Boats, a sentimental attachment?

The question may surprise you but here is the background. When I bought my boat, it was an heartbreaking event for the PO. He was thinking that I was not really interested in at the beginning and when it was time to take ownership he realized it was the last day he would own it which was very sentimental moment. Recently a guy at the marina sold his boat, he was old and it was time for him to turn the page. Even if he told me that it was enough and he wanted to do something else, today when the new owners came to finalize the selling and he realized it was the last time he would be here, it was again very sentimental.
I imagine the same for me, I only own it for 2 years now but I put so much of myself in it that it is a special relationship and I would be very sad to loose it.

What about you? Is your boat a consumable, just an object, or do you have more of a special relationship with her?

L.

We owned our last boat for 14 years. Our three children grew up with that boat, with many nights in the Abacos and at anchor on weekends.

We eventually donated it to the Safe Harbor boys home. When they came to get it we helped them to the lock where we got off. We were both in tears as she disappeared around the corner.

So yes. It was very emotional for us. We still had the memories, but the source of them had left.

Lou_tribal said:

The question may surprise you but here is the background. When I bought my boat, it was an heartbreaking event for the PO. He was thinking that I was not really interested in at the beginning and when it was time to take ownership he realized it was the last day he would own it which was very sentimental moment. Recently a guy at the marina sold his boat, he was old and it was time for him to turn the page. Even if he told me that it was enough and he wanted to do something else, today when the new owners came to finalize the selling and he realized it was the last time he would be here, it was again very sentimental.
I imagine the same for me, I only own it for 2 years now but I put so much of myself in it that it is a special relationship and I would be very sad to loose it.

What about you? Is your boat a consumable, just an object, or do you have more of a special relationship with her?

L.

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What does PO stand for??
Police Officer
Post Office
Print Out
Purchase Order
??

Mike.p said:

What does PO stand for??
Police Officer
Post Office
Print Out
Purchase Order
??

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Quite simply PREVIOUS OWNER

Prior Owner

I've installed 9 years of my life into my rebuild, I hope my son takes it on when I am done.

swampu said:

I've installed 9 years of my life into my rebuild, I hope my son takes it on when I am done.

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That great feeling does you credit

I used to have a Sea Ray 330 Sundancer. We were out one beautiful night just drifting on the Columbia River, with all the nav lights on and the cockpit well let.


We were hit by a BUI boater, the boat was totaled and I was paid off by my insurance company.


When that all happened I had a strange emotion, leaving me to feel like I had a child injured and I had somehow let her down. When they came to haul her away I had more than one tear in my eye.


Yes, there is a sentimental attachment.

I think most of us are NOT attached to our boats as the mechanical contraptions that they are. I believe most of us ARE attached to the memories we have created in and on those contraptions.

I feel that the longer I own a boat, the more of myself I pour into the boat and the more the boat becomes part of my personality. Unlike a car or an RV or an airplane and more like a pet dog, a boat takes on part of us and give some of itself back to us.

I have had some boats that were part of great adventures and memories , some quite special that will never be forgotten. Similarly we have had homes and to a lesser extent cars/trucks that were parts of great memories as unique parts of our lives.
Very feel very fortunate that boats , homes and cars played roles in these memories and are thankful for those experiences.
But the object itself is not something we get emotional about even of its been part of the adventure for many years - the people are what generate the emotions and attachments.
YMMV

I had a similar experience with the PO of my boat: The sale was sans brokers, so we got to know each other during the buying process. An informal condition of the sale - suggested several times by the PO - was that they'd spend time with me on the boat to do a system orientation and answer any questions I had. Unfortunately, the PO was so emotional during the event that I felt I was torturing him, and I didn't benefit much from it. I later arranged with the yard that prepared my boat for the delivery trip to have one of their employees most familiar with my boat to accomplish the same thing, and that worked out well.

I haven't had the boat long enough to develop similar attachments. It's a love/hate relationship at this point. Some days there's nothing I'd rather own, be doing, or a have in our future. Other days I question my sanity and wonder if I'll ever be rid of it. The happy thoughts far outweigh the grim - so far.

Love affair depth with boats, cars or other useful material objects are generated by the lovely times that occur in life during days, months, years of ownership.

Point in fact: Dad sold his 17' cabin cruiser o/b boat and purchased 1948 23' Chris Craft Express cabin cruiser when I was about 5 yrs. old. Our family had looked at many boats before locating that Chris. We owned it and used it very often till I was about 13. During that 8 yr. time span, in addition to many adventures aboard that Chris [sometimes our family of five spending up to 4 summer weeks aboard during Dad's vacations] I grew up working with Dad on that boat. Yes, we loved that Chris!

When we sold the 1948 Chris [simply because our family out grew it] there was sadness in our family; even though Dad had already purchased a nice 31' boat as replacement.

The 31 footer for reasons just could not generate our love for it. It was replaced the very next year with a 38' raised deck sport-fisher with flying bridge. That boat was our next love affair due to many great times aboard over a span of 11 years. She was a woody, but, built like a destroyer! Hope she still floats and is cared for some place in New England.

Wife and I love the times we have aboard our Tollycraft boat; 9 years so far with no sale-plan on the horizon [see avatar]. We love the boat cause we love the times aboard and it is a cool, comfortable, "well behaved" mid sized Pleasure Craft.

Happy Boat-Love Daze! - Art

David Rive said:

I think most of us are NOT attached to our boats as the mechanical contraptions that they are. I believe most of us ARE attached to the memories we have created in and on those contraptions.

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Absolutely. It's not the boat, it's the life with it, the memories and experiences. Then in the case of PO's mentioned above I think it was the loss of a part of their lives, the realization their boating days were over. That has to be a horrible sensation to realize "no more", that one won't be getting out on the water today or this week or this month or this ever. We'll feel some sense of loss when we sell any boat, but it's the last one that will be toughest.

David Rive said:

I think most of us are NOT attached to our boats as the mechanical contraptions that they are. I believe most of us ARE attached to the memories we have created in and on those contraptions.

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We bought our current boat prior to selling our previous boat. The new boat was a big upgrade, and the stress of potentially owning two boats was somewhat high.

However, driving away from the closing of the sale of the previous boat, my wife started crying. Not from relief or joy, but sadness. I've boated my entire life. She has not. We spent 10 years with that boat. In her teary words "All of my boating firsts were on that boat".

I think vessels are like an ex-wife.

You always remember them. All the good times and oh yeah all the bad times!!!


Cheers.

H.

Think a lot depends on how much sweat equity you have invested. If all you do is write the checks, it's probably tough to get attached to it.

Ted

O C Diver said:

Think a lot depends on how much sweat equity you have invested. If all you do is write the checks, it's probably tough to get attached to it.

Ted

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Indeed, and that is where I make a distinction between a "vulgar" object that you can pay for and sell or throw away, and something you invest your time and personality in.

L

O C Diver said:

Think a lot depends on how much sweat equity you have invested. If all you do is write the checks, it's probably tough to get attached to it.

Ted

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Have you tried both "sides" (sweat versus dollars) and felt a noticeable difference?

markpierce said:

Have you tried both "sides" (sweat versus dollars) and felt a noticeable difference?

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Well I could buy and sell something but I would never been able to monetize the heart I put in some other things.

L

markpierce said:

Have you tried both "sides" (sweat versus dollars) and felt a noticeable difference?

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Yes, automobiles and pickup trucks. Before you tell me that's different, I've had 3 vehicles in the last 37 years. Only do routine service now. Everything else is done by professionals. A totally different feeling from doing body work and repainting it yourself.

Ted

It's my boat and I'm proud of the fact that I am the only one who has ever worked on it since we've owned it, (17 years.) Except for the bottom paint which gets done in the yard, everything else, plumbin', electrical, mechanical, and bright work, is done by me. Wouldn't have it any other way.

markpierce said:

Have you tried both "sides" (sweat versus dollars) and felt a noticeable difference?

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Yes - and I do not feel a difference. The memories are just about all about the experiences and people at the time. That is what makes up the emotional component.
Of course , others obviously can be much different.

ancora said:

It's my boat and I'm proud of the fact that I am the only one who has ever worked on it since we've owned it, (17 years.) Except for the bottom paint which gets done in the yard, everything else, plumbin', electrical, mechanical, and bright work, is done by me. Wouldn't have it any other way.

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I am impressed!

Lou, it's a HUGE piece of freedom to "have and to hold" a boat that can take me pretty much any where I can "Imagine." Yeah, I put a ton of time into refinishing, rebuilding, replacing/upgrading vs. my house, which is easily worth 10X more $$ to somebody else.

But it's not about the $$, it's about freedom, dealing with whatever the sea throws at me, and coming up with a card to play the meets or beats what the sea plays. And the sea can play any card, any time, day or night.

Fun game, at least for me!

ancora said:

It's my boat and I'm proud of the fact that I am the only one who has ever worked on it since we've owned it, (17 years.) Except for the bottom paint which gets done in the yard, everything else, plumbin', electrical, mechanical, and bright work, is done by me. Wouldn't have it any other way.

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Really great - and very unusual that an owner does all mechanical work on a diesel powered boat for such time intervals - always good to know your boat and engines that well.

I think the other big part of this is all the dreams and fantasies that you have wrapped up in the boat have to be killed when you sell it. Very few people spend years dreaming about the day they will live in their car, and travel the world. Half the fun of boating is dreaming about the adventures you are going to have next season. It is much easier to sell a boat if there is a cool new one in your future. The time I get sentimental about my old boats is when my current one need tons of work, and I think back to simpler days, when I had so many less systems to break down.

My diesels are "old school" all mechanical...no electronics to go bad. With the new engines, I would be SOL. On our cars, I just do oil changes and tire rotations.

A post I made on Facebook when I sold my previous boat...tis my capture some of what we are talking about:

The view as I walked away for the last time. They say the the "2 happiest days of a boat owner's life is the day you buy it and the day you sell it". I happen to disagree. While I will be moving on ref boats, I am somewhat sad to see it go. It was nothing but a great boat!!
"Guilt" might be too strong of a word and for lack of a better one, but sometimes I may feel that way to be fortunate enough to be able to have such a "toy". But my whole purpose for owning a boat is to allow a great place for friends and family to gather....and what great gatherings this boat has seen. So for those of you that have come aboard, thanks for coming along. It was TRULY my pleasure. And for those of you that missed this boat, I am sure there will be another one and look forward to our "future gatherings" and fellowship.
Fair winds, "FLYIN' LOW". May you continue the wonderful spirit and bestow it upon your new owners!!!

Yes, we can get emotions about our toys, whether they are boats, cars, planes or women <g>. (I'm sure I'll get some flack on that one....)

I know, us folks in aviation, get very attached to their planes and the joy and freedom they bring. I love mine, and she loves me.... and had her for 22 years.

My current boat feels like I have a new GF... she's hot, comfortable, treats me well and is a good looker. What more could a guy want. But the bond will be built over time.

The Sea Ray that I had for almost 10 years was emotional, too. One of my first "bigger" boats, and that's kinda a milestone.... like your first GF that you xxx with. But at the end, she was worn out... engine was shot, old stuff that was breaking so I put her down, like an old cat, but a lot of wonderful times on her, and a huge learning curve.

Women are a lot like boat, too. Some you love, some just break down, some you marry and some you divorce. But the boats are MUCH more forgiving. You can have a good time on your buddy's boat and your boat won't mind......

However, ALL of the above come with a cost..... and often worth it.