Inspiration, Intervention, Motivation, Acceptance, Spouse Approval -The Five stages of boat buying
Working at boat shows over the last two decades always included a little shopping during the quiet times. It has been both fun and expensive but never too crazy. Occasionally I meet people at shows who get caught up in the emotion of buying a boat but this has never happened to me. This year was different and my heart has started to rule over my head as far as boats are concerned.
Inspiration - At the 2014 Toronto International Boat Show my brother took a break from the booth and returned holding a bill of sale for a new Catalina 315. This is a very nice boat and I'm looking forward to sailing it when summer arrives. Later in the week I wandered around the show with my wife, Erica, and the kids. We liked Catalina 315 but we all agreed the Hanse 415 was our "Best in Show". The kids will likely attend university at some point so financially our dream of a new Hanse was not going to be a reality this year. When I showed everyone a more affordable (but not so comfortable ) J70 sport boat I was shot down in flames. It seemed to me that a cruising boat was a GO, a sport boat was a NO.
Intervention - A few weeks later at the Sail Canada Rolex Awards I was fortunate to have the company of a friend from Nova Scotia. I shared my experience from the boat show and his response was immediate. "Forget the Hanse, there is a nice Bavaria 38 Cruiser in Cleveland that is the perfect boat and you could get it for a great price." My East Coast buddy set the hook that night. When we met again after the Halifax Boat Show and he worked it some more. But by that time I had viewed the Yachtworld listing dozens of times and was a quite smitten.
Motivation - Sadly, I have attended far too many funerals of great men in the last year. Gary Poole, Bob Eaton, Hans Fogh and Larry Later. I have also seen too many friends battling all types of illness. Our short time on this earth is precious and I intend to live it to the fullest while I'm still able. With my daughter turning 12 and a son turning 10 the timing is perfect for a family boat. A place for us to grow together in adventure and to introduce a new world that is fun, challenging, and rewarding. A place to build a lifetime of memories together.
Acceptance - This is just a small piece of the puzzle but a cruising boat is a done deal as far as I'm concerned. I accept that this is the proper course and I'm committed to buying a boat.
Spouse Approval - The buck stops here. If you do not have a meaningful value proposition, if the finances aren't in order, if it doesn't engage the family, if it is just about YOU - then this is where the boat buying story ends .
Fortunately for me things were just getting started in earnest.
Working at boat shows over the last two decades always included a little shopping during the quiet times. It has been both fun and expensive but never too crazy. Occasionally I meet people at shows who get caught up in the emotion of buying a boat but this has never happened to me. This year was different and my heart has started to rule over my head as far as boats are concerned.
Intervention - A few weeks later at the Sail Canada Rolex Awards I was fortunate to have the company of a friend from Nova Scotia. I shared my experience from the boat show and his response was immediate. "Forget the Hanse, there is a nice Bavaria 38 Cruiser in Cleveland that is the perfect boat and you could get it for a great price." My East Coast buddy set the hook that night. When we met again after the Halifax Boat Show and he worked it some more. But by that time I had viewed the Yachtworld listing dozens of times and was a quite smitten.
Acceptance - This is just a small piece of the puzzle but a cruising boat is a done deal as far as I'm concerned. I accept that this is the proper course and I'm committed to buying a boat.
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| Smiling wife avatar - not Erica |
Fortunately for me things were just getting started in earnest.
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