Posted by Andrew Craig-Bennett on October 19, 2004 at 09:58:16 from 213.38.124.194 user ACB.
In Reply to: Re: Coarse xxx( formerly Re: Mixed Moss 2004) posted by Peter H on October 18, 2004 at 21:29:14:
There can be few harsher critics than the "Swallows" themselves! They watch anyone else who is sailing with an alert eye for the least mistake - see the description of the "pudding faces" coming alongside the "Lapwing" in SW!
There are shoreside critics, alert to the least mistake, in several books - Peter Duck himself is one, whilst CC, WDMTGTS, SW, BS and PM offer many more.
The Hullabaloos are pretentious, and are mocked for it.
Telescopes, whilst impractical at sea in a small boat (7 x 50 binoculars are often recommended as a more practical alternative) are not inherently naff; it is the carrying of a brass bound one under one's arm, in the manner of a Victorian fashion print, that is naff.
However, to offer a sort of historic perspective, sailing has, for at least the past century, embraced everything from the heights of pretension (still very much with us!) to the sort of mud-bespattered messing about in boats that people who post on Tarboard go in for.