Why I'm saddened by Scuttlebutt..

beancounter

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Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

The recent slanging matches over the demise of Peters Opal are another example of the "trial by internet/jumping to conclusions/trot out a few hobby horses" event that crops up periodically.

A previous example that springs to mind was the demolition job done on the guy whose girlfriend piled the brand new boat on the rocks on the South Coast last year (would he have had the same treatment on here if he had been, say, a teacher in an old Westerly Centaur, rather than an city type in a new AWB?...)

In addition, if the regular rants are to be believed, then:

a) Magazines are run by spineless toadies in hock to their advertisers;

b) Yacht brokers are lazy ne'er-do-wells who fleece sellers for a dubious service;

c) Marina owners are price-gouging scrooges who squeeze yotties till the pips squeak;

d) Chandlers are rip-off merchants;

e) In fact, the whole marine industry is a self-serving clique dedicated to feathering their nests at the the expense of the poor yottie...

And that's before politics creeps in - judging by some opinions expressed on here, quite a few posters regard the Daily Mail as a dangerous left-wing publication, and Margaret Thatcher as a bit of a liberal softie.

Somehow the joy of sailing gets a bit buried under all this.

Sad, really.
 

CliveSmith

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

Well, it's no different to the mutterings down the pub after the 5th pint!

The entire nation (it seems) loves to slag someone off for some perceived wrongdoing.

As to being ripped off, it does sometimes feel that way when the word Marine in the items description triples the price.

Don't buy the magazines or use marina services if one feels that strongly.

Alternatively, cast off and let the worries of the world ebb away.

Oh yes, bring back the death penalty.
 
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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

in response ...
a. In hock to their advertisers, to a certain degree, business is bussines, advertisers mostly pay for the mag at the end of the day.
b. A large majority seem to, yes, some are good, word of mouth inc afterservice is the best way to find out.
c. In the UK, this is probably correct for 90%, yes, City types as you call them can provide a better income, so get rid of the normal yottie and bring the big bucks in.
d. On this I think I would have to generally say no, it is the ignorance of the buyer who frequents these places, business is business, they have no shortage of customers, so why reduce prices.
e. No, not really, the ´poor yottie´is his own worst enemy in a lot of cases, If he pays chandlers prices, Marina ripoff rates on the south coast, buys from brokers and believes everything they say (Same as second hand car salesmen and estate agents) without doing his homework, then long may the industry make dosh, but in lots of cases, it doesnt even do that due to many circumstances.

Re Daily Mail, never read it, cant comment, Maggie T , ? bring her back !

Teachers and city types, ?.. Surely teachers are more likely to have accidents as they get too many holidays so sail more ?
/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I find these forums well moderated, if there is a problem, posts will be stopped, removed.
You will never agree with all opinions, unless you are David Cameron with his make up on.
 

AlJones

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

Nicely put John!

Another point of view, I read with nodding head!

Thanks for making me realise I am one of those types at times.

Al.
 

beancounter

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

[ QUOTE ]
And anyway whats wrong with a damn good winge occasionally??

[/ QUOTE ]

Which, I guess, is what I was having... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif
 

ChrisE

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

Well said.

You'd think that we'd just had a terrible summer and peeps hadn't had a chance to go out sailing so were more miserable than ever.......
 

FullCircle

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

I agree that certain posters seem to write stuff which they would never say to you face to face when a 'hot' subject gets going.
I have oftened wondered why apparently nice people indulge in some extreme views when you know they would not support them (or allow people to move in next door to them with those views) in reality.
Maybe we are tuning to listen to the sensational, and ignoring the rational word, which is of course hows our news is reported.
There are those that do not post on particular threads because they will not dip to that level, and feel that fuelling the fires only makes it worse.

We all have moans about service, prices of our suppliers, but this place also has little shining nuggets where people post to praise a particular service or company. Those threads will not inflame the ire of the indignant and will quickly drift off the front page of the forum.

If you want nice, go to the East Coast Meeting Forum. I have had a scan and can say that I cant see one snide post.
 

beancounter

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

As you say Jim, I'm sure that some of the more frothing-at-the-mouth posters would, in reality, be great company for a noggin or two and a natter. T'old interwebby thing has a lot to answer for...

Of course, we're all Gentleman Yachtsmen on the East Coast, aren't we?

(I'm just orf to see if the paid hands have got m'boat ready for the weekend...)
 

HoratioHB

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

Lets face it most people hold opinions and the ability to write on forums slightly anonomously allows for a certain degree of 'amplification'.

That said lets have another discussion about anchors ...

I'll get me coat.
 

Sans Bateau

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

[ QUOTE ]
That said lets have another discussion about anchors ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh! Come on you can do better than that, how about a Baveria having trouble anchoring 'cos he cant get it fixed under warrenty!?

/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

Danny Jo

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

One of my favorite bits of literature is Balthazar's song from Much Ado about Nothing: [ QUOTE ]
Sigh no more ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.

Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny, nonny.

Sing no more ditties, sing no more
Of dumps so dull and heavy,
The fraud of men was ever so,
Since summer first was leafy.

Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny, nonny.

Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blithe and bonny,
Converting all your sounds of woe
Into hey nonny, nonny, nonny

[/ QUOTE ] The whingers of Scuttlebutt were ever so.

If you don't like something, you have three options:

1. Change it.

2. Lump it.

3. Whinge about it.

Is whingeing becoming more popular? I don't think so - isn't the impression just a function of our changing perspective on life as we grow older.
 

beancounter

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

[ QUOTE ]
That said lets have another discussion about anchors ...

[/ QUOTE ]

Nah - "No quality saling boat has been built in Western Europe for, oh, 20 years - Discuss"

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

beancounter

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

[ QUOTE ]

Is whingeing becoming more popular? I don't think so - isn't the impression just a function of our changing perspective on life as we grow older.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've got the impression (and I'm sure I also read somewhere) that as we get older we become more self-centred and more likely to complain. Hence old 'uns grumbing about "Youth of today...world going to the dogs...wasn't like it in my day" etc.

Ergo we must all be mumbling old f*rts on here..... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

HoratioHB

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

[ QUOTE ]
Ergo we must all be mumbling old f*rts on here..... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Mumbe Mumble pphhhhhtttttt. Yup your right
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 

awol

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

[ QUOTE ]
e) In fact, the whole marine industry is a self-serving clique dedicated to feathering their nests at the the expense of the poor yottie...

[/ QUOTE ]

Some years ago when the government BP shares were floated coincident with a stock market crash, there were those who still bought at the offer price. Allegedly, the list of those who did so was much sought after by the wide boys who wished to part the unwise from their money.
Marinas are filled with sheep ready for fleecing - after all, who but the foolish rich would keep a £100k depreciating asset with a ~10% p.a. maintenance cost (parking + upkeep) for the dubious pleasure of a few weekends' use a year? With potential customers like that, the yottie business has to attract the "self serving".
Unfortunately, that leaves the wise virgins with unpalatable choices - join the foolish and support the "self servers" or plough your own furrow (how many parables, metaphors, etc. can I jumble?) by eschewing marinas for self-laid swinging moorings, avoiding chandleries by researching and buying elsewhere, buying boats directly from builders (if you can) or 2nd hand from small ads, and regarding magazine advice with a jaundiced eye.
Luckily for the "self-serving" there appears to be no shortage of mugs, even if they moan a bit when squeezed, and unfortunately some of them post on Scuttlebutt.

A wise man suggested that for peace of mind houses, cars, boats and women can all be rented.
 

graham

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

Strange thing is that at the annual Cherbourg rally about 90 scuttlebutters are jammed into a room plied with lots of alcohol and food yet to my knowledge never an angry word let alone a flying fist.

Quite in contrast to some of the threads.
 

EdWingfield

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

I believe, sadly, that you can be rude to people on here with no risk - as we are anon. In the pub if you are rude you risk a punch in the mouth, quite apart from losing friends in the peer group. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 

MoodySabre

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Re: Why I\'m saddened by Scuttlebutt..

Cabin fever has set in with a vengeance. Perhaps the mood will change after this weekend and everyone will be posting about how wonderful Gordon Brown and the NHS are and what bargains there are in chandleries these days. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
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