as for this, sailing is a lot like hiking: its not practical, its not useful, its not extreme or exciting. yet a lot of people enjoy it because they have an appreciation for the nuances of the activity and the scene in which it takes place. sailing is no longer primarily a mode of transportation like it used to be, but then neither is skiing. like i said to the other guy, you dont have to like it, and you dont even have to pretend to like it, but you should at least respect the fact that some people do and there is a reason that they do.
and if you want people to ever take you or your opinions seriously, just avaoid generalizations like "there all smug as hell." it just makes you sound like an ass.