Better Half Bonus Entry?

[aggienaut]

   I've been offered a paid position as "Education Coordinator" on either the Lady Washington or Hawaiian Chieftain, starting in April. Provided I'm not doing something else awesome, I'm inclined to jump at the oppportunity. This however does present me with a difficult decision: The LW or the HC?!


   The LW is a much more authentic boat, being made almost entirely out of wood. The HC, on the other hand, actually has a steel hull and deck and bulkheads, which is, you know, "such sauce." However, at least at the present moment, I feel like the HC has a more sociable crew. There are three potential reasons for this, two of which are temporary:
   (1) it might just be the individuals that happen to be on board at the time, and thus an entirely transient property.
   (2) it might be because the LW was in the Northwest in December while the HC was in California, so only hardened old salts stayed on the LW at the time, while people with a more fun-loving inclination were like "fuck that!" and piled on to the HC.
   (3) or it could be the set up of the actual boat. The LW has no tables in the forecastle or main hold, and not even any chairs in the forecastle. The aft cabin is small so usually only people working in there hang out in there. My experience was usually only people who are housed in the main hold hang out in the main hold and in the forecastle people sit in their bunks when they're in there. Not that it's terribly UN-social, I had a lot of fun with everyone, but it's not the most conducive to socializing. Compare it to the HC:
   In the LW there are 8 bunks in the forecastle, so most of the crew are housed in there and if you're not, you're kind of a newbie and you're stuck as a "main hold dweller" with no personal space. On the HC, however, there's only 4 bunks in the forecastle, so most of the crew is housed in the main hold, and the main hold more closely resembles the LWs forecastle than the LW's main hold (in that you don't have to pack away your personal stuff every morning, and most of the crew is there). But the HC's main hold even has a table! Additionally the HC's forecastle also has a small table and chairs and the aft cabin is spacious enough that I believe people hang out there as well. Somehow, despite the LW being longer, HC feels like it has much more interior space.

   So the pickle is that I really like the LW as a more authentic vessel, but the HC seems like it might have a more sociable atmosphere. In particular I really like that most of the crew is housed together on the HC instead of the forecastle division on LW which forms a sort of natural in-group out-group.


   See also: adventures on the LW

   I've been hanging out with the crew of the HC most days since they've been in port down here. I'll be sad when they sail away ):

      

Lady Washington (left), Hawaiian Chieftain (right)

Comments

Women of Maritime

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Well then now I need to crosspost for those following along here:




"A typical scene on the Lady Washington!"

Actually though that's not on the LW, but the girl pictured WAS on the LW with us.

(from the "Sexy Women of Maritime" Calendar)

[i-id.livejournal.com]

You need to be on the Lady with me. Why would you want to be on that bathtoy, the Chieftain? ;)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Ahahahaha. Yeah I am leaning towards the Lady, but HC does seem like a fun boat to hang out on. Clearly I need to jump on it for a bit as a test drive. :D

[elvenforever.livejournal.com]

Hawaiian Chieftain for the win. :)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

I'm SO TORN! I do love the LW but the lack of anywhere to really comfortably hangout in the boat is an issue, esp compared to the bounty of such on the HC. But the boat is so.... metal! ::sporfles::

[elvenforever.livejournal.com]

Metal or not, I think you'll ultimately be happier on the HC. I mean, it doesn't go to Aberdeen, right?? :)

[i-id.livejournal.com]

Remember, the Lady'll be more crowded for spring/summer.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Oh all boats lead to Aberdeen!!

Well all Gray's Harbour boats -- the HC and LW are both owned by an organization based in Aberdeen.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

True. I think clearly I nede to ride around the HC a bit to get my curiosity out of my system. :D

[elvenforever.livejournal.com]

Then I guess you'll see that cute girl again. *wink*

[working-dreamer.livejournal.com]

You're in quite the pickle. ;)

[technophobe1975.livejournal.com]

I would go for the one with the crew that you get on better with, especially if you are going to be at such close quarters with them all.

[morlith.livejournal.com]

Seems like it boils down to one major question:

Will the feeling of being on an "authentic boat" make up for the lack of camraderie that would be available on the HC?

If the answer to that is "yes", go with the LW. If it's "no", go with the HC.

Obviously, both matter. Also, does where they're sailing make much of a difference?

[risingtofall.livejournal.com]

I vote the HC!

[wickedsin.livejournal.com]

you've already been crew on the LW, so I vote for the HC

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Fuck, I keep forgetting to call her! I should do so asap ... as soon as I finish checking my email (:

[elvenforever.livejournal.com]

There ya go. :)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

(:

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

But the thing is, there's so much turnover in the crews that they're likely to be totally different by then. But I do know two or three people which will definitely be on the Lady at the time and that is compelling.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah I've actually thought about that angle and it's definitely a compelling argument in my opinion.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Thanks (:

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

It's not that the LW "lacks camraderie," that makes them sound completely unsociable. I had fun with them and we had some great times. It's just that the HC seems more sociable.

I think they might be sailing together actually. Which is a good thing to keep in mind because it means we'll be rafted up with the other boat every evening with crewmingling. Hmmm.

[morlith.livejournal.com]

It's not that the LW "lacks camraderie," that makes them sound completely unsociable.

Actually, I phrased my question poorly. I should have written something like "Will being on an authentic boat be enough to counter your desire for the difference between the camraderie on the LW versus the camraderie on the HC"?

(Which is, yet again, convoluted, but I hope it makes more sense.)

I didn't mean to insinuate that there wasn't camraderie on the LW. You made it very clear that it exists. =)

I do like your idea of spending time on each boat. That would be wise to do if you can pull it off.

[gratefuladdict.livejournal.com]

That's what she said...

[wickedsin.livejournal.com]

which ship is currently winning the argument?

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Hrmmmm I still go back and forth on this multiple times a day.. maybe the Lady? as of this minute, it might chance in five. :D

[aladdin-sane.livejournal.com]

I'd go for the Lady Washington and hope the crew are more sociable than they first seem.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

The LW crew was not terribly UN sociable, I had fun hanging out with them on many occasions, its just that the HW crew seemed to accept me more readily (which could even just be because I was already crew when I joined even if from the other boat, whereas I was a filthy landlubber when I joined the lady), the HW seems to have more shipboard opportunities to hang out.