Motorists don’t know how to sail? Of course, even sailors sometimes …

Do you remember Marco Rende’s letter, “Tragicomic Chronicle of a Quiet Afternoon at Roadstead,” in which our reader humorously recounted the strange maneuvers he had seen taking place around him during a roadstead stop at Giglio Island? So many of you have commented, and while it is true that most of your comments have been against speedboats, some have come out of the chorus and definitely intrigued us.

Here is what Giuseppe De Filippis writes to us: “I was left with a bitter taste in my mouth reading the “tragicomic chronicle of a quiet afternoon in the roadstead.” WHEREAS, the writer is an elderly good sailor who has been converted to motoring for years due to work issues, I would like to express some thoughts on the subject. The assumption of the narrative, if I understand it correctly, is that all sailors would be experienced sailors and motorists would be reckless, clueless but rich sailors. One only has to look on “you tube” to realize that the mistakes of boaters in both categories , are equivalent… Even more astonishing then was the suggestion of an additional exam to be offered to motorists. A Dutch friend ( people who know about the sea and boats !) explained to me that in his country the boat license does not even exist.” What’s the point” he asked me . “look at Schettino” he told me ” who knows how many licenses and exams he has taken . Yet .” The truth is that in my opinion if you go to sea , everyone makes mistakes sooner or later ( even the super professionals of ocean racing have gone to the rocks). Of course, mistakes can be slight or catastrophic: only those who navigate little never make mistakes. The important thing is not to judge by believing oneself to be better, but if anything, to help and explain what to do to those who do not yet know or are in difficulty“.

And again, user Velastregata told us about what he saw live this summer: “sailors don’t mess around either; today, for example, a 14-meter racing sail with guys arrived in the roadstead at Cannelle, a place still quite full of boats, they still did not have traditional forward with chain but only the respect chain held only by a 10-rope in textile. Shortly afterwards they went down quietly to lunch. It was windy, and the boat began a 30-meter compass swing that displaced several boats. Children are taught first the Abc, then English, and then more, so it should be for the use of the sea, accruing over time that experience of which in any case someone has to teach you the rudiments of which you humbly have to acquire and not just buy a jacket and technical shoes to become the Paul Cayard of the situation“…

AND YOU, WHAT DO YOU THINK?