someone on another forum asked a question, that I have seen posted here a few times...
their question was "Do I have an obsession problem with my boat?.....
My answer here seems appropriate for this forum as well...
Do you have a problem?.... yes, you most definitely do.
nearly everyone on this forum has the same problem, so if you came here seeking help for it, you are going to be highly disappointed because you wont get any... BUT, on the brighter side, we are more than willing to offer encouragement and methods on how to go forth and drain your bank account on objects and projects for your boat. some of them being perfectly needless... its how we all live.
it doesnt matter if our boat is a large yacht or a small sailing dinghy, a lot of us have a tendency to keep adding on equipment and modifications until the boot stripe becomes the new waterline of our craft. and if the boat takes a list to one side or the other because of something we added, we dont remove it, but only find something more to add to the other side to level it back out.
and cutting or drilling holes in the boat... some people have an irrational fear of this, maybe because they have seen some of their neighbors boat projects that end up looking more like the boat has been used as target practice on the tommy gun range... but after awhile one learns to fill and fair so well that they can make the overloaded "sieve" float so that it can remain being called a boat...
then, by simply moving the waterline and boot stripe up 3 or 4 inches at the next bottom job, the boat can "set on her lines" again. but then even the bottom job can be avoided if the owner is like my brother-in-law who has a trailer queen... a powerboat he has modified to look all sleek and fast. he has rebuilt a perfectly sound motor in an attempt to get another 110hp from it, has remodeled the interior 3 times and has about 12grand in electronics, stereos, radios, tv's, sonars, radars, oversized swim platform with special custom scuba type ladder, multiple rocket launchers (so that he can fish 15 people with 3 rods each?) crab davit, a dinghy hanging off the back, and a lot of accessories... all on a 22ft boat... its been nearly 4 years and he had the boat in the water for a sea trial when he bought it, and NEVER since. no one knows if it will even float anymore and personally i think hes afraid to try it and find out, but its a darn good looking boat with all the bells and whistles, and it has kept him away from the bars and loose women, so my sister kind likes the boat too...
the point here is, no matter how much you add or do to the boat, if it is going to set on the trailer all its life and just be a project, there is no need for a fancy bottom job... and however heavy it gets, it dont matter!
almost all problems can be solved with a bit of ingenuity, determination and another boat project or modification.
but with that said, and contrary to what some of our wives may say, I dont feel its a waste of time or money at all .
sometimes I find it rather enjoyable to have the peace and quiet of sleeping on the couch (or in the boat) dreaming of ways to sell my soul or body so that I can afford more equipment for the boat while living on top raman, a can of beans and bread from the day-old bakery while im sweating and toiling over another project or the install of another expensive boat toy.... and sometimes in a completely different boat just so that I can get a change of scenery and a new challenge...
but I wouldnt go so far as to call it an obsession, but rather a very satisfying past time. and why not?, with just a bit of care and maintenance on our boats every week, what with the continual upgrades and all the efforts we put into our boat, it will out last any of us and still be looking good!!!.....
their question was "Do I have an obsession problem with my boat?.....
My answer here seems appropriate for this forum as well...
Do you have a problem?.... yes, you most definitely do.
nearly everyone on this forum has the same problem, so if you came here seeking help for it, you are going to be highly disappointed because you wont get any... BUT, on the brighter side, we are more than willing to offer encouragement and methods on how to go forth and drain your bank account on objects and projects for your boat. some of them being perfectly needless... its how we all live.
it doesnt matter if our boat is a large yacht or a small sailing dinghy, a lot of us have a tendency to keep adding on equipment and modifications until the boot stripe becomes the new waterline of our craft. and if the boat takes a list to one side or the other because of something we added, we dont remove it, but only find something more to add to the other side to level it back out.
and cutting or drilling holes in the boat... some people have an irrational fear of this, maybe because they have seen some of their neighbors boat projects that end up looking more like the boat has been used as target practice on the tommy gun range... but after awhile one learns to fill and fair so well that they can make the overloaded "sieve" float so that it can remain being called a boat...
then, by simply moving the waterline and boot stripe up 3 or 4 inches at the next bottom job, the boat can "set on her lines" again. but then even the bottom job can be avoided if the owner is like my brother-in-law who has a trailer queen... a powerboat he has modified to look all sleek and fast. he has rebuilt a perfectly sound motor in an attempt to get another 110hp from it, has remodeled the interior 3 times and has about 12grand in electronics, stereos, radios, tv's, sonars, radars, oversized swim platform with special custom scuba type ladder, multiple rocket launchers (so that he can fish 15 people with 3 rods each?) crab davit, a dinghy hanging off the back, and a lot of accessories... all on a 22ft boat... its been nearly 4 years and he had the boat in the water for a sea trial when he bought it, and NEVER since. no one knows if it will even float anymore and personally i think hes afraid to try it and find out, but its a darn good looking boat with all the bells and whistles, and it has kept him away from the bars and loose women, so my sister kind likes the boat too...
the point here is, no matter how much you add or do to the boat, if it is going to set on the trailer all its life and just be a project, there is no need for a fancy bottom job... and however heavy it gets, it dont matter!
almost all problems can be solved with a bit of ingenuity, determination and another boat project or modification.
but with that said, and contrary to what some of our wives may say, I dont feel its a waste of time or money at all .
sometimes I find it rather enjoyable to have the peace and quiet of sleeping on the couch (or in the boat) dreaming of ways to sell my soul or body so that I can afford more equipment for the boat while living on top raman, a can of beans and bread from the day-old bakery while im sweating and toiling over another project or the install of another expensive boat toy.... and sometimes in a completely different boat just so that I can get a change of scenery and a new challenge...
but I wouldnt go so far as to call it an obsession, but rather a very satisfying past time. and why not?, with just a bit of care and maintenance on our boats every week, what with the continual upgrades and all the efforts we put into our boat, it will out last any of us and still be looking good!!!.....
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