If you tell a non boater you have a boat...

[BrendanS]

I'm quite partial to the Telegraph since they published this yesterday!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/...xford-spin-outs-are-commercial-blueprint.html

 

[gjgm]

Get the same questions but usually in a totally uninterested way.

Find that people who do not have boats are not usually in the least bit interested.

I agree; its only people with boats who are interested, and then 99pct assume a boat has sails.
And of course they then assume you are obscenely affluent.

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I get asked things like "how can you afford that on an NHS salary?". They are often nonplussed by answers around "not having payTV, not going to night clubs/Costa del Sol in August/football matches/owning big flatsceen TV/no new car.

"How fast can you go?"
No idea, more than the local speed limit.
"Can I/we sleep on board"
If you are single and pretty and my wife says you can. Failing that bring beer.
"How do we, er, go to the toilet?"
In the usual manner. Be accurate if you are male. Instructions for use are on the sign above it.
"What if its cold?"
We turn the central heating on, what do you usually do?

Caravanners particularly seem in awe that you might have a fridge freezer, ice, heating, shower and flushing loo.

 

[ricky_s]

Caravanners particularly seem in awe that you might have a fridge freezer, ice, heating, shower and flushing loo.

Don't know why, even the most basic modern caravan has all of those things. They would think they were roughing it in all but the most expensive boats.

 

[colvic987]

1. how big is the boat
2. where do you go
3. where do you sleep when you get there
4. what 'you sleep in the boat' and not a hotel.
5. how many does it sleep
6. what do you do about eating then
7. cook onboard
8. what you have a kitchen as well
9. how do you know where your going when you get out of site of land
10. 'You wouldn't get me doing that.'

Ref question 13 on past posts, catching fish obviously not born to catch fish, do try and fish, but bit of a black art which i have not managed to suss out, good job i dont have to live off the land (or sea).

 

[blueglass]

all of the above, but high on the list for me is;
" how far out from land do you go"?
also as boat is in the Greek islands we often get asked by Brits on holiday who see Poole as home port on the transom:
How did you get it here?
sailed it here
Wow , how long did it take?
etc.
Quite like the last bit actually cos they are usually amazed and become awestruck before the master mariner sea dogs.

 

[scubaman]

My wife usually gets the first two or three questions from the list and especially towards the end of the season the answers are invariably met with a mix compassion and outright pity.

Even her mother, who has been on the boat several times and knows we have a heater, insists on calling and checking we haven't drowned or that we have enough blankets when it's getting a bit darker and colder in the autumn. Drives me mad...

The tone is completely different in the summer of course.

 

[kcrane]

Ref question 13 on past posts, catching fish obviously not born to catch fish, do try and fish, but bit of a black art which i have not managed to suss out, good job i dont have to live off the land (or sea).

Are we related?

 

[AndieMac]

Even her mother, who has been on the boat several times and knows we have a heater, insists on calling and checking we haven't drowned or that we have enough blankets when it's getting a bit darker and colder in the autumn. Drives me mad...

I think most of us would have experienced just that Scubaman, especially having "their" grandchildren on board .

 

[PCUK]

First response:-
You're not short of a few bob then!

My reply:
No, If I DIDN'T have a boat I wouldn't be short of a few bob!!!

 

[Andrew_Fanner]

I'm anticipating my son doing well in the g/f stakes over this sort of thing.

She, " so what are you doing this weekend?"
He , "weekend away in Windsor on Daddy's boat"
She, "Oooohhh, the weather is going to be lovely..."
He, "I'll ask Dad if you can come too if you like. There's a big bed for sunbathing and a shower and a fridge and a hairdryer"
She, "I'll pack my bikini, where would I sleep?"
He, "I'm sure we can sort somethng out..."

 

[iangrant]

I was once asked

What happens when it gets dark? - Err we put the lights on!

Did you anchor at night when you went across the Atlantic? (ok saily boat)

Why have you got so many dials?

Ian

 

[stuhaynes]

It must be cold on them boats

Between September and March this is the comment made by most people when they learn that we spend 'most of the year onboard'. I must admit that I have replied " Yes, it was -12 last winter". They don't seem to get the point. In longer conversations we've had all the above mentioned questions asked at various times, especially the fishing bit. As we're inland we're obviously raving mad anyway......

 

[Moody]

First response:-
You're not short of a few bob then!

I've had this one more than once, and my response is always ''Exactly - got no kids you see''

This is always received with a knowing smile

 

[White Horse]

!. Where do you keep it?
2. Is it a narrow boat?........... have to explain it's a raggie.
3. Do you actually go out to sea?