slightly ill judged boat show purchases

[solent clown]

Being Southampton based, the boat show is a calendar essential. One only mentions this now as my better half has been rifling through her store of "essential" items she has for the yacht.
Two particular offenders have piqued my "interest" or ire, if you will, and are indicative of that particular psychology of going to a show with no intention of buying an actual boat, ie; the need to bring something, ANYTHING back.
And so to the wife. Had I known, I would have headed straight to B + Q beforehand for at least two wheelbarrows, one for the "must haves", and another for the brochures...
She spent an indecent amount of money on clothing items, and the two offending objects below. They have no particular defects themselves, indeed they fulfil their design brief excellently. BUT how many times will they ever be used.
Diablo, bloody good.
Diablo, once the novelty has worn off, bloody hard work.

As for that beer can topper. It is utterly useless on a bottle of ale or atop a whisky tumbler.
Looking at these offending objects, I have to wonder what wonders inhabit the dark corners of your drawers, sheds and lockers that you purchased in a similar fug of boatiness

IMG_20171201_184023[1] by mark punksteel, on Flickr

IMG_20171201_184033 by mark punksteel, on Flickr

IMG_20171201_184047 by mark punksteel, on Flickr

 

[lpdsn]

You could probably give the snack maker to someone for Christmas.

Not sure what the other thing is. I sometimes cut off the top-half of a plastic bottle to use as a funnel for putting fresh oil into the engine. It might have a similar role.

 

[solent clown]

You could probably give the snack maker to someone for Christmas.

Not sure what the other thing is. I sometimes cut off the top-half of a plastic bottle to use as a funnel for putting fresh oil into the engine. It might have a similar role.

I would never be allowed to give such "treasures" away. The odd funnel thing clips to the top of a drinks can to turn it into a bottle. Good idea in theory on a boat. That would be why it sits in the bottom of a drawer at home

 

[Neeves]

Don't complain.

I visit boat shows and Josephine comes to some. But what we notice is that most boat shows are inhabited by white haired and white haired and similarly coloured, bearded, gentlemen (and boat shows in Oz are not held in December) with a total absence of the fairer sex (or is that now politically incorrect). There is commonly a lack of younger males, with or without beards, as well and an almost complete absence of children. The show stands also show a strongly male preponderance, except for the hired in eye candy (probably also non PC).

Maybe Oz is exceptional.

You are the exception.

The industry needs to get its act together. Slight drift here - I wonder how many of the magazines, of which there has been much written recently, are bought by the ladies?

Jonathan

 

[adwuk]

If you dont like your diablo then you aren’t doing it right. Toasted egg sandwich after an early start is one of the finest things!

 

[PaulR]

still keen on my diablo - not used often but enjoy outcome when i do

 

[solent clown]

we actually bought two diabolo, great fun. one i melted the handle on which did not please the wife. Novelty wore off when she decided to make several. I also always seem to burn myself with the damned thing. Good cooking tool for dinghy cruising though

 

[DownWest]

When you first said Diablo, I thought of a loop of rope on two sticks and a reel type thingy that you keep spinning with the rope. Just what I need for my mini cruiser!

 

[solent clown]

When you first said Diablo, I thought of a loop of rope on two sticks and a reel type thingy that you keep spinning with the rope. Just what I need for my mini cruiser!

I bet my wife has one somewhere "in case it come in useful"

Previously we bought what is known colloquially as a w+nking tube from the boat show, from the same guy we got the cab tops from. Had it about 10 years now, absolutely brilliant. clear tube syphon with an odd ball arrangement in the end, you just shake it in your fist and it syhons.

 

[duncan99210]

I've got one of the beer can top thingys. Most of the time it lurks in the drawer as I tend to drink bottled beer or cider. But when cans of whatever appear out of the fridge and the wasps are about the place it becomes a useful bit of kit: attached to the can it means you can recap the thingy and prevent wasps taking up residence in the can, which then leads to a painful encounter with the inside of your mouth.
The mere thought of toasted sandwiches in Greece in the summer is enough to bring me out in a muck sweat.

 

[Robin]

Love our Diablo. ideal on a BBq to avoid heating cabin in Florida heat. cheese and ham, eggs and cheese, baked beans, egg on it's own, all easy and tasty. Ours will be returning to UK with us for sure .

 

[Sgeir]

Only time we went to LIBS we bought a set of loft ladders.

 

[capnsensible]

Bought an all singing all dancing Sterling Inverter for a lot of money. Installed, fab job, ready In all respects to be used at sea with engine support for all sorts of 220v needs. Magic.

Except in 19 years of living aboard, the 20 year old inverter has been used......not.

Ace wiring job though.......

 

[Wansworth]

On a 24 foot Trident less is best.On my 27 footer I have found I can get. rid of at least a box of stuff each year.

 

[wotayottie]

Don't complain.

I visit boat shows and Josephine comes to some. But what we notice is that most boat shows are inhabited by white haired and white haired and similarly coloured, bearded, gentlemen (and boat shows in Oz are not held in December) with a total absence of the fairer sex (or is that now politically incorrect). There is commonly a lack of younger males, with or without beards, as well and an almost complete absence of children. The show stands also show a strongly male preponderance, except for the hired in eye candy (probably also non PC).

Maybe Oz is exceptional.

You are the exception.

The industry needs to get its act together. Slight drift here - I wonder how many of the magazines, of which there has been much written recently, are bought by the ladies?

Jonathan

But boats are "boys toys" along with motorbikes and sports cars. I dont know what women have as toys or interests - my SWMBO seems to like visiting old houses and looking at gardens and talking to other women about god knows what.

I would have thought it was the same down under. After all, you Ozzies arent renowned for sensitivity to the sheilas.

 

[daviddb]

Only thing of any substance I can recall buying at t'boat show was, ooh, at least twenty years ago. A steel, roll-up, electric, remote controlled, garage door. Never regretted it.......

 

[KINGFISHER 8]

No worries Neeves ... At UK boat shows some of the women​ have beards!