Paper short abstract:

The continuous onward-movement of a circumnavigation demands a constant re-positioning of the (late-modern)cruiser’s self within changing geographical places and social spaces. Yet the persistence of the cruising community and its camaraderie provide a way of being “at home” while moving on.

Paper long abstract:

Main incentives for the majority of 'yachties' choosing the independent mobility of sailing boats for a lifestyle of cruising are self-development and self-realization. As much as a circumnavigation presents a voyage to real distant shores, it aims for a discovery of imagined destinations as well as the sailor's self. The continuous onward-movement demands a constant re-positioning of the cruiser's sense of belonging within changing geographical places and social spaces. While the yacht may present an invariable home of security and cosiness, yachties do have to deal with the consequences of a long-term departure and disengagement from the "home" of their society of origin, struggling with loosening bonds to family and friends the longer the voyage continues, without ever "arriving" permanently somewhere else. However, while long-distance cruising unrestrictedly must be beheld as an individualistic venture, it does not mean complete isolation. Fellow yachties constitute a stable circle of acquaintances and therefore a reliable social environment, providing mutual trust and understanding in contrast to the transient nature of cruising. There is a distinct feeling of being "at home" within the cruising community, embracing not only today's sailors roaming the ocean but those of past decades as well. With cruising being not just a late-modern phenomenon of increased mobility, it is both the individual past and the history of cruising that serves as a background for yachties to negotiate their self-concept.