What Do Women Want ?

[44'cruisingcat]

Unfortunately, what women want is not a constant.

A recent university study showed that the kind of male face that a woman finds attractive can differ, depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.

For instance, if she is ovulating, she will be attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. However if she is menstruating, she is more prone to prefer a man with scissors shoved in his temple and a cricket bat jammed up his arse while he is on fire.

[Kimarah]

For the guys saying that women want too much stuff...

I have to point out that the original question was what do women want, not what do women need. If I had been asked about what was on the list of absolute requirements for the new boat, the list would have been different, and would contain items that are difficult to change later (like adequate engine access). Every boat is a compromise. If you have a smaller budget, you are likely to have to do without more of the nice to haves. Our last boat was a Catalina 27, and was a lovely boat for cruising around the Bay. I wouldn't want to have cruised full time on it, but if we'd both lost our jobs, I would have.

As it happens, a boat that met most of our need to haves came along with some pretty nice to haves. She needs some work, and therefore was a good price. That was a compromise that we were willing to make.

And finally, as far as I can tell, the Captain enjoys the things on my list as much as I do. In fact, there are some things, like the anchor washdown, I wouldn't have thought of until he installed one and I discovered how terrifically useful it is.

[fishwife]

Adding to my list

Bilge pumps that can cope with a two inch hole a foot below the waterline, that the skipper checks weekly to make sure they are functional.
An ocean rated life raft.
Two EPIRBs, one float free, one in the grab bag.
I'll do without the television but make sure you spend the extra money on a couple of hand help GPS's.
I'm an admiral without a skipper, but if I had one, I'd want to know that I could run the boat on my own if need be.

Paige

[decktapper]

[QUOTE=Ex-Calif;350306]A place to stow dismembered skipper parts...

Ex-Calif: The First Mate (wife) is kinda fond of the skipper with all of his parts in tact. She does not appreciate suggestions that they may become otherwise.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Before heading off to capture myself some crew, I am planning to upgrade the onboard facilities

I am kinda hoping may be part of a Cinderella thing........."Whoever this..........."

[rebel heart]

My wife wants it to be as much a home as a ship. Honestly, her input has made our boat much prettier than I would have.

Honestly more than anything women (decent ones anyway) want a husband that takes their feelings into account and doesn't turn into Captain A-Hole the minute the mooring lines are cast off.

[sailorboy1]

to all - thanks

1 - to all that said women were more trouble than worth - I feel sad for you

2 - to all guys who payed attention to women's answers or guys who gave direct answers from what their female friend wanted - you're going to be a lot happier than the first group above

You know I've seen a lot of women's answers now that suggest a comfortable boat (sailing and for home) is the overall answer. I get the feeling that overall women would perfer a heavier boat over a lighter one for the comfortable and safe feeling (no women has asked she wants a light fast hold onto to your stomach boat). I feel this is important for men to know as a light/fast boat that your female friend wouldn't go out on during most "reasonable" weather doesn't really go anywhere, and therefore is a slow boat!

[Lady Circumnavi]

Years ago I was tied up at a marina in Michigan when those of us on the dock noticed a sailboat barreling towards us. A woman stood on the bow with docklines in hand. When the boat was about forty feet from the dock, the skippers screamed, "Jump!" Of course she didn't, but stood there looking foolish. Closing on the dock at about five knots, the man yelled again, "Jump." This time the woman glanced back at him as the boat seemed to finally slow a little. At ten feet away, he bellowed, "Jump, you bitch, Jump!" Which she did, fully clothed, into the water and swam away from the dock and toward the shore. All of us on the dock braced for impact and prepared to grab whatever we could to slow the forty footer as it entered the slip. But it came in too fast, sliding along the dock, tearing up slivers of timber which traced a thick line along the hull. Finally, the bow hit a thick wooden piling which leaned with a moan, then rebounded, successfully slowing the boat before it ran into the concrete wall at the end of the slip.

I looked for the woman. She had climbed ashore and disappeared without ever looking back.

[Bash]

Given my limited experience, being married to the same woman for 32 years and having lived aboard two different boats with her for ten of those years, I don't think it was ever about stuff. It was more about the design of the boat, especially the boat's interior. When we were looking for our first liveaboard, I fell in love with an older Swan 41, but my wife vetoed the purchase before her foot hit the bottom of the companionway. It was too dark, too stuffy. She wanted the type of airy, open, beamy production boat that many cruisers consider "dockominiums." Something with a great galley, a zillion hatches, and some room inside. First time we walked into one of the larger Hunters, she said, "This is it. I could live on this boat."

I had to do some real soul searching at that point. I'd previously campaigned two racers, an Olson 30 and then an Express 37, and it was going to be tough to purchase something that didn't point as high as those previous boats. But I really wanted to live aboard, and I really wanted my wife to enjoy living on a boat as much as I did.

We bought the dockominium, and then eight years later bought an even larger one. Looking back, I'm glad we didn't buy the Swan. I have a wife who loves spending time on the boat, and loves to invite friends, colleagues and even my students for a daysail. We look forward, after retirement, to taking the boat to Mexico where I should be able to continue my research while cruising. Had we bought the Swan, it's entirely possible we'd be back in a house at this point, and I'd be sailing without my sweetheart on weekends just like in the days before we got the Hunter.

It irritates me when people on this forum engage in Hunter bashing, especially when the people involved own boats far less seaworthy than my H46LE. I think part of the bad rap Hunters get is the result of an incipient sexism directed toward a boat where the design integrates many features that appeal to women boaters. It's light, it's airy, it's a great place to entertain, and the galley is enormous, stocked with features like a dish cabinet that doubles as a drying rack, complete with its own circulation fan. (Please note that, on my boat, the husband is the primary dishwasher.)

Guys at the yacht club are always commenting on how lucky I am to have a wife who is such an avid sailor and who actually lets me live aboard. The reality is, it has nothing to do with luck. I can assure you that back in the days when I owned a boat where women had to pee in a bucket and sleep on pipe berths, my wife was far less disposed to spend time at sea.

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

to all - thanks

1 - to all that said women were more trouble than worth - I feel sad for you

2 - to all guys who payed attention to women's answers or guys who gave direct answers from what their female friend wanted - you're going to be a lot happier than the first group above

You know I've seen a lot of women's answers now that suggest a comfortable boat (sailing and for home) is the overall answer. I get the feeling that overall women would perfer a heavier boat over a lighter one for the comfortable and safe feeling (no women has asked she wants a light fast hold onto to your stomach boat). I feel this is important for men to know as a light/fast boat that your female friend wouldn't go out on during most "reasonable" weather doesn't really go anywhere, and therefore is a slow boat!

What he said. I have owned two sailboats, and my wife mucho perfers the heavy one.

But that's just her.




I think the main thing is that a woman wants a man who listens and cares enough to take care of her needs. What transpires after that differs from woman to woman.

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by Lady Circumnavi

Years ago I was tied up at a marina in Michigan when those of us on the dock noticed a sailboat barreling towards us. A woman stood on the bow with docklines in hand. When the boat was about forty feet from the dock, the skippers screamed, "Jump!" Of course she didn't, but stood there looking foolish. Closing on the dock at about five knots, the man yelled again, "Jump." This time the woman glanced back at him as the boat seemed to finally slow a little. At ten feet away, he bellowed, "Jump, you bitch, Jump!" Which she did, fully clothed, into the water and swam away from the dock and toward the shore. All of us on the dock braced for impact and prepared to grab whatever we could to slow the forty footer as it entered the slip. But it came in too fast, sliding along the dock, tearing up slivers of timber which traced a thick line along the hull. Finally, the bow hit a thick wooden piling which leaned with a moan, then rebounded, successfully slowing the boat before it ran into the concrete wall at the end of the slip.

I looked for the woman. She had climbed ashore and disappeared without ever looking back.

I was married to a woman not too unlike that.

[Hiracer]

Originally Posted by Hiracer

I was married to a woman not too unlike that.

Not too unlike that GUY.

[andreavanduyn]

Mine only wanted to be able to look outside whilst in the galley (she is a great cook) and the boat we just bought does not have this porthole

First job for me is getting out the chainsaw as I want her to be happywith our new 'investment'

[blu]

As the girl says,(the one that owns me) what's hers is hers, what's mine is hers, and if she needs anything she'll get me to get it for her. What was the original question, no wait she is on her way and will let me know.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Don Lucas

I get the feeling that overall women would perfer a heavier boat over a lighter one for the comfortable and safe feeling

LOL **Bzzzzt** Lose a turn and forfit $50. OK, yes, of course some will think that.

Originally Posted by Bash

I'm glad we didn't buy the Swan. I have a wife who loves spending time on the boat, and loves to invite friends, colleagues and even my students for a daysail. We look forward, after retirement, to taking the boat to Mexico where I should be able to continue my research while cruising. Had we bought the Swan, it's entirely possible we'd be back in a house at this point, and I'd be sailing without my sweetheart on weekends just like in the days before we got the Hunter.

He's not the only Swan lover to have thought that.
Have a friend with one. His is a finacial drain on him so large that with a tear in his eye he told me he had to get it back home and sell it and go back to work. It made it harder for him to admit the only person on his boat - 2 kids and him & wife - that liked the boat was..... <drum roll>... him. All the work he put into it, puts into it, to keep it going has left him broke and disolusioned.

Worse he offered to me that the cost of his boat was far higher than a brand new Beneteau of nearly similar size, but his was 20 years old.

Worse still was what his wife said to him the first time she stepped onto our boat and had a look. Maybe she was being funny yelling accross the anchorage.... but he took it to heart, as anyone would. I won't repeat it.

No, heavier ain't better! I don't feel they are better at sea for sea sickness and I know they ain't better when it comes to women.

Have a look at some of the production boats out there and tell me that they are not worth the money and women won't like then above heavy boats.

The pic below is from a Hunter... yep its a bath tub. With turbo!

with one of those you will be the winnner