Did that mans head just explode?

The why of OWS, something about those numbers, and I'll admit that this story brought a smile...

I've been on something of a scow schooner binge recently in my reading and various discussions with friends of a similar mindset and one thing comes to mind as a result...

Change is no easy thing!

I've always had trouble with folks of the "Old Gaffers" ilk who love the gaff rig but who also hate the idea that you might want to evolve the rig, even a little, with higher tech line because low stretch non-three strand line is not traditional and if you even mention the idea of a lightweight carbon composite "yard" to a gaffer his head will explode... I've actually seen this happen and trust me it is NOT A PRETTY SIGHT so take my advice and never ever use the words carbon fiber around an "Old Gaffer" dude.

But, I can actually understand their thinking as evolving a traditional boat form is no easy task, requires talent, and more than a little like hard work if you want it to look the way most people expect a boat to look like or at least an acceptable evolved form that has a certain continuity within the greater grand scheme of things... In short, it is somewhat crazy making or worse (your head just might explode) so it's understandable how some folks just might want to live in the past and pretend no one has invented things like Dyneema, NACA foils, CAD, or carbon fiber.

Which is not to say that going in the other direction is the way to go either... No need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. There is a lot to be said for little steps and little changes which just might add up to big changes without (hopefully) making any heads explode in the process...

Listening to Ten Years After

So it goes...