Life Aboard: Boat and Let Boat

When raised by a father from rural Tennessee, one is reared on the rich southern idioms so prevalent in his world. Most of his sage advice began with “boy…,” and to this day, his voice and counseling are ever-present in my life. I was reminded of this recently when navigating a narrow waterway, surrounded by pontoon boats and an assortment of other small craft haphazardly crossing our bow. Feeling a little superior looking down on the small boats from our upper helm, my father’s voice rang loudly in my ears saying: “Boy, you be careful not to get too big fer yer britches there.”

I admit, I was figuratively, as much as literally looking down on those boats, and at my father’s insistence was forced to ask myself, why? Since when does boating in a bigger boat make me any better, or make it any more fun? With Emerson’s Laws of Compensation predictably in place, this was also the time that a 90-foot yacht approaching our stern politely asked if we could move over to the red side of the channel so they could pass us to port. As I was looking up at the folks on the upper helm of their yacht passing by, this whole picture came into focus for me.

This brought to mind another idiom dad would have appreciated: “It’s best to dance with the one who brung ya,” or said another way, let’s all just enjoy the boat we’re in and not look down upon or covet anyone else’s. Who’s to say what kind of boating is better or more fun? Our marina has a wide variety of boat sizes and styles, from large yachts to center consoles. We also have our share of boats that rarely—if ever—leave the slips. I’ve observed that when those boats’ owners come down to their boats on Friday evening, they are just as excited to be at the marina and on their boat as anyone else. So what if their lines stay tied to the dock? They’re on their boat enjoying the atmosphere. Maybe it’s a dip in the marina pool or a snack at the grill. Maybe it’s just swapping stories with boat neighbors on the dock. This is their boating life, who are we to denigrate it, or claim any other use of a boat is better?

Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a gentleman who just completed a circumnavigation of the Southern Ocean, below all of the great Capes. An impressive feat by anyone’s standards. But as I listened to his story, I was reminded of another conversation with a couple who had just completed a circumnavigation of the Delmarva peninsula in their 41-foot express cruiser. The two stories had a striking similarity; tales of adverse weather, arrivals into unfamiliar ports, the excitement of dolphins playing in their wake, and lessons learned along the way, making each a better, more experienced boater. As far as how the boaters felt at the end of the journey, there was very little separating these two adventures. Each was left with a sense of pride—and memories that would last them a lifetime.

It also doesn’t matter whether it’s power or sail. I have little tolerance for the petty bickering between boat styles and methods of propulsion. I say live and let live, or in our case, boat and let boat. I can personally attest, there is little difference between the feeling of a tiny Sunfish’s lateen sail filled with wind while racing across the lake, and that of having the toe rail kissing the surface of the Caribbean aboard a 51-foot Hylas. Each is exhilarating, each comes with its own challenges and risks.

You can enjoy boating on so many different levels, it’s a little like listening to music: you may be content just singing along and tapping your feet, while the person next to you is analyzing the cord structure and measuring the timbre and staccato of each note. But it doesn’t mean they’re enjoying the music any more than you are.

If we boil boating down to the benefits we receive from it (sense of freedom, sensory experience, stress relief, sun, fresh air, community, or a sense of accomplishment) then we quickly see how all of these can be appreciated whether you’re paddling a canoe or piloting a yacht. Here’s to enjoying the boat you’re in—however you choose to use it—and to being happy for others doing the same.

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This article originally appeared in the December 2023 issue of Power & Motoryacht magazine.

Source: https://www.powerandmotoryacht.com/voyaging/life-aboard-boat-and-let-boat