Dec MBY - Mystery Skipper

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jfm

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I've said this before but having read the new MBY I'll have another go. Hugo/Alan you really should get rid of the mystery skipper thing, or get a new MS. The MS page (116)in the new issue (Dec08) is just garbage and lets down the otherwise very readable custom yachting section.

This month the reader endures a long shaggy dog story about old-hand skippers versus younger skippers only to suffer the most anti climactic of endings. You read the ending and think "so what"

And i say "endures" becuase that's what it is. It is littered with things that tell you this guy is a bit of a fruad, possibly not a yacht skipper at all, or maybe he's just not bright. Like, this month he tells a tale of having a drink in Star n Bars (a place EVERY mega yacht skipper knows) and says it's in Monte Carlo and it's "little". Well, it's neither. I suppose we could argue about "little" if his usual pub is an aircraft hangar but we can't argue about the fact it isn't in Monte Carlo

The daft part is that the skipper is embelished with this "mystery skipper" anonymity. That format works with the Stig cos he drives like a top pro and it adds intrigue to keep his identity secret. But if the Stig was a crap driver who didn't even know where Silverstone was, the anonymity gambit wouldn't be any fun. Like the mystery skipper.

Howsabout just dumping the whole thing Hugo, or getting a new columnist?
 
[ QUOTE ]

Is that a volunteer I hear?

[/ QUOTE ]

No! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

But I could suggest some real skippers with lots of good anecdotes :-)
 
Thing is, the world of the superyacht skipper is totally alien to me, so the tales are moderately entertaining as I don't have any actual knowledge to say "Nooooo, he wouldn't do that".

In the back of my mind I have a sneaking suspicion that they are contrived/massaged/manipulated, but I probably had the same feeling when I used to read the "Lifes Like That" sections of the Readers Digest as a child.

I find the "confessions" section of MBM much worse in this regard.

dv.
 
I guess you're right re.every mega yacht skipper knowing the place, but I wouldn't be surprised if most of them would be in trouble if asked to tell what's the difference between M-C and Monaco.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
They might not know the strict geographical boundaries nor the precise make up of the principlaity (neither do I), but invariably real skippers would talk about taking their yachts to Monaco, not Monte Carlo. There isn't even a port in Monte Carlo. When entering the port, the skipper would know to communicate on the VHF to "Port of Monaco". He'd sound a bit daft if he hailed "Monte Carlo Marina" :-)

This guy feels like a fraudster. And that comes from many (most) of his previous columns, not just this one
 
Trouble is that stuff like mystery skip and confessions can end up a bit like "Our Tune" which always sounded like it had been knocked up by Smashey (or was it Nicey)'s gophers between getting to work and broadcast at 9.15 am with extra bonus points being awarded for getting some inhouse joke into the script.

So, with mystery skip we get the wise old fox outwitting the young turk. A universal story which could be written about photocopier sales personnel. How to give it some glam with a marine twist? Er, Monte Carlo: that's where these characters hang out innit so, quick google for "world's best bars, monte carlo": gives you Stars and Bars, right on the waterfront in Monaco (Quai Antoine 1er) and the job's a good 'un.
 
When I was a kid I used to enjoy those 'Spot the Mistake' cartoons. I enjoy his column for the same reason.

Small correction JFM .. I suspect 'Stars 'n' Bars' is the best known bar/restaurant/sports bar on the Cote D'Azur .. and the biggest !
 
I get the distinct impression from the tone of this thread that some think these stories may be made up!

When I think back to my youth and the colourfull magazines that I used to store under my bed I really used to enjoy the graphic stories in there..............

Now are you telling me that when Mrs ? wrote in to say that when the plumber called he took advantage of her in more ways than she could ever imagine was all made up ...........

Well you lot have just ruined my day I mean for all those years of reading those interesting magazines and beleiving the great stories, and to think they were not real.....

GUTTED!
 
That's funny. Yeah, see his column as a "Spot the Mistake" and then feel satisfied reading it. Sage advice Mr E :-)

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Small correction JFM .. I suspect 'Stars 'n' Bars' is the best known bar/restaurant/sports bar on the Cote D'Azur .. and the biggest !

[/ QUOTE ]

I dont understnad why it's a correction. Of me? I didn't say anything to the contrary did I? Or do you mean a correction of MS /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Agree with you. Mystery Skipper is as contrived as the Cumberlidge articles. Maybe they're ghost written by the same work experience hack. He probably does WNS as well
 
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