Bluewater vs offshore ???

[jonjo]

There is no pretence that this delivered as your opinion; it is delivered as a statement of incontrovertible fact but with no supporting evidence or attribution.

So in the world according to Silver-Fox every reply on this forum must be prefixed with, "imho or I always thought or it seems to me". Because without the such a preamble a post will be deemed to be a pompous statement of fact?

You are really scraping the barrel for contentious subject matter.

 

[webcraft]

Aaah - you mean the TCM clique thing? If you feel left out, send TCM a PM and ask if you can join, I forget what the joining fee is but at the time I thought it was quite reasonable and no funny handshake to remember.

Cheers, Brian.

No funny handshake? You are obviously not in the inner sanctum then

- W

 

[webcraft]

.
Mike,

The post you are about to make would be easier to read if it was split up into short paragraphs with some white space between them.

(Ducks and runs )

 

[boatmike]

Perfectly logical question which I see has again deteriorated into a welter of abuse. What is the matter with everybody since Christmas? Can't we dissagree without being abusive?
Actually as an old fart I tend to be out of "sync" with a lot of younger forumites and I also believe that the usage of terminology changes, but it USED to be recognised that
"offshore" generally meant within a reasonable (if undefined) distance of shore. After all in common parlence we all understand "3 miles offshore" or "7 miles offshore" so I think it's reasonable to say that most channel or med cruising is generally "offshore" because it's generally possible to reach a port of refuge within a few hours sailing if the weather changes. "Blue Water" is less ambiguous. It's crossing bodies of water where one cannot find a port of refuge within a few hours and need to be able to ride out any weather met en route. In my opinion therefore a true "blue water" passage is potentially more arduous than an "offshore" passage, so I would dissagree that the two terms are synonymous. This however does not mean that a good offshore cruiser cannot also go blue water and as boats get bigger and generally more seaworthy many in fact do very successfully.

 

[Wandering Star]

No funny handshake? You are obviously not in the inner sanctum then

- W

I was sent an invitation to join the inner sanctum, well a heartfelt plea really, but pledging 15% of my income over my lifetime to the Impoverished Sailors Fund, a charity administered by TCM himself, seemed a high price to pay for no real additional rewards to that of being an ordinary member - I still receive the same Christmas card as you receive each year although in my case the signatures are printed not handwritten.

Cheers, Brian.

 

[fireball]

What's the matter with everyone since Christmas? It's the Winter Blues (or is that the Winter Offs) ... Few ppl out sailing so going stir crazy ... just wait till the summer then we can get back to moaning about neighbours in visitor berths & anchors ...

 

[nimbusgb]

Blue water, but not offshore

 

[silver-fox]

So in the world according to Silver-Fox every reply on this forum must be prefixed with, "imho or I always thought or it seems to me". Because without the such a preamble a post will be deemed to be a pompous statement of fact?

You are really scraping the barrel for contentious subject matter.

Oh dear, I have broken my cardinal forum rule and paid the price.

Anyway that's it from me Jonjo, I am signing off as far as you are concerned and shall leave you alone to try to provoke others - for as long as they will tolerate you.

 

[Bosun Higgs]

There an update for you to read but your gander is up and so I am ready for the next TCM broadside.

gander is a bird - you want dander

 

[Bosun Higgs]

The original question related to the difference between offshore and blue water boats, not the areas in which such sailing is done.

I dont believe there is a precise difference, but for me the key would be the on board facilities for longer term endurance. As I said earlier, my boat is eminently capable of crossing the oceans but as it is at the moment it is not a blue water boat. It would be a PITA comfort wise, is short of some basic kit like storm sails and water tankage, and needs a genny since I wont tolerate not having a daily hot shower. So its an offshore boat capable of say 2 or 3 days comfortgable endurance between ports.

 

[jonic]

This may simply be my own simple understanding but I always thought that blue water (no capitals or inverted commas) occurred once off the Continental Shelf?

That's a good point vyv, and now you mention it I remember being told just before my first Biscay crossing to watch for the moment we crossed the edge of the shelf as at that point we would officially be Bluewater Sailors. (and the water was an incredible deep blue.)

I think that would in fact be a good "official" definition.

Offshore- not coastal but still over the continetal shelf.

Bluewater- off the shelf (so to speak)

 

[jonjo]

gander is a bird - you want dander

Dandruff, frothing yeast? No thanks I will stick with hissing geese, seems apt for this context but thanks for the language etymology lesson.

 

[V1701]

Is it just me that finds a comment about where they see themselves in some sort of hierarchy of yachtsmen just a little worrying?

It is also worrying when people quote the size of their rig. Why enter peeing competitions? There will always be someone bigger and stronger than you and what are you proving?

And before anyone quotes my profile and claims that I play the same game, hopefully a few will jump to my defense and agree with me that I can muck things up with the best of them.

The sea is a great leveler - especially when it is green and crinkly... Sharing and learning from one another's experiences is one of the joy of these forums. Relax and think before you post?

Ditto with the Bav bashing pecking order threads...