Art's Letter

Boat talk and general conversation.

Moderator: Moderator

Post Reply
lustyslogger
Recognized Old Salt
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 7:45 am

Art's Letter

Post by lustyslogger »

Got my Jan - Feb issue of SCA today. First thing I turn to is the Letters to the Editor section. There I find a letter from our very own Art Haberland. It was an extremely good letter primarily regarding the decline in participation in our sport. In my humble opinion Art is spot on in his assessment of why the sailing community is shrinking. I don't want to reprint his letter here, all can see it in the magazine. I would like to say I think the primary reason is we are not attracting a younger crowd and lets face it, we are all getting OLD. I'll bet most of us on this forum are at least in our 60's. I am 73. In the club I was in I was middle aged with very few as young as late 50's. So the question becomes why are we not getting late 20's, early 30's in our ranks? I think there are two main reasons. First and foremost boats have become outrageously expensive. When Sail Magazine can tout a $140,000.00 boat as a "starter" boat, you know something is wrong. Along with the increased cost we see an increased size of the boat. Boats that now must be in a marina because they are too big to be kept on a trailer and launched from a ramp. Boats that need two or more crew members for even a week end sail. There may be smaller boats (20 ft or less for example) but other than Small Craft Advisor no one is advertising those boats. Its much cheaper to buy a power boat and zip around the lake than to have a 30 ft $150,000.00 boat that requires $300.00 or more a month for dockage. There are tons of old boats but those require maintenance and other than true believes few have the time or patience to keep them afloat.

Secondly, it seems to me that no one wants to do outdoors things any more. Sit at home, watch the football games, play video games and as they said when this phenomenon first started "cocoon" at home. A lot of clubs have dropped youth programs because of the liability and because kids would rather sail boats on a computer than actually in the water.

Anyway, Art, that really was an excellent letter
User avatar
Art Haberland
Major Contributor
Posts: 481
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 3:08 pm
Location: The Garden State
Contact:

Re: Art's Letter

Post by Art Haberland »

thank you,

As a moment of hope in talking to my co-workers about my "new" Gp-14, I learned that one of them has teenagers that sail and race a 420. They do rather well and seem to really enjoy the sport aspect of sailing. I can only pray they continue with it as they get older.

As an aside, I also learned the thousands my co-worker spent on getting his kids to this point. Not counting the price of the boat. He had to join the local Yacht Club, which required not only thousands of dollars, but two members to sponsor him and the kids, then it was the couple of thousand dollars in sail training. All told, I think he must be close to $20,000 in if you include the price of the boat.

His sons are over-achievers, I am sure they are enjoying it and I know my co-worker is proud and jealous of what they are doing., but wow that is a lot of money to get kids out on the water.
lustyslogger
Recognized Old Salt
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 7:45 am

Re: Art's Letter

Post by lustyslogger »

Art Haberland wrote:thank you,

As a moment of hope in talking to my co-workers about my "new" Gp-14, I learned that one of them has teenagers that sail and race a 420. They do rather well and seem to really enjoy the sport aspect of sailing. I can only pray they continue with it as they get older.

As an aside, I also learned the thousands my co-worker spent on getting his kids to this point. Not counting the price of the boat. He had to join the local Yacht Club, which required not only thousands of dollars, but two members to sponsor him and the kids, then it was the couple of thousand dollars in sail training. All told, I think he must be close to $20,000 in if you include the price of the boat.

His sons are over-achievers, I am sure they are enjoying it and I know my co-worker is proud and jealous of what they are doing., but wow that is a lot of money to get kids out on the water.
Art, we are almost back to the famous John D. Rockefeller quote "If you have to ask how much it cost you can't afford it". I am a late bloomer to sailing, having gone sailing the first time in 1963 at the age of 18. I think the most I have ever paid for a boat is $1700.00 and that was for a 1975 Luger Leeward 16 in 1981 (a lot of money in 81 to be sure). I paid $700.00 for the Lusty Slogger in 2010 and $800.00 for the HenriLina in 2015. Granted I had to put almost as much in the LS repairing leaks and once again I am looking at $850.00 to fix the trailer and the hole the trailer knocked in the centerboard!! Perhaps we can convince our hero Josh to do an article on how to find small boats that won't break the bank.

I also think the overemphasis on racing is what keeps a lot of people from just enjoying the sport of "messing about in small boats". I quit racing after I realized I was always the pickle boat in any race. I now just enjoy getting from the marina to where ever I am going and back to the marina over the same weekend!!

Another issue I have which I think keeps many from sailing is what appears to be the emphasis on sailing stories to scare the hell of potential sailors. Every "cruising" story is replete with scenes of green water over the cabin top, near freezing weather conditions and sails fraught with danger. Howard Rice's stories are less hair raising than many of the books and articles out there. What does someone who has never been out beyond knee deep think?

Anyway, my man, Good letter. BTW, did you ever get your champagne from England?
User avatar
Art Haberland
Major Contributor
Posts: 481
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 3:08 pm
Location: The Garden State
Contact:

Re: Art's Letter

Post by Art Haberland »

Sorry to say, no. I think the Feds confiscated it. NJ has some weird rules about importing alcohol, even from other states, let alone from overseas. I know this smacks of heresy, but I do not drink anyway, so it was not a big loss.

Personally, I am a bit surprised you knew I wrote them a letter that was published. I didn't think too many people read that magazine.
lustyslogger
Recognized Old Salt
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 7:45 am

Re: Art's Letter

Post by lustyslogger »

Art Haberland wrote:Sorry to say, no. I think the Feds confiscated it. NJ has some weird rules about importing alcohol, even from other states, let alone from overseas. I know this smacks of heresy, but I do not drink anyway, so it was not a big loss.

Personally, I am a bit surprised you knew I wrote them a letter that was published. I didn't think too many people read that magazine.
I was going to subscribe but it was over $100.00 a year and I have noticed they are somewhat spotty in putting out issues. I wander in the local West Marine at least once a month and if they have any I will get it. Can't find it most of the time, don't think I have seen an issue since Mid Summer.
User avatar
wdscobie
Recognized Old Salt
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:57 pm
Location: Salish Sea
Contact:

Re: Art's Letter

Post by wdscobie »

lustyslogger wrote:I was going to subscribe but it was over $100.00 a year and I have noticed they are somewhat spotty in putting out issues.
OK ... i'm lost here. SCA ain't $100/year and nor is their publication schedule spotty? My guess is i've lost the thread and this is about another mag?!
--
:: Dave Scobie
:: Liveaboard: Baba 30 DEJA VU
:: Owner M6'8" dingy
:: Former SWALLOW - https://saulboatswallow.wordpress.com
:: Former M17 SWEET PEA - https://m17-375.com
:: Former M15 SCRED - https://m15namedscred.wordpress.com/
lustyslogger
Recognized Old Salt
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 7:45 am

Re: Art's Letter

Post by lustyslogger »

wdscobie wrote:
lustyslogger wrote:I was going to subscribe but it was over $100.00 a year and I have noticed they are somewhat spotty in putting out issues.
OK ... i'm lost here. SCA ain't $100/year and nor is their publication schedule spotty? My guess is i've lost the thread and this is about another mag?!

Another magazine. One from Britain "Classic Sailor". Art had written a letter last year I think and was chosen as the Letter of the Month and was supposedly award a bottle of champagne for his troubles. Came in a brown bottle of all things.

https://classicsailor.com/
User avatar
Art Haberland
Major Contributor
Posts: 481
Joined: Thu Jan 02, 2014 3:08 pm
Location: The Garden State
Contact:

Re: Art's Letter

Post by Art Haberland »

it's not a bad magazine, I can pick it up at BAM, but I tend to prefer "Watercraft" their orientation is much more like SCA, but with an English Slant
User avatar
wdscobie
Recognized Old Salt
Posts: 587
Joined: Tue Oct 05, 2010 9:57 pm
Location: Salish Sea
Contact:

Re: Art's Letter

Post by wdscobie »

lustyslogger wrote:
wdscobie wrote:
lustyslogger wrote:I was going to subscribe but it was over $100.00 a year and I have noticed they are somewhat spotty in putting out issues.
OK ... i'm lost here. SCA ain't $100/year and nor is their publication schedule spotty? My guess is i've lost the thread and this is about another mag?!

Another magazine. One from Britain "Classic Sailor". Art had written a letter last year I think and was chosen as the Letter of the Month and was supposedly award a bottle of champagne for his troubles. Came in a brown bottle of all things.

https://classicsailor.com/
OK ... makes sense. I occasionally read some airliner magazines published in the UK and yes they are expensive!
--
:: Dave Scobie
:: Liveaboard: Baba 30 DEJA VU
:: Owner M6'8" dingy
:: Former SWALLOW - https://saulboatswallow.wordpress.com
:: Former M17 SWEET PEA - https://m17-375.com
:: Former M15 SCRED - https://m15namedscred.wordpress.com/
Post Reply