Your Boat Relationship

[ADMPRTR]

Whats your relationship with your boat?

To get it started, I personally have a love-hate relationship with my boat Scoundrel. In fact, I tried to sell her last season but have since grown more fond of my floating hole in the water. When people ask about the name, I say that it was christened by the PO but I kept the name because she steals all my money.

It was the same with my previous boat. I had mixed feelings. It is almost as if I wouldn't want a boat that I could afford to own (to paraphrase Groucho Marx).

I bought the the boat to enhance my feeling of freedom and dreams of sailing off that I get when on the water but then reality hit with the need to maintain, renew and upgrade. I am not sure I am getting good value for my time and money but I am in for a penny and in for a pound. However, sometimes I feel like a slave to my obsession. This is the penalty of buying the biggest boat I can afford...or perhaps buying any boat.

I know I am not the only one who has ambivalent feelings about their boat. I almost assume it is universal but perhaps not. Perhaps there are people who are wholly committed to the lifestyle and the obligations of boat ownership.

Comments?

[crashkahuna]

I'm on boat#5 and have not had regrets or ambivalence except during times I can't give them enough of my time. I do most all the maintenance and that is all right too. Isn't it supposed to be something like 10 days maintenance per 1 day sailing?

[James S]

I definitely am in the hole when it come to value...spent way to much time and money on her but I absolutely love my boat...I'm proud of her, and can spend way to much time just being with her.

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by James S

I definitely am in the hole when it come to value...spent way to much time and money on her but I absolutely love my boat...I'm proud of her, and can spend way to much time just being with her.

I won't say that I love my boat but I do know that when I arrive at the marina, the tension of the day washes away...

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by crashkahuna

I'm on boat#5 and have not had regrets or ambivalence except during times I can't give them enough of my time. I do most all the maintenance and that is all right too. Isn't it supposed to be something like 10 days maintenance per 1 day sailing?

I would hope it isn't a 10:1 ratio. I think, for the past year, I am at a 3:1 so I guess I have nothing to complain about.

Perhaps it is where the boat is located and how frequently it is used. Up here, we only get 2-4 months of good sailing time per year and I personally find that it difficult to use it more than 4 weeks per season. Do you use yours frequently?

[barnakiel]

I like our boat a lot. If we ever move ashore again, I would like to keep her. I would not like another even if she were of the same type and make.

b.

[zeehag]

after owning and living aboard many kinds an d sizes of boats, i have grown to LOVE my boat-- she sails well, she floats and i can find stuff for her at far less than retail plus 400 percent fairly easily.

[Amapola]

I never had a relationship with my boats until Yab-Yum my Tayana 37. She was a beauty and I felt so guilty selling her. Her deep draft wasn't practical around Florida or the Bahamas. We moved on from sailing and bought Amapola, a trawler. We love her and wouldn't give her up unless we won the lottery and could afford a Nordhavn.

[Tellie]

I've always had a boat since my dad bought me a 10' plastic trimaran sailboat when I was nine. I sailed the Keys for years in that thing. But I never loved any of the boats I've owned. But I love what they do for me. The places I've been, the things I've done and seen, and the stories they provided that my grandchildren will someday say "Ahh come on grandpa!" to.

[ADMPRTR]

I think I may have "loved" my first boat but again,it was mixed with other feelings. But, it was special (I learned to sail on her). For my current boat I have, shall I say, respect but definitely not love.

However, we recently went to a boat show (new and used boats), and found it interesting that in comparison with our current boat , they all had short comings. We got new respect for what we had. But that isn't love, that just acceptance, I think.

IMO, boat ownership is 90% emotion so with that comes both positive and negative emotions.

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by Amapola

I never had a relationship with my boats until Yab-Yum my Tayana 37. She was a beauty and I felt so guilty selling her. Her deep draft wasn't practical around Florida or the Bahamas. We moved on from sailing and bought Amapola, a trawler. We love her and wouldn't give her up unless we won the lottery and could afford a Nordhavn.

How did you find the transition to a trawler. Do you miss having sails?

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by Tellie

But I love what they do for me. The places I've been, the things I've done and seen, and the stories they provided that my grandchildren will someday say "Ahh come on grandpa!" to.

I agree 100%.

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by zeehag

after owning and living aboard many kinds an d sizes of boats, i have grown to LOVE my boat-- she sails well, she floats and i can find stuff for her at far less than retail plus 400 percent fairly easily.

A boat that floats is always a good thing.

I think you have touched on the key. Affordablity (both financially and technically). If you are overwhelmed by the boat then it becomes an undesirable anchor but if it is in you means, you can enjoy what you have. I know the times I feel ambivalent is when my time or finances are too constrained to deal with issues appropriately.

[ADMPRTR]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

I like our boat a lot. If we ever move ashore again, I would like to keep her. I would not like another even if she were of the same type and make.

b.

Interesting. Is that because of the history you have shared with her and the memories you have?

[IdoraKeeper]

I love my boat and will go down and take a nap with her at the drop of a hat.

Todd