Well hello again,
The relationship between man and boat has a rich and intriguing history. I will not go into the details here, except to say that gentlemen invented the boat many years ago, and has been sailing ever since. The gentleman is associated particularly with the yacht – a recreational boat of gentlemanly proportions.
The melting pot of boating, a cigar, a broadsheet newspaper and devil-may-care hair is one of the most delicious recipes for an afternoon known to the gentleman.
Of course, boats are expensive ventures. So if you cannot afford to purchase marine transportation for yourself, you should work your gentlemanly charm on someone who has. In return, you can teach them how to be more of a gentleman by directing them to this blog.
Tintin was sometimes surprised by Haddock’s evil nautical plans (as shown in this picture), but could not afford a boat with his meagre journalist’s salary.
But why a boat, you may ask? I was just getting to that. So read on…
There are many advantages to having access to a boat! They include:
1. You get to wear a sailors hat, and potentially look like Frank Sinatra and/or Gene Kelly:
Sometimes the joy of the boating lifestyle makes you unexpectedly break out into song. The man in the background (who does not own a boat) could not be more impressed.
2. On the open water, no one asks you to put out your cigar.
There is a congregation of gentleman smoking on the poopdeck of this sturdy-looking ship.
3. Members of the female gender find it very hard to resist a man who has conquered the ocean.
These gentlemen are having a gentlemanly discussion about how they will approach the ladies in the background. It doesn’t make a difference though, they’re gentleman and they’re on a boat – they tick all the boxes.
4. You don’t need any training to operate a boat; true gentleman is able to intuitively operate a boat, motorcycle with sidecar or plane (when in mortal danger).
We’ve all had to put our game of biplane tennis on hold to wrestle a plane from a nosedive once or twice. But that’s okay; it’s in a gentleman’s nature.
And with that, I wish you happy boating. May the sea be kind and the scotch be plentiful.
H.L. Griffith
