What is it about boating that makes us so social?

Nostrodamus

Nostrodamus

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When you are in a house it is not the norm to walk past a complete stranger and start chatting.

In a house you would never consider inviting a stranger in for a chat and a few beers.

When you are on a boat however the norm seems to be to speak to everyone and it is rare that you don't invite someone aboard or you don't go onto another boat. You are quiet happy to share beer, wine and food with someone who three minutes before you had never seen and will usually have extra drinks aboard for this very reason.

I love it when you are anchored and a dingy pulls alongside to say hello or invite you across for a drink. We don't even consider that they may be the Mad axe man.

So why is sailing so social and why when sailors are in their houses are they not the same.
 
Phoenix of Hamble said:
I dunno.... but let's hope it stays like it!..... for us, it's one of the greatest pleasures.... and we've, over the years, made some of our closest friends this way.
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Totally agree with you. It is one of the greatest pleasures in life to get drunk with total strangers but I just think it amazing we can be one way when sailing and complete different at home. It may be because other boaties are the same. Imagine the reaction if you knocked on a complete strangers door and invited them round for beers and a chat!
 
Nostrodamus said:
Totally agree with you. It is one of the greatest pleasures in life to get drunk with total strangers but I just think it amazing we can be one way when sailing and complete different at home. It may be because other boaties are the same. Imagine the reaction if you knocked on a complete strangers door and invited them round for beers and a chat!
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Maybe its because, unlike 'the man in the street' or 'the bloke next door', you KNOW you have one thing in common?
 
This is only the case for me when on the water. Everybody talks and waves.
But in a marina, I find it a different story. At least half the time, if I say hello to folk walking along the pontoon, I get a look like I've spat in their face.

This has happened in the few marinas I've been in. (Largs, Craobh, Kip). I have been a member of three sailing clubs, and one large club in particular doesn't really welcome new faces.

As I said before, never an issue on the water, even from motorboats!
 
Agree with you Sharkx, that said having spoken to people whose idea of cruising involves several days hopping from one marina to another they say its very sociable. (Our idea of expensive hell..).

A few boats around who we've met over the past few years, let the dinghy trapsing of an evening commence :) Great way to share tips of other great bays etc.

The few winter months in the same marina are obviously more sociable, for us in the summer we'd never spend more than a night here and there which doesn't lend to more than "hello" and a quick chat in the shower block or bar.
 
Nostrodamus said:
So why is sailing so social and why when sailors are in their houses are they not the same.
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Social conditioning ..... :(

capnsensible said:
Nightclubs are another place where you can end up drunk with total strangers who may also get naked later......
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Shhhh! .... & have you destroyed the photo's??? .... twice in Gib & once 'naked' is enough for anyone!!! ;)

I can rectify some of these / the issues mentioned as:
I once entered a Marina only to have what appeared to be two 'Old & Crusty' heads appear to explain that they didn't want any noise as they were retiring early (& it was just SWMBO & myself onboard!). Miserable old sod's thought I .... but upon returning from the shops we heard guitar music emanating from their boat ..... so! ... I went round, knocked on their hull & requested permission to come aboard. Which led nicely to me taking my guitar round and having a really good session until 03:00! ... :)

So! ... take a musical instrument & some nice 'Red'! .... :) ..... & look out for ME! :)
 
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sharkx said:
this is only the case for me when on the water. Everybody talks and waves.
But in a marina, i find it a different story. At least half the time, if i say hello to folk walking along the pontoon, i get a look like i've spat in their face.

This has happened in the few marinas i've been in. (largs, craobh, kip). I have been a member of three sailing clubs, and one large club in particular doesn't really welcome new faces.

As i said before, never an issue on the water, even from motorboats!
Click to expand...

some people are like slinkies - not really good for anything, but they bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
 
Nostrodamus said:
When you are in a house it is not the norm to walk past a complete stranger and start chatting.

In a house you would never consider inviting a stranger in for a chat and a few beers.

When you are on a boat however the norm seems to be to speak to everyone and it is rare that you don't invite someone aboard or you don't go onto another boat. You are quiet happy to share beer, wine and food with someone who three minutes before you had never seen and will usually have extra drinks aboard for this very reason.

I love it when you are anchored and a dingy pulls alongside to say hello or invite you across for a drink. We don't even consider that they may be the Mad axe man.

So why is sailing so social and why when sailors are in their houses are they not the same.
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Fear!
 
Last year in Chichester I had a problema with the engine so I walked along the pontoon till I found a yachtsman and asked him if he knew anything about engines.......he said yes and came and sorted out my problema.Its a question of breaking the reserve.
 
Sharkx said:
This is only the case for me when on the water. Everybody talks and waves.
But in a marina, I find it a different story. At least half the time, if I say hello to folk walking along the pontoon, I get a look like I've spat in their face.
Click to expand...

So it's only when you get close to people?
 
Baggywrinkle said:
It's all to do with being mobile. It's easy when cruising to meet other yachties because there's very little risk involved. If the fecker turns out to be an a**e, you can up anchor, smile, wave and leave :D

Try doing that in a house.
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Absolutely, plus the very useful AIS - keep a note of boat names in this instance. Forewarned is forearmed when they're fast approaching your blissfully peaceful anchorage :)
 
>>What is it about boating that makes us so social?

Because we have the same things in common, boats and sailing. In the long distance cruising community the help between cruisers is amazing, want a spare someone will have it, need a generator fixed someone will do it etc etc. I fixed computers and software problems although I can fix water pumps, generators etc few could fix computers which is why I did that.

One cruising boat we know well bought a canal boat in Europe, they found the other canal cruisers were exactly the opposite to sailors, nobody talked to anybody else let alone helped, so they packed it up.
 
Sharkx said:
This is only the case for me when on the water. Everybody talks and waves.
But in a marina, I find it a different story. At least half the time, if I say hello to folk walking along the pontoon, I get a look like I've spat in their face.

This has happened in the few marinas I've been in. (Largs, Craobh, Kip). I have been a member of three sailing clubs, and one large club in particular doesn't really welcome new faces.

As I said before, never an issue on the water, even from motorboats!
Click to expand...

Thank you for that,

We're not all w*****s, although truth to tell, on lonely long passages the five fingered widow used to be a comfort when younger:D
 
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