No questions or comments are "unworthy."

[Dean Abramson]

farmerchase,

I think that you should participate with any questions or comments you wish to offer. This forum is about the exchange of ideas and info. And fellowship. If one already knew the answers, one would not be asking the questions.

If someone knows something and can share it, great! If someone does not like someone else's question, they can choose not to respond. They can even choose never to read that person's posts again. ....or, like, you know, have a beer and relax...

But publicly singling out individuals with condescending mini-lectures is uncalled for, and discourages participation. I have gotten great ideas and info from lots of sailors on this forum, and I am sure they have been individuals of widely varying education, backgrounds, and sailing experience. Everyone is welcome.

We all keep learning. I know nothing about metallurgy either. I would rather come here and get quick real-world answers to specific questions than invest hours in some misguided attempt to become an "expert" in a whole new field. The beauty of this board is that you do not have to be a metallurgist. Apparently we have a good one on board already.

If, say, a metallurgist (or a cosmetician or a fireman) needed to know about good anchorages in Casco Bay, I would hope that I would just pass that info on; rather than suggest that she/he go to the library and to the book store, and invest good time and money, just to ferret out something I and others can easily share.

Just don't ask about the really good spots! ;-)

Dean

[Russell]

The only stupid questions are the ones not asked.

Anyone who jumps on someone for a question they asked should be keel hauled. No one should ever be even slightly discouraged from asking a question.

[JoeL.]

Why is brassiere singular and panties plural?

[oldragbaggers]

We all have a little something to teach, and we all have a lot of things to learn. I love your attitide.
Becky

[Joe CD MS 300]

I'm not one for telling anyone what they can or can not post. If someone has something to say let then say it whether its based on 50 or 1 year(s) of sailing experience. A lot of us don't have the time to fully research and flesh out a thought. if some one wants to post an old morsel of info from the backroom of the brain, go for it. Old dogs can learn new tricks and there are enough posters here that the truth will bubble to the surface. I participate in several message boards on a variety of topics, football, cars, health/exercise. This is the only board that I go on that at times has a certain "snobbery" element to it. Kind of a mirror, mirror on the wall who is the salty-est of us all. No big deal, you never know from who you will get the info you need.

[Steve Laume]

I beg to differ. I feel there are plenty of unworthy post on this board and I have made a few of them myself. Just because they are not worthy of a response or are a wee bit off topic doesn't mean they aren't still fun. This board has not only been a wealth of information but it is also a more than a little entertaining. Thanks to all, Steve.

[Dick Barthel]

I try to carefully write my posts but in truth our posts probably should be more conversational. And I totally agree with Steve -- this isn't a job so its also supposed to be fun. Over time we get to know each others personalitites, bents, etc. I can't think of any of the many regular participants who would diliberately try to offend any person who has asked a question or given a response. That's not to say we haven't had some spirited debate...but we're attacking the idea not the person (except maybe sometimes Didereaux! )

My 2 sense

Dick

[Oswego John]

Dick,

Well said. You put in print what I have been thinking about for the past week. Some things that people write can be misconstrued by certain readers and thus inject a completely different slant to the subject.

Shortly after we read about metallurgy and specialism in a certain subject, boning up, doing one's homework researching the fine print concerning said subject, I thought that it was an opportune time to inject a little mirth by relating the story of Sir Winston Churchill's bluff and how he pulled the wool over his peers eyes.

I assure one and all that when I wrote that piece, I had no one individual(s) in mind. It was purely an anecdote relating to the frustrations that are sometimes involved while doing research and how to get around them. Nothing more, nothing less. There was no innuendo or intent of a hidden meaning.

In closing, I was taught , and I taught others, that true knowledge isn't remembering everything that we ever heard, because we haven't heard everything. Better still, know how and where to look up the information that we seek.

Mention this fact to any medical doctor, lawyer, musician, veterinarian, engineer or any professional as you gaze at the vast library of reference books in his office.

Thanks Dick and others for the fine posts you made.

Best regards,
O J

[Didereaux]

Well gentlemen I see that a difference exists here based on two distinctly seperate issues. You object to my 'style' and I object to your refusal to read thoroughly a serious thread before running off on tangential anecdotal byways.

Do I know everything? Now that is a stupid question! And no I most certainly do not, I know a lot less about alot more things than most, but what I do attempt to do on serious threads(ones I think I can add something germane too) is try and understand as much of the fundamentals as I can before posting about it, and only then after reading the entire thread hoping to avoid obvious inconsistencies.

Why all the bother? Because that is the courtesy I feel all others deserve as well as myself and further that courtesy involves giving as accurate information as I am capable of.

Whether or not a style is brusqe or touchy-feely is irrelevent. Explain to me how style of writing affects the hardness of bronze?
On the other hand asking rather ill informed questions in contradiction to previously stated factual data is relevent, it detracts and like this instance, completely destroys a valid thread.

I would ask all to re-read the turnbuckle thread from top to bottom, carefully noting what is said in each maintaining the proper order, then come back and bitch about 'style' or sensitivity. Hogwash.

Tell one damn thing, someone later on accidently reading some inane comment interjected in a serious thread and failing to see a contradictory correct one might very well do something detrimental to themselves, others or their boat.

Kidding, comraderie, whatever is something I try to do in 'social' threads, don't expect quarter for inanity or psycho-babble considerations from me in a serious thread. If your psychological well-being is so fragile that my innoucuos chiding causes dire stresses, I respectfully submit you have no damn business in charge of a boat.

I am also quite old enough and fully understand that a quite large percentage of the human population gauge their reaction to statements made on any subject on their like or dislike of the speaker, ignoring the factualness or usefullness of the content.

Outside of all that, I think this has gone rather well, don't you?

;)

[Neil Gordon]

I feel there are plenty of unworthy post on this board ...

Hundreds of which are attributable to me (including this one).

[dasein668]

If your psychological well-being is so fragile that my innoucuos chiding causes dire stresses, I respectfully submit you have no damn business in charge of a boat.

I submit that there is actually nothing respectful about your submission. Here or in many other places.

[Dick Barthel]

“what you want , above all things, on a raft, is for everybody to be satisfied, and feel right and kind towards the others.” Huckleberry Finn

[Cathy Monaghan]

Okay, now I think both sides of the coin have been fully covered. So before things get too out of hand, this thread will end on this note.

I know it's winter and some of us get antsy, maybe even a little stir crazy, while waiting for the snow to melt. But don't forget the rules of the road.

As far as this message board is concerned:

1. Remember to yield to a vessel on starboard tack. If you're the stand-on vessel, remember that not everyone knows the rules but both vessels are obliged to avoid a collision. Respect the opinions of others -- whether you agree or not.

2. Sometimes we forget the rules and in the time it takes to run down below and find a copy you can be run down. Both vessels are still obliged to avoid a collision. There is no such thing as a stupid question.

3. In a narrow channel, yield to all vessels constrained by draft. Be tolerant of others, even if they're asking a question that's been asked a 100 times before and the answers can be found somewhere on this board. So if you know the answer, go ahead and provide it - again - or point them to where they can find the info they're looking for.

4. When two vessels are meeting head on, one short blast shall be exchanged by both vessels, both should turn right and pass port to port. Name-calling and/or finger-pointing will not be tolerated.

Fair winds,
Cathy
CDSOA Webmaster