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Re: Off-PUP topics

Bob Austin

Mon, Feb 7, 2005 3:24 AM

Visiting the SSCA Web site, the latest sample bulletin was from Dec 2003. The letters published were from 3 to 7 months old--and mostly travelogues. This is fairly typical--however the response time is slightly better than it was in the past (when it was often over 6 months from time of receipt to publication. There is no index from 2004, although there are for previous years. Past issues of the Bulletin can be obtained on CD's. (I am not sure if all years are currently available) At one time I had all of the bulletins from 1952 to 1996

I personally know many of the SSCA circumnavigations, including the Dashews and Pardey's as well as a number of others. Many of U S circumnavigators are members of SSCA--or Bluewater Cruising Association. There is another orgainization: Ocean Cruising club, based in Europe, but with a few U S members who also has an excellent publication "The Flying Fish"--and has a number of circumnavigators. However it is rare to see letters in SSCA from "those who wrote the books".

If I was planning to do world cruising I would subscribe to the Bulletin of SSCA. SSCA used to publish a very useful survey. However because they were sued after the 1996 publication, this useful tool is no longer published.

The answers on the discussion board are relitatively few and far between. Why there is not more participation is a very good question. Occasionally I will go there and answer questions. But there are over 4000 "members" and the board averages less than two posts a day. Many times several months will go by before a question is answered.

SSCA is very interesting for those who are "dreamers" because there are posts from people who are "doing it" These dreamers are probably a fair portion of SSCA Associate members--and the reason for the high turnover in membership rate. For some reason the number of Commodores instated each year is about equal to those who drop membership. Perhaps it is because voyaging has become a transcient activity, rather than a way of life.

Regards

Bob Austin

A few words of clarification about SSCA--Seven Seas Crusing Association is an excellent resource. It has never had a requirement to own a sailboat or even a boat to be an associate member. The Commodore members number about 500 (including rear and full commodores) in a membership of 4000 or so. Only the Commodores vote in elections. To become a Commodore one has to liveaboard his/her cruising sailboat for at least one year, fulfill a distance "sailing" requirement--which is occasionally done purely under power and be recommended by two other commodores. (sometimes the latter is the hardest requirement) Visiting the SSCA Web site, the latest sample bulletin was from Dec 2003. The letters published were from 3 to 7 months old--and mostly travelogues. This is fairly typical--however the response time is slightly better than it was in the past (when it was often over 6 months from time of receipt to publication. There is no index from 2004, although there are for previous years. Past issues of the Bulletin can be obtained on CD's. (I am not sure if all years are currently available) At one time I had all of the bulletins from 1952 to 1996 I personally know many of the SSCA circumnavigations, including the Dashews and Pardey's as well as a number of others. Many of U S circumnavigators are members of SSCA--or Bluewater Cruising Association. There is another orgainization: Ocean Cruising club, based in Europe, but with a few U S members who also has an excellent publication "The Flying Fish"--and has a number of circumnavigators. However it is rare to see letters in SSCA from "those who wrote the books". If I was planning to do world cruising I would subscribe to the Bulletin of SSCA. SSCA used to publish a very useful survey. However because they were sued after the 1996 publication, this useful tool is no longer published. The answers on the discussion board are relitatively few and far between. Why there is not more participation is a very good question. Occasionally I will go there and answer questions. But there are over 4000 "members" and the board averages less than two posts a day. Many times several months will go by before a question is answered. SSCA is very interesting for those who are "dreamers" because there are posts from people who are "doing it" These dreamers are probably a fair portion of SSCA Associate members--and the reason for the high turnover in membership rate. For some reason the number of Commodores instated each year is about equal to those who drop membership. Perhaps it is because voyaging has become a transcient activity, rather than a way of life. Regards Bob Austin

S/Y Truelove

Mon, Feb 7, 2005 6:25 PM

Very true, Bob. When I was first a dreamer of voyaging, reading the
members' letters in the Bulletin was a great inspiration.
As far as being a transient activity, the majority of US cruisers here
in the Eastern Caribbean are retirees. After all, it takes bucks to buy
and equip a good live-aboard cruising boat, and most folks can't afford
it until close to retirement age. The ones I know range in age from
late-forties to 70+ The younger ones go west through the Canal to
circumnavigate, and the older ones just hang out in the EC, perhaps
retiring to Guyana or Honduras or Belize. Some just live aboard at the
marinas in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia or in the VI. After 10-15 years or so
they will give it up due to medical problems and disappear. By the way,
there has been a huge drop in US boats here in the past couple of years.
Once in the majority in almost every anchorage, now, it is mostly the
French, with Brits second, a smattering of Canadians and of course the
many Europeans who come over in the ARC. Many US cruising friends have
had to
sell their boats; some even returned to work, their retirement eggs
gone, thanks to Skilling, Lay, et al.

John
"Seahorse"

Bob Austin writes:

SSCA is very interesting for those who are "dreamers" because there are
posts from people who are "doing it" These dreamers are probably a fair
portion of SSCA Associate members--and the reason for the high turnover
in membership rate. For some reason the number of Commodores instated
each year is about equal to those who drop membership. Perhaps it is
because voyaging has become a transcient activity, rather than a way of
life.

Very true, Bob. When I was first a dreamer of voyaging, reading the members' letters in the Bulletin was a great inspiration. As far as being a transient activity, the majority of US cruisers here in the Eastern Caribbean are retirees. After all, it takes bucks to buy and equip a good live-aboard cruising boat, and most folks can't afford it until close to retirement age. The ones I know range in age from late-forties to 70+ The younger ones go west through the Canal to circumnavigate, and the older ones just hang out in the EC, perhaps retiring to Guyana or Honduras or Belize. Some just live aboard at the marinas in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia or in the VI. After 10-15 years or so they will give it up due to medical problems and disappear. By the way, there has been a huge drop in US boats here in the past couple of years. Once in the majority in almost every anchorage, now, it is mostly the French, with Brits second, a smattering of Canadians and of course the many Europeans who come over in the ARC. Many US cruising friends have had to sell their boats; some even returned to work, their retirement eggs gone, thanks to Skilling, Lay, et al. John "Seahorse" Bob Austin writes: SSCA is very interesting for those who are "dreamers" because there are posts from people who are "doing it" These dreamers are probably a fair portion of SSCA Associate members--and the reason for the high turnover in membership rate. For some reason the number of Commodores instated each year is about equal to those who drop membership. Perhaps it is because voyaging has become a transcient activity, rather than a way of life.