plaisancier

English translation: boat owners

16:27 Jan 26, 2010

French to English translations [PRO]
Ships, Sailing, Maritime / Inflatables

French term or phrase: plaisancier

Could you please put me out of my misery. Someone who messes about in an inflatable isn't a "leisure sailor" is he? No sail. Not much leisure.

Jack Dunwell KudoZ activity Questions: 158 (1 open) (4 without valid answers) (12 closed without grading) Answers: 956 France
Local time: 11:35

English translation:boat owners

Explanation:
In the excerpt you quote, plaisanciers are contrasted not to some other type of boat user but to distributeurs, so I would have thought "boat owners" would do.

Of course I realize plaisancier probably covers a multitude of sins ranging from keelhauling, naked bathing, cigarette smuggling, abduction of young gals and their sale in the Middle East, to renting and leasing of boats, but would not "owner" be sufficiently opposed to "distributor/agent" to get the message across?

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Note added at 27 mins (2010-01-26 16:54:52 GMT)
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Of course "boat owner" could also be an armateur like Onassis, but in context and perspective ...

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Note added at 32 mins (2010-01-26 16:59:25 GMT)
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In the second instance you could be even more upbeat than the French with its nouvelles couleurs de flotteurs - wow, quel progrès! - and talk about "prospective buyers" going "hook, line, and sink her" ... er, no, avoid that last bit - for les évolutions de gammes, les nouveaux choix de tissu et de couleurs.

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Note added at 33 mins (2010-01-26 17:01:03 GMT)
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Then again, I suppose Onassis is (was?) a "SHIP owner", when he isn't a "fleet operator" that is.

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Note added at 1 hr (2010-01-26 17:40:13 GMT)
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Fourth: you should be wary of commenting on a lady's physical attributes.

Selected response from:

Bourth (X)
Local time: 11:35

Grading comment

thank you a,
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

5 +2

amateur sailor

Graham macLachlan

4 +2

boat owners

Bourth (X)

4 +2

recreational boater

Desdemone (X)

3 +2

pleasure boatman

Evans (X)

3 +1

pleasure boater

Travelin Ann

3 +1

boating enthusiast

Lori Cirefice

Discussion entries: 9

Answers

19 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

pleasure boatman

Explanation:
I thought I'd post this, I've even found references, for instance:

http://www.ipswich.gov.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?do...

from Ipswich Council no less!

Evans (X)
Local time: 10:35
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 16

Notes to answerer

Asker: I particularly like the statue of Bobby Robson at the top. Well I think Water Boatmen are out.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

Travelin Ann: sorry Gilla - we were keying simultaneously// another ref: http://www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=11462

2 mins

-> no problem, and we've offered the asker an alternative too... :-)

agree

Chris Hall

8 mins

-> thank you Chris, that is very sporting of you. I hope you have a boater on!

neutral

Desdemone (X): Try to avoid gender specific terms. Reply to Gilla - Hence boater.

1 hr

-> I would generally agree with you but "boatperson" sounds completely ridiculous to my ears! I'd rather be called a boatman. Don't like 'boater' either, for the reasons I mention in the discussion, and because I'm a bit cussed when it comes to language :-)

neutral

rkillings: I'm with Paula: should be 'boatperson'.

12 hrs

-> sorry, see my comment to Paula above

24 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

amateur sailor

Explanation:
A sailor on a sail-less boat? Contrary to popular opinion a boat doesn't need sails to sail :

Sail
I. verb intrans.
1. Of a person: travel on water in a vessel propelled by means of sails or engine-power; navigate a vessel in a specified direction. OE.
2. Of a vessel: move or travel on water by means of sails or engine-power. ME.
OED

A plaisancier is someone who messes about in boats (not that The Wind in the Willows is much of a maritime reference however delightful the story) without being paid for it and therefore an amateur.

A professional sailor is a seaman, like an AB.

If he took his rubber dinghy across the seven oceans you might like to call him a mariner.

As for a yachtsman, he would need a yacht and a rubber dinghy can't be considered that, except perhaps in his dreams.

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Note added at 29 minutes (2010-01-26 16:56:47 GMT)
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ah, boatman, that has a specific meaning that we don't need to betray:

boatman (a) a man who hires out a boat or boats, or who provides transport by boat;
OED

an amateur boatman would presumably carry passengers for free, in his spare time

a pleasure boatman presumably disembarks his passengers in a state of euphoria

Graham macLachlan
Local time: 11:35
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 352

Notes to answerer

Asker: RIBs are specifically included in this trans Graham

21 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

pleasure boater

Explanation:
It is apparently even the name of a television series!

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Note added at 41 mins (2010-01-26 17:08:12 GMT)
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A Pleasure Boater's Guide:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/RYA-Book-EuroRegs-Inland-Waterways/d...

Reference: http://masterstv.com/show-Pleasure-Boater.html

Travelin Ann
Local time: 05:35
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Thanks Ann. Those are ENORMOUS inflatables

26 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

boat owners

Bourth (X)
Local time: 11:35
Meets criteria
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 142

Grading comment

thank you a,

Notes to answerer

Asker: Brilliant Mr G. Clearly your proclivities are exotic. I can't say that I have taken part in more than 75% of YOUR favourite activities. But I think that is otherwise, a pretty useful answer

Asker: I can't remember mentioning you at all A, but I was, this very minute, reflecting on the (otherwise) restraint on the inflatables "front" by our fine translator colleagues and concluding that you were (exceptionally) not completely irremedial and worthy of tender ministrations from the Furies or even Jacquie O. (no, not that "O", A) oh dear, its so hard this probation work. Anyway. Turn up in court at 10 am and all is forgiven. Dear.

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

boating enthusiast

Explanation:
Another one for the mix... I think this would work for inflatable boats too.

"The Luxury Leisure line has been designed for the discerning boating enthusiast who is looking for style and sleek good looks as well as safety and performance. "

Reference: http://www.asisboats.com/english/leisure.htm

Lori Cirefice
France
Local time: 11:35
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English

Notes to answerer

Asker: thank you lori that works quite well

13 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

recreational boater

Explanation:
8 gazillion hits

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Note added at 4 hrs (2010-01-26 20:54:18 GMT)
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Zodiac = Fun with a capital F
Recreational boater = http://www.slv2000.qc.ec.gc.ca/zip/petit_navire/accueil_a.ht... http://www.marineservices.gc.ca/eng/rec/serv.htm;
ad nauseum
Gazillion - Why not?

Desdemone (X)
Local time: 06:35
Meets criteria
Native speaker of:

English

Notes to answerer

Asker: Hello Paula. Yes, well I suppose there would be. I've been trying to reconcile sails, boaters and bow ties with noisy inflatable users. Are you absolutely sure about "gazillion" Paula, sounds a bit Diesel to me.

Asker: Bang on Paula. In this case caital "Z"

Asker: +capital

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