Which nation give sailing a bad name?

[Nostrodamus]

Ok, which nationality actually gives the worst name to the sailing community?

Being English abroad I have to say that so far it has to be the …….. English.

Most are fantastic but they can also be arrogant, insular, and so far stuck up their own backsides. When abroad you see their heads popping through the coach roof like Mere cats at the merest hint of another boat coming near them.

So far the only times I have cringed is when I hear the skipper shouting at the natives, always in English and they of course never do anything wrong.

They are wound up tighter than Cliff Richards’s chastity belt and need to mellow.

Do you agree or is there a nation that is worse?

 

[Roberto]

I do have my pet hate, not innate but it developed and sadly consolidated with time

1. On two different occasions, as I came singlehanded in a new port where most boats where already rafted and there was but one spot with a single row boat, I was refused the permission to raft. (Oh and there was no alternative, boats same size, impossible to anchor, next port at several dozen miles, etc etc)
2. Once I had just "booked" by vhf the only free visitor place in a marina, while I was preparing fenders ropes etc exactly in front of the place (it takes no more than a couple of minutes), another boat comes at very high speed (for a sailing yacht, that is) and moors there. They had the vhf speaker on, possibly they had listened to my earlier communication with the marina. To no avail the marina staff asked them to leave the place.
3. Most ironic, once two boats where moored next to each other and kept talking very sarcastically at least for one hour about how the rest of the world were miserable sailors, using terms that one hardly hears even from hooligans. They were not unwealthy nor uneducated persons.
Plus several other casual minor occurrences

They were all the same nationality, but I won't tell which one
(Not British though)
I confess that when I now see a boat with that flag, unfortunately I am not in the most objective mood.

 

[Rum_Pirate]

When abroad you see their heads popping through the coach roof like Mere cats at the merest hint of another boat coming near them.

Keeping a good look out at all times?

So far the only times I have cringed is when I hear the skipper shouting at the natives, always in English and they of course never do anything wrong.

It would appear that you have only 'cringed' when you hear the skipper shouting at the natives, always in English. Horrible crime, but is it worth the accolade?

I would suggest that sailors of all nationalities like to think that they never do anything wrong, especially when there is an incident/accident.

My vote is the 'France'.

A Poll would have been a good idea.

 

[binch]

goodies

Most live-aboard yotties are OK, no matter what nationality, but there are nevertheless, some idiosyncratic habits.
The worst mannered are bare-boat charter skippers in the eastern Med.
Then flotilla leaders, not the punters, but the leaders.

 

[Roberto]

transverse question

is there a special flag for sailing idiots ?

 

[Lakesailor]

Ok, which nationality actually gives the worst name to the sailing community?

Somalia

 

[Penton Hooker]

Reckon that we could narrow it down to the new money, twin screwed fraternity from a certain county South of Suffolk

 

[Roberto]

Somalia

 

[johnalison]

My finely-tuned xenophobia leads me to create the following list;

Most thoughtless motor-boats in narrow waters: Norwegians
Worst smokers: Dutch & Danish
Noisiest in small hours: French
Most generally prattish: English (honorary foreigners as we're Essex)

 

[Koeketiene]

is there a special flag for sailing idiots ?

Size: way too large

 

[Nostrodamus]

The French are sailors and wear their boats out actually sailing them.
The British wear theirs out with the latest polish.

 

[Ariadne]

'az 2 b t Britz

Has to be the Brits abroad!!

Always very loud, alway know best, British is always better, tend to only speak to Brits, sail in packs, never bother to learn any other language, always expect the natives to speak English, always want Brit food & cheap Brit beer.

Most of the others tend to try to speak the local language or can find a common language, and will always eat whatever is served and drink any(every)bodies beer.

Then the Dutch, for many of the same reasons as the Brits - but tend to be more sociable.
The French are great outside of France, excellent sailors and great company.
The Scandanavians are all barking mad and need a thread all of thier own!

 

[Blueboatman]

Wait till you get anywhere near Haiti.

They'll take an old tent, a lamp post and a few sawn off short planks, some nails...next thing you know, its a sailing cargo vessel actually trading fresh produce through the islands.
So the worst boats, best sailors !

 

[awol]

Size: way too large

Come on. You can't condemn the whole of the Netherlands without some explanation. Incidentally, Laura Dekker is heading north having rounded Cape Agulhas - one of your "sailing idiots"?

 

[Roberto]

The French are sailors and wear their boats out actually sailing them.
The British wear theirs out with the latest polish.

hmm
I bet most French sailors in Brittany would agree with what is commonly heard there: "are you looking for a nice, secluded, unknown anchorage ? Just follow a British sailboat"

Or "whenever you take a whole day to carefully plan a navigation to a particularly beautiful place, where hardly anyone goes as it's very risky, etc, once you're there you'll surely find a British boat already there.

 

[Roberto]

Come on. You can't condemn the whole of the Netherlands without some explanation. Incidentally, Laura Dekker is heading north having rounded Cape Agulhas - one of your "sailing idiots"?

We moored next to her boat for a couple of days, and accidentally listened to what they were saying aboard.

What I can endorse 100% is that *her mother* is not an idiot -in business matters, I mean

 

[Dockhead]

I am not a Brit so qualified to opine -- the Brits do not give a bad name to sailing, in my experience. On the contrary. I have found English sailors to be, by and large, very friendly, gracious, and helpful, both in their home waters and in far flung places.

Even mobo'ers! Just a couple of weeks ago, the following happened - I was at anchor in Studland Bay after a great sail in a stiff breeze from Hamble. It was already well past dark and the first post-anchoring cocktail had been consumed. Although the wind was SE, there was a swell rolling in from the East and we understood it was not going to be comfortable, so we pulled the anchor up and headed, weary, to Poole. Well, I haven't botched (I mean really botched) a docking maneuver in a couple of years, and was tired and not entirely sober and my guard was down, and the 20 knot breeze blew us off the pontoon as we were coming in. It was a mess, scratchless, barely, thanks only to a powerful bow thruster. But what happened? The owner of a massive motor boat ("Motivation", Cardiff) opposite came running out and started grabbing lines and speaking friendly words of encouragement -- where derision would have been more appropriate. And helped, refusing to leave, until everything was snugged down. Now that was really gracious! In the U.S., you would most likely have been laughed at for that maneuver.

But of course -- just like in life, you find people you encounter mostly the way they find you. I have had nothing but good experiences with French, Italian, Turkish, German sailors in decades of cruising in various parts of the world. I have found the French sailors to be extraordinarily friendly, communicative and hospitable, quite the opposite of their reputation in the UK. Actually I think the only unpleasant experience I ever had with another sailor was with an Australian in Croatia about 10 years ago.

 

[Roberto]

I am not a Brit so qualified to opine -- the Brits do not give a bad name to sailing, in my experience. On the contrary. I have found English sailors to be, by and large, very friendly, gracious, and helpful, both in their home waters and in far flung places.

+1

 

[SAWDOC]

I am not a Brit so qualified to opine -- the Brits do not give a bad name to sailing, in my experience. On the contrary. I have found English sailors to be, by and large, very friendly, gracious, and helpful, both in their home waters and in far flung places.

Even mobo'ers! Just a couple of weeks ago, the following happened - I was at anchor in Studland Bay after a great sail in a stiff breeze from Hamble. It was already well past dark and the first post-anchoring cocktail had been consumed. Although the wind was SE, there was a swell rolling in from the East and we understood it was not going to be comfortable, so we pulled the anchor up and headed, weary, to Poole. Well, I haven't botched (I mean really botched) a docking maneuver in a couple of years, and was tired and not entirely sober and my guard was down, and the 20 knot breeze blew us off the pontoon as we were coming in. It was a mess, scratchless, barely, thanks only to a powerful bow thruster. But what happened? The owner of a massive motor boat ("Motivation", Cardiff) opposite came running out and started grabbing lines and speaking friendly words of encouragement -- where derision would have been more appropriate. And helped, refusing to leave, until everything was snugged down. Now that was really gracious! In the U.S., you would most likely have been laughed at for that maneuver.

But of course -- just like in life, you find people you encounter mostly the way they find you. I have had nothing but good experiences with French, Italian, Turkish, German sailors in decades of cruising in various parts of the world. I have found the French sailors to be extraordinarily friendly, communicative and hospitable, quite the opposite of their reputation in the UK. Actually I think the only unpleasant experience I ever had with another sailor was with an Australian in Croatia about 10 years ago.

Well said.

 

[Joker]

I've found the Durch extraordinarily helpful.