Posted by David Brooks on April 30, 1999 at 14:30:21:
I have enjoyed S&A for decades, while my wife and kids have followed my lead and enjoyed it for years, even though none of us know a thing about sailing. (In an attempt to fix this, we just bought a used dinghy/sailboat, which has produced a family dispute: I want to name it "Duffer," but the kids are outraged. I suspect I will not prevail.)
Personally, I have never found my lack of nautical knowledge to be a hindrance in enjoying S&A. Almost the opposite, in fact: When they launch into their sailing lingo, it's like listening to the Latin mass. I don't have to worry about meaning but can let the sounds wash over me, lending a magical feel to everything. (The same goes with the Horatio Hornblower series, where some scenes might as well be written in Sanskrit as far as I'm concerned.)
I was wondering what other TARS feel about this. Are most AR readers also sailors of some sort, or do our ranks include lots of landlubbers as well as those who can identify a mizzen mast at 50 paces?