Yacht Rock; a Lifestyle.
Photo Credit: Country Singer (Instagram)@BRIANJOHNHARWOOD
Oct 24, 2024
By Mathew Channer
I helped my father-in-law haul out the other day. As I watched his Crownline slide gently onto the trailer, I felt that sharp sense of finality I had personally never experienced, but so many boating Canadians have.
It may not be sunny every day back home in East Coast Australia, but we don’t get ice. Even the most sustained periods of poor weather last mere weeks, and you can always find a sheltered bend on the local river if the wind and seas persist. Recently migrated to Canada and facing the grim reality of seasonal boating for the first time, I immediately started searching for something to cling to; long, reminiscing phone calls with fellow boaters, photos of those good times on the water, nautical-themed books, shows and music.
This was how I stumbled across “yacht rock”. And, suddenly, I knew I was going to be ok. Like feeling the sun on my skin and the wind in my hair, when I heard yacht rock, my worries began to slip away.
Or, should I say, rediscovered. It turned out I knew a lot of “yacht rock” already. Even if you’ve never heard of it, you would have to live under a literal rock not to recognize at least a few of the classics that filled the airwaves in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Think Steely Dan, The Eagles, Toto, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Kenny Loggins and The Doobie Brothers, artists whose bouncy rhythms and breezy vocals embodied the smooth-sailing, coastal feel of Southern California. And since sailing was popular in California at the time, yacht-rockers often referenced it in their lyrics, artwork and videos, culminating in the ultimate yacht rock anthem, Sailing by Christopher Cross.
Putting the name aside, it’s no surprise the genre has become popular with today’s boating generation. With its cruisy, bayside vibes, yacht rock is the musical embodiment of what every boater looks for on the river, lake, or sea. And with nautical references galore woven among simple, often introspective lyrics, the words capture the essence and timelessness of getting out on the water and leaving your troubles behind. It’s perfect for days out in your boat, and equally so for those long winter nights when Spring is still months away.
Yacht rock hits are decades old, an anthem for my parents’ teenage years. These were songs I heard on their car stereo as we drove down to the boat ramp on sunny Saturday mornings. That I sang karaoke to with guests and crew on sailing charters in my early twenties and still hear today on my father’s liveaboard catamaran. Rediscovering these cruisy tunes wouldn’t get me back on the water any faster, but when I listened to them, I felt like I was already there.
The music led me to yet another delightful winter pastime… the name “yacht rock” only materialized in 2005 with the release of Channel 101’s web series Yacht Rock. Two minutes into the pilot episode (viewable on YouTube) and I was already in stitches. The fictional show hilariously parodies the interwoven musical era between 1976 and 1984, when the versatile musicians credited with yacht rock frequently contributed to each other’s tracks. Characters often appear wearing nautical accessories and regularly speak in metaphor, like when Kenny Loggins, played by co-producer Hunter D. Stair, says, “When a friend is drowning in a sea of sadness, you don’t just toss him a life vest, you swim one over to him.”
While Yacht Rock slipped quietly beneath the waves after its 12th episode, it triggered a resurgence in genre popularity. Yacht rock has become part of the boating experience, from picturesque powerboat anchorages to the weathered decks of liveaboards. Sirius XM has a yacht rock station, and Spotify’s Yacht Rock playlist has over 1.6 million saves. Like so many others, I will spend this winter revisiting songs that have been the soundtrack for my boating life for as long as I can remember. When the day comes every year that your boat is bundled into storage, your fishing rods and water toys relegated to the garage, the music is a way to stay out on the water, to keep your favorite boating times fresh in your mind. Because boating isn’t just a pastime, and yacht rock isn’t just music. It’s a lifestyle.
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Our newest team member, Mathew Channer, is an Australian writer and professional mariner with over 16-years experience working offshore. He recently moved to Georgian Bay, Ontario, to be with his Canadian life-partner. He is looking forward to spending more time on freshwater and contributing to Canada’s boating community.
