Discover Boating's "Spousal Conversion Kit"- Is it 1955 or 2015?

[JulieMac]

I stumbled upon an industry wide site that encourages people to "discover boating". Mostly geared towards power boaters.
Spousal Conversion Kit

Quite surprised to see an entire page dedicated to getting the S.O., or admiral on board the plan to buy the boat.

I especially like the scripts for conversing with the little lady, oops, I mean the wife.


Hi Honey.
You know how you’re always trying to get me to open up more and talk about my feelings. Okay. Why not? Let’s talk about us. Us getting a boat. A boat would be great fun for our relationship. Get it? Relation-SHIP. After all, a ship is a boat and boating will give us lots of ways to spend time together. We can enjoy the great outdoors together. You can tan on the deck. I can fish (or “I can tan on the deck and you can fish”).

Also, the helpful videos emphasizing "family time" aboard your heavily equipped fishing boat.

I'd like to think that we as sailors are above this sort of scheme.


Guess I need to develop a sense of humor?

[transmitterdan]

And the NMMA wonder why fewer people (as a percentage) are interested in boating...

They need to take that page down.

[goboatingnow]

I just laughed at most of that page, where do they find such nonsense , anyway its just convincing you to go fishing , thats not boating at all.

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by JulieMac

I stumbled upon an industry wide site that encourages people to "discover boating". Mostly geared towards power boaters.
Spousal Conversion Kit

Quite surprised to see an entire page dedicated to getting the S.O., or admiral on board the plan to buy the boat.

I especially like the scripts for conversing with the little lady, oops, I mean the wife.


Hi Honey.
You know how you’re always trying to get me to open up more and talk about my feelings. Okay. Why not? Let’s talk about us. Us getting a boat. A boat would be great fun for our relationship. Get it? Relation-SHIP. After all, a ship is a boat and boating will give us lots of ways to spend time together. We can enjoy the great outdoors together. You can tan on the deck. I can fish (or “I can tan on the deck and you can fish”).

Also, the helpful videos emphasizing "family time" aboard your heavily equipped fishing boat.

I'd like to think that we as sailors are above this sort of scheme.


Guess I need to develop a sense of humor?

Look again. It isn't dedicated to getting the little lady on board, it's dedicated to getting you spouse on board. It is all entirely gender neutral. Your own bias coloured your reading of it.

Of course, your bias is well informed. A majority of the time if one spouse is more into it than the other, it is the husband trying to convince the wife. Not always, but usually.

I agree it's corny, but it's also an issue that a lot of couples need to deal with.

[JulieMac]

Look again. It isn't dedicated to getting the little lady on board, it's dedicated to getting you spouse on board. It is all entirely gender neutral. Your own bias coloured your reading of it.



Oh come on, when's the last time you heard of a woman saying this to her husband?
"Hi Honey.
You know how you’re always trying to get me to open up more and talk about my feelings."

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by JulieMac

Look again. It isn't dedicated to getting the little lady on board, it's dedicated to getting you spouse on board. It is all entirely gender neutral. Your own bias coloured your reading of it.



Oh come on, when's the last time you heard of a woman saying this to her husband?
"Hi Honey.
You know how you’re always trying to get me to open up more and talk about my feelings."

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by JulieMac

I'd like to think that we as sailors are above this sort of scheme.


Guess I need to develop a sense of humor?

You mean sailors like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Get-Her-Board-...t+her+on+board

Actually, it is a fairly practical and somewhat humorous read.

~ Following Cs ~

[Julie Mor]

Wife's reply to boating: Gee, Honey. I don't know. But I have a better idea. How about spending a day at the arts & crafts fair? We could have so much fun! There are so many great things to see. After one day, I'm sure you'll want to spend the whole weekend there!

Husband: Gosh darnit, Sweetie! Sounds great but I just remembered there's that backup in our sewer line I have to work on this weekend. And after that's done, I really need to etch the soot off the fireplace with some muratic acid. Maybe next time, as long as nothing catastrophic around here takes me away from having fun. But you should go and have fun! Don't worry about me. I'll be okay.

Wife leaves and husband races to the frig and grabs a beer. "Whew! That was close!"

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by JulieMac

Look again. It isn't dedicated to getting the little lady on board, it's dedicated to getting you spouse on board. It is all entirely gender neutral. Your own bias coloured your reading of it.



Oh come on, when's the last time you heard of a woman saying this to her husband?
"Hi Honey.
You know how you’re always trying to get me to open up more and talk about my feelings."

LOL. As I said, it does often go one way more than the other... Maybe it's just a rather sensitive husband and wife who won't talk about her feelings?

Seriously, though... They've tried hard to be gender neutral but it's clear what their intent is. And the truth is that usually the husband is the one who wants a boat, especially when it's a fishing boat which is what the site seems to be focused on.

I wonder how or if the conversation is different with sailboats vs small fishing boats. It seems that many of the couples I meet are equally interested in sailing (though certainly not all). I'm fortunate that my wife was and is (almost) as excited about sailing and cruising as I am.

[FollowingCs]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

I wonder how or if the conversation is different with sailboats vs small fishing boats. It seems that many of the couples I meet are equally interested in sailing (though certainly not all). I'm fortunate that my wife was and is (almost) as excited about sailing and cruising as I am.

In that book that I referenced earlier, "Get Her On Board - Secrets to Sharing the Cruising Dream", it is probably different because it talks about Cruising. Leaving friends and family, and heading out on the sea with her idiot....i mean... husband. It brings up some very practical advise. Like never let a broker talk to your wife, never let her see a boat before you've looked at it, etc. etc. But it also brings up some of the things that might scare her, stuff us guys don't think of much - nice ways to ease her in to it. Some of it worked for my wife, she attended the Annapolis show with me and was asking 'ownership' questions!!

~ Following Cs ~

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by FollowingCs

In that book that I referenced earlier, "Get Her On Board - Secrets to Sharing the Cruising Dream", it is probably different because it talks about Cruising. Leaving friends and family, and heading out on the sea with her idiot....i mean... husband. It brings up some very practical advise. Like never let a broker talk to your wife, never let her see a boat before you've looked at it, etc. etc. But it also brings up some of the things that might scare her, stuff us guys don't think of much - nice ways to ease her in to it. Some of it worked for my wife, she attended the Annapolis show with me and was asking 'ownership' questions!!

~ Following Cs ~

Yes, I totally agree that long distance cruising is a very different matter than coastal trips and day sailing. Most women I know are really into the latter but very hesitant about the former. A major factor is certainly connections to friends and family. Another is perhaps risk tolerance.

[FollowingCs]

That web page has to be a joke, right?? lol. I just read 5 minutes and couldn't stop laughing.

Boating movie suggestions include: On Golden Pond, Message in a Bottle, Captain, One Crazy Summer, Summer Rental, Miami Vice.

C'mon, left out Captain Ron and Fool's Gold

~ Following Cs ~

[Mike OReilly]

Wow, I just clicked on it and got sent to the Canadian version. It may be even worse that the American. The video truly is like a blast to the 1950s; mother and daughter who talk about sunbathing, father and son who like to drive the boat and see who can make it go the fastest ... really?

It's too pathetic to laugh at. But sadly, it is probably the right tone for the target audience. I'd love to see what they think would be an appropriate pitch for cruisers.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by cwyckham

They've tried hard to be gender neutral...

Seriously though... They didn't even come CLOSE to trying hard enough. If that is them trying hard then I can't even imagine how lame that page would have been if they HADN'T "tried hard."

JulieMac, you don't need to develop a sense of humor. You just have to ignore backwards neanderthals like the ones who were dumb enough to put up a page like that.

[trapoc]

Guys and Gals live a little if the spouse doesn't share your interests it's time for a new spouse and a new boat. What are you going to do sit around until you die.It's a big ocean out there and there are plenty of fish to be caught.Nothing like chasing a new mate to make you clean up your act and feel good abour yourself. "Tip" the younger ones are easier to convince.