Help obsessed with my boat

chambers1517

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
205
I bought my boat last year. It is a 2005 Caravelle 207. It was slightly faded and dirty. Some neglect was showing. I parked it in the garage and cleaned and buffed and fixed any thing I found wrong over the winter. We took it out the first nice day and that has been it. I was dwelling on it getting wet and dirty while on the lake. Got home completely cleaned and polished it and put it back in the garage. I love to look at how pretty it is when I go to my truck to go to work. Last weekend it was upper 90's and the wife and kids were asking why we weren't going to the lake. I made up several excuses but the real reason is I don't want to get the boat dirty. Anyone ever feel this way.
 

commander315

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
May 31, 2010
Messages
286
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

I feel that way sometimes....but i dont worry since I know my son takes so much pride in the boats cleanliness he goes around cleaning stuff up like a nazi.. so yeah...my 2 cents...lol...but anyway dont worry about it, your spending all this money on a boat so you can enjoy it, not just enjoy looking at how clean it is in your garage :D
 

BLU LUNCH

Lieutenant
Joined
Aug 8, 2003
Messages
1,316
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

I bought my boat last year. It is a 2005 Caravelle 207. It was slightly faded and dirty. Some neglect was showing. I parked it in the garage and cleaned and buffed and fixed any thing I found wrong over the winter. We took it out the first nice day and that has been it. I was dwelling on it getting wet and dirty while on the lake. Got home completely cleaned and polished it and put it back in the garage. I love to look at how pretty it is when I go to my truck to go to work. Last weekend it was upper 90's and the wife and kids were asking why we weren't going to the lake. I made up several excuses but the real reason is I don't want to get the boat dirty. Anyone ever feel this way.
Are you serious?
 

180shabah

Rear Admiral
Joined
Mar 26, 2005
Messages
4,995
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

DUDE!!!

You can look at it, wash it, play with it all you want.

but it is so much better when you get it wet :D
 

Knot Waiting

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 23, 2006
Messages
761
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

That's hardcore bro. Although I can relate to the feeling. I've been busted wiping water off my hull while we are hanging out IN the water, lol. But never traded a day of fun on the lake for a day of staring in the driveway.
 

cr2k

Captain
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
3,730
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

One sick puppy. You will be divorced soon.
 

5150abf

Vice Admiral
Joined
Aug 12, 2007
Messages
5,808
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

Ya that is REALLY silly man, come on, it is a boat, it is not intended to be just looked at you gotta get it wet, You are the only one that even notices the "dirt" go play.
 

ovrrdrive

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Apr 28, 2008
Messages
265
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

I've always taken really good care of my toys but I've never not wanted to use them because they were so nice. I'm more the no shoes in the boat, no smoking for fear of burns, and washing off anything that hits the deck as quickly as possible type. If something breaks you can fix it, it something gets dirty you can clean it back up. If it gets scratched, you just chalk it up to experience. Enjoy your boat. If you never want to use it you might as well go ahead and sell it now while you can get your money back out of it...
 

Andy in NY

Commander
Joined
Oct 25, 2007
Messages
2,109
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

this is like owning a ferarri compared to a beat up 1978 camaro. both are fast and fun, but one is shiny the other isnt. the camaro you arent afraid to do donuts in a parking lot and just generally hammer on it. the ferarri on the other hand you dont drive because it looks so nice and you would hate to ruin the paint.

my boat is the camaro.


i beach it, even near rocks and once ON a big flat rock. soda gets spilled. my transom is black from my last outboard running rich.


but its on the lake EVERY CHANCE and we enjoy the hell out of it.
 

superbenk

Commander
Joined
Oct 27, 2008
Messages
2,033
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

Buy a boat model to put on the shelf & look at, then go to the lake :)

I like one of the previous poster's analogies about the Camero vs. Lambo - mine is more like an old Chevette, so I really don't worry about it. That said, when I had my Chevette (my first car at 15), I babied it & polished it like it was a Lambo - rusted doors and all! :D
 

bcons

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jun 12, 2010
Messages
42
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

Wow!!
It doesn't matter what kind of boat you have, I've NEVER seen any boat that looks better on a trailer than in the water.

Here's the solution to your problem.
1st get yourself an inflatable lounge chair float.
2nd TAKE THE FAMILY OUT on the boat
3rd get cold beverage of choice
4th anchor somewhere let the family relax, swim, & play
5th you get on your aforementioned new float with beverage
6th paddle away 20-40' from your boat
7th Now float there, this is the time to look at and admire the boat
8th THE GARAGE IS ONLY FOR FIXING WHAT'S BROKEN OR STORAGE!
 

shrew

Lieutenant
Joined
Dec 29, 2006
Messages
1,309
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

I've seen people who don't want to go home. I've seen people who want to go hang out on the boat, but don't want to go out (They sit on the boat at the marina). I've seen people beg family and friends to go out when they can't find someone to boat with. However, the only time I've ever seen anything like this is when someone is afraid of the boat. This is usually with greenhorns who buy a little too much boat too early. Or those that don't bounce back emotionally after bouncing off of the dock.

Now I know you're not afraid of your boat...........are you? ( I didn't think so) There is a reason a boat is likened to a lady. They are similar in SO many ways. Like a lady, the boat wants to be taken out and shown that you love her. She doesn't want to be locked up in the garage and leared at, she wants to be appreciated. Go love your boat for goodness sake.


LOL ;)
 

hubbard53

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 18, 2008
Messages
212
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

my first season, we trailered the boat. I absolutely LOATHE the launch/retrieve process so, like a previous post stated, I was "afraid" of the process so would come up with reasons to NOT go boating.

I solved hte problem by renting a lift ... problem solved - Now I take her out all the time :D
 

25thmustang

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
1,849
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

My boat was fairly clean on land, and I did a lot to make it that way. The day we splashed it I dragged dirt, mud, water, grease all over it.

The amusing thing is, sitting in the water covered in that stuff, it looked 500 times better than it did clean and shiny on land!!
 

HAV2FISH

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Oct 24, 2008
Messages
519
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

My solution to your problem is to take 12 photos of the boat all cleaned up and send them out and have a calender made. Hang it over your work area so you can admire it. Then take the boat to the lake and HAVE FUN.
 

Aviator5

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 10, 2009
Messages
431
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

Buy a second boat, much older, not as pretty and use it. Keep the good one in the garage, and keep buffing it.
 

specialk

Cadet
Joined
Aug 20, 2008
Messages
23
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

But dude, seriously, a boat is meant to be on the water. We have her in the water every chance we get. I am most happiest when she gets really dirty and wet. I know we had a great time on the water that day. However, I am as obsessed as anyone when it comes to keeping my boat clean. Every time we go out we clean up the interior, spray on vinyl cleaner / protectant, use a water / dirt remover spray to wipe down the outside and inside. Then put the cover on. If you get at least 1 other to help it only takes a few minutes and the boat looks as good as the day we bought it. Once at the beginning of the season I clean and wash the boat. Mid season I do it again and then clean and wax her before putting her away for the winter.

You paid the money for it, why not use it and get your moneys worth out if it.
 
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Philster

Captain
Joined
Sep 15, 2009
Messages
3,344
Re: Help obsessed with my boat

Must be something with you inland boaters. The sea is always calling me.

Generally, you need a reality check. In case you never stopped and thought about it after hearing it, maybe you can try this time to think about this after reading it:

LIFE IS SHORT. Now... THINK about it.

I had a dear friend pass away at a terribly young age (34 after a diagnosis at 33 that spelled death), and he was the type who did nothing but obsess over things like cars/homes, and would do dumb things such as not drive a long distance to a get-together or skip something because it was too far and he was too anal over the car or boat... or even the house. "Can't make it today, Phil."

He was the type that drove his car 6,000 miles/year and was PROUD of it (my social life alone accounts for 10k per year). He would never make a long trip to a friend's house, and he would never meet me at my boat, because he had to drive his car, or miss out on cutting the lawn on a 95-degree day. He had excuses for it all, but we know the type that won't wear out his tires. After all, tires are more valuable than life and memories, right? Just like gelcoat... nothing is as valuable as gel coat. Right?

When my buddy was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer (essentially a terminal diagnosis), it all hit him. He tried to fight the cancer and nothing became more important to him than doing things with friends and family. He wanted them/us around. He had a bass fishing boat and used to use it alone on perfect days before. No kids or no crowds or he couldn't monitor everything obsessively. But... post-diagnosis... All he wanted now was for people to join him, and to use it. Little things didn't matter anymore. His grass was not so important, and he couldn't care less about ArmorAll-ing everything. The sun was harsh on him because of his illness, and that is rich with irony, as your lifeless boat sits covered by a garage.

He lasted 11 months, but there are people around him that realized that if he would have survived, he'd have been happier and led a fuller life because of cancer.

Go make some memories....
 
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