Smile and Nod: Sailing to My Doom

Years of playing videogames have left Russ Pitts a bit lax when it comes to reading instructions, and as a result he nearly ends up as shark bait.

Permalink

Awesome story. Being new to sailing myself I can relate.

BREAKING NEWS: Video games corrupt sailors!

Good article. A different kind of tension, isn't it, fighting against the great power of the ocean rather than trying to take down a troll in some fantasy RPG.

You should have paid more attention to the sailing in Wind Waker. :p

This ties in with the argument about Guitar Hero trying to take the place of actual instruments for kids.

Games allow those who couldn't to adventure. But for those who do have opportunities or natural talent, there's no simulation that emulates boating, snowboarding, or jamming like the real thing.

Logan Frederick:

Games allow those who couldn't to adventure. But for those who do have opportunities or natural talent, there's no simulation that emulates boating, snowboarding, or jamming like the real thing.

Or shooting Nazis.

Great read! Sorry if I were hoping you'd actually hit the buoy, but I just can't help myself sometimes. What part of NC were you in? I lived in Wilmington for a while.

Logan Frederick:
This ties in with the argument about Guitar Hero trying to take the place of actual instruments for kids.

Games allow those who couldn't to adventure. But for those who do have opportunities or natural talent, there's no simulation that emulates boating, snowboarding, or jamming like the real thing.

I was joking...Really...

Ah, good sir I know the feeling of suddenly realising it's not a game

Playing Assassin's Creed for 5 hours a day before trespassing on a half-finished building site was just -tempting- fate, as in mid air jumping from around 12 feet over a pit full of stacked metal fence panels it occurs to me that "Wait, if I die here I don't respawn..."

Similar feeling as I was sneaking about industrial railyards full of stray dogs while thinking about Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl, the week before.

So few gamers know the pleasure of going out and experiencing something closer to the real thing, the comparison with the relative blandness of our simulations teaches us to appreciate reality, while the experience of the true sights, sounds and feelings of the outside world enriches our ability to immerse ourselves back into our silly games when we go home to curl up with a bowl of mint ice cream and bandage our festering dog bites...

Well I have been sailing for 5 years now I still have problems some of the time...

u just need practice.... and a week long intensive course

smallharmlesskitten:
Well I have been sailing for 5 years now I still have problems some of the time...

u just need practice.... and a week long intensive course

I've never actually sailed. Which is to say that I never participated in guiding, navigating, etc.

However, I've been on, around, and in boats ever since I was an infant (even before that, technically) and sailing, or boating in general, have always been amoung the greatest experiences of my life. No game has ever been able to replicate that experience for me, however, one that came pretty damn close was Wind Waker. I got this feeling in my gut that was at once nostalgic and exhilerating. I've never had a feeling quite like that from any other game I've ever played.

I would agree that if you're inclined to enjoying boating, you're probably also a fan of Wind Waker. The real thing, however, is dramatically different. For one thing, most sail boats don't have the magic crane.

Russ Pitts:
I would agree that if you're inclined to enjoying boating, you're probably also a fan of Wind Waker. The real thing, however, is dramatically different. For one thing, most sail boats don't have the magic crane.

Which is clearly a design flaw of a most grievous nature.

Susan Arendt:

Russ Pitts:
I would agree that if you're inclined to enjoying boating, you're probably also a fan of Wind Waker. The real thing, however, is dramatically different. For one thing, most sail boats don't have the magic crane.

Which is clearly a design flaw of a most grievous nature.

Not to mention every good sail boat should come equipped with its own auto-reloading cannon. You never know when you'll come across a modern day pirate... or zombie chicken (box of cookies for anyone who get's that reference)

There is nothing like setting up with the rest of my 4 man racing crew, chucking in two waterproof bags full of water, food and sunblock and sailing off into the distance.

seriously we went on a 8 hour sail a month ago. We saw a shipwreck, dolphins and the water police..... yes the police on the water...

Anywhoo... I'm going this weekend again... Yay