Power Boaters and Sailors Sleeping Together

Gas prices make for boating bedfellows

I’m always looking for ways to create harmony among boaters.  Power boaters are forever taking shots at sailors and vice versa. I was on the dock this past weekend and one of my sailor friends, who had just seen me return from the fuel dock said “I only used one gallon of gas today...how about you?” Well, I grimaced at the difference between the $4.37 he had spent and the $527.30 I had just spent for the same day on the water, but I tried to make it look like a smile. Funny thing though, is that sailors are really generous people. My friend always invites me out on his sail boat and I’m sure I’ll find hundreds of reasons to accept this season.  In fact based on purely anecdotal evidence there seems to be quite an upswing in the number of power boaters who are enjoying the hospitality of their friends with sailboats. We power boaters are even learning a thing or two about tying knots (well, maybe knot).
It seems our gas price debacle has done more good for boating community relations than anything before it.  Boating has become...well...boating. There is less of a distinction between what kind of boater you are and more emphasis on being on the water any way you can. That’s a good thing!  Power boaters are learning to appreciate the peace, quiet and grace of sailboating and turning what once were casual relationships into solid boating friendships.
It’s still a give and take relationship though.  Think of it this way.  If you ever need to just relax and while away the hours in total peace and quiet, call on one of your sail boating buddies.  Just make sure that when they need to get somewhere in a hurry, they can call on you.