The Morning Wipe Down. One Of The Simple Pleasures Of Careing For Your Classic Boat.

,

It’s one of the secret strange pleasures of owning a classic boat, the morning wipe down in the early light. The water is calm, and your boat comes to life. I like a simple set of fluffy towels and then cleaning the chrome with a soft rag. Alex says ” I share that pleasure. Each morning during the summer in Hessel, I walk to the dock with two coffees and uncover and wipe down the boats. It is incredibly relaxing “work.” It feels good to wipe down leather, chrome, thick glass, and mahogany. And in the end, I get to walk back up to the cottage and look back a few times at beautiful boats.”

Alex Watson took these images while at Lake Dora this past week. You can tell we are not alone in the enjoyment of this special time between a boat and it’s caretaker.

23 replies
  1. ranger
    ranger says:

    really?  not a single picture of a woman wiping down a boat?  it’s an enjoyable pleasure for us too!

    other than that, i love the pictures of life behind the scenes at a boat show…

    thanks for sharing, alex! 

  2. RiverRat
    RiverRat says:

    Now that is what I am talking about. Pictures of boats. Sign me back up. I am going to go out and wipe down my boat in the shed before work. Thankyou

  3. Rick
    Rick says:

    Nothing like wiping down a wet perfectly curved shape in the morning. And they never pull away saying not now, that they are short on time and have to get to work. Boats are female right?  Damn, I hope I haven’t alienated RiverRat again. Well for him.  And then we check for the correct compression and order an extra set of rings. And check the stuffing box. Shoot there we go again.

  4. Greg Lewandowski
    Greg Lewandowski says:

    I agree with the pleasure of wiping down the boat early in the morning, but the climax is firing up the engine for a few minutes just to listen to the music.  It is usually followed by another 5 or 6 boats firing up, and we have an orchestra!

  5. Alex
    Alex says:

    WoodyGal, my kids, wife, and I loved your “kinda like walking your dog in the morning” analogy.  Different in that dogs are quadrapeds, and most classic boats are, well, not.  But spot on when it comes to the peacefulness one feels.  Thanks for reminding us of those memories.  

  6. RiverRat
    RiverRat says:

    No problem Rick. I think yours is a bit more mature. Anyway offend away, I can dish it out and take it. By the way SOB is sons of boats. Just to clarify.
    If you are wiping down the boat to get to dew off it usually means you are going to use the boat and that is always a good time. Curved female forms are always better than humor associated with old men. Just my opinion. Thanks again for the nice boat pictures.

  7. Alex
    Alex says:

    Ok.  I just tried to post a pic of my boat covered in morning dew on mirror smooth water.  Does someone want to let me in on the little secret to do this?  Otherwise, I’ll keep trying and well, it probably will turn into epic fail.

  8. Alex
    Alex says:

    Ok.  So I give up.  Close your eyes.  Picture a 1949 25′ Sportsman bathed in dew, in early morning light, nestled alongside a crib dock, just waiting for her morning rubdown.  There.  You saw it.  Goodnight ladies and germs.

  9. MikeM
    MikeM says:

    Hey Alex, when you graduate to an “Arabian” the chicks will rub it down for you!  (and bring the coffee!!)

Comments are closed.