Arrogant Sailors

[DERF]

Now I have sailed since I was 4, so most of my life; I sailed to the UK from South Africa and have covered many thousands of miles under sail in Indian ocean Atlantic and Pacific.

I choose to own and run a mobo for various reasons, speed and time primarily..

Why oh why then is it then, that I find so many raggies in the UK, (yes mainly the UK) arrogant, rude, inconsiderate and with the belief that they are gods chosen few!

You know the type; cast disdain on anything other than a sail boat as if they have a divine RIGHT to be on the water, in the showers first, through the gate first, at the hose first.....sullen and unable to communicate... at the best a grunt for good morning!.. What is it?

Why this animosity towards mobos? is it a lack of understanding? or are some raggies just intolerant, ignorant and rude?

I've posted this on Scuttlebut.... we'll see what they have to say!

 

[Blackfeather]

Perhaps it's because they travel so slow and therefore spend too much time on their own.

 

[mjf]

You S. African chaps are brave indeed.....

But, oddly I agree here in the Uk you are correct - until they find out that you used to be a raggie yourself.

When they discover that you have sailed some serious distances offshore too, there is always a change in 'tude.

Abroad, completely different. You are on the water - you share a common pursuit.

 

[Doffy]

Like you I find a lot of yachtsmen have a funny attitude to stink boats, I too have sailed most of my life and still luv sailing when my wife lets me. Even the dutch seem to get infected with the brit desease. I know all of us are not angels, it would be nice if offered a large slab sided boat to moor against in a lock that they go and find the most stupid place to moor rather than accept the helping hand.
Even the germans we met are a friendly bunch, more than happy to have a laugh at the crowds.

 

[BrendanS]

Perhaps you rub them up the wrong way for some reason. I've met loads of raggies, and never had a problem, and certainly going sailing with the ybw raggies from Scuttlebutt, they are overwhelmingly supportive of all types of boaters

 

[hlb]

I wrote about this years ago. Cant find it now, but it went something like this.


Long time ago, God looked down from the heavens with dismay, the normally happy boatie tribe were at war.

It transpired that God had made a few mistakes whilst programming the raggies brains.

They were mixing up yacht race with the human race so thought they were the chosen race.

God was puzzled and did not know what to do, so he called on his Moboat friends for advise.

Oh, just give them some bit’s of string to play with, said the friendly moboaties, and we will just keep out of the bloody way!!

And so it was written and for ever and ever amen, raggies have had right of way.

Course nothing could be said of this drastic selfless action of the motorboaties and it was all kept very secret by the mobo tribe.


cos we cant tell the children, that god makes cockups too!!

 

[peterandjeanette]

Had a "difficult" experience in Carentan last summer.

We arrived in this quiet canal backwater just after a mobo flotilla from the south coast had departed. The attitude towards me was "oh sh*t, another motorboat".

It would appear that a well known organization had booked a flotilla in for a couple of days. It was reported to me that they were noisey, drunk, rowdy and inconsiderate about night time peace and quiet with fireworks, parties and loud music till very late. The raggies had reported this to the organisers in the UK and were actively checking on the route of the flotilla so they could be avoided. What could I say? I wasn't there to verify this, but they were most upset.

Fortunately, by the end of our visit we were invited to all the drinks parties on the yachts and we had a good farewell party on ours. All in moderation.

Raggies and Mobos can enjoy life together. It is always the few - on both sides - that ruin relationships for the majority.

 

[ashanta]

I think there are good and bad on both sides. As a raggie I have encountered many arrogant sailors(raggies) and I have also encountered many arrogant stinkies. It's the way of the world. I assume that most of the formurites are sociable people as whole and enjoy the banter and support for each other. I was tempted to ignore this post but I felt I needed to express my feelings as I am not sure it was necessary?

Regards.

Peter.

 

[Aardee]

I happened to be in Cherbourg the same time as the flotilla you describe. On the whole they were the most charming, considerate bunch imaginable. However, one or two of their number did seem to enjoy turning the music up and overdoing the local vino when the sun went down.

Interestingly, the loudest complaints we heard were from their fellow flotilla-ites.

Good & bad on both sides...

Graham (the raggie)

 

[jhr]

Carentan

I think there's been some discussion about this incident on these boards recently, and that it was mainly one boat that was the source of the (undoubted) disruption. As you say, it only takes one bad example to sour people's attitudes.

In the spirit of forgivenness and reconciliation, I won't make allusion to the separate incident involving the Editor of an Esteemed Monthly Boating Publication, who cracked his ribs (I think) whilst dancing to loud music on a S*ns**ker at 3.00 am in a crowded Channel Islands Harbour last year? /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[mjf]

Another thought - same issue.


If you think the 'raggies' are bad. Try taking a MBO/Dinghy with outboard on the Tidal Thames where they ROW...........different world!

 

[gjgm]

from my vastly more limited experience, it seems to be more of an issue Solent area, than westwards, and maybe thats because there are alot of boats in a small area, and a jolly large number of 40ft plus roaring around, which does churn up the water somewhat . Maybe its the limited space-but maybe its people have different atttitudes .
(Ive nothing against 40ft boats, but sometimes off Southampon waters its easy to get.. frustrated..)

 

[Dave_Snelson]

I kinda know what you mean but....

When someone has a go at my boat, I just chuck it back at them in friendly way with a comment like "tell that to the Navy, they gave up on sails a 100 years ago"...or similar.

Porthmadog does not really have this problem and I get on well with all the raggies in our club - and we are a yacht club after all.

The problem is caused by lack of consideration for others - and that can be met in all walks of life, not just boating. There have been some horrendous incidents at Pwllheli & Abersoch, caused by hugely inconsiderate "I'm coming through!" motor boaters.

For me, I would much rather steer well clear of this subject, and deal with individual attitudes for good and for bad. I realise its tough when you get cut up with a thoughtless tack or whatever, but if you isolate the incident from the sport, it all looks much better /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I have had some great times with great people in our club, both on the water and in the bar and I would like to see such differences disolved.

 

[Sammo]

I believe that the only reason that Yachties shout, wave you off (sometimes in rough weather in the middle of nowhere) and gesture is just a gut reaction as they are afraid.
Once you realise this you`ll find it won`t spoil your day at all and you can pass them at 20 knots oblivious.

The trick, I have found, is to be not heading to the same destination.

.....................
an obvious troll put it to bed. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[gonfishing]

I suspect that they spend far to much time at sea getting nowhere, with an incalcitrant spouse or partner, getting constantly cold and wet, and having run out of good books and meaningful conversation. That kind of existence is enough to drain anyone of any pleasantness to fellow beings!!!

IMHO of course /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[BrendanS]

Happy now that you've seen the responses elicited on scuttlebutt? It's people like you that do all the damage to reputations of Motorboaters.

 

[tome]

Well I just failed my RYA Arrogance under Sail level 2. Stupid mistake - I was carving up a Mobo with a turn to port and only put up one finger! Can you believe it?

 

[BrendanS]

Tome

You and I know this an exception, and an abhorrence.
Why we put up with this sort of post is another question.

 

[tome]

Brendan

It doesn't even ruffle my feathers any more. There are enpugh decent folk on both sides to make boating a real pleasure, and it will take more than a few small minded raggies or oilies (hee hee - prefer this to Mobos) to affect the rest of us.

Tom

 

[BrendanS]

Make the prat come on a Cherbourg cruise, and share cabins on a saily boat? Would that help, or am I already raggie orientated?