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A lot has been said about mooring minders. It was explained to me by a more learned friend and an amatuer psychologist that some of the mooring minders are owned by people that use them as an escape mechanism from the pressures of life.
They may not have time to use them because of family constraints or having busy lives doing so many other things. Their lives may be filled with work.
But, they have a boat, and if it all gets too much, they can just sail away from all their cares.
It doesn't matter if they only come to the shore once a year to look at it, its still their escape machine.

There's a few boats locally that the maritime have just put stickers on. That's just a reminder from your friends at Maritime that you still have an escape machine.

Don't knock the owners. I was in that boat for about 3 years to some extent. A scrub, some paint and she just continued on as normal, we picked up where we left off. The love affair continues!

That's a great post Greg. There are so many boats out there, and we all comment on how many of them seem to never leave their moorings.

When ever someone comments, I just say, "imagine if they all went boating at once?"

We all need some tenuous link to our dreams. For some it's an old motorbike in boxes in the garage, or that old surfboard up in the loft, or, as you say, the old boat on the mooring that's covered in barnacles and weed. They're all links to fond memories of adventures we had in days gone by, and a link to some hope that one day, when life slows down again, we'll be able to put the bike together and hear the roar of the engine and the wind in your hair. That we'll be able to fix the dings in the old board and take it out for a paddle on a fine summer's day when the surf is just right and the wind is perfectly off shore. Or that we'll be able to slip the boat, clean her up and sail away for a few months to the Whitsundays, or around the world.

Without these links, some of us have no hope that the dreary, day by day existence we live Monday to Friday has any true meaning, or gives us any hope for a better, more relaxed life, sometime in the future, when we drop our mooring and take off on our long awaited adventure.......

You guys need to get a life! if you are living a dreary day to day existence it's time to make a change. Heck, get a surfboard and go surfing, don't dream about it. If you think having a bunch of stuff will make you happy sometime in the future I suspect you will never catch 'the joy as it flys'. There is no guarantee you will even be here next year or the year after to enjoy your unused stuff. If you are not using your stuff give it to someone who will. I will try not to worry about you when I go surfing or for a sail tomorrow.

Gee

Niff ..........Niff............... BOO HOO HOO
THAT'S SO SAD ! Might go to a funeral tomorrow to cheer myself up ?

Bear

storm petrel wrote:You guys need to get a life! if you are living a dreary day to day existence it's time to make a change. Heck, get a surfboard and go surfing, don't dream about it. If you think having a bunch of stuff will make you happy sometime in the future I suspect you will never catch 'the joy as it flys'. There is no guarantee you will even be here next year or the year after to enjoy your unused stuff. If you are not using your stuff give it to someone who will. I will try not to worry about you when I go surfing or for a sail tomorrow.

Jesus Mark, Lighten up mate! We weren't talking about ourselves, we were postulating on why some people have mooring minders. Or why they keep their old board, because they think that one day they'll get back into it. I have two surfboards and surf as often as possible. I sail, ride one or other of my motorcycles, sing and dance in musicals and act in Shakespeare plays. Greg sails weekly on Felicite and with his son as well. People have many reasons to NOT do something, and we shouldn't judge them on it. I have a friend won't ride his motorcycle because he doesn't want to risk leaving his young children without a Dad. I can see his point, but although I don't agree with it, I won't judge him on it, it's his decision. I have a friend who can't surf because of a shoulder injury, he doesnt know if he ever will again, but he just bought another board to give himself and incentive. There are no guarantees, but for some, it gives them hope. It also brings back memories of when they did sail, or surf or ride and that's something to treasure. Don't judge them for it, respect them for their decisions, just as you would expect us to respect your decisions and opinions.

Some of us can't just take off on a three month sailing trip, or a fortnight at Byron, because we have elderly parents who need help, daily, or children to take to school. Some of us don't even get two hours to ourselves to have a surf, or ride our bikes let alone a whole day or weekend to go sailing.

Bear, no funeral tomorrow, but Thursday. It's for my uncle Phil. Veteran of some Hobart races, And ex member of MHYC. He went too soon, but it will be great celebration of a guy who influenced so many people. There will be an ashes scattering from the bow of Dulcamara in the not too distant future. Don't worry, no sadness here, just happy that he was gracious enough to let me hang around with him a bit.

Great topic guys , I am sixty this year and have been dreaming of a boat since I was fourteen got my first boat four months ago ! It wasn't indecision or lack of interest that kept me back more like raising four boys on one income . It all about dreams and keeping them alive that's makes us who we are there,s a good book that says "to keep your dreams ever before you " so to all you dry land surfers ,car driving bikers and armchair sailors I say Dream On

I think most mooring minders are not old girls keeping dreams alive but expensive boats that people buy because they think they should. Sadly some people just have too much money and conspicuous consumption is rife, particularly in Sydney.

Michael, I was just being obstreperous to see if I could stir Bear out of hibernation and it worked!

Hey Mick what made you think Mark is Jesus ?

Bear

bearmcnally wrote::lol: Hey Mick what made you think Mark is Jesus ?

Bear

Bear, I've seen Mark try to walk on water at a HRYC event while back. Sadly he didn't manage it and his beer ended up on the bottom. I'm sure there is a phot around somewhere.

Mark, no stress, sometimes what we write in forums isn't always read they way it was intended. I have a habit of getting a bit deep in my thoughts. On a lighter note, had a lovely offshore breeze at Collaroy today and spent two hours on little sliders off the pool. Hard work, but beats going to the gym!

Actually we managed to save the beer that year when the dinghy went down at the HRYC. My crack crew sacrificed their mobile phones and other goods and shackes to save the beer. Now that is what I call dedication.

I spent Wed afternoon about 5nm offshore with my old mate Jacko in that lovely souherly (surf at Macs was pretty ordinary). Sea was bit messy and wind was stiff but the little boat handled it well. jack got a good hit trowling off the back but couldn't land the bugger.