They who get the attention

[Toucantook]

Back in 1996-97 I took Toucan (28ft) from Sanford, in central Florida down (up?) the St. John's River and down the intracoastal waterway as far as Lake Worth.  There we went outside for Toucan's first taste of salt water and the Atlantic Ocean.  We continued down to Miami.  At midnight that night, we cast off for Grenada and everything in between.

Now, to the point of the post.

In almost every harbor we entered, Toucan was the smallest boat there by a good margin.  In Dominica, they have the "boat boys" who sort of act as agents for anything you might need.   They come out to your boat on anything from a skiff to a mastless windsurfer.  The fellow we dealt with was "Lightning".  We didn't need anything, but we talked for a good hour, until the next yacht appeared, and he was off to business.  We told him to stop by later for a rum punch and to talk boats.

Just about sunset, Lightning came motoring up.  We spent the rest of the evening talking about boats, the islands, our families.  We was agog to hear that the outboard was the only power Toucan had.  He also had intense interest in Bolger's "Diablo".  The boat Lightning had was built out of the woods, literally.  The Yamaha outboard on his boat was the most valuable thing he owned.  We pointed out that Diablo would be much lighter than his boat, go like a raped ape with his motor, and he would be first to intercept incoming yachts for business.  Interest bloomed.

As the evening wore on I noticed the folks on some of the other, bigger boats, were watching the activity on Toucan.  After a while it dawned on me what was going on.  These folks on the big boats were envious.  Here they were with their 45 footer, yet the 28 footer was getting all the attention from the locals.  Lightning pointed out that he would not accept an invitation from people on those boats.  "You guys with the little boats are more like me, mon.  With such a small boat you really want to have to get here."  We accused him of being a boat snob, from which he gained great hilarity. 

Lightning had some unbelievable stories, told us a lot about the island and the people.

But the interesting thing was the way the islanders view people on big boats versus small boats.

We of the tribe of small have what is essentially home field advantage when cruising.

We have respect.

[CapnK]

Thanks for the tale, Stuart!

Q for you: do you have many/more pics of you sailing Nano, where it can be seen how you sit? And/or pics that show her interior arrangement?

I sailed up the Pee Dee River this evening on my Walker Bay for a couple hours, and it got me to wondering how you stay comfortable in there, all day long. The WB sails best when I sit in the bottom, aft of the center thwart. But I can only sit there so long facing forward or sideways before my legs get tingly from being scrunched. Facing aft is a lot more comfy on the legs, but not the best for safety, I imagine. ;)

In light air, sitting up on the thwart makes the boat heel to windward, because my centerboard pokes up 8" or so, and I can't center myself, and don't want to sit on the low side. Also, I found some giant fat noodles locally, but lengthwise they aren't that great - only 2.5 to 3'. I got the company name though, so I will check around for longer ones.

Anyway - just wondering how you do it. ;D I might just have to take a Nano-esque trip down the Bay for a camp out one night soon. :)

[Toucantook]

I still get an error message when I try to post photos-"file size too large", but I know they aren't.  I'll see if I can stick 'em in the gallery.

Anyway, I just sit in the bottom.  I tend to sit a lot in a lotus, half lotus or indian style, and it doesn't bother me much.  If I need to stretch, I just prop my feet on the leeward gunwale.  Pics of me this sailing this buggy are rare, as there is usually no one around to do it.

Maybe a bicycle mirror mirror on your shades so you can face aft?? ;D

I got my noodles at (gag...) Walmart.  5 1/2" diameter, about 5ft long.

[CapnK]

Yet another reason for me to begin yoga... ;)

Ya know, I actually DID consider both a mirror on the transom, and those rearview mirror sunglass-adapters. LOL!

Re: the pics - I will PM you my email address, send me one of the pictures (as-is) that doesn't post, let me see if there's a problem I can detect.

I saw the fat noodles at Food Lion, believe it or not. They are probably 8+ inches diameter - I've never seen them that large.

[CharlieJ]

In some of the BEER cruise posts on TSBB there's at least one or two pics of Nano under sail, so SOMEBODY shot some. I don't recall who though.

All of the ones I have show her in the "Connestoga" configuration, riding at anchor.

[Toucantook]

I uploaded some to the gallery.

8"!!!! I've never seen them that big!  Too bad there's no Food Lions around here anymore :-\

[CapnK]

They are made by this company: http://www.nomaco.com/

I've just started looking at the site, no other info at this time, but if I find large diam long noodles, will post about it... :)

[CapnK]

This is the subsidiary that makes the big ones - http://www.planetfoam.com/

According to that their max diameter is 5.5", but these sure looked bigger than that, I'll have to check again. I'll bet I look funny at Food Lion, measuring pool noodles. :D

[s/v Faith]

.........But the interesting thing was the way the islanders view people on big boats versus small boats.

We of the tribe of small have what is essentially home field advantage when cruising.

We have respect.

  Grog for a great post.  I do beg to differ slightly though.  I believe that it had more to do with YOU and YOUR ATTITUDE then the size of your boat.  I recently heard someone describe the 'locals' somewhere as lazy and unhelpful.... I had experienced just the opposite, and Rose and I both found the people we met to be the highlight of the trip. 

  As an example, when we were at anchor off of the bight at Cat Island we wrote about meeting 'Frankie' and taking him and 'Miles' fishing since their boat was broken down.  That evening as we chatted with them over dinner at the little restaurant Frankie ran, we witnessed (what I believe to be) the difference.  We saw couples come in off of a big sportfisher, and 3 couples who had flown in on their own planes.  They treated our new friends like hired help.  There were some other locals eating with us, who we were talking with, but these 'tourists' treated them like they were not there. 

  Time after time we saw the same thing.  I will say that the folks on larger boats were more prone to it, and maybe that supports what you say.  I believe that you get exactly what you give in most cases.....

  you said "We have respect".... I think it has more to do with your giving it then the size of the boat.... although maybe folks who see the difference between people and things are more drawn to small boats..... Likely, since I think this board bears that out.

[Toucantook]

I think people who, by desire, sail small boats have a different view of the world at large (no pun ::).  We are more plebian, and the islanders identify with that.

I was talking to the customs guy on Jost Van Dyke and he said that the people on little boats were generally "nicer"  ;D

[Toucantook]

Somebody put up a video on YouTube of Nano sailing on Pensacola Bay during the recent BEER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eEwdJO8JUI&NR=1