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THE GOOD OLD DAYS
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October 21, 2004. This posting appeared on a trawler web site as part of a thread about what boating was like “in the good old days.” I thought the author made some good points, and he graciously allowed this item to be reproduced here.
--Bob Hale
I wonder if the determining factor in the success of one's boating
experience is not so much age, or the technology you have or don't have,
but what you want to get out of boating and the attitude with which you
approach it. I have noticed that the people who seem to get the most
enjoyment from boating, regardless of their age, tend to have simpler
boats. This does not mean they shun technology. GPS navigation
systems, bow thrusters, cabin heating systems, etc. all can be found on
many of these boats.
The difference seems to be that these boaters are much more interested
in where their boats can take them, and in observing the water, weather,
geography, wildlife, and history around them rather than burying themselves
in the technical complexities of the latest gizmo.
The fact that the most knowledgeable, interested, interestING, and
courteous boaters tend to be older (or sailboaters) perhaps says more
about how these folks were brought up and the values they have, than it
does about the kind of boat they prefer or how they choose to equip it.
Perhaps the real key lies in a boater’s approach to responsibility.
Boaters who believe they are responsible for their actions tend to know
how to operate their boat without the assistance of the latest
technological gizmos, even though they may have some of these gizmos on
board. But if everything goes to hell systems-wise, these folks can
still get where they need to go.
There may be a feeling among some boaters that technology absolves them
of responsibility. If the GPS plotter acts up and they run aground, the
fault lies with the plotter and its manufacturer, not them. If their
radar fails or their nav systems die, they radio for help. If help is
not forthcoming or doesn't meet their expectations, the fault is with
the people they radioed and the people who didn't show up, or who did.
If they run out of fuel, the fault lies with the boat manufacturer or
the fuel gauge manufacturer or the flow meter manufacturer. If they
slam into a dock or another boat, it's the bow thruster's fault, or the
hydraulic steering system's fault, or the transmission's fault.
Someone famous said it's okay to make a mistake, but it's not okay to
make the same mistake twice. I have noticed that there seems to be a
tendency for the "technology will save me" crowd to make the same
mistakes over and over again. As opposed to the self-reliant and
responsible boaters who rarely make mistakes, or at least mistakes that
I notice from my position near the bottom of the boating experience
ladder.
So I think the "good old days" of boating are not tied to a particular
era, or an age group, or a boat type, or a technology, but are instead
tied to an attitude. For some, the good old days of boating are right
now. For others, the good old days will never arrive.
C. Marin Faure
GB36-403 "La Perouse"
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