RE: [Cal_Boats] Re: Have Fun Racing (was CAL T/2 comparison) [John]

Hear, hear! (From one who just didn't see the point of studing history, till he came upon it later in life. Probably 3/4 ths of my reading is now history, including current history.) td From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 10:14 AM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Have Fun Racing (was CAL T/2 comparison) [John] mtkennedy1 wrote: I don't think I'd enjoy the present era of professional crew and rich owners spending everybody else out of competition. Mike Jr does lots of racing in those events and it's more fun on other people's boats in those circumstances. I'm now a cruiser although I'd like to do a few casual races. My academic training was in history and, although I don't practice it professionally, I do like to see things in the perspective of time. We had a time of unrestrained economic activity in the late 19th century that later become known as the "Gilded Age" for its economic excesses. The general structure of society endured into the early 20th century. That gave us the huge sailing yachts with paid captains and crews that we see in old photos, and it gave sailing an aristocratic image, with white ducks and blue blazers and yachting caps and a general air of exclusivity. Then came the Depression and its end with WW II. We emerged as a much more democratic nation, economically as well as politically. Everybody could aspire to a boat--maybe just a little outboard runabout or a plywood sloop, but it was no longer an aristocratic activity. When I was a kid, there were two big racing fleets in town--a Lightning fleet and a 110 fleet.. Fiberglass further democratized sailing, making good boats available to the middle classes. We're entering Gilded Age II, it seems like. The economic changes are not favorable to the middle class, which looks like it's evaporating. The yachting magazines all focus on boats over 40 feet. The concept of cruising in a 25-footer is viewed as faintly humorous. I don't think these are favorable trends for anybody (except the builder of >40' boats). I'd rather live in an environment in which a bunch of folks I know have boats than one in which we work as paid crew for a Vanderbilt or, in modern parlance, a Gates or a Disney. Chris Campbell DISCLAIMER: Important Notice ************************************************* This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail messages to and from its systems.

Well, this might cheer you up - according to the Mayan calendar (http://www.levity.com/eschaton/Why2012.html) , Nostradamus(http://www.satansrapture.com/nostra2012.htm ), the fatima profesy( http://www.satansrapture.com/fatima.htm) and one more I cannot remember - the end of this cycle is up in Dec 21 2012 - so don't worry - be happy - great excuse to tell the wife why we spend all this money on the boat - we might need it more than ever ; - ) Makes for nice light reading From: "Downing, Thomas" <Th… [at] ipc.com> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 11:52:45 AM Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] Re: Have Fun Racing (was CAL T/2 comparison) [John] Hear, hear! (From one who just didn't see the point of studing history, till he came upon it later in life. Probably 3/4 ths of my reading is now history, including current history.) td From: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com [mailto:Cal_ Boats@yahoogroup s.com]On Behalf Of Chris Campbell Sent: Monday, November 13, 2006 10:14 AM To: Cal_Boats@yahoogrou ps.com Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Re: Have Fun Racing (was CAL T/2 comparison) [John] mtkennedy1 wrote: I don't think I'd enjoy the present era of professional crew and rich owners spending everybody else out of competition. Mike Jr does lots of racing in those events and it's more fun on other people's boats in those circumstances. I'm now a cruiser although I'd like to do a few casual races. My academic training was in history and, although I don't practice it professionally, I do like to see things in the perspective of time. We had a time of unrestrained economic activity in the late 19th century that later become known as the "Gilded Age" for its economic excesses. The general structure of society endured into the early 20th century. That gave us the huge sailing yachts with paid captains and crews that we see in old photos, and it gave sailing an aristocratic image, with white ducks and blue blazers and yachting caps and a general air of exclusivity. Then came the Depression and its end with WW II. We emerged as a much more democratic nation, economically as well as politically. Everybody could aspire to a boat--maybe just a little outboard runabout or a plywood sloop, but it was no longer an aristocratic activity. When I was a kid, there were two big racing fleets in town--a Lightning fleet and a 110 fleet.. Fiberglass further democratized sailing, making good boats available to the middle classes. We're entering Gilded Age II, it seems like. The economic changes are not favorable to the middle class, which looks like it's evaporating. The yachting magazines all focus on boats over 40 feet. The concept of cruising in a 25-footer is viewed as faintly humorous. I don't think these are favorable trends for anybody (except the builder of >40' boats). I'd rather live in an environment in which a bunch of folks I know have boats than one in which we work as paid crew for a Vanderbilt or, in modern parlance, a Gates or a Disney. Chris Campbell DISCLAIMER: Important Notice ************ ********* ********* ********* ********* * This e-mail may contain information that is confidential, privileged or otherwise protected from disclosure. If you are not an intended recipient of this e-mail, do not duplicate or redistribute it by any means. Please delete it and any attachments and notify the sender that you have received it in error. Unintended recipients are prohibited from taking action on the basis of information in this e-mail.E-mail messages may contain computer viruses or other defects, may not be accurately replicated on other systems, or may be intercepted, deleted or interfered with without the knowledge of the sender or the intended recipient. If you are not comfortable with the risks associated with e-mail messages, you may decide not to use e-mail to communicate with IPC. IPC reserves the right, to the extent and under circumstances permitted by applicable law, to retain, monitor and intercept e-mail messages to and from its systems.