Boating & Your Significant Others

[hazmat5760]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

Our boat has not only brought us closer, it's also made me more financially responsible.

Explain that one!!!

 

[ShaneCarroll]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

My biggest problem is that my wife absolutely refuses to say "Permission to to come aboard" before she gets on the boat. She totally doesn't give me the respect I deserve as captain of the ship.

You're just now learning that wives don't give you that respect?! Remember, what's yours is hers, and what's hers is hers. The one pet peeve my fiancee has is how much time I spend cleaning, detailing, working on the boat. She does not understand about maintenance, she just expects to go on the boat when she wants to. I keep trying to explain, "no baby, you have to maintain these things if you want to go on them."

 

[jdlough]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

nitsui,

You need one of them 'Skipper Hats'.

The women respect guys in uniform.

Jim

 

[jdlough]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

My wife says she doesn't like boats. She grew up with a family that had a summer shore place. But she was the punk of the family. Older sibs had boats, she was left out - no boat for her. She always did like the idea of a shore place, though.

So now we got our own shore place. Installed a 130' pier. Bought a crappy little skiff. It sank. She says, "We're gonna need bigger boat - Get a good one". Got it, as fast as I could. - bought a 21' SeaSwirl Stripper. She says, "We need a lift". Got it - that week.

Then, she says, "We need a boat for the boys, which would also be a rescue boat for the Stripper - Get a good one." Got it - a 16' Wahoo. She says, "It needs a lift". Ok, it has its own lift, too.

Now, this boat-disliker says, "We need to upgrade to hydraulic steering, the new combo GPS/FishFinders are nice, but it should be a big screen one. We'll be moving up to a nicer deck boat with less draft, with a fishing platform and ski pylon, but meanwhile, fix this one up nice, so we'll be happy, and it will sell for more, when we move up".

Now, I hear her say things to the kids like, "Did you finish your homework? Did you flush your motor and take out the plug? Hang up your PFDs so they dry and don't mildew!"

I just keep grinning,

Jim

 

[Tubingluvr]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

My wife enjoys it as much as me, we have always had a small bowrider and she is the one pushing for a small cruiser (when finances allow)
It used to be I would fish alone or with my son in the early morning, and then pick her and the girls up around 10.
Not any more....the girls are all off doing their thing and me and mom like to park on the sand bar and chill.
Soon we will be touring many lakes in the state and none of the kids will be able to find us.

 

[RickJ6956]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

These posts make me think to hell with a marriage counselor. Buy a boat!

Exactly. It worked for us.

 

[jdlough]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

Nope. Buy two!!

 

[rb8484]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

Hmmmm......yup, looks like she is having a good time!!

 

[steddy]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

Helped all around. Neither my wife nor I has ever owned a boat, neither of us grew up around boats, although I always liked them. A few of my friends were getting them as we are growing up, and we went out with them a few times over the last few years.

I always liked the water, and was actually looking at jet skis previously, mostly for myself as toys. Then, reality set in and we decided to look for a little cheapie boat to get us out on the water and maybe spend more time together.

A few years back my wife and I decided to shell out a few grand, and just "get out on the water to try it." Here we are 3 years later: she convinced me we needed a larger boat, our 3 year old daughter loves it, we take annual boating trips, have other family out with us a lot, met some new friends out on the water, and many of our friends liked our boat and now have their own.

Yeah, I'd say the only negative consequence is the pocketbook effect. Boating can be really cheap or really expensive. We're pretty close toward the cheap end of the spectrum. We don't really NEED the things we bought over the years, but it sure is fun/nice to have/convenient. Don't NEED the hydrofoil, 10 fenders, extra rollers on the trailer, floatie toys, better coolers, bigger garage; but they sure do enhance the experience.

My fear was that the wifey and I would be constantly arguing about launching/retrieval/time spent on the water/where to go, but doggone if it didn't bring us closer together. We get along in and out of the water just fine. Boating is great. Just 3 years have passed, and already we can't remember what life was like before boat ownership, or imagine being without one.

 

[Shizzy]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

I have a little 14' tinny so its not really a "family boat" But I do enjoy when my wife asks if she can come along. she doesnt fish and my boat will never pull a skier or tube, but she does seem to enjoy a ride around the lake once in a while.

when we go out she brings a book and enjoys the weather and laughs at me since I apparently talk to the fish Im trying to catch and is always intrigued about the conversations I have with random people we encounter while fishing. She always asks if I knew that guy. my response is always "just some guy fishing"

she also tells me sometimes that I should go fishing beacuase I seem to be stressed.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

My biggest problem is that my wife absolutely refuses to say "Permission to to come aboard" before she gets on the boat. She totally doesn't give me the respect I deserve as captain of the ship.

lol...And how many feet are we talkin about here? I take it she respects you on terra firma though....



My story is it has brought us close...CLOSE to breaking up at times...
It was touch and go at first..

I'd try to touch her and she would GO.

She hated...HATED the B-Ticket when we went to see her..No deck...looked like a pile of sumthin else...

I have been spending a little money here and there, only when we had it to blow..And now that we are ready to sea trial..

She is nagging the crap outta me to finish up so she can go fishing..


I honestly can't wait for her first trip, to share something that I have known & loved my whole life.......

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

Best part of my childhood by far. My dad made me his "anchor boy" from the time I was big enough to pick it up! Granddad also let me drive the boat and take him to our fishin' holes. I learned so much by running the lines, getting everything ready, and watching my father. We have had innumerable good times skiing, tubing, fishing, and just general cruising.

Fourth of July shows on the water are always better. My mother hates to drive because she says "there are no rules about which side you stay on", but she could do it in an emergency.

The only time I usually see arguments and fights when boating is when it comes time to load/unload at the ramp. That's when the wife is usually yelling at the husband that she can't do it, or the boats to big, or I hate this piece of sh!t. But if the time is taken to teach everyone what they should do, where they should be, and when they should be there it would save 99% of the arguments.

Teaching the significant other how to back a trailer is also extremely beneficial, but it takes someone willing to listen and learn, and a teacher not screaming at them for doing it wrong.

In summation, boating is my favorite thing to do, and the source of many, many great childhood memories. It can be the cure for life's frustrations, or the cause of it: the choice is up to you.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: Boating & Your Significant Others

Has boating helped or hurt your relationship with your significant other?

Make sure (s)he is in on the decision, and you will be fine.