OK, Who Told the Boatress! Oh Wait. Darn Internet!

matt-suzy-copy

Oh boy!

Looks like the boatress picked up on my boat lust yesterday and cut the deal on my end off at the knees. Now, to be honest, we hadn’t spoken about the U18 and most likely someplace deep in my heart I knew I needed another boat like I needed a hole in the head. One more hole and you could go bowling. But it did inspire a story! All the lame excuses we all use to get out of deals while trying not to offend the seller, nor look like a total tool, by backing out of the deal. So today we thought about sharing the best back out excuses. For the record, the old, “wife says no”, one is lame and way over used. Beside the fact that she is always right!

boatress-nun

Yes, my better half ( Boatress) on the left. She’s a saint.

Maybe our spouses are called our better half’s because they are actually our better halves and can see that owning three wood boats may not be a good idea. How I own 2 is some how reasonable is another story!

23 replies
  1. Jim Staib
    Jim Staib says:

    Two? There are seven days in a week! Maybe she needs another pair of shoes. You know, the really nice, expensive ones.
    Of course if I knew the secret I’d still be married.

  2. Jaxon
    Jaxon says:

    Two boats just ain’t enough. You should always be out in one unless coming back to feed me or resupply. There needs to be several around so I have choices of places to nap. Can’t nap in the same place all week.

  3. Kerry Pope
    Kerry Pope says:

    I just got another project too,like “I need another boat like I need another hole in my head” well the only way to fix that is to take her shopping and act like you enjoy it!!! This boat could be the spokes boat for a brand of Swiss cheese .It has so many holes in it…

  4. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    You married guys have a built in emergency brake…us single men have to beat back the urge SOLO. I have too many boats and still have to rein myself in or have sheds full of them.
    That takes discipline…but oh…the freedom!!!!
    Going Boating…today, and hoping not to revisit the ebay ad.
    John in Va.

  5. Jack Schneiberg
    Jack Schneiberg says:

    Been There…………..done that. I got up to 7 projects and the wife realized there was no time left for her for a lot of years forward……She got retribution as I had to sell them all off to pay for the divorce. I got an empty stable……

  6. Garry
    Garry says:

    Gee, is there not handwritting on the wall after the first one. The first one resulted in all new furniture and naming the boat after her. Still have the transom plank from that one.
    The second one and the third one were very painful but I got them. It was the spare engine I bought and forgot to tell about that arrived one day without notice. She then learned how to use the shotgun.

  7. Dennis J Mykols
    Dennis J Mykols says:

    Matt, why a U 18, when it is so much like your U 24? “Diversity” has always been the way I look at multi toys. See, at one time when we owned the marina in the 90’s, I had six boats all at the same time, and each were as different as can be, and brought a different kind of joy/thrill on the water;
    We had a 44 foot live aboard yacht, a 28 foot Offshore (a full out race boat Class A world champion), a 21 foot woody Chris Craft Super Sport, (wife’s boat), one of the Sea Ray 16 foot Jet boats (as the tender for the yacht), well you get the point, something different, for a different kind of ride and enjoyment on the water.
    Even today with my current boats and Classic cars, it is so much fun to say, ok, what do I feel like driving today.
    Of course it helps to have an understanding wife, who has her own classic Camaro, for the pass 13 years.

  8. tommholm
    tommholm says:

    In 1950, Century foretold the future with this catalog shot captioned “Get in the Boat, Fredo, you boat lover”. As my daddy, often told me, “never get in a boat with a woman with a shot gun”.

  9. Dick Dow
    Dick Dow says:

    Well, when Kathy gave the green light to bid on “The Olde Man” last year, the next words out of her mouth were “…but the Gar Wood has to go if we get it.” She never warmed up to that boat, even after looking at it in the garage for the past 27 years. But I can’t really complain – four active boats (not counting the dinghy on the Tolly and the hydro in the rafters) and she likes them all.

  10. Dave Nau
    Dave Nau says:

    My limit is two, although I had three for two weeks before selling the extra boat. Unless you have unlimited stirage available, I find it’s enough to take care of and store two.

  11. Wilson
    Wilson says:

    Well, it is late in the day, but I must tell this one….We had our first date on a little Moth sailboat. 35 years later one popped up for sale in nearby Jacksonville. I dispatched a son-in-law to take his truck and go get it…then we stored it in a partner’s barn while trying to figure out how to bring it peacefully home. Former ACBS Pres. Ann Matheson says, “Isn’t there something your wife really wants?” Yes,” I said, “A Tennis bracelet”…”Well there’s your answer”, she says. “Name the boat Tennis Bracelet, she will fuss and fume…then give her the real thing and all will be well”, she explained. I did, it worked and everybody lived happily ever after.

  12. Scott K
    Scott K says:

    If we had the space, I would be the one finding yet another boat had followed my wife home. Pretty common to hear “we need that” when she’s perusing the latest copy of the Rudder or Brass Bell. Lucky me!

  13. Denis D
    Denis D says:

    I feel your pain Matt, I had to pass up a killer deal on a 19′ Capri a few years back when the Wifey balked. Of course my 9 classic cars and 2 boats don’t help my case when I try to add a new toy to the collection!

    Denis D

  14. steve stevenson
    steve stevenson says:

    Hey Matt , at lease the boatress has the strangle hold above the belt instead of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. don danenberg
    don danenberg says:

    In 1998 I booked a 1963, 20′, CC, Caravelle for a “bottom Job”.
    The owner, a Container-Ship Captain, towed it from California to Michigan and reminded me “bottom only”.

    While he was talking to my crew, his wife pulled me over to the boat and asked; “What about these hull planks and the cracked varnish at the seams, shouldn’t these planks be replaced?” She then asked about the vinyl deck and said; “shouldn’t that be replaced, and the interior upholstery and flooring, they are looking old as well?”.

    When I got back to him I had to ask…, Most wives don’t want triple the cost…, what’s up?

    He said…; Look, I had to agree to a Diamond Ring that’s equal to the cost of whatever I spend on the Boat…….., BOTTOM JOB ONLY…., PLEASE!!!!

  16. thomasd
    thomasd says:

    after reading all these comments I think I’ve gotten over the urge to bid on this one. I sold 3 boats, 10 trailers plus most of the extra parts collected over 40 years on ebay lately. I still have 4 woodies left but lately I’ve realized it’s time to use and enjoy what I have instead of working on them all the time.

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