Was I ripped off?

[dlandersson]

You were not ripped off. You need to balance your desire to sail vs. you spouse's desires.

Having said that, a "discontented wife will ask for toasted snow" - old saying. What is your spouse's real issue?

[chipveres]

My qualifications: Presently living with third wife. Here is my opinion. Like elbows, most folks have a couple.

This is an acceptable statement from your wife: "I don't like sailing. You do. Singlehand without me."

This is an unacceptable statement: "I don't like sailing. Therefore, you must sell your boat."

Once you sell your boat, you will be stuck ashore to listen to her nag. You will soon be without either boat or wife. YMMV.

Chip
S/V Macaroon
Dania, FL

[FinallySailing]

Be as supportive and interested in her activities as you would like her to be with regards to boating even if you might utterly dislike them. Spend some quality time with her (and no junior crew) on the boat. All of a sudden she'll look at your floating man cave in a totally different way !

[raycarlson]

this thread is over two years old,i think this guy has settled his issues by now

[bscott]

this thread is over two years old,i think this guy has settled his issues by now

Either that or a really nice For Sail in N.J.

[Catigale]

This thread is timeless indeed....

[Divecoz]

Hahahahah Send me your email ( just kidding) and I will send you copies of my brother fuel bill for the past 12 months.. In or around? $8500 USD..
He seldom goes out.. Its NOT a huge boat .. It has Twin Yanmar Diesels ( lot easier on fuel than gas engines... a LOT Easier!!)
Decent size Power Boat with our cabin space is always going to be Burning Fuel.. and at around ?? $4 a gallon .. Most often between say 3 and 1.2 MPG..
Say you go 60 miles in one day.. that's not very far unless you are on some inland lake and a smaller lake at that.. No Less Than 20 Gallons @ $4 a gallon you have $80 Min. for the day.. do that just 4 day a month and you have spent more money for fuel than I have in any one year..Two winters ago, I was gone for a total of 6.5 weeks and didn't spend that much on fuel for my entire trip..

[DaveB]

One can always tow a jetski and do this for fun.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/Cd6C1vIyQ3w
That will crank your tractor!
Dave

This thread is timeless indeed....

[dlandersson]

The big power boats on the south side of Lake Michigan seldom go out for the same reason.

I think I used about 20 gallons this last summer - 10 or so getting in in an hurry from a sudden storm.

Hahahahah Send me your email ( just kidding) and I will send you copies of my brother fuel bill for the past 12 months.. In or around? $8500 USD..
He seldom goes out.. Its NOT a huge boat .. It has Twin Yanmar Diesels ( lot easier on fuel than gas engines... a LOT Easier!!)
Decent size Power Boat with our cabin space is always going to be Burning Fuel.. and at around ?? $4 a gallon .. Most often between say 3 and 1.2 MPG..
Say you go 60 miles in one day.. that's not very far unless you are on some inland lake and a smaller lake at that.. No Less Than 20 Gallons @ $4 a gallon you have $80 Min. for the day.. do that just 4 day a month and you have spent more money for fuel than I have in any one year..Two winters ago, I was gone for a total of 6.5 weeks and didn't spend that much on fuel for my entire trip..

[Highlander]

this thread is over two years old,i think this guy has settled his issues by now

Ya Think
Come-on now we are talking the female species here "not live & let live" but "live & let die" , Oh the Admirals will be just Stewing Now Eh

J

[DaveB]

Fuel expence is a very small minor cost to other costs to maintain a Mac. X or M.
Going long distance such as 2000 miles or more Coastal Cruiseing in lets say 3 years, the cost for replacement equipment well exceeds fuel costs.
Most Mac. owners don't need the cost of fuel and rely on maintanance keeping their boat in performance and upgradeing wear on rigging,sails and other items.
Those who have upgraded to the 90 hp and do a lot of high RPMS for going 25 knots will feel the cost of fuel spent.(most of those want ski,tubeing etc.)
Most who have the 50 hp outboard will just settle for 7 knots cruise and 12-14 knots full throttle on empty ballast in a loaded equiped boat for cruiseing.
My boat is very heavy with installed equipment and best is 15 knots with my old 1997 Honda BF50.
I plan to install a new 50hp bigfoot. Cost $5300 plus lines and control and labor. Cost is around $6400-6600 out the door.
I can get $1250-$1500 for the Honda reduseing the cost.
That will give me another 10 years of cruiseing.
My BFhonda max amps is 10 amps, Bigfoot Merc. is 18 amps. I have refig. and solar panels . 18 amps is much more, 14 diamiter prop. is much more were I need only a 3 blade instead of 4 blade for the honda.
I do like the 90 hp 27 amp chargeing, just worth the added weight of engine and fuel consumption on long trips?
Currently I get 7mpg @ 2900 rpms, 6.8mph no current. No bottom paint.
This equals to about 6.9 miles per gal. If I wanted to do 6mph, I would get 8.5 mpg. @ 2500 rpms., 5mph @ 11 miles per gal. per hr.2100 rpms.
Lot more fuel to go 1.8 mph faster.
Dave

Hahahahah Send me your email ( just kidding) and I will send you copies of my brother fuel bill for the past 12 months.. In or around? $8500 USD..
He seldom goes out.. Its NOT a huge boat .. It has Twin Yanmar Diesels ( lot easier on fuel than gas engines... a LOT Easier!!)
Decent size Power Boat with our cabin space is always going to be Burning Fuel.. and at around ?? $4 a gallon .. Most often between say 3 and 1.2 MPG..
Say you go 60 miles in one day.. that's not very far unless you are on some inland lake and a smaller lake at that.. No Less Than 20 Gallons @ $4 a gallon you have $80 Min. for the day.. do that just 4 day a month and you have spent more money for fuel than I have in any one year..Two winters ago, I was gone for a total of 6.5 weeks and didn't spend that much on fuel for my entire trip..

[MarkSouth]

I have had my 1997 26x coming up one one year. Prior to the mac I had big boats on the ocean. I was thinking I was spending a fortune fixing up my mac. I am still not finished either. I was beginning to think I was spending too much.

Then I went on a vacation with my family. The money I spent on the vacation was was lots more than I have spend on my mac. The vacation is gone. Memories will be around for a while but the mac is still outside my house and I can use it again and again.

If you love your boat as much as I do I think it's the best spent money. You can't beat the fun.

My wife tolerates the boat. I found we don't try and sail too hard if she is the only crew. I also found its good to have a place to go a few hours away. We anchor and enjoy lunch or snacks and then sail back. Seems to keep the crew happy.

I also have set up everything so I can manage the sails myself from the wheel. Not having to climb over my wife ever time we tack has helped a lot.

And yeah it doesn't sail too well. But it does go on the trailer and it doesn't have a slip fee. Good compremise.

[mastreb]

The money I spent on the vacation was was lots more than I have spend on my mac. The vacation is gone. Memories will be around for a while but the mac is still outside my house and I can use it again and again.

Totally agree with this. Last year I spent $15K taking the family to Europe. That's 1/3 of the total combined costs of everything I've put into owning this boat, including storage fees, slip fees, gas, and everything. We've spent way more time on the boat and will continue to do so indefinitely. Vacations are nice, but they are completely ephemeral whereas the boat is something that stays with you.

If an admiral doesn't like to sail, then go with Kittiwake's suggestion and leave the mast and rigging at home. Viola, now it's a cabin cruiser. Selling a Mac and going to a powerboat is a great way to ensure that you won't get your money's worth. If you want your Mac to act like a powerboat, put a 90hp motor on the back. It'll cost you less than buying a new hull with a 150hp on the back, that's for sure.

I'm very fortunate to be on my first wife (18 years) and second boat. She loves boating and sailing, and frequently wants to go when I'd rather be lazy. She also likes taking friends boating, which makes the whole experience much easier. I feel for you guys who have to fight for this.

Not selling my motorcycle though, ever. Even when I'm not riding it, it's placeholding my right to own one.

[windypatrick]

We got our boat four months ago now, I stumbled across MacGregor info and sent for the videos, but I decided right then and there this was an excellent compromise boat, I informed the Admiral that it was happening. I seldom do that, so she listens when I am driven about something. We aren't what I would call 'well heeled', but we've owned ex-military jets, military vehicles and other curiosities. She has been very tolerant. We still keep an elderly Harley and a Nanchang Radial Trainer aircraft and she has accepted them.

She quizzed me often regarding this new thing,(I've never done any water-sports) but relented quickly and agreed to try it. I wanted something less solitary where we could drag friends along. She liked the jet we had...but for the first time in any of our activities she says "When are we going out next" with genuine enthusiasm . House tasks are slipping as I hustle to prep this beast for the next outing...she's fine about it . Something remarkable happened after the last outing. The boat was entirely reusable after the trip...nothing broke. LOL. I guess I've beaten down the big items. "So, when are we going out again?"

BTW, Boat bucks seem like pocket change after operating aging warbirds. My aviation friends say..."boating is so expensive!" It gets really quiet as we look at each other, and then we all laugh...har dee har!. Case in point, dinged Russian prop on aircraft...repaired and refinished by obscure vendor in Cal. 2 boat bucks + shipping. Michigan wheel 14"x13 dinged by an idiot operator (me) .08 boat bucks repaired locally (The Admiral even picked it up! ).

Motoring/sailing is awesome.

[SKIPPER2C]

Hello All:



My wife wants me to sell my boat, but the boat is one of my favorite pleasures and the source of a lot of learned skills: sailing, weather, navigation, mechanics, etc. BTW my wife hates to sail and prefers big power boats. I thought the Macgregor was a compromise, but my wife she never sails anymore, she's really frightened of heeling under sail.

What do you guys think? I need some moral support. The pressure is on. I like to sail. Some guys fish, some like kit cars or motorcycles. Am I an odd-ball?

Thanks for your input. --Ray

Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There is just too much fraternising with the enemy ........ Henry Kissinger