My trip to Maryland included a cruise in the Chesapeake Bay on my brother’s sailboat. Afterwards I encountered an administrator from Howard University medical school (“the oldest black med school in the country”) who said that he was trying to figure out whether to take up boating or flying as a weekend activity. Boating seems like a more sociable activity. Everyone with a boat in the Washington, DC area heads east toward the Bay on Friday evening or Saturday morning (those government jobs are fantastic but they result in terrible beach traffic jams because nobody ever has to work on a weekend). The marina is packed with boats and people, some of whom are hanging out on their boats without even bothering to leave the dock. Once on the water there are dozens of boats within sight at all times and the captain must exercise constant vigilance to avoid colliding with a fellow weekend enthusiast. If one’s boat is equipped with a VHF radio one is required to monitor Channel 16 at all times. This channel is a non-stop chatter of hailing and emergency messages.
The drive to a general aviation airport, by contrast, is usually free of traffic. Airplanes are big and need to be spaced apart from each other. Nobody wants to hang out inside his tiny Cirrus or Piper unless the plane is about to depart on a trip. You’re likely to run into someone you know at the airport but not likely to run into any particular friend. One in the air and above the traffic pattern altitude you’re unlikely to see more than a handful of airplanes even on a 300-mile trip. Until September 11th there was seldom a need to monitor a radio frequency for a trip in clear weather and even in these times of paranoia and strife there might only be one transmission on 121.5, the emergency frequency, every 10 minutes.
Flying seems like a better way to keep mentally young. You are challenging yourself to think and react quickly and rationally despite a sometimes frightening environment. I ran into a former MIT professor at the helicopter school in Nashua, NH. He is 69 years old, has been flying airplanes for years, and is now taking up helicopters with the intention of buying a Robinson R44 (on my wishlist of airplanes). I was shocked when he said that he was 69 because he doesn’t seem older than 50.
Thoughts from those who are both boaters and pilots?
Do both. You hit it about right, boating is more crowded and more social (unless you go to places like Oshkosh) and flying is more interesting mentally.
One thing you might consider is joining the Coast Guard Auxiliary in their aviation branch. You can do a lot of flying (in your plane and reimbursed) and get into the marine end as well.
Plus, if Kerry gets in, it may be one of the only ways to get flying in your area on many days.
I’ve recently sold my plane, a tailwheel Maule M5-235, and bought a Lagoon 380 catamaran. The plane was fun for weekend trips and my daily commute, but I found that few people wanted to tag along for short jaunts. Those who did on a regular basis typically became student pilots soon afterwards, so I suppose that they had a predisposition towards flying.
In contrast, everyone wants to go spend a day out on the water. I doubt that even 5% of the repeat visiting sailors will go onto purchase their own sail boats, but that may be a question of finances rather than desire. So far it is hard to say which costs more; the upfront costs in boating are very high and many items are very life limited. However, my boat’s fuel costs are a fraction of my airplane’s.
Now I want to get my sea plane rating, which would combine both boating and sailing, with the high prices of each…
Also, at my old airport (KAEG) there were always folks hanging out at their hangars and talking about flying. It was a very friendly airport, unlike the larger Class C nearby, so people congregate there. We had numerous BBQ cookouts and other social events on the parking ramp.
Years ago, a friend remarked that when choosing between boating and flying as a hobby, he chose boating because his purpose was to relax, not to get wound up wrestling with ATC. But your point is a good one.
Hey, how about that new Sport Pilot rating that’s being considered? Aviation for people who don’t want to deal with all the rigamarole….
(In the same vein as Peter’s first post) I expect the Civil Air Patrol, the civilian auxiliary of the Air Force, will also remiburse you for your use of your plane on SAR and other missions.
Probably depends on how and when you wish to die.
Isn’t flying much more dangerous ?
Did your bro give up the motorcycling ?
(my personal preference in motorized death machines)
boats now made in china accordintg to ny times. http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/13/business/worldbusiness/13yacht.html?hp
Play Golf!
My brother still has his motorcycle. Flying has got to be more dangerous statistically than riding around in a 46′ fiberglass sailboat in the Chesapeake. I’m not sure how we could have gotten killed over the weekend when our peak speed was 3.5 knots and we were surrounded by other boats that could have picked up anyone who fell overboard.
Michael: thanks for that NY Times article! I do hope that someone starts my idea of building prefab houses in China.
Is flying a rental GA plane a useful mode of transportation? I can understand that if you own your own plane, flying can save quite a bit of time especially in the congested Northeast, but spending $8000 to get just a Private Pilot’s license and then having to pay $80/hour to rent a Cessna 172 (with minimums) doesn’t seem like a good use of my money if transportation is the only justification.
Planes get old eventually as the “been there, seen-that” phenomena sets in. The worst is San Diego (can’t go west or south unless you are Ok with Mexico). A boat is really a “clubhouse” (complete with “whatever spins your motor” ie rare-filet or chicks or Jack-black + hammock hey maybe *everything*).
If you’re still hot for airplanes, look into motorgliders (gliders-with-engines, not airplanes-with-long-wings; tow-up is a hassle). PP
Both sailing and flying can be very technical. Especially if you race either a sail boat or plane.
However, I think rock climbing and flying are the most technical as far as skills needed in planning your next move.
But if you have every sailed thru the fog in a shipping lane or manually reefed (shortened) a sail in 40 knot winds, you don’t know what a fun is!
But I think a plane is more environmentally friendly than a boat. A large boat uses a lot of teak and mahogany. This wood has to come from some rainforest in SE Asia?
Hi Philip – met you a couple of times at MIT but only
momentary introductions – have followed your world since
I was a turist at the AI labs.
Having done both, I found that General Aviation has become
more and more frustrating, so I bought an old warship to
entertain on and to do “expedition trips” on, and while it has
cost me more than a nice single or an OK twin, it’s a lot
cheaper than a jet 😉 And I can have 100+ people onboard
to watch the 4th of july fireworks….
hit the web page to see her (Research Vessel Badtz Maru) and
let me know if you want to consider coming along on any big
trips that we might do – arctic circle run and back to old
blightly are on the list for next year.
Peace and safe flights,
Doug