i believe the thought that less younger people are cruising comes from statistcs. i will have to reread the original post, to be sure. one thing about statistcs, though, is that they can be interpreted to mean pretty much anything. plus, how did they accrue the inforation that was used to make these statistics? where was the data collected. all of that comes into play. you can never truly be sure of the accuracy of statistics. it could be much ado over nothing.
even if less are cruising now, what about as these generations age; as they get more disposable wealth, get more time, or have just fulfilled the expectations of society and are free to do their own thing? even if less are cruising now, it does not mean that they may not go cruising later in life.
I havent read the whole thread but I feel the need to quote this....
there are positively 100 percent sure less young people cruising now than say in the 60s or 70s (or before the advent of the internet...)when the solo sailing and around the world boom started becoming a sport that inspired many to set sail.
not to mention the hippie notion of travel...good or bad or whatever you may call them hippies actually did travel and sail, and live and work on boats in a frugal yet inspiring way...
when I was starting to cruise I did so after graduating early from high school, I was 17 and left california to go "home" that was el salvador,on my leaking but restored h28...my first vehicle was a sailboat, not a car!
the looks from teachers, students etc was baffling...the internet and all its associated hooplah had them so tied up that they had no freaking idea that you could do this, nor that there were people that had already done this at a young age generations ago...
I clearly remember dove being my first sailing book, gifted by my grandfather, then came tania aebi, then other books of renowned sailors, I read them all, from chichester to motissier to knox johnston...the roths, the pardeys later on, etc...
I still beleive to this day that the internet has stupified the masses WHILE improving and encouraging those that already had the feel or BUG to learn more...
I know its a very high up kind of remark but its true
there is absolutely no interest today in reading about other peoples adventures, finding unchartered lands, etc...in young people, those young sailors are for the most part racers, in clubs...the ones that sail and cruise are less than 1%.
the amount of times I laugh and cry at the same time nowadays when I see my generation go out to dinner, all on the iphone or stupid blackberries texting eachother, AT THE TABLE like they are in some sort of alterior stupid land blabbing away tweets about what they have done(which is nothing btw) makes me cringe!
im 32, and I have a 5 year old cracked cellphone that barely rings...thats considered stupid now, whereas reading and travelling are considered weird and dumb things to do now...
I dont speak for all of modern society but a huge percentage of it...
in any case I PREFER that less people cruise and travel and that sailing or cruising is not mainstream or as mainstream as it should be...why because the masses always always take away joy and the pristine beauty of the lands and places I want to see( abit egotistical I know, BUT think aout it) masses kill nature...its a fact.
if the pyramids in egypt for example had less people I would of been fascinated when I saw them...in fact the best part of the pyramids was the sunrise drive to them in a cab...I rememeber it being so impressive and serene to look at...as soon as I got to the base I cried inside.
same would apply to cruising and sailing destinations...
thats just me though...jajaja
peace guys