Are liveaboards misfits?

HoffaLives · #1 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

I know this is asking a gross generalisation - along the lines of are all old fat balding white guys racist - and it likely varies with community, but it seems to me that there' s a hunk of misanthropy among those who make a dock their home. At least where I live. I'm not considering cruisers here, just folks who make a home on a boat.

With some boats you never see the guy, just the blue flicker of a TV at night. With others you will see them but they always seem to be, well, scurrying. And then there was the time there was this old scow on the Pitt river - a guy, a woman and a baby. The guy piles into his dinghy and goes to all the nearby canoeists begging smokes.

Most liveaboards I've known were guys, and they weren't so much "single" as they were bachelors, and there's a big difference.
From what I've seen the typical retiree or young couple on a nice boat seems to be in the minority. But maybe that's just because Canada is more conservative (and colder), and only crazy bastards live on boats.

TrueBlue · #2 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

Our marina has about 8 boats with winter-full time liveaboards and I suppose these salts are woven from different cloth than most boaters. The number of liveaboards of course, goes well over 100 boats in the summer months.

I must say though, based upon my wife and I being long-standing good friends with several of these obsessive mariners, they are fairly normal contributors to society. The ones we are most social with consist of a full time RN, instrument product sales rep, a Cadd drafter, accounting firm business manager and a professional musician. They're all either married or living with their S/Os, great people and fun to be with.

It's pretentious to position myself as being "normal" - what exactly is that anyway? But I must agree, there are one or two couples and one strange loner guy, who could be described a social rejects, or misfits. They scurry on and off their boats when no one is around, hugging sides of buildings like nervous rodents in search of shelter.

When faced with the small talk questions of other boaters, pertaining to general and harmless topics - like weather, a lack a social skills and personal hygene becomes apparent. It's also obvious, they chose this life to escape the typical normal lifestyle - as most "normal" people know it.

In a frightening sort of way, there are days when I'm envious of their choice.

PBzeer · #3 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

You seem intent on making generalizations, assumptions and creating stereotypes as you simply rephrase what amounts to the same post, over and over. I don't know if you're seeking some sort of ratification of your thoughts. Are possessed of rampant envy. Or just have nothing better to do.

People are different, and they make choices applicable to themselves (or should), not necessarily to conform to some illusional "norm". There's much worth pondering about this mystery called life, you seem to choose the least rewarding avenues.

This in no way signifies you are one thing or another, it's simply my view.

TrueBlue · #4 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

Consider the extent of social misfits that pervade the communities inhabited by land dwellers. I wonder if the ratio of these misfit lubbers to "normal" citizens is greater than a similar comparison of liveaboards.

camaraderie · #5 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

No..everyone else is a misfit!

Waterrat · #6 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

The only normal people are people you just don't know very well.

dave6330 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

The only normal people are you and me, and I'm not too sure about you!

Cruisingdad · #8 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

No..everyone else is a misfit!

An attitude like that will get you run RIGHT OUT of the RV park... wheelchair, prunes, and all! Keep that in mind!!

SailorMitch · #9 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

They are not normal. But few people worth knowing are.

Plus, the trouble with normal is, it always gets worse! (From the song "The Trouble with Normal" by Bruce Cockburn -- a Canadian I might add.)

SailorPam · #10 (**permalink**) 10-23-2007

Could it just be the smaller size of the community? When friends moved to our town from a much larger city, one asked me if I'd noticed an inordinate number of "characters" or NQR's (Not Quite Right) in our town. I pointed out that we're all just a tad closer to each other than in the city, hence you'll rub shoulders with everyone, including the mayor and the troll under the bridge.