Boating problem with Significant Other

[Sixy_the_red]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Or you could try this - even a woman would think this is cute!!!

I DON'T think so...

[Stoo]

There is no shortage of sage advice here. Pat, I agree, the RIB would be right sporting perched up there on the lido deck, and with a range of, I think, about 1000 miles, we could cover a lot of water... albeit rather slowly.

As for redecorating, it is used now as a live-aboard dive boat, so it is all nice and knotty inside, with all sorts of creature comforts, like the aforementioned beer fridge!

So, just so I have this straight...

1) Just go buy it and tell her after the fact...
2) But forge the invoice...
3) And tell her she can paint it pink if she wants, and redecorate it
4) And that we are going to spend 8 months of the year cruising in style when I retire in a few years...

Right. Got it.

She would beat me within an inch of my life... she's only 98#, but her boney little knuckles hurt...

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Easy - get it renamed after her....

Good idea... "M.V. Snarly Little Italian" does have a nice ring to it...

The crane is a little light-duty I think for my RIB, but that could always me upgraded.

As for the "Theodore" look, I have seen a similar get-up over here... I'd drown myself first. There used to be a little 34' tug in town here called "Daisy". It was yelly and baby-blue, with flowered curtains. Some things are just "wrong"...

[bedajim]

I think i'd mention the real bed, bathroom with mrrior, hot running water

Can you borrow it and arrange for dinner on the aft deck with all the crap they love so she can see it in a different light

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by bedajim

I think i'd mention the real bed, bathroom with mrrior, hot running water

Normally, that would help, but we live right beside the harbour in a comfy little house... with a real bed, mirror, hot water... and it doesn't smell like diesel.

I like the idea of borrowing it though. We have shared a few "wobbly-pops" on the aft deck with the current owner, and that's always a big hit... Perhaps I could take her away for a weekend on a private charter! Of course, we would probably get nailed with a gale, snow, rouge waves, e-coli...

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Stoo

and it doesn't smell like diesel.

I love this, most of the advice is from blokes. Here is a girlie perspective:-

1) rid the smell of diesel - fill the boat with flowers or other nice perfume stuff;
2) arrange a romantic dinner for two with candles (if not too much of a fire risk);
3) be wary of a cruise in case the weather is awful which would put her off for life;
4) Don't mention that you still want to buy the boat otherwise the whole ambience is wrong - if she mentions it, just say that this is a last opportunity as your mate is selling the boat. See if she can come up with the idea of buying it - having her things around the boat, etc. imagine the parties, the cruises, etc. but it has to be her idea.

Just a thought.

[The Jackeens]

Hahahahaa

(Love the 'half-Sicilian; half-Irish' bit. You really don't want to mess with that (spicy) combo 100% genuine Murphia!!!!)

I would love a boat like that. Butlins on sea. Your missus doesn't know she's born. You could fit carpets, central heating, have a roof garden, paint it pink and stick it on a Versa Dock and you wouldn't have to worry about Bank Holiday traffic ever again.

You need to broaden your thinking beyong the usual RIBnet accessories of bird's nest wiring, GPS and bilge pumps. Try frette bedlinen, champagne bucket, a dozen roses and some belgian choccies.

Kathleen

[Stoo]

I should point out, that technically, I am not married, so if you fancy a move to the Colonies, you are not too late at this point...

But, I don't know about all of this girlie stuff. This is a 72' TUGBOAT for crying out loud. How much more macho can you get than that? I want to paint it black and orange and name it "Belcher" or "Balls"... although "Snarly Little Italian" really is growing on me! (Thanks Cod!)

I suppose I could do the girlie stuff temporarily. And the boat does have a small garden already. (Just a few tomatoes I think...).

So much to consider. I really am thankfull for all of these helpful suggestions!

Incidently, how do you think I should broach the idea of her taking up welding as a hobby?

[grunta]

hmmm.... as a woman, I can't completely LOVE anything until I've transformed it (kinda like what I did to grunta!).

Give her your checkbook and show her some possibilities of redecorating. This is a TOMCO tug - it had me at "Hello!" Good luck!

Gruntessa.

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by grunta

hmmm.... as a woman, I can't completely LOVE anything until I've transformed it (kinda like what I did to grunta!).

Give her your checkbook and show her some possibilities of redecorating. This is a TOMCO tug - it had me at "Hello!" Good luck!

Gruntessa.

Ah yes... note the similarities...

And yes, I get the whole transformation thing. That's why I live in a Hibiscus-coloured house... What the heck was wrong with "Colonial Blue" anyway???

[prairie tuber]

Originally Posted by codprawn

Hanging baskets and pretty curtains etc - turn it into a pretty country cottage - a British style one of course!!!

Or you could try this - even a woman would think this is cute!!!

It may be cute but it just might not provide a trustworthy alibi regarding those doctored receipts.

[pathalla]

Originally Posted by The Jackeens

Hahahahaa

(Love the 'half-Sicilian; half-Irish' bit. You really don't want to mess with that (spicy) combo 100% genuine Murphia!!!!)

I would love a boat like that. Butlins on sea. Your missus doesn't know she's born. You could fit carpets, central heating, have a roof garden, paint it pink and stick it on a Versa Dock and you wouldn't have to worry about Bank Holiday traffic ever again.

You need to broaden your thinking beyong the usual RIBnet accessories of bird's nest wiring, GPS and bilge pumps. Try frette bedlinen, champagne bucket, a dozen roses and some belgian choccies
Kathleen

A roof garden? What do you grow? Ganja?

[grunta]

I like her, stoo! But that fluorescent light has got to go!

She's a beauty! A little ambient lighting, some new squab covers, maybe a hurricane lamp or two, and she'd be ready for romance (in my humble opinion.)

[The Jackeens]

Originally Posted by pathalla

A roof garden? What do you grow? Ganja?

That's 100% genuine sea weed on the roof yer honour

[Sarah G]

Originally Posted by Stoo

I should point out, that technically, I am not married, so if you fancy a move to the Colonies, you are not too late at this point...

Very kind offer but already married - sorry.

Originally Posted by Stoo

But, I don't know about all of this girlie stuff. This is a 72' TUGBOAT for crying out loud. How much more macho can you get than that? I want to paint it black and orange and name it "Belcher" or "Balls"... although "Snarly Little Italian" really is growing on me! (Thanks Cod!)

I suppose I could do the girlie stuff temporarily. And the boat does have a small garden already. (Just a few tomatoes I think...).

Yeh - just until you've got her suggesting that you buy the boat - once it belongs to you, then you can go for the tasteful suggestions you were making - NOT...

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by pathalla

A roof garden? What do you grow? Ganja?

Now there's another fine idea! "Officer, this is the raw material for my new herb-powered bio-diesel engine...."

Knowing the Coasties up here pretty well, I suspect I would be the "most-inspected" vessel in town! Not sure that I would come for a visit though Pat. Don't you 'Mericans shoot Herbal Magic growers?

[Stoo]

Well, the SO finally asked what I was chuckling about last night so I had to 'fess up... I think it's fair to say that she REALLY appreciates all of these helpful suggestions.

But it seems to be helping! She now agrees that living on a big boat for several months of the year is in fact a pretty cool idea! She still has a problem with the smelly diesel (I'll play up the safety angle!) and the general location. I just need to figure out how long it would take to get this beast to the Caribbean! We'll be quite the hit pulling into Georgetown Harbour in Grand Cayman...

I guess I'll need to keep working on her...

P.S. What happens when you stick a hundred year old steel boat in salt water???

[DGR]

It floats!!

I'm no expert, but you need to make sure that you keep on top of the maintenance (hull anodes and the paint etc). You can gauge the rate of corrosion/oxidation if you get the hull surveyed and monitor it's plate thickness. I believe here in the UK the hulls get surveyed every two or three years (any surveyors confirm that?). There is a 35 year old steel boat in our local harbour, and it has lost 0.25mm of thickness (on 8mm plates) in that time. It all depends how well it has been looked after during it's century of bobbing around!!

D...

[Stoo]

While this boat is "technically" 110 years old, in actual fact, there is nothing left of the original boat. I think the hull plates were all replaced about 8 - 10 years ago, and it is painted with epoxy paint. Obviously, if this get's serious, a good survey would be in order.

[jyasaki]

Originally Posted by Stoo

Not sure that I would come for a visit though Pat. Don't you 'Mericans shoot Herbal Magic growers?

Well, the CG does. But dope is the #2 cash crop in California. Gotta be going somewhere.

jky