh my God, a FEMALE captain, what IS the world coming too?" routine. I got it just a week ago, from a fellow Captain here in Ft Laud. Bit of a shocker actually, since I was hoping to learn something from him other than the fact that he's a MCP. His loss, to be sure!
Don't you worry though, we're here and we're not going anywhere! It's a great place to learn stuff without having to suffer thru the "dumbing down" lots of people feel we need; but where we can ask really dumb questions too, if we need to!

Better Thangs

Hear, Hear, Carl! Very well said.

I enjoy your Forum because people actually talk about boats, engineering, capabilities, limitations, etc. The best questions reflect what is really important, i.e., I want a boat that does A, B, C....and I have this much money or this model of boat interests me. Given that criteria, "What is the best boat for the dollar?" Bigger is not Better, only Better is Better.

I tire of the voyeurism that is so prevalaent in the magazines, other media and forums that pervades this industry. Note for Carl: You do not have a Smilie for the "5 finger gag" that I would enter here.

The guys with the biggest yachts who call themselves "yachtsmen" and "sailors" seldom leave the dock, much less do a crossing. If they feel their "giga" roll in an anchorage ever so slightly, the phone on the bridge rings with a panic call from the Owner demanding larger stabilizers. Truly a sad commentary on what yachting is and what it is should be.

But for us industry pukes, the yachting business is the ultimate in Reagan's famous "trickle down economics." Keeps our family fed and Mama's got a new pair of shoes!

I KNOW that Niel Rooney has more fun on his RIB and uses it more often than 99% of anyone who owns anything over 120 feet.

And for reidsatsea, if you ever have a technical or professional question; I would be pleased to offer my assistance on YF, by PM or email. Good luck and safe sailing.

In the meantime, enjoy the real people with good information but even giga-bigger and mega-better laughs on YachtForums!

Am amazed to hear there are still people who behave that way, since we now live in a world where we have FEMALE astronauts, fighter pilots, racecar drivers, neurosurgeons, etc. Guys like that fellow Captain you mentioned are in for a Rude Awakening!

I'm sure we've got LOTS of female YF members!
So ... SOUND OFF, LADIES!
And WELCOME ALL ... TO YF!
Arnie

MCP = Male Chauvenist Pig?
(Did I spell that right?)

Hell when I retire, which may be soon the way I feel,really beat my body up when young with play toys, and don't plan to work another 20 years just so I can get a social security check,(if the government isn't bankrupt by then)

I would hire a all women crew and Capitan if I needed or wanted one. I do believe you need one unless there are others on board qualified to "Drive" . As it's not fair when you shelled out the money for a nice floating ,satellite controlled toy, and as being the only Captain on board you must stand watch on the bridge as all your guests are playing bikini Twister.

Congratulations WDRZL. You've officially confirmed that chauvinism is alive and well, while successfully taking the male gender down a notch on the evolutionary scale. But all is not lost! You've helped bring about positive change...

NEW YF rule...

1. If you spew garbage, your post(s) will be relegated to the trash bin.

We may adopt the same rule for posts that are not legible or coherent. Either way, if it continues… memberships will not.

Alright, as the one new member that actually joined I'll comment on the subject. As I said in my original post, I have read and truly enjoyed this forum for quite some time. I never really joined because I am very aware of the addictive nature of forums that put forth such interesting material.

Re: yachtluver just hoping I remain active...

no promises, but you kind put me on the hook with that statement so I will probably feel obliged to remain active

Re: Airship wondering about the size thing...

I agree with what others have said pertaining to just having a general interest in boating, and wanting to share info on anomalies as they occur (i.e. the launching of the Emma Maersk), but I will say this, not in defense of myself (because I don't feel this to be a threatening or defensible situation), but more out of general argumentative fun: there have been several posts here on the forum pertaining to yachts which, within, contain statements about how much of a marvel is to see how high boats (even some of the true monsters like Dubai) sit once the superstructure is completed, but before interior outfitting has taken place, what with the stern completely above the waterline and bulbous bow sticking halfway out of the water

My point being this... my post, about a non-yacht, was just aimed at commenting on the similarity in that regard, after having seen pictures of the E.M. holding what looked to be at least 85% of her overall capacity, and still standing tall in the water... so there

Alright folks, hope you all have a wonderful evening, on land or at sea. I must make haste, as I have to cook dinner for a party of 120 people tonite.

Adios

Nice post SoCalRP. Glad you joined!

What I enjoy about YF...

...is that we are never going to die from boredom around here.
There was the innocuous reference in the beginning of this thread to large vessels with a quick morph to lady captains & sexism that came out of the blue like a left hook in a seedy bar.

Yes, Teenna, where are you?

I thought that when reidatsea weighed in with her comments, I smiled and waited for A STORY. Instead of conjecturing about a woman running things onboard, am I the only one who has a real-life tale to relate?

Captain L ( to protect the innocent, natch), who, a dozen years ago, used to run a Bertram 58 motoryacht --for a woman owner out of Chicago, no less-- was our captain du jour for that day's seatrial/survey/haulout.
She was all of five feet tall and maybe a hundred pounds soaking wet, and all-businesslike from the get-go.
As the broker du jour representing the buyer, I was not exactly viewed as a highly developed life-form by Cap't. L and so merely observed the proceedings from a safe distance.
Butch, a huge bear of a guy, and very much no-nonsense, was our surveyor.

Butch began lighting up the various electronics at the lower station from which L conned the boat. The radar, a monstrous antique Furuno unit, remained dormant.
Butch audibly noted this and began to write it up into his report. At that moment, Cap't. L made a fist and gave the Furuno a resounding whack, at which point it blipped to life.
"Oh, yes, it works", she said.

For a shocked split second, no one said a word, and then we all laughed like hell.

I've told this story a hundred times.


Competence is competence, the package notwithstanding.