To Wave or not to Wave (that is the question!)

mjkinch1

mjkinch1

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We have recently moved our boat and now encounter a lot more boating traffic as such, all across the board from small and large motorboats, and a wide range of yachts.

Now SHMBO tends to wave at everyone that passes within waving distance (difficult to measure but you get the idea), and generally nearly all Motorboaters wave back, but she gets a mixed reaction from Yachts! Probably half wave back, a quarter are pre-occupied so don't look over, and I guess the final quarter just sort of ignore her (us). A couple that ignored her, waved enthusiastically to a rather nicely restored Yacht passing the other way!

So we had a big debate about it, and SHMBO decides that she will make less effort with Yachts, 'because they don't seem as friendly'. Which sort of seems a shame. So is it us or Motorboaters in general?

I did mention we should replace the fenders with Cans of Guiness, but apparently that was'nt so funny!
 
Hi Martyn,
It's subject you will become well acquainted with - Raggies vs Mobos.
I don't know the answer. We're raggie. We wave at people who are looking our way and not grimacing. It may be that I could be looking at the windex on the masthead, or the luff of my headsail, or trying to work out if the hire put-put ahead knows we are there, realises we have priority, is about to move, or is going to ram a rowing boat, oh - and also work out if we need to tack away from a ferry coming at us. So if I miss a wave from a MOBO I feel like I may have appeared a bit sniffy, but it wasn't intentional.
But that's us. You may have been blanked by others. I think we're all different.
 
If you were in a yacht you would find things the other way round! Sad but true.

Tell your wife to wave as much as she wants, if others don't want to be friendly...........

I'll wave at her.........from my yacht!
 
Out of interest where are you now based I did a similar post about 6mths ago when we were based in the solent
I got mixed response but as a rule people seem to wave less when theres more boats about and sailing boats mostly seem to make a determined effort to look the other way
But I now hardly wave to any one unless they wave at me
I will be interested to see what response you get to this post
 
"to work out if the hire put-put ahead knows we are there, realises we have priority"

You haven't if you are the overtaking boat!
 
Always wave. Raggies often have hands full of ropes, tillers and cups of coffee (Can't put them down because everything tilts) and can't wave back. If I have a hand free, I will always wave back.

Rory
 
Oh yes Bob, very good.
It all changes in a moment when they turn through 90-180 degrees without looking or caring. You learn to expect the unexpected and believe the unbelievable /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Hi,

Interesting. I'm a raggie and have noticed almost the opposite to your experience. I don't ever recall receiving a wave from a MoBo first - if you see what I mean.

If I wave to a MoBo, and I frequently do, the usual response seems to be almost one of disbelief! Those waved to, often look around as if to see if it really was them I was waving to, and frequently don't respond at all.

I suppose most MoBos don't expect a wave from a raggie - especially if they read some of the posts we get on these forums! Shame I think.

I try and wave to all raggies when I'm not actively working the boat, but it can be difficult sometimes when single-handing.

Jerry
 
"You learn to expect the unexpected and believe the unbelievable"

I completely agree with that point. However I was only pointing out, mainly for the benefit of "newbies" who might read this, that sail does not always have priority over power. You would if they turned across you, of course.
Whether there is time to react or not is a matter for the experienced helmsman to prepare for by not sailing too close behind another boat, power or sail or especially a hired boat like that. The motto "Be prepared" applies.
 
Very good! Nice to see a real sense of humour.

as the teenagers say....Respect! /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Bah! I never wave at mobo's cos they're fast, noisy and throw up too much wash!!

Then again, I never wave at raggies either because they're slow, boring and they tend to be aloof.

When I'm driving my car I refuse to acknowledge Vovo drivers because they think they own the road, and BMW drivers are rude and too hasty whilst Merc drivers obviously have too much time and money on their hands. Truckers can go to hell 'cos on the motorway they either pull out without signalling or try and drive over you in the middle lane.

In the supermarket, I hate women with kids in puschchairs 'cos they take up the whole damn aisle and OAPs are sooooooo bloomin slow at making up their minds. The checkout operators are all spotty kids with attitude problems.

POLITICS? Don't talk to me about politics! Tories are all a load of stuck-up double dealing interbreds out to line their own pockets whilst New Labour are just a load of lefty, commy, champagne socialists who couldn't run a coconut shy.

My wife keeps telling me I shouldn't generalise but she's just a woman and you know what they're like! /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Might I suggest that if your passing a sailing boat within waving distance on a smooth water and /or light wind day, you are probably passing too close. Your wash will cause motion sufficient to knock the wind out of their sails and some sailboaters, me included, don't like encouraging this, thus don't wave back.... Its nothing to do with you being a motor boat, its just the thought of the flapping sails and crashing boom we are about to experience can negate a feel good attitide.
 
we wave all the time from a motorboat, all other mboats seem to wave back, only 50% of raggies wave back, some are downright rude. They deliberately turn away.

when we are a bit out at sea, litterally, its nice to wave, in that both boats and crew are both facing a comment threat i.e. the sea, and you are not alone. It's a nice guesture.

now if the raggie wanted help they would waive at us allright, and of course we would respond.

Some times I feel we should have a button to press after we've waved, ok no wave back, even a turn away in disgust, "well **** off then" oohh that would be nice. feel soooo much better for getting that off my chest !
 
On the one hand I agree so much with raven and on the other hand I agree so much with Oldhand.
Now the problem is I don't have a hand left to wave with !
 
I think the point has already been made that raggies find it the exact reverse. Raggies wave, Mobo's don't, sometimes they turn away, sometimes they are downright rude! It's just a kind of tribalism.
 
well can understand re holding on to sails etc., no hands free, have done some sailing myself, and hlb (who I go boating with) has done lots and lots, so we do understand. But its often the whole raggie crew who just stare back at us without waving. Its actually somtimes quite funny as we are having such a nice time, and to then receive such, well, sorry hatred back, its really laughable.

Now when we moor up near/next to raggies its all lovely, it just seems when the boats are actually moving there's a problem. Yes think its tribal.
 
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