Ethnic minorities and sailing.

[dom]

Many black and asian people seem to have an aversion to water....

For goodness' sake, where do these daft generalisations come from? ?

 

[Resolution]

Many black and asian people seem to have an aversion to water - I'm talking about swimming, not washing. The majority of them seem not to be able to swim, so this may be one factor in their scarcity on boats.

You need to take a visit to Hong Kong, or even Singapore, and see the number of Chinese who enjoy boating and swimming. The last race in which I competed was in an Impala, crewed by three HK and two Singapore Chinese. We won, despite some language difficulties.

 

[pvb]

For goodness' sake, where do these daft generalisations come from? ?

Well, obviously, I make up everything I post on these forums! On the other hand, you perhaps are just ignorant of the realities. Take a look at this, and note the World Health Organisation comment.

Charity launches to drive participation, engagement and inclusion of the BME community in aquatics - Voice Online

 

[pvb]

You need to take a visit to Hong Kong, or even Singapore, and see the number of Chinese who enjoy boating and swimming. The last race in which I competed was in an Impala, crewed by three HK and two Singapore Chinese. We won, despite some language difficulties.

I think the OP intended the thread to represent the situation in the UK.

 

[[159032]]

Do you know what sort of website "The Onion" is?

Shush......

 

[dom]

Well, obviously, I make up everything I post on these forums! On the other hand, you perhaps are just ignorant of the realities. Take a look at this, and note the World Health Organisation comment.

Charity launches to drive participation, engagement and inclusion of the BME community in aquatics - Voice Online

Nothing whatsoever to do with an aversion to water: immigration from poorer EM countries, economic deprivation, etc. are recognised factors and it is commendable that institutions like Sport England are trying to tackle the ensuing issues.

It's borderline offensive in my opinion to start flinging around wild notions like "Many black and asian (sic) people seem to have an aversion to water". And it's more than borderline wrong.

 

[pvb]

Nothing whatsoever to do with an aversion to water: immigration from poorer EM countries, economic deprivation, etc. are recognised factors and it is commendable that institutions like Sport England are trying to tackle the ensuing issues.

It's borderline offensive in my opinion to start flinging around wild notions like "Many black and asian (sic) people seem to have an aversion to water". And it's more than borderline wrong.

It's not borderline wrong, or borderline offensive, simply because you don't agree. It's a fact. They don't like swimming. One of my nieces is married to a lovely black guy of Jamaican origin, and they have 3 delightful small children. When they visit, she and the kids play for hours in our pool, but he doesn't. It was he who first alerted me to the fact that many black people don't swim, I hadn't realised that before.

 

[dom]

It's not borderline wrong, or borderline offensive, simply because you don't agree. It's a fact.

Let me tell you another fact before exchanging anecdotes - I typed "racism" into Google and here is the first hit:

Racism:
"Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another...."
Racism - Wikipedia

 

[Blue Sunray]

It's not borderline wrong, or borderline offensive, simply because you don't agree. It's a fact. They don't like swimming. One of my nieces is married to a lovely black guy of Jamaican origin, and they have 3 delightful small children. When they visit, she and the kids play for hours in our pool, but he doesn't. It was he who first alerted me to the fact that many black people don't swim, I hadn't realised that before.

...and was reportedly why the 'Good Old Southern Boy' who established one of the 'elite' units of the US Army made a demanding swimming test a key part of their selection.

 

[johnalison]

I have met the occasional black sailor, but not Asian. I think that the lack of minorites sailing is part of their generally metropolitan habitat, for want of a better word. Immigrants congregate mainly in cities, and this seems to last several generations. In their original countries, activities on the water, or on the land are much the same as anywhere, but if black and Asian groups in this country have an aversion to water, which may be true to some extent, this needs to be compared with European city-dwellers, when I think you would find attitudes much the same.

There was one of those series about commando or para training some years ago and one applicant was African, I think Nigerian. He sailed through most of the course but the winter trial, in either Brecon or Scotland, caused his body to let him down and he had to leave. There was a feeling that this might be a problem with some black Africans, and it may be that we will not see many of these people in more exposed areas of work or recreation, though there was an article about a black farmer in Devon in my paper. The article was about Covid rather than his presence in Devon.

 

[elton]

It's not borderline wrong, or borderline offensive, simply because you don't agree. It's a fact. They don't like swimming. One of my nieces is married to a lovely black guy of Jamaican origin, and they have 3 delightful small children. When they visit, she and the kids play for hours in our pool, but he doesn't. It was he who first alerted me to the fact that many black people don't swim, I hadn't realised that before.

A black work colleague once told me they believe their bodies to be denser than water, so they just sink; unlike whites they believe, whose bodies are less dense than water, so they naturally float.

 

[capnsensible]

Jeez some of you guys need to get out more. Black people sail and swim all over coastal Africa and the Caribbean. To suggest they don't I is plain wrong.

Clipper have been so successful that they have set up an RYA. Recognised school in China.

Ive taken people from many different countries and all races sailing. So my personal observation that what may be true in the Solent or Durham is wrong for the rest of the littoral world..

The only people ever, as a race that I've ever seen hating water are Gurkhas. No real surprise but their stoicism was inspiring out on the Gareloch.

 

[pvb]

Let me tell you another fact before exchanging anecdotes - I typed "racism" into Google and here is the first hit:

Racism:
"Racism is the belief that groups of humans possess different behavioral traits corresponding to physical appearance and can be divided based on the superiority of one race over another...."
Racism - Wikipedia

Are you suggesting I'm racist? I hope you'll reconsider that. In the meantime, let me tell you another fact - you could have an argument in an empty room!

 

[capnsensible]

A black work colleague once told me they believe their bodies to be denser than water, so they just sink; unlike whites they believe, whose bodies are less dense than water, so they naturally float.

My personal observation having helped to teach Nigerian Navy apprentices to swim is that it may be bone density. But that's a different subject. Kids in the Windies swim like fish and as they get older win sailing races.

 

[capnsensible]

Are you suggesting I'm racist? I hope you'll reconsider that. In the meantime, let me tell you another fact - you could have an argument in an empty room!

No he couldn't. ?

 

[dom]

Are you suggesting I'm racist? I hope you'll reconsider that.

If the cloth fits.

 

[pvb]

If the cloth fits.

Don't be ridiculous.

 

[capnsensible]

Clipper Ventures has unveiled Clipper China, the biggest expansion in its 23-year history

 

[Laysula]

A friend of mine who is Pakistani came with us on a flotilla holiday to Croatia. She loved every minute of it, no interest in the actual sailing but loved sunbathing on deck and the in port shenanigens. However, we were under strict instructions not to take photo's or discuss her part in the holiday when we were home for fear that the local Asian reaction.

 

[JumbleDuck]

Many black and asian people seem to have an aversion to water - I'm talking about swimming, not washing. The majority of them seem not to be able to swim, so this may be one factor in their scarcity on boats.

Actually the only groups with a (slight) majority of non-swimmers are people with a black caribbean or pakistani heritage:

From Why do so few black children learn to swim?