What's wrong with me

[Cavalier]

"Hi, my name's Phil. I've been sailing for 8 years."

(audience applause)

"It all started over a very long mid-summer weekend with friends on a Bavaria 31." (gasps and knowing head-shakes)

"From there I moved onto charters, and before I knew it I had a 36'er, yet I thought I could handle it.. I didn't know, and I was dragging my family in deep too."

"Then we moved to try and get away from the fjordiness of it all, to start over... now three years down the road, I find myself laid on the sole of a 47'er in a pool of my own polyester resin!"

"I knew it was time to come and seek help, from like minded individuals, from people who have walked the pontoons, who've reefed too late more than they care to mention, who just can't stop fixing their boats to the detriment of their family and friends..."

(looks around and notices recently emptied room)

[Blue Crab]

One boat is too many. A thousand not enough.

[kmason]

I don't have a problem; I can quit any time.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

Originally Posted by kmason

I don't have a problem; I can quit any time.

No body likes a quitter.

[Mexdon]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Have you ever spent 2 weeks in the midwest without seeing a boat? You get very shakey and can't concentrate.

Try living in Mexico City for 15 years.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

So the Preamble would read something like "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop admiring boats". Nobody would join.

Came to believe that a boat could restore us to sanity.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

Force your self to go smaller. It'll keep you plenty busy anyway.... and you'll then be able to forget about those big boats on the internet!

Sorry...Didn't work for me. I have a case of boat envy where ever I am.

Originally Posted by barnakiel

Well, some are addicted to drugs, some to girls, some to cars ...

Say we are addicted to boats.

Nothing wrong with that.

b.

Ya but my problem is I am addicted to all the above.

Originally Posted by Cavalier

"Hi, my name's Phil. I've been sailing for 8 years."

(audience applause)

"It all started over a very long mid-summer weekend with friends on a Bavaria 31." (gasps and knowing head-shakes)

"From there I moved onto charters, and before I knew it I had a 36'er, yet I thought I could handle it.. I didn't know, and I was dragging my family in deep too."

"Then we moved to try and get away from the fjordiness of it all, to start over... now three years down the road, I find myself laid on the sole of a 47'er in a pool of my own polyester resin!"

"I knew it was time to come and seek help, from like minded individuals, from people who have walked the pontoons, who've reefed too late more than they care to mention, who just can't stop fixing their boats to the detriment of their family and friends..."

(looks around and notices recently emptied room)

Freakin funny...perfect Phil

[Razoo]

You're addicted to Boat Porn hahahahaha....

[Sandero]

Can't speak for others... I've only had one boat a slew of dinks spanning 28 yrs. My attachment to sailing is multifaceted... I don't consider it an addiction however. At first I was simply fascinated by sailboats... wanting to know how they did what they did... and of course I was drawn to the aesthetics of them being an architect. But the more I dove in the more interesting it was and so much to learn... things I have never really thought about, needed or was interested in. My boat could be my home, my vacation, by means of transport to almost anywhere that touches water... a learning lab for all things mechanical, electrical, electronic, navigation... self sufficiency... All of these and more seem to the things which resonate with my personality. Others will find racing a thrill... I am content to simply try to get the thing to go as fast as possible and don't care if someone can eek out a tenth of a second more. More power to them! These complex mechanical things keep me (us) busy... because we like making things work and fixing things that don't. A sailboat is a laboratory for problem solving of all sorts... and if this appeals to you as it does me... you will never be without problems to solve and that keeps the mind agile. I only wish that there was more "exercise" associated with owning a cruiser. Polishing is not what I had in mind though ;-).

Frankly... at this stage in my life I would be bored without a boat... to mess about on.

[appick]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Have you ever spent 2 weeks in the midwest without seeing a boat? You get very shakey and can't concentrate.

Hey I live in the midwest and see a boat every day! Don't forget until recently Michigan had the more licensed water craft than any other state. A few years ago everyone in Detroit decided to retire and move to Florida so now they have the record!

I too am a boataholic, currently rocking in my chair at work needing another fix... Maybe the wife wont notice that I'm not home tell 9pm?!?

PS, if you need another boat I've got a smaller one for you, at a fraction of hte price of those big pesky boats

... What's that about drug dealers hanging out at NA meetings?

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by appick

Hey I live in the midwest and see a boat every day! Don't forget until recently Michigan had the more licensed water craft than any other state. A few years ago everyone in Detroit decided to retire and move to Florida so now they have the record!

I too am a boataholic, currently rocking in my chair at work needing another fix... Maybe the wife wont notice that I'm not home tell 9pm?!?

PS, if you need another boat I've got a smaller one for you, at a fraction of hte price of those big pesky boats

... What's that about drug dealers hanging out at NA meetings?

Sorry, I shouldn't have forgotten those GLake sailors. I was thinking more like Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, etc.. It's good you get to see a boat daily.

[SkiprJohn]

Originally Posted by Mexdon

Try living in Mexico City for 15 years.

That would be the very south midwest?

[sailorchic34]

Well I'm not an addict, I can quit living on and sailing boats anytime I want. I just don't want too. Of course that my boat is practically the only think I own makes that a tiny bit harder. But I'm good and not at all an addict. Just being on the boat, looking at other boats, dreaming about boats, talking about boats...

But I can stop anytime at all. Yesserre.


For at least a minute or two anyway.

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by DSDman

...why over the last three weeks have I spent about 1000 hours looking at sailboat data and Yacht world and craigslist and every classified out there?...

One day, a long time back, I had the opportunity to showoff my then boat project to a client. I had spent a small fortune in time and money to bring that old boat to an admirable stage. As I proudly showed him through the boat, he remained stoic and thoughtful, not saying a word but carefully looking over everything. Finally he said to me: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

[Johnathon123]

I can quit anytime, anytime I want to BUT I do it for my family, they have so much fun (or they get locked in the front cabin), they can't imagine a weekend without sailing, (because that is all they have ever done and that is all I let them imagine), We have moved into a smaller house, after all we spend all weekend sailing, because the family enjoy it so much, so what is the point in having a big house, sure the 3 kids are all sharing one room, next door to ours and we only have one bathroom but thats OK because we have been able to buy a bigger boat with the leftover money from the house and ultimately that is what the family wants, to enable us to sail more and of course we allow the kids to play their own sports, whatever class of boat they want, as long as it is sailing and Dad can follow in a dinghy screaming from a megaphone as the brothers and sisters sail together fighting non stop around the course, of course they get an old boat with old sails so the "family boat" can have better gear, their choice, they just love the big boat so much.

One time a mate who came sailing with us said the kids looked a little bit afraid when he spilt his drink on the teak deck, he reckons my daughter pulled him aside and said dad screams when things get spilt on the boat, kids say the damdest things, I explained to him that the kids just love the boat so much that they hate to see anything happen to her!

Sometimes the wife suggests holidaying in other places than the boat on the harbour, sure no problems I say, I will just sail the boat down the coast to a different harbour, Usually when this happens she throws the brochures of resorts and foreign lands on the floor (somewhat aggressively in my opinion) and goes off quietly to another room by herself (I assume to celebrate her own special way). She is obviously then busy planning for the bonus time on the boat because she doesn't seem to have any left over capacity to talk to me for about a week or so.

Anyway like I said, I can stop any time I want, BUT, you know, the things you do for family!