Wife told me she is not into boating as much

[LippCJ7]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

My wife likes to relax during the weekends and not be in a rush. Hench go camping and relax or spend the weekend doing much of nothing. I'm on the go person and have to be doing something.

There isn't many places to take the Travel Trailer and Boat at the same place in AZ.

No way would I like my 17yr take boat and truck to the lake alone with friends. I have no problem leaving the two older boys at home alone. We do that often anyway and they even baby sit the youngest

Maybe I am missing something since I haven't lived in AZ in over twenty years but we would go to Roosevelt or Apache every weekend, for the whole weekend. Leave thursday or friday night and comeback sunday night or monday, I was at the lake every weekend from the time I turned 8 until we moved to Colorado when I was 17, we always camped on the water, and actually knew our neighbors at the lake, what has changed? You cant take the trailer and the boat for the weekend? I don't get it?

 

[drrpm]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

I can see where the 5AM starts would not be appreciated by the wife and kids. I generally let my kids ( 16 and 11) bring a friend or 2 that I know, which keeps them happier. My wife loves the power boat, but she's just along for the ride except for driving while I tube. She doesn't really drive well enough to pull a boarder or skier.

 

[tomdinwv]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

I have the opposite "problem". LOL. My wife loves (and I mean loves!) boating. I sold our boat 2 or 3 years ago and I still hear about it. LOL. This past fall, she said "I want a boat". I knew then what would happen, we were getting another boat. She had spoken! She found a boat on CL for a little bit of money and it needed(s) work. She asks me everyday if I have it running yet. I still need to rebuild the carb this weekend and it should be good to go.

The thing that I found works best for the wife and I is to go boating with just the 2 of us. Like the OP, we have kids, 4 as a matter of fact. They are 16 to 11 in age and my 2 boys are not living with us full time so it's usually just my wife and I and sometimes her 2 girls. None of the kids like to go boating as often as we do. They have their own interests. I asked them why they didn't want to go and they said I had burned them out on boating. We do family things like camping and stuff, but the kids are not big on boating. So be it. Maybe you should try it with just you and your wife, or another adult couple. It would give the Mrs. time away from the kids and home to chill out and relax and not be "mom" for a while. Best of luck Dreamer. Hope you guys find a solution that works for you all.

 

[Beefer]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

When I was a kid, my Dad and brother were all about fishing. Every Saturday, they were up and out by 5am. No way was I going to get up that early for anything when I was young. Still not into the early am stuff. On Sundays, it was the family boating day. All of us would go on the boat to the beach (Short Beach, LI), and do the bbq beach thing. That I liked, because we left the house around 10am - 12noon. Mom had no desire to fish, and I wanted to go occasionally. Dad never pressed the issue, and everyone was happy.

Do your fishing solo or with the young one, and don't even mention going on the boat to the rest of the family. One weekend they'll be sitting around, nothing on tv, and say "Hey Honey/Dad, can we go tubing?". Next thing you know, they'll want to do it more frequently. They think they're in control, and that's what they want. Let them decide what days and what time they want to go. Do you really care if nobvody wants to go out until later in the morning/day? No. You just want family time on the boat. Make it work.

 

[Philster]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Some questions:

What kind of life insurance does your wife have?

Are you really committed to a monogamous relationship?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Here is another thought I had, AZ(OP) doesn't tell us if its just his family or if there are several families that he goes boating with. For me and my family we almost always go with other boaters, of course there are the one on one trips just me and my wife but for the most part we are with anywhere from one other boating family or believe it or not ten other families with boats. We do have some of our kids that don't want to go because of no other kids that's a fact but maybe AZ just needs to get more friends with boats and families to get his family into the whole deal??

When we set up a big trip say to Lake McConaughy in Nebraska we normally wind up with nearly 50 people (big and little) and take up a couple hundred feet of sand beach, this trip is normally a three or four day weekend too and is arranged in January or February and is a come one come all type deal, make it a big party for everyone in your clique.

I am pretty fortunate though I have four friends that I am close to from High School and were still close to this day, we have all done the same things and three of us have boats so that is the core of our group, some of us have then invited others to be a part of our big trips and sometimes its just the core or others that have become close to others but it helps to get the kids involved if they can either bring friends or know that their will be core kids coming.

 

[sublauxation]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

I agree with Bubba. My 8 year old loves to drive. He takes turns with the 6 year olds (I'm obviously right there to make sure nothing goes wrong). For them that's half the fun. It's actually gotten to the point where I have to take them tubing just so I get a chance to drive. My wife wont drive but she'll do some fishing. Without the kids she's more than happy reading a book in the boat while at anchor, but she's not at all into cruising around. From the day I was old enough to drive I had full access to a boat. Dad taught me how to back it in and from there I was on the water whenever possible. (Insurance is pretty cheap). Things will probably get broken and scratched but those things happen, make sure to teach them responsibility. The first prop I smashed I didn't get the arce chewing I expected, I got the directions to the guy place to have it fixed and an extra shift at the restaraunt I worked at. Maybe that's a good start for the 17yr old. Teach him to back in the trailer, let him load the boat. Sit back and enjoy a beer as the kids drive. And I'd recommend a stop to the 5AM starts. I love hunting but had I been forced into the pre-sunrise thing I would have given it up long ago.

 

[QC]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

There isn't many places to take the Travel Trailer and Boat at the same place in AZ.

Lake Powell, Lake Mead, Lake Mohave, Lake Havasu and I am guessing Martinez . . . Dude, these are ALL in AZ.

Just think. You're in the travel trailer, whole family can sleep in. Boat is in the water, say 5 minute walk, or at some places right outside the door. It's 7:00 AM. You don't have to wake anybody up!! and later on, when they are awake, you can take them to breakfast or lunch by boat . . . hmmmmmm . . .

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Some questions:

What kind of life insurance does your wife have?

Are you really committed to a monogamous relationship?

ROFLMAO Phil!!

QC just to add to that list lakes close to Phoenix (I lived in Tucson) Roosevelt, Apache, Saguaro, Canyon and Pleasant, AZ if I had those lakes I would have a hard time staying home at all, in fact me and the wifes plan is to move back to AZ in 10 years or so because of the better water in AZ as well as the milder weather year round as opposed to Colorado.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Wow thanks for all the response.
Riptorn leaving her at the dock in 100 degree weather would just upset her.
Nope not going to sell the boat for something smaller. Not going to happen.
I think I got the family into boating a little too late for my oldest boys. They are teens and want to do their own thing. My youngest is not a problem. He loves it. We have a good time camping as a family.

Ezmobee. The lake is 30 minutes away. My idea is getting out there early and home early to beat the heat and rush. We don?t have tons of lakes but tons of Boats.

Floatfan. I like the idea they can bring a friend of two for the oldest.

Bubba1235. I tried to get my 17yr to drive the boat and learn. He just isn?t that interested in learning.
He has only had his drivers license for 3 months and I would be concern him towing the boat with a F250 until he gets some experience. It?s not so much I trust him but he doesn?t have the Experience in both driving and boating to do it without me.

LippCj7: Lake Pleasant and Roosevelt would be good lakes to take both the trailer and boat to the lake.
Each are just over an hour away so I would have to take two tow vehicles. Not really practical.

Ok the 5am thing is not driving this. I don?t push them to get up and out the door at 5am. Trying to get them out the door at 7am is difficult enough.

You all have giving me several Ideas on how to approach this dilemma. I don?t want to boat without my wife and kids. I want this to be a family activity. Boating alone would be better than not boating

 

[Captain Shikaboo]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

I was waiting for the insurance question to come out..

I was in the same situation but as one of the kids. It was like prison. My dad would get angry everytime, my mom would say "You need to bond with your father." We bonded with the back of his hand. Too early, too many stupid rules, and no fun. We were also supposed to read his mind. Tough tasks for teens. Forced family 'fun.' Looking back it was comical. At the time it was hell.

Like these guys said, IF you want to go out with the family, you gotta let YOUR boat be your family's boat. Put on thier shoes. Maybe you just have a crappy family J/K.

My oldest brother bought a boat when he moved out and we would go out of our way to be on his boat. Including my mom. I think it was cus he was patient and lived by the no stupid question rule. He loved to let everyone else do the work, even if something got broke or screwed up, we'd have a good time. That's what it's all about right?

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Bubba1235. I tried to get my 17yr to drive the boat and learn. He just isn?t that interested in learning.
He has only had his drivers license for 3 months and I would be concern him towing the boat with a F250 until he gets some experience. It?s not so much I trust him but he doesn?t have the Experience in both driving and boating to do it without me.

LippCj7: Lake Pleasant and Roosevelt would be good lakes to take both the trailer and boat to the lake.
Each are just over an hour away so I would have to take two tow vehicles. Not really practical.

You have an F250?

The answer to your prayers buddy!! Just modify your system a little bit this is how I tow my camper and my boat. may not be the perfect situation, I have a friend that triples a fifth wheel and then the boat behind his diesel, not for me but he has 15 or 20 kids, I'm not sure anymore I lost count....

 

[Captain Shikaboo]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Oh, I forgot to say that you will probably spend more time with your kids on the boat after they move out. Whenever I go visit my parents we usually end up on a boat or working on one.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Boating with my Wife and I in the evening at sunset is something we yet to do. I think I would get a good response from her with this Idea.

Lipp we do not have any boating friends. Agree we need boating family friends.
How close are you to Highlands Ranch CO? Im there for work about 6 times a year for work and didnt see much for boating other than a few Reservoirs.

QC there is the problem getting a Boat and trailer to the lakes you mentioned. These lakes are quite a distance and getting the boat and trailer to these lakes would cost a gas fortune. The lake that is 30 minutes away, I thought about having the family show up later at the lake. So this way I can get my early morning boating out of the way.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

Before I date my next wife (I still have the original) there are a few questions I will ask.

Do you like the water?

Do you like boating?

Do you fish?

Do you own a boat?

Of course, she's been around for 40 years and probably not going anywhere. She used to love to go boating (son lived at home), but now she's afraid of the water...thinks she's gonna drown.

Really?

Oh well...stuck in the reality of the real world.

 

[QC]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

You gotta decide how bad you want this. Either modify your plans, which might include some $, or you will have the same results

There is nothing cooler than taking the wife to dinner by boat Sunset, dinner, cocktails, boat ride. The best!

Please no BUI comments. Let's assume we are dealing with responsible people just this once . . .

 

[Beefer]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

I'll make ya a bet. If you tell him you want him to learn so he can take his buddies and / or girl friends out without you he will be all over it. I remember back to being around that age and had a boat, I had more friends then I could count that wanted me to take them out. May have been the most popular guy in school, at least during the summer...

When I was on the boat, I drove. From the age of 11, I was at the helm if I was onboard. This was great for my Dad, he got to sit back, and my brother could tend to setting up rigs , etc. I used that skill when I got older.

What my Dad didn't know was that when I got my driver's license, I used that boat as a hotel on the high seas. It was great for me, I always put fuel back into it, but had he found out, Dad would have killed me! You may not have to worry about that, since yours is on a trailer. Ours was at a marina.

Good times...







Great times....

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

I'll make ya a bet. If you tell him you want him to learn so he can take his buddies and / or girl friends out without you he will be all over it. I remember back to being around that age and had a boat, I had more friends then I could count that wanted me to take them out. May have been the most popular guy in school, at least during the summer...

LOL he would be instant cool with a bunch a friends.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

"There is nothing cooler than taking the wife to dinner by boat"

Yeah...did that. <sigh>

Didn't convince her.

 

[canuckjgc]

Re: Wife told me she is not into boating as much

What exactly do they not like about boating? Do they not like cruising around or fishing or what? I ask because my family hates "boating" in the sense of motoring around the water and going home. But they love exploring. So we use our boat simply as transporation for boat camping, trails, waterfalls, islands - all of which are only boat accessible. We run our aluminum right onto the beach and explore, goof around, light a campfire. Then back to the dock at the end of the day or weekend. We are on the west coast so lots of this stuff, your location may differ.

You may want to consider what you do with the boat to increase their interest.

If all that fails take this advice: sell the boat, camp, spend time with the family and be a hero. Buy a smaller boat for you and a buddy to use when you have a chance to on occasion. Family means compromises in my view.