When I go boating....

O K ....I`m curious ....

Who among us thinks about the moral / ethical issues associated with fossil fuel consumption ?

 

The environment is a strong force in my life, but at the same time, my own feeling is that I find it somewhat depressing to have a stigma attached to something I enjoy that I don't believe is a very large factor in overall environmental issues. I'll admit it - I like to go fast on the water once in a while. But I think in life it's all about moderation. I feel worse about being in a building that's burning a thousand or thousands of gallons of oil a year just to heat the space or the thousands and thousands of gallons of gas needlessly wasted by cars sitting in traffic jams than the bit of gas it takes to enjoy an hour or two a week flying over the lake once in a while. Granted, something like l’Hydroptère would more than fill the need for the occasional thrill of flying over the water, but I don't have the dedication for anything like that yet! So for now, I'll enjoy being on a speedboat once in a while, and try not to think of the stigma now attached and enjoy it as much as in years past, and then when I get home let it be a force to balance that use with wise decisions in other areas to still be an above-average global citizen.

 

Sorry Jeff ...

I didn`t mean to attach any stigma to your hobby.

A fair and well expressed answer .
The point you raised about that building was particularly poignant.

Enjoy your boating !

 

Not at all - I went on a bit of a nostalgia trip this summer and picked up the same basic boat I enjoyed 20 years ago. I couldn't help but feel a bit of difference, especially at the gas dock. Before, even in a powerboat, peaking into some bay where there were no houses or coming back home after a long walk at sunset felt very "environmental" - a chance to get out and enjoy nature and balance out the day to day with a bit off the beaten path. Now, when you fill a 100 gallon tank, even if it will last a while due to so few hours available to actually enjoy getting out, you definitely do feel like a hog knowing you'll burn it into the environment "just for fun." But I sure will remember those few hundred gallons of gas for a long time, whereas so many thousands over my life have been burned with no joy and no memory.

 

Boat Fan:
This is a typical poll with a bias. You have to either be an immoral person and not care about the environment, or be a green granola head like you and by implication of high moral standards.

 

Well ok then

Well ok then ...Apologies ...was a bad idea.
Not my intention.I`ll ask the moderators to delete it.
I was only interested to know if any one out there worried about such things .I really must be the only person that does.

As for as the comment :

"a green granola head like you and by implication of high moral standards.'

I`ll ignore that for the pompous judgemental crap it actually is.

I would never think of myself as someone with " higher " or "better " or any other " moral standards' by ( deliberate ) " implication " or otherwise.

Apologies to anyone here that feels the same as gonzo .It`s actually quite difficult to ask simple (read ) unbiased questions these days.
I`m no tree hugger. I just think about these things. I`ll keep it to myself from now on.

 

How about giving options other than being in opposite sides? I think you should take the poll out and let this be a discussion.

 

What have I just said ? This whole thing was a BAD IDEA OK?

Read post to moderators. BTW ..oh forget it....

 

I think it is a good idea. The questions might need fine tuning.

My boats do not consume any fuel but I still have concern for fuel consumption. It seems smug to say I have no concern because I do not waste it. So I am stuck between no fuel and it being obscene. On balance the obscene wins out for me. It disgusts me to see monster boats being used for private pleasure.

I would prefer to answer in a more positive way. So something like " I am concerned about fuel consumption so I have a boat that uses little or no fuel" would get my vote rather than the obscene one.


Rick W

 

No, it is not a bad idea, it is just a bad application of a good idea, imho. Statements 1 and 3 are essentialy the same. The statement 4 is not an alternative to the others, since it can co-exist with statements 2, 4 and 6, for example. Ok, you can delete this poll, but you can also start another one with more equilibrate questions, in both directions.

Though I remain of idea that this forum is in no way rappresentative of general boating community's opinions and preferences, whatever poll you might create. A pretty particular kind of people comes to dicuss here. Sales data and statistics are much more rappresentative in that sense.

 

Why not an answer like:

I do care about environment. The gruzzly powerboat I plan to buy (or I own) will burn much less fuel than the aircraft I was flying some years ago.

PS: going slower is an option for (all) powerboats to reduce fuel burn. They will not sink. A plane going slower is likely to stall ...

 

I see where you are coming from Rick .And all others.

When I launched the poll it actually " got away " from me and I hurriedly asked Jeff to add two options.The way this whole poll thing works , it prevents you from correcting or making changes .It turned out wrong and that was my fault. It`s actually harder to set up an "unbiased "poll than it looks.

I really believe it was a bad idea .

Frankly , I don`t care if they think of me as a "a green granola head" (whatever that means ) or "pumpkin head" or "banana head" ...whatever...
that`s just juvenile stuff from the ignorant.No matter.

I really don`t like being perceived as biased though..
That poll IS biased , as it turned out.
I was just interested in how everyone else thinks about this fuel thing.
That`s all.

Jeff if your`e reading this ...please delete that dumb poll !

 

You can of course replace private flying by any other fuel burning leisure, such as car racing, or travelling all around the world using commercial airlines, or ...

 

Yes agreed , you are quite correct.

It was simplistic and naive of me to think that a boating forum was indeed representative of the "general boating public".( i have already developed a loathing for that term )
Having said that ,when you initially look at the number of members and visitors here , perhaps one could be forgiven for making that assumption.

 

Everyone will do what they want......or can afford ....Maybe it really doesn`t matter anymore anyway.
Don`t want to bring politics into this ........but I think the sheer number of people , and our effect on this planet will dictate the outcome.
This naive and misguided " green granola head " is now done....