Boats that Never Get Used ... I Don't Understand

[Ex-Calif]

Originally Posted by SailAhoy

Haha ^^ come On! When you have à boat you can sail to heaven!

A guys dies and gets to the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Are you kidding? That was heaven. Everything you could ever want or imagine was there. Birds, trees, flowers, oceans, sailboats." The fact you spent 49 years in a cube is not Gods fault.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

A guys dies and gets to the pearly gates. St. Peter says, "Are you kidding? That was heaven. Everything you could ever want or imagine was there. Birds, trees, flowers, oceans, sailboats." The fact you spent 49 years in a cube is not Gods fault.

That's one of the best I heard in years!

[barnakiel]

Why assume people buy boats to use them? Maybe they buy them to have them. Or maybe they buy them because everybody in their social class has one. There are very many reasons why people buy things.

And what is 'use' anyways? Is a cockpit party 'use'? Is tinkering with boat bits and parts 'use'?

Most of us have a raincoat. Does not imply we have to wear it every day.

Now imagine the opposite: in your 650 slip marina they all suddenly start using their boats ... would you really like that???

We ARE blessed. ;-)

Cheers,
b.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by boatsail

In my marina, there are so many boats. About 650 slips. around 50 liveaboards. About 500-550 slips full according to the guy who works there.

I see so many beautiful boats that just sit. Covered with dirt and crap. I just don't understand why you would get a boat, keep a boat and never use it. I can see boats that look like they have not been used in years. Why would you continue to keep owning the boat? Then when they do go to sell it, they price it at an unrealistic price that they could not get a buyer to pay. They leave crap all over the inside of the boat and take horrible photos or none at all.

I can't stand seeing all of the beautiful boats go so unloved.

It just makes no sense.

/rant off

Those people may struggle to find the time to sail, especially after the boat hasn't been maintained for a while, but they're emotional. No one who has loved a sailboat would want to give it up. I've seen this with pianos. People buy them for their children, the children stop playing or grow up and move out, and the parents can't part with the piano. They'll leave it in their living room for 20 years without tuning it (a bad thing to do to a piano) and then imagine it to be worth more than it is -- because it's so emotional.

[Bash]

I once had a neighbor in the adjacent slip who easily spent 50 hours futzing on his boat for every hour he took it out sailing. Best kept boat in the harbor. He wasn't so much a sailor as he was a tinkerer.

Made him happy, and there's nothing wrong with being happy.

[David M]

Some people might have become bored with the boat. The initial novelty of it does wear off and more so for some than others.

Other people might be upside down on the loan because of a boats huge depreciation in the first few years. They are bored with it but can't justify selling it in their minds.

[bobconnie]

We are lucky!! we can keep our boat behind our home down the Bayou. But of course the cost of putting in Pileings and such we paid for, and thats not cheap! but we can care for the boat easyer cus it right out the door!! also we can at least motor out to the gulf and sail or fish as we wish ! So I feel its really heaven for us !! sure theres Hurycanes and such, but theres lots of places to moor when that happens ! almost all the boats down here get used more because of being right behind the houses! at least thats what I see ! lots of places for sale down here !! LOL come on down and pass a Good Time!! LOL

[David_Old_Jersey]

There are likely people on other Forums (different subjects) who also own Boats, but are puzzling over why some people have their lives wrapped only around boats.........

....it's only a boat .

[bloodhunter]

This has been the case in every marina I've been in. Probably three-quarters of the boats never or rarely leave their slips. On the other hand, if even half the boats in my marina went out on any given weekend we'd have the mother and father of all traffic jams, probably take three days to get everyone out of the marina channel and into the bay.

[CHM]

I am one of the owners who will likely only get to use my boat 3-4 weeks a year. I knew this would be the case when I bought it as I live about 11 hours drive or 1.5 hour flight to the marina. There are many folks who like being on the coast, but do not live close. Sure, it's expensive to keep the boat, but so far, it's been a good deal. I bought it at what I think was the nadir for the market.

[saltyseadog]

Originally Posted by boatsail

In my marina, there are so many boats. About 650 slips. around 50 liveaboards. About 500-550 slips full according to the guy who works there.

I see so many beautiful boats that just sit. Covered with dirt and crap. I just don't understand why you would get a boat, keep a boat and never use it. I can see boats that look like they have not been used in years. Why would you continue to keep owning the boat? Then when they do go to sell it, they price it at an unrealistic price that they could not get a buyer to pay. They leave crap all over the inside of the boat and take horrible photos or none at all.

I can't stand seeing all of the beautiful boats go so unloved.

It just makes no sense.

/rant off

so true I am dieing to get a boat and sail around or start a business that goes around cleaning and sounding these neglected ones

[Weyalan]

Originally Posted by saltyseadog

so true I am dieing to start a business that goes around cleaning and sounding these neglected ones

It is only a business if you can get paid for it, otherwise its a charity.

[Weyalan]

It is the same around here too. I figure 90% of the boats here don't move from one month to the next and a fair portion of those from one year to the next. It staggers me. I'm not even including those swinging on a mooring buoy, just the ones in (expensive) marina berths. It isn't exacly cheap to just have a boat... just the bare minimum costs for the berth, insurance and basic, bare bones maintenance runs to thousands of dollars per year... why would you spend that money to not use your boat?

I feel like our modern mentality attaches too much worth to the owning of things, whereas, to my mind, the worth is in the using, not the owning... I don't love owning our boat, I love being on the sailboat, whether it be sailing, motoring, working & maintenance, racing, cruising, fishing, at anchor or just futzing around... If I wasn't using it, I'd sell it.

[Curmudgeon]

I bought my boat from a gentleman in his 80's who was not able to sail as much as he liked. According to the broker they took the boat out once or twice a year. But he liked going down to the boat in its slip, spending time aboard, inviting his friends, etc.

What's wrong with that? If I get to be 85 (God willing) I may be doing the same thing if I can afford it.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

I bought my boat from a gentleman in his 80's who was not able to sail as much as he liked. According to the broker they took the boat out once or twice a year. But he liked going down to the boat in its slip, spending time aboard, inviting his friends, etc.

What's wrong with that? If I get to be 85 (God willing) I may be doing the same thing if I can afford it.

Nothing except that doesn't meet with the approval of our resident internet sailing experts.

I wonder what market research based business strategy leads one to consider an investment in a business to service the ambivalent or neglectful.