Beautiful Boats - does it matter?

[tcm]

Some postings below indicate that whilst it's valid to complain or comment if doors fall of off or engines use loads of fuel or suchlike then that is a fair point to bring up. Whereas it is not a valid point to say "that is ugly". But I think that is fine to say if it looks nasty, and important.

Indeed , "looks" and "feel" and "image" are perhapsd the only things that separate more and more products these days- they all work - unlike 30 or 50 or 100 years ago when cars were reviled because they broke down or didn't even work to start with. These days, most things do what they are supposed to do, and you buy lots of things (eg wristwatches) from their looks, not from checking their operation.

So, that rodman56 looks a bit squarish and bland, the az55 looks fab. Aquaramas look fab in a retro sort of way, searay not quite as fab but perfectly acceptable sporting boat. And so on.

Interstingly, if you look around the automotive and boating world today, the makers of beautiful, well-proportioned (but not nec. cheap nor good value) things are doing well, whereas makers of good value items are having a so-so time...and makers of ugly things (some boats, ladas, yugo) go broke regardless of how cheap they are.

 

[hlb]

Yes its very true. Things today have to do alot more than just work. Its taken for granted that they work. However I really do think some of the boat builders have lost the plot, its not only the B****wood with ( I'll re phrase this for Kim) Odd shaped windows and jelly mould shapes. I cant get exited about any boat I've seen in recent years. Cant think what boat I would trade up to, even if money was not an issue.

<font color=red> No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Haydn

 

[kimhollamby]

One without MS4 gearboxes? /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

kim_hollamby@ipcmedia.com

 

[tcm]

\"Beauty is in the eye of the loony\"

I do not belive this H! You cannot be serious!

Now i know that prinnys are quite nice BUT what about an even lovelier boat with, say, a bar in it eh? And a snug, with nice girlie barmaids that say Hi, ooh its you H, rather than ur no he was first....PLus a proper bogs with urinals? AND a white noise generator that automatically compensated so can't hear the wife whenever she says even a single a word? Plus nice cobblestones in the saloon eh? Well alright that sounds a bit ridiculous...nobody has invented anything to drown wife racket haha.

You gotta have a dream. If you don't have a dream, how you gonna ...er explain mad nighttime rantings and sleep-throwing dog/kids/wife out the window?

 

[mtb]

Re: don\'t care what sex no sexism

allowed on my tug ..
cos
cant hear anything, any one shout's ever !!!!!!!!!!
oh and it's better looking than all the modern stuff
the small print
my own opinion of course
cheers
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler or tug v, cheap or swap for tug

 

[petem]

Urinals

Was in Cheltenhams poshest bathroom shop the other day and they actually sell little urinals for your home bathroom. They've even got little flap covers. Now me and the boy reckoned this was brill but SWMBO though it was hideous.

If you don't believe me then here's an example

Matt, were urinals an option on the Leopard? Far more use than a bidet (unless your in India or somewhere else third world).

 

[mtb]

Re: Urinals

I had real problems finding a urinal , to fit in my bath room at home , hell of a job arranging cistern and pipe work to have it flushing on it's own.
Its a life saver in the middle of the night easy to find cant miss and guess what ladies no stains or smell around the loo
Cheers
Mick

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler or tug v, cheap or swap for tug

 

[hlb]

Ok Kim. So you want another rant about farting V*lv*'s do you.. I thought it was all sweetness and light from now on/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

<font color=red> No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer! /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

Haydn

 

[tcm]

Re: Urinals

Unfortunately, no urinals nor even bidets on our scummy boat. I will have to await a refit pending a visit to Pisa and retun this November. Fancy a wizz in the (off-season, like windermere) med ?

 

[stewart]

Are we getting distracted by urinals?

Back to the original thread then ......

Of course looks matter, to a certain extent they're obviously subjective but not entirely. Boats (or modern power boats at least) should look sleek and not dumpy. Now we can all argue whether Princess, Ferretti, Azimut atc do it best but all are going down the same route because it's what people want. True, fashion is a part of it, and fashions change, but great designs stand the test of time and maybe that is the true measure. In the auto world a Lamborgini Miura still looks better than virtually anything on the road after 30+ years and so will a lot of other italian cars. In the boat world people live Riva seem to make timeless designs, and not just the Aquarama. There does seem to be a pattern though that most high end designs which come out of Italy seem to be universally admired, be it clothes, cars, boats, whatever. I guess when you're surrounded by style, great light, scenery, food, wine, women etc it becomes second nature. Errr think I'm rambling a bit now.....

 

[tcm]

Excellent rambling, stewart! nm

.

 

[Eightpots]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, someone said that a while ago before glasses were freely available! I had to take my esteemed boss to poole the other day to the Sunseeker sales people. Hes looking at purchasing a new boat. Knowing that I have a small boat he invited me to come along on the demo run. Looking at the the lines of the beast, the person who designed it has been given a new set of french curves for their birthday/christmas present. Its rather a shame that a vessel such as this from a revered boatbuilder looks as if it comes from the set of some scifi film. Not to my taste, but obviously appeals to people like my boss. Then again, in my opinion, my boss would not know good design if it smaked him square in the face! I know this because he makes me drive a bristol! Put together from a parts bin I think!

 

[stewart]

Rambling part 2

Not all boats need to be judged by the same measure though. Soemthing like a Trader could never be caled sleek or sexy but it is a good design, it's not changed much in years, it looks kind of timeless, not attractive but functional and the design works well. Ditto Grand Banks. Function takes prioity over form to a certain extent in this market place and that's fine.

I think the problem arises when a manufacturer tries to build boats for a market place where looks matter, and they probably matter more with open sports boats than any, with the modern flybridge market not far behind. So who can we think of that build dumpy, ugly boats for this market (and they don't have the redeeming feature of being well made like Grand Banks etc)? I can think of one........ Also, I don't even understand why. The boats we have in mind are obvioously cheap and built down to a price (not my cup of tea, I'd rather buy secondhand a better built boat but ok, some people find "newness" important) but why does this mean ugly? It can't cost more to build a well styled boat than a dumpy one, it's just a different shaped moulding. That's what I really don't get.

 

[tcm]

the parts bin inquestion including an inexhaustible stcok of hillman minx (409?) and rover SD1 (411?) rear lights...

 

[EME]

Beautiful Boats - does it matter?

Replace 'Boat's with 'Women....??

QED

NM

...I wanna boat please..

 

[sailbadthesinner]

I can vouch that this is also true for yotties

the incredible irony is that us raggie men have gone into total reverse in some cases when it comes to our women

they have to work, that's all

looks don't seem to be that important

you only have to look at some of the sour faced old baggage winching on some of those beautiful rag and sticks

all imho

Maybe, just once, someone will call me sir without adding, you're making a scene.

 

[mtb]

Re: blooming cheek

nout wrong with Bristol's I've even got carburetters for the early ones.
Your lucky realy you are to have a boss that spoils you .
Tell me who it is so I can grass you up ....

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/boats
I want a big steel ex trawler or tug v, cheap or swap for tug

 

[jfm]

Beautiful Rivas.

Agree with you Steward, Riva have made some of the most beautiful stuff consistently over last 25 years. Mid 70s SuperAmericas were easily the best looking flybridge boats of their time and are still classically beautiful now, imho. Aquarama = icon. But I find the beige gelcoat on the some of their new stuff a bit too beige. There's a kanckered s'america 48 in Lymington that's been on hardstanding about 5 years, if anyone fancies a restoration project. mtb mick, why not trade in your tug for it?

 

[stewart]

Re: Beautiful Rivas.

Could never ever buy a beige boat, now way. Nor one of these that have a few ebige moulding like sea line. You see the beige boats at SBS and I just don't get it. Why would anyone ever buy such a hideous thing? Maybe they wear brown cardigans, go caravanning and have a brown Austin Allegro (though not sure that can pull a caravan)