SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

Cruisers not as friendly etc. anymore

7332 Views 109 Replies 27 Participants Last post by Don L, 2 mo ago

Don L

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

Needed a small help item this week. There is close to 400 boats anchored here. The help I need I bet 100 of those boats could have provided and it would have taken less than 5 minutes time. Got no one offering and I even even was offering to pay. Just a few years past I would have been turning down people.

Last week was at an anchorage with a well known cruiser beach. Last time just 2 years ago there were regular sundowners etc. get togethers there. This visit in 4 days there I never saw anyone other than us even go to the beach.

6 years ago on my first year I collected a stack a couple inches high of boater cards. Now for every 10 I give out I might get 1 as newer cruisers just aren't interested in them. Boaters just don"t really even seem to interested in getting together.

The last couple of weeks in various anchorages I have noticed cruisers don't care how close they fly by your boat in the anchorage or how big a wake they made with their dinghies. All they care about is getting to beach bat faster. Just a few year ago it was only the super yachts that acted like owned the water and to hell with other boaters.

Now days it is almost common for someone to take up 3/4 of the small dinghy dock because they needed to lock their boat for and aft.

Maybe it is just me.

Save

Reactions: 2

1 - 20 of 110 Posts

Don L

Discussion Starter · #4 · 3 mo ago

MarkofSeaLife said:
I think I have told you each year for the last 6 years that its time you headed south to the Caribbean.

In amongst 400 boats you are not borrowing a hammer you're the social problem people are trying to escape.

Head south - not to the USVI's - and live the dream you used to have

I answer to a higher authority. And even then I have to contend with not doing what is better.

Save

Reactions: 2

Don L

Discussion Starter · #12 · 3 mo ago

VIEXILE said:
Sounds like you're not happy with anyone.

just some

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #18 · 3 mo ago

none of this means I am wrong

Save

Reactions: 2

Don L

Discussion Starter · #20 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

MarkofSeaLife said:
Maybe its because you can't capitalise your first letter, or put a Period - Full Stop at the end of your sentence.

I certainly up-anchor and go to the other side of the 400 boats in your anchorage.

😂

since what was displayed isn't what I wrote I deleted it

not acceptable to me for mods to go in a change what is written

Save

Reactions: 1

Don L

Discussion Starter · #23 · 3 mo ago

wasn't acceptable!

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #34 · 3 mo ago

OntarioTheLake said:
Don you said nobody offered to help, did you ask for help?

On 2 bahamas Facebook forums including the forum for George Town where I am. Plus asked on the morning vhf cruiser net here.

All I wanted I wanted to either buy a spare or borrow or a high pressure gage for a watermaker to check if mine was reading right. That would 60 seconds to get a wrench and unscrew and I was willing to pay to borrow it.

So freaking a I asked!

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #36 · 3 mo ago

MarkofSeaLife said:
Is it something that people often have as a spare?

Not really as I don't. But every boat with a similar type of watermaker has a high pressure gage in the system. It is just a matter of getting a wrench and unscrewing it and later putting some teflon tape on it and screwing back it. NOT a big trouble and I am willing to PAY for the trouble.

But screw it! people need to get to the beach bar at 10am.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #38 · 3 mo ago

you aren't "stuffed" if you knew your system was making the rated water beffore, you would just turn up the regulator to get it after, BUT a bad pressure gage is a weird thing thing and the chance I could "stuff it" is so very slim that out of all the cruisers currently around me that where would be no one willing is just mind blogging

It just goes back that cruisers aren't as helpful to each other as not just a few years ago.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #43 · 3 mo ago

well my HP gage sticks right out in the open and is about the easiest part to get at. I bet I am not alone in an anchorage with 300 plus boats

and I offered the payment

I also believe Mark Cole would help me as we personally know each other. But there was a time when we didn't and still the help happened. Maybe I will buy him a beer and a slice of pizza later in year.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #46 · 3 mo ago

oldmanmirage said:
I would also be in the reluctant camp to dismantle my watermaker. Yeah, I get it's just a gauge, but what if you or I bugger up the threads on either gauge or either our watermakers ? Not really likely but damn if don't happen sometimes. I feel like it would be lending you a piece of my engine. But probably I would give in and do it just to shut up the whining.

😄

Give me freakin break! If you don't want to be helpful person just don't. No need to make up a story of how there is a 1% chance of it going wrong.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #50 · 3 mo ago

SchockT said:
In Don's example, asking people to take a part off their functioning watermaker seems like a pretty big ask. Out of the boaters who heard his request, how many had watermakers? How many had the skills or confidence to take parts off theirs?

Given the number of boats here and assuming 50% had a watermaker and that 1/2 those have a AC powered system I would say 94 boats have a WM with a high pressure gage. Out those I would say 99% have the "skill" needed to put a wrench on a gage and unscrew it. Heck given the types of cruisers here I bet 1/2 installed the WM on their boat.

I find it very sad state that so many here are looking for reasons when I told you the reason at the start. Cruisers just are not as helpful and friendly anymore.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #52 · 3 mo ago

MarkofSeaLife said:
How did you get around your problem, Don? Is your watermaker up and going again?

Mark

It has been up and running the whole time. The production is low and the other day I accidently turned the pressure up too high and it started making normal capacity. But i am not willing to run it over pressure so wanted to check to see if my gage is wrong. Currently takes 2.5 hour to fill a tank instead of 1.5

But that is a different topic.

Save

Reactions: 1

Don L

Discussion Starter · #55 · 3 mo ago

colemj said:
There are several places in the Bahamas that have unusually salty water and production tanks and TDS rises. Things go back to normal in other places. Is this happening in one particular place, or everywhere now? If still in GT, then nevermind.

Mark

No. It started at at West Palm Beach and has been the same all the way down Abacos, Eleuthrea, Nassua, Exumas. It is either pressure gage reading wrong (unlikely really) or a clogged membrane (tried cleaning already). Sure don't want to replace $500 worth of membranes over a $11 gage!

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #56 · 3 mo ago

SchockT said:
Is it sad that so many of us want to give the benefit of the doubt to all those cruisers being accused of being "unfriendly?"

Or is it sad to assume they are all a$$holes because they didn't want to lend a complete stranger an important part of a critical system?

Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk

The point is It IS A INEXPENSIVE CHEAP GAGE THAT IS VERY EASY TO LOAN OUT FOR 5 MINUTES AND IN YEARS PAST IN A PLACE WITH NO RESOURCES TO OBTAIN CRUISERS WOULD HELP.

I am tried of people here who are proving that in fact THEY are not helpful and looking for a reason to try to make it sound like it was too much whatever to be helpful. You are exactly proving the point of the thread!

You know what you would do IF SOMEHOW I ruined a loaned gage? You would take the tee fitting off and take it out of the system and run the watermaker based on product flow. This is what I would be doing if I could I could prove my gage is reading bad. But I wouldn't run the pressure high on mine till I know the gage is the problem. There is risk of loaning anything, if you are that worried just be a not willing to help a fellow cruiser! I have loaned out lots of stuff over the years from special tools, pumps, to even my dinghy

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #57 · 3 mo ago

Think I will drop out of this. SN appears to be full of people just as helpful as Face Book. While I understand the world is becoming more of "me only" I thought a bunch of mostly older boaters might be different.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #79 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

dcmeigs said:
You didn’t ask, but here’s what I suggest. Take the gauge you question to a dive shop. They can check or certify it or at the very least compare it to a known good gauge.

That probably could have been done a week ago. Nearest one now is at least 30 miles away. Will keep in mind if I come across one.

Save

Don L

Discussion Starter · #81 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

Am in Thompson Bay, Long Island Bahamas. In the Explorer guide it says there is a cruiser's net here. I tuned in and there was nothing. Have met a few cruisers at the dinghy dock and it has come up (all from 60+ age cruisers). There is a cruiser beach here with chairs etc. that just 2 years ago on our last trip to Bahamas would have people at, but have seen no one there (including me). I had a car rental couple days ago to see the island and announced it on vhf 16 to see if anyone wanted to join us. No one even responded but I later learned some heard the message.

So nothing far as friendy cruiser get togethers,

But so far every cruiser here I have met has read and know of the 1 anchorage review that talks about running your watermakers here.

So I definitely believe the loss of cruiser get togethers may be internet related. But that is hard to put it all down as considering the number who have cruised longer than that.

Save

Reactions: 1

Don L

Discussion Starter · #86 · 3 mo ago

Met 4 cruiser couples at the beach bar/resturant this evening. They agree about the change.

They all had boat cards

Save

Reactions: 1

Don L

Discussion Starter · #97 · 3 mo ago (Edited)

there is no need for paranoid people to read this thread

I am surprised so many here want to be alone, yet waste time posting on a forum. It is kind of a creepy sign.

Save

Reactions: 2

1 - 20 of 110 Posts

Top Contributors this Month