Well, I'd heard...

[OneBone]

The best two days you ever have with your boat are the days it is bought and sold. Just sold my first boat for a fair price after owning her a few years. So, why does it feel like my dog has died?

 

[coastalrichard]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

Not to worry...there's a new dog in your future!

 

[Another retired guy]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

When the time comes to sell mine, I know I will have mixed feelings - sad to see her go, but happy to remove the "black hole" from my budget!

 

[laserbrn]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

Because the people that say that don't understand boating. It's not an economical choice. Anything driven toward leisure is going to be that way. Some people restore and build classic cars, some people like travelling to exotic places, some people like flying planes. It doesn't matter what you're into, it's what you WANT to spend your money on.

Everyday I HAVE to spend money on life. Food, shelter, insurance, transportation, etc. This is something that I have an OPPORTUNITY to spend money on! I love hobbies and I love spending money on them. I DESPISE spending my money on anything else, it's just a necessary evil.

 

[moosehead]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

OneBone, your current condition is perhaps a combination of being boatless as well as hungover from this past week's MNF. We all feel your pain.

+1 tolaserbrn's comment ^. Others have said it here, the happiest times of a boat owner's life are those between cast off and returning to port.

Good time of year to be shopping for the next one.

 

[JB]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

The reason it hurts is because you are a real boater, OneBone. That saying only applies to ordinary people.

 

[OneBone]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

Appreciate the cheer folks! There's always been a boat in the family, it was the first time I could contribute. Dad & Grand-dad lead the way & it was real nice to follow.

Guess I'm just in the market now!

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

This year, the lower unit was toast on my 26 year old Starcraft pontoon boat. We watched all the Memorial Day and July 4th boat traffic go by our house.

The next week, my wife fell for a new 24' Bennington. Yea, it's a Mercedes of boats, and it cost more than her Lexus automobile. But if it lasts anywhere as long as my old Starcraft, we'll still be getting our money's worth.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

Boats become old friends, I know in my case they are and it is sad to see them go.
Give it a bit of time, one will whisper to you.

 

[LippCJ7]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

People that say the happiest days of a boaters life blah blah blah, i want to kick them in the **** They were not real boaters they just are fad people.

Your finding out now what you are and that is a real boater, boating has you just like it got me and most the others on this site, go find your new boat, I think you sold it because you have twofootitis anyway! Just like most of us on this site also!

 

[emilsr]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

I'm with the group on this one; have sold 5 boats and hated it every time. The good news is the pain goes away when you get another boat. The very best situation is like when we got our current boat; dropped the old one off and picked up the new one at the same time. That one didn't hurt as bad.

 

[Service Call]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

My saying is the 2 best days are when you sell your boat and when you buy the next one.

 

[partskenn]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

I agree. It's not a cheap hobby, but it's one that I really enjoy. If you look at it just in terms of money it doesn't make sense, but if it keeps you sane so that you show up for work on Monday, it's worth it. I owned my last boat for 15 years, and the only reason that I sold it was because the next one was already sitting in the slip.

 

[JEBar]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

I'd love to be able to say that I was sorry to see all of the boats I've owned over time (meaning almost 50 years) go but that wouldn't be true .... as much as I wish it wasn't so, there have been too many which I couldn't be happier when I watched them go .... that elation was due to a range of circumstances from it proved to be nothing but trouble, to finding it actually couldn't do the job I anticipated, to finding something better, to circumstances changing what I wanted in a boat .... in the early years I bought on emotion and on being cheap, not a good combination .... during this time I've owned as many as three boats at once and have never had less than one .... back in '04 I finally purchased what to me is the perfect boat and if the day ever comes that I would sell/trade it, there is no doubt that I'd miss it

Jim

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

Smiles , boating is not likely to ever be cheep or a thing you will make money from. MY present boat is a old 1988 pontoon that i picked up on a real good trailer for 3500, and then I proceeded to drop another 10 K into it. Of course I will never see that back out of it so I will just have to keep it and use it for the next 10 years, grins, and only boaters can under stand that way of thinking.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

once you realize and accept that BOAT is an acronym for Break Out Another Thousand, or that a boat is a hole in the water that you pour money into, you can actually enjoy it. It is a hobby and past time that costs money.

My boating expenses are about $2 of fuel for every $1 of beverages and food for every $1 of maintenance. Upgrades are just part of the fun.

I agree that buying and selling a boat can be a happy day. however I always missed the boats I sold, even the ones that seamed to take the life out of me when I was working on them. But, there is always buying day happiness to offset selling day blues

 

[djrascoe]

Re: Well, I'd heard...

For me, its gonna be really hard to see mine go. I picked it up as a project for me, and the wife and kids to spend time together. The day I went to pick it up, i pretty much knew that I wouldnt have it for a really long time, but rather a stepping stone to a nicer and newer one. This is my first decent boat (my last one was a 12 foot montgomery ward sea king), But I wanted a fixer upper so i could have a new way to spend time with my family. The time we've spent on it so far is irreplaceable, but i know when they get older it will be a memory for them all to smile over. But at the same time we're all excited and looking forward to getting a newer one someday. I just keep telling them its baby steps.