My favorite part of boating.

M

Maggieiscrazy

Well-Known Member
Oct 14, 2016
963
Northern Wisconsin
Boat Info
240 Sundancer
Engines
5.0. Bravo III
For me getting the boat ready and loaded for a long weekend is stressful. Then trailering to our destination worried about a flat tire or bad wheel bearing sometimes fighting traffic is stressful. Then launching the boat with wife and kids yelling is stressful. But once we motor away and I crack my first beer all that stress just melts away. That’s my favorite part of boating.
 
I agree with the above statement, when I trailered there was stress til we were on the water and heading to our destination
 
Favorite thing is watching my daughter, grandkids and family enjoy a beautiful day on the water.

Never drink while I’m boating. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my beer or should I say BEERS, after a day on the boat with my family and friends.

Stress. After last Labor Day’s trip I may not trailer the boat ever again on that particular weekend. In a 15 year period I’ve blown a tire on the trailer three times.

I always carry a floor jack/breaker bar so I’m usually back on the road in 15 minutes.
 
MrHappy said:
Favorite thing is watching my daughter, grandkids and family enjoy a beautiful day on the water.

Never drink while I’m boating. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my beer or should I say BEERS, after a day on the boat with my family and friends.

Stress. After last Labor Day’s trip I may not trailer the boat ever again on that particular weekend. In a 15 year period I’ve blown a tire on the trailer three times.

I always carry a floor jack/breaker bar so I’m usually back on the road in 15 minutes.
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I agree, I love watching my boys play catch on the beach with some new friends they just met (will likely never see again) when we park at a beach we usually spend the night. I’ve been lucky I have never blown a trailer tire (knock on wood) but I always carry 2 spares and a hub all greased up and ready to go.
 
As a kid my Grandpa had a cottage with a boat tied to the dock that he built new every year. Winter ice took it out every year so it was a constant chore. I longed to go to his place every Sunday. It was stressful in that the wooden boat was half sunk every week and we had to bail it out first. Then, Dad had to carry the motor up over the hill and mount it. Mom and Grandma didn't like boats so it was chore each week to go for a boatride. In the Fall, it was a chore to get the boat out of the water and roll it up the hill to the leanto, then repaint and ugggghh.

As an adult I built a new house with a tandem 5-car garage. My boat is attached to my car and backed in and its always ready to go. With it right outside the kitchen door I can go and polish it or whatever any time I like.

Also, I bought and rebuilt a custom "launching" trailer with dozens of rollers. When I back the trailer slightly in the water and it launches itself, the amazement of onlookers makes the whole day.

At the end of the weekend she's back inside and I have a whole new week to do more polishing.

Stress is only in one's mind. If a boat causes stress, one should sell it and buy a nursing home insurance policy. In my case, driving, launching and having a beer onboard is what does not reduce my stress, it eliminates it...
 
GypsmJim said:
As a kid my Grandpa had a cottage with a boat tied to the dock that he built new every year. Winter ice took it out every year so it was a constant chore. I longed to go to his place every Sunday. It was stressful in that the wooden boat was half sunk every week and we had to bail it out first. Then, Dad had to carry the motor up over the hill and mount it. Mom and Grandma didn't like boats so it was chore each week to go for a boatride. In the Fall, it was a chore to get the boat out of the water and roll it up the hill to the leanto, then repaint and ugggghh.

As an adult I built a new house with a tandem 5-car garage. My boat is attached to my car and backed in and its always ready to go. With it right outside the kitchen door I can go and polish it or whatever any time I like.

Also, I bought and rebuilt a custom "launching" trailer with dozens of rollers. When I back the trailer slightly in the water and it launches itself, the amazement of onlookers makes the whole day.

At the end of the weekend she's back inside and I have a whole new week to do more polishing.

Stress is only in one's mind. If a boat causes stress, one should sell it and buy a nursing home insurance policy. In my case, driving, launching and having a beer onboard is what does not reduce my stress, it eliminates it...
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As a kid our family had a cottage in northern Wisconsin on the 17,000 acre Chippewa Flowage. (Still do) and every winter the ice would take our dock out. Then about 20 years ago we finally put in a dock we could roll in and out. No more rebuilding docks.
 
Maggieiscrazy said:
As a kid our family had a cottage in northern Wisconsin on the 17,000 acre Chippewa Flowage. (Still do) and every winter the ice would take our dock out. Then about 20 years ago we finally put in a dock we could roll in and out. No more rebuilding docks.
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Grandpa was a retired carpenter, so building the dock was some of his stress-free activities. The ice never really "took out" the dock, Grandpa actually disassembled it in the Fall, only to rebuild it in the Spring.

He passed away 41 years ago, so I'm just reminiscing. The loss of the cottage was what was his stress in the end.

Since this thread is about stress, all I can say is that if you have a life goal and your family is with you, there can be no stress.
 
Hate trailering!
My favorite parts of boating:
Spending the day on the hook, sleeping over makes it even better.
I don’t drink until I get back to the dock, to many other drunks out there to keep an eye on, but once I’m back I really enjoy washing the boat in a nice evening with the radio playing and then enjoying a cocktail when I’m done.
Sometimes a couple of cocktails and then a hot shower and spending the night afterwards.
 
JVM225 said:
Hate trailering!
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I had a boat before I had a car. Grandpa helped me build her in his garage. I had intended to use Dad's car to tow her, but as it turned out I was able to pick up an old clunker just about the time the boat was finished.

We only had one car in the family. It was used by Dad to go to work and Mom to go shopping. It left me with little time to go on dates. Imagine a teenager who not only had a car to pick up a girlfriend in, but could also pick her up on Sunday afternoon towing a boat. Not just ANY boat, but one he built himself.

For me trailering a boat was (is) not only a joy, but it was my right of passage. Today we have 4 trailerable boats (one is an antique classic) and I feel the same sense of accomplishment every time I take the family to the launch ramp.

Of course, there is always a caveat....
After 51 years of doing it, I have become an expert at it, my whole family are accomplished sailors, and all my trailers are custom fitted launching trailers that literally let the boats launch themselves.
 
Overnights on the hook, especially the morning coffee.

A close second would be the blast of cool, lake air I get rounding the last bend in an often hot half hour no wake zone.

Winter is starting to stink more every year.
 
The week's stress ends when I fire up the Cats, letting then warm up while I unhook power and dock lines.

I only have about a 150 yard no wake zone then it's out on the river to head out. Even returning to the slip and backing it in doesn't cause any stress.

It's all good.
 
That first time on plane, after idling out of the no wake zone, and not hearing any alarms, is the best! And on a smooth, slightly cool day, with the family, that’s icing on the cake. Of course, getting anchored and situated for the day is pretty nice, time to have a cocktail, and sit back and relax until I need to go to “work” again, and pull up anchor and head home.
 
Heading out on any given day and rafting up with fellow boaters. Enjoying the breeze - conversation - cocktails and favorite dishes brought by all. Just plain kicking back and relaxing and +1 on the no alarms (Todd320), that always makes for a good day. Finishing up enjoying the sunset and heading back to port Thanking God for a Great Day with friends and family in hopes for a redo real soon.
Overnights, long weekends and our annual 10 day loop up the eastern side and down the western side of the Chesapeake is a close 2nd.
 
Great thought for a thread....
Although the winter this year is going to be a long one!
Warm sunsets and a coffee while putting at 7-8 mph along the shore line...and morning coffee on the back of the boat deciding where our boat will take us for the day..Is it Spring yet?
 
My most stressful day is getting my boat out for the winter . It seems I'm always one of tha last out in Penetanguishene bay and my least stressful is launch day . I am typically one of the first in too.. Going boating is never stressful for me now , my maintenance is all done by me and my yearly expense is low since a landowner with dockspace invited us to keep our boat there for a third of what we used to pay commercially. He just enjoys seeing the boys and I pulling up on the e bike and watching the boys run to the dock once they've got their lifejackets on.
 
Mornings on the boat. Sipping that first hot cup of coffee in the cockpit on a cool bright morning, with the day full of possibilities. My wife and I (and the dog) looking over charts, tides, and weather and discussing the next potential cruising destination. Finally the decision is made. As the morning goes on, I get that tingling feeling in my belly as I get anxious and eager to get going to the next stop.
That mix of peace and anticipation cannot be replicated in the same way outside the boat.
 
So many great "favorites" posted on here!!

I actually enjoy working on the Sara Belle in the Spring. I always try and keep up on the maintenance as well as updating her in a 'tasteful way'.

Of course anchoring with the family on a random Apostle Island or catching a nice sized Trout for grilling in the evening is tops for me.



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OllieC said:
So many great "favorites" posted on here!!

I actually enjoy working on the Sara Belle in the Spring. I always try and keep up on the maintenance as well as updating her in a 'tasteful way'.

Of course anchoring with the family on a random Apostle Island or catching a nice sized Trout for grilling in the evening is tops for me.



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OllieC said:
So many great "favorites" posted on here!!

I actually enjoy working on the Sara Belle in the Spring. I always try and keep up on the maintenance as well as updating her in a 'tasteful way'.

Of course anchoring with the family on a random Apostle Island or catching a nice sized Trout for grilling in the evening is tops for me.



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So what’s you secret to catching trout?
 
This all sounds absolutely amazing and I can’t wait to get a boat this spring.
 
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