Small cruise ship rescued skiff in south-east Alaska even though Meta billionaire’s $300m megayacht was closer
  • Feathercrown@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    13 days ago

    Having a boat of any decent size is a very strong indicator that you’re rich, or at least upper middle class. Even a fairly well-off family like mine would consider a boat to be a serious expense, and it’s absolutely prohibitive for most of the population.

    • Peppycito@sh.itjust.works
      3·
      12 days ago

      It’s the same as any hobby. I know lots of farmers who golf. Lots of carpenters have pools. Fishing is endemic in the trades and a lot of that happens in boats. I’d call these things the trappings of the middle class not the flamboyance of wealth. Boaters make a lot of sacrifices to have a boat but one good day on the water is enough to make a year of maintenance worthwhile.

      I make marine canvas and my customers are a broad representation of the classes. It’s one thing I love about my job, I’ll work for a doctor one day and a garbage man the next. Helping his boat look as good as the doctors is hugely rewarding. But the doctor doesn’t look down his nose at the beat up old boat, he asks the garbage man how the fish are biting and helps him dock.

      Boating depends on geography, and I’m in a very wet spot so there’s a boating culture among the unwashed.

      I will contend that there is probably a length of boat where the owner becomes a asshole upon purchase. Probably somewhere in the 40’~50’ range.