The Tryanny of the Temporary

[John Stone]

An interesting article in the WAPO. True, it’s about refrigerators but, to my way of thinking, much of it seems to apply equally to marine electronics and all the other gizmos the boating industry is trying to convince us we need.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... c2762086a7

Why do these miracles of modern convince have such a short life span?

To quote:
Peruse the Web, and you’ll discover a variety of explanations: outsourcing to suppliers who opt for cheapness rather than longevity; fancy computer-controlled features that add fancy problems; faster innovation cycles that leave inadequate time for testing; and government-imposed energy-efficiency standards that require a lot of fiddly engineering to comply with. But essentially, all of them boil down to one word: complexity. The more complicated something is, the more ways it can break.

And again:

“That’s the irony of modern life in so many ways, multiplying all our choices while taking away the most fundamental one: the ability to choose something simpler and more likely to endure.”

The cost of outfitting a boat the way the experts recommend is rediculously expensive. And along with the cost of hauling and repairing boats today, I have to wonder how long a family of average means can afford a family size sailboat.

It’s getting harder and harder to “keep it simple.”

[Paul D.]

I suggest the reader interested in this thread watch the 1980's movie "Brazil". A terry Gilliam masterpiece that used a lot of cinematic 1980's technology with 1930's hardware. A brilliant expose on complexity/regulation. Whenever I add a new component to the boat, sometimes I do wonder if I'll ever get a Form 27b/6!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zY3tZUEZps

[Jim Walsh]

I suggest the reader interested in this thread watch the 1980's movie "Brazil". A terry Gilliam masterpiece that used a lot of cinematic 1980's technology with 1930's hardware. A brilliant expose on complexity/regulation. Whenever I add a new component to the boat, sometimes I do wonder if I'll ever get a Form 27b/6!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zY3tZUEZps

Hah! I thought I might be the only person in the world who appreciated "Brazil". Of course, I was always careful not to admit it in public.....

[Bill Goldsmith]

The cost of outfitting a boat the way the experts recommend is rediculously expensive. And along with the cost of hauling and repairing boats today, I have to wonder how long a family of average means can afford a family size sailboat.

It’s getting harder and harder to “keep it simple.”

Interesting thread. I think Cape Dory enthusiasts address this issue in large part by being Cape Dory enthusiasts. A Cape Dory is definitely not the "latest gadget" in sailboats. These designs are balanced tradeoffs and are relatively affordable. I have fallen prey to "gadget-itis" occasionally but generally find myself asking if the next product or upgrade will fit within my vision of the Cape Dory aesthetic (ascetic?!).

[Warren Kaplan]

I am veterinarian ( just retired July 10th after 49 years in the trenches.) I remember a professor in vet school half a century ago who said something that stayed with me my whole life!! Background:

We were in class discussing an eye condition for which a brand new "miracle drug" had just come out! When he polled the students one by one about how they would treat this eye condition, every one of them ( including me) vehemently opted for the new drug. The old wise professor stopped, took off his eyeglasses and said; "certainly using this new miracle drug is one option. But we have been treating this eye condition successfully for years. I want you to always remember that JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING NEW AND WONDERFUL HAS COME ALONG IT DOESN'T MEAN THE OLD STUFF HAS SUDDENLY STOPPED WORKING!"

How right that professor was! And it can be applied to many many areas.

Just because some new miracle boat "equipment" has come along with great fanfare it doesn't mean that the "old tried and true" equipment has suddenly stopped working!

Something to think about the next time you're licking your chops to get some new piece of very expensive electronic equipment!

[Joe Myerson]

Hey Jim,
I'll come out from under the camouflage and admit that I liked "Brazil," too. OK, it's out there, now.
Any of us who are sailing boats built in the 1970s and 80s can certainly appreciate the idea of stretching the useful life of a product ... even if it isn't the latest in style or technology.
--Joe

[Dean Abramson]

"Brazil" is one of the most visually interesting movies I've ever seen!

[hilbert]

Why do these miracles of modern convince have such a short life span?

There are many examples of complex products that are far better, reliable and affordable in real dollars (hours we need to work in order to purchase them) than their earlier iterations.

When I was a kid, my Dad had "simple" cars that regularly broke downs and never turned over the odometer at 100k.
Half a century later, I drive a "complex" vehicle with a computer controlled engine and infinitely variable transmission that has had zero problems.
Baring accident or calamity, this vehicle will almost certainly be driven for more than 100K (and it will not rust out from winter salt).

It is not clear to me that mechanical simplicity is always better or that complexity is the root cause of failure.
However, that is not to say that simpler living can not be more satisfying.

[John Stone]

Hilbert, you are correct about improve automobile reliability. But who’s taking their car to sea with them?

[Jim Walsh]

Hilbert, you are correct about improve automobile reliability. But who’s taking their car to sea with them?

Never leave home without it....

[John Stone]

Well darn Jim if it was a Chevy I’d say you got me on that one. But that foreign piece of crap just made my point.

[Jim Walsh]

Well darn Jim if it was a Chevy I’d say you got me on that one. But that foreign piece of crap just made my point.

Thankfully my toy is a Corvette

[John Stone]

Well darn Jim if it was a Chevy I’d say you got me on that one. But that foreign piece of crap just made my point.

Thankfully my toy is a Corvette

Right on.

[mgphl52]

On a side note... with the typical failure of all things "new"... do you ever wonder if the bloody airbag will deploy erroneously? I sure as hell do... but then I've been working as a programmer for far more years than I like and I've seen way more 'bad' code than makes me comfortable... BTW, all of our wiz-bang stuff relies on software.
Oh, yea, that includes GPS. I'm not saying don't use the stuff, just have reliable backups.

[hilbert]

On a side note... with the typical failure of all things "new"... do you ever wonder if the bloody airbag will deploy erroneously? I sure as hell do... but then I've been working as a programmer for far more years than I like and I've seen way more 'bad' code than makes me comfortable... BTW, all of our wiz-bang stuff relies on software.
Oh, yea, that includes GPS. I'm not saying don't use the stuff, just have reliable backups.

What could go wrong with a complex electromechanical system that uses a controlled explosion to protect lives? Better hope that the Ammonium Nitrate propellant wasn't packed by an over enthusiastic Marine!

Hilbert, you are correct about improve automobile reliability. But who’s taking their car to sea with them?

John, I thought the topic was broader as you began with an article from the Washington Post about the deficiencies of modern household refrigerators and bemoaning the short life span of modern products.
I am sympathetic to keeping boats simple and we all chose different compromises in this regard. While I don't give a darn about wind instruments (a breeze on your face and a thread of yarn on the stay will do nicely thank you very much), I'm not about to give up on my "simple" diesel engine.