Blaming 'The Wife'

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Livia

Often on forums a man will post a question about his need for a huge boat, with a big generator, AC, and all of the other gadgets that money can buy...and somewhere in the post make certain to add that all of these additions are "because his wife insists".

Surely sometimes this is true. The wife really is insisting on a hair dryer, AC, a walk-in freezer and a blender operated by a hot cabana boy named Tyrone.

But sometimes, don't you think, just maybe, the wife is a convenient excuse for walking into a marine store, inhaling the smell of newness, whipping out the plastic and cracking open the packaging on a big, expensive, shiny, new boat toy?

I dunno. I think you would be hard pressed to find anyone here ashamed of the love of "expensive, shiny boat toys", to the extent that we would need to think up some story or excuse. We're pretty much all out of the closet on that one, butch.

I have a giant boat with the generator, a metric ton of water on board, and all that other stuff. If I were single, I would not have bought it. That's the simple and honest truth. The Wife Buy-In is SO important, that it does greatly mold the behavior of many of us. You might consider the possibility that we are actually sincere.

[cchesley]

Well. Prior to buying THE boat, we chartered. It seems the captain was a tad bit antsy about the water and electrical consumption. The crew made a small comment that perhaps he was too antsy about such things and that it could be a drag on enjoying the cruising life.

I, I mean... , the captain explained that if being antsy was going to be an issue, it could only be solved by the addition to the budget items of one watermaker and one generator. Approved!

Tell me again whose fault it was....?

[Livia]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

You might consider the possibility that we are actually sincere.

I do, I do.

I hope you consider the possibility that this thread is supposed to be in jest.

[Livia]

Originally Posted by cchesley

Tell me again whose fault it was....?

Sounds like a win-win to me

[Jim Cate]

G'Day All,

Well, I can tell you that Ann likes shopping in the Chandlery one hell of a lot more than I enjoy shopping in fashion botiques!

Seems to work out for us -- no excuses for boat toys other than a quick look at the bank balance and a check for locker space on board.

Cheers,

Jim and Ann s/v Insatiable II lying Towlers Bay, NSW, Oz

[barnakiel]

Shopping ....

It is a good thing they have only a limited choice of ladies' shoes at our chandlery ;-)))

b.

[Laidback]

The Thread titled "Blaming , The Wife", would this title be analogous to " The Washing Machine" or 'THe Kitchen Hand" ?
What a pity we cannot show respect !

[Not Sure]

Originally Posted by sarafina

Funny... we were at a boat show this last weekend over in Alameda. We looked at maybe 60 boats from the outside. Climbed onto maybe 15. Passed all the catalinas and j boats, peeked at the smaller Island packets because they just seem nice. but there were 3 boats that we REALLY liked. not the biggest, not the most expensive. not the newest. In fact we were unanimous in loving three smallest, oldest and cheapest boats at the show.

A Hunter 35, 1993 for 60k
a Fantasia 35, 1980 maybe, 40k I think
and a S2 10.3 (34), 1979 31k

On each of these boats we each walked on and said 'Now I could live on this boat!'

So it sounds like contrary to what many others experience, Himself and I are in step about what we like.

We both loved our little Cal when we first saw her too.

And while I don't need or want blinky lights or lots of complicated systems, I do agree with Himself that we will be happier in slightly roomier quarters for cruising.

I think boats speak to each of us differently... we just have to listen carefully.

And I don't think you could give us the hans christensen 31 we saw at 90k...

I've got a 1979 S2 sitting right next to me right now in the next slip over. I spoke to the owner a week or so ago when he stopped by. He said that he's "done all kinds of improvements" on the boat, and that he was the original owner. I almost choked on my tongue. Poor boat. It looks like nobody's done a stitch of work on her for the entire time that he's owned it, other than the 'improvements' that....well, put it this way, the boat leaks like a sieve. I wouldn't want that S2 if you gave it to me, which is a damn shame to see....

[bella]

Originally Posted by Livia

But sometimes, don't you think, just maybe, the wife is a convenient excuse for walking into a marine store, inhaling the smell of newness, whipping out the plastic and cracking open the packaging on a big, expensive, shiny, new boat toy?

yeah.... pretty much that is true. I have seen a LOT Of guys use the wife as an excuse to bring their preferences offshore because they don't want to admit that thier idea of camping out is a Holiday Inn with no room service.
YMMV
AM

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by Laidback

The Thread titled "Blaming , The Wife", would this title be analogous to " The Washing Machine" or 'THe Kitchen Hand" ?
What a pity we cannot show respect !

It is not "Blaming , The Wife". It is "Blaming 'The Wife'."

Off course, if anybody started a thread on wives blaming their husbands, it would be immediately reported, deleted or hijacked ;-)))

;-)))
b.

[bella]

Originally Posted by Laidback

The Thread titled "Blaming , The Wife", would this title be analogous to " The Washing Machine" or 'THe Kitchen Hand" ?
What a pity we cannot show respect !

Respect for what.... the wife or the guy that uses his wife as an excuse to buy fancty toys for the boat.. some people take life far to seriously I think.

[John A]

We spend so much time throwing rocks at each other, that when these light hearted threads pop up it's hard to shift gears.
As a singlehandler, I have the deepest respect for the many wives and girlfriends that are cruising.
We men really don't want to know what women are saying when they group together, glance in our direction, roll their eyes, and laugh.

[bobfnbw]

I got my wife to drive all night with me to see a boat in Florida. 50 footer. Beautiful. A real keeper. She walks down the ladder and looks at the salon... and says, "its a bit small ain't it". OMG I think, what have I done?
Then there are the times when I feel she just isn't listening to anything I am saying about the boat, get exsaperated, and she seems to understand just fine.
She might not tie a perfect bowline, but the girl has spunk. So while she would do just fine with less, I am trying to add more to please both her and I .
Who wants to rough it while cruising ?
Not I.

[bella]

Originally Posted by John A

We spend so much time throwing rocks at each other, that when these light hearted threads pop up it's hard to shift gears.
As a singlehandler, I have the deepest respect for the many wives and girlfriends that are cruising.
We men really don't want to know what women are saying when they group together, glance in our direction, roll their eyes, and laugh.

You are right you don't want to know..but it was about that time you ... and then you ... and the look on your face was so..... and at that point every woman in the circle is laughing hystrically..

Life is far to short to take it all so seriously..and men and women have been blaming each other ever since Eve conned Adam into that apple.. poor Adam, little did he know...

[Livia]

Originally Posted by John A

We spend so much time throwing rocks at each other, that when these light hearted threads pop up it's hard to shift gears.

Lighthearted was certainly my goal.

My new strategy has been to PM someone to chat one-on-one if I don't get their post. More than half the time I realize that I misunderstood and the other times people seem to mellow their stance when one-on-one.

Either way, MY blood pressure stays low

Not to derail my own thread but as part of a couple I have a lot of respect for the people out there singlehanding without (as I perceive it) a built in person to lean on for support.