Supportive spouses . . . . . . . . .

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 8:30 am

I have conference calls all day today and need some entertainment and some lifting in these times of bordom.

So, lets hear about your tolerant spouses! LOL!
What boating/sailing crazyness has your spouse or better half had to deal with?

Mine bride you ask? Well, we have our fair share of foul weather stories, fog, wind, rain, snow, steep seas, etc however my wife actually loves sailing with me and has left the dock in an 18' catamaran in 40 kts of wind, motored out into heavy fog with no radar or plotter, etc however I believe she deserves a gold star for putting up with what I might come home with! Now mind you, I drag home a LOT of unique things! All with intent! One boat I brought home had "For Sale" hand spray painted on the hull, I've left for work and came home with a new sailboat, I've brought home stray sailboats in need of love and a good home, and the most recent was when Alan and I headed out to "look" at a boat one saturday morning. Well, when Alan and I arrived back at my home, my bride had shuffled the cars around allowing for space for a new boat! LOL! Now this boat was not a pretty boat but a diamond in the rough! No, I did not need the boat. I already had a C22. This would be the third one I've owned, she looked like she should have been left for scavangers! However my beautiful bride takes it all in stride! She allows me the freedom to do as I See fit with the boats! She'll always let me know how she feels but she always understands when I have to have that "just one more" boat! LOL!

Tomorrow she gets tested again as I will arrive home with an old BMW motorcycle in the back of my truck! LOL!

OK, so there is the start, lets hear what folly you have dragged your spouse into and you still made it through!

Diane and I will hit 20 years in a week and a half and I wouldn't trade for the world!

Scott

N41EF · Post by **N41EF** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 2:46 pm

We've been tolerating each other for 23 years. It helps that half of the first 12 years I was deployed half of the time on submarines.

After all these years she has realized I'm usually correct, but early on some things. I spent a Sears gift card one Christmas for a stand alone caller ID box, in 1993 or so? Now she won't answer the phone without looking at the caller ID on the TV. She initially told me it was a waste of money and why would any one care who was calling.

In 1994 we had two computers, which I linked and we could send message to each other and share a printer. "Why would anyone talk on the computer?".

I've "drug" many things home that she couldn't believe. My daughter and I hold "family meetings" and by 2/3 vote have brought home a dog or two, which later fit in and were loved by all.

The C22 began as me leaving a copy of an Overton's catalog laying on the coffee table for a week, then a "Sailing for Dummies" book, then a few printed out emails from a Catalina 25 I was looking at, then on Monday one week announced I was driving "Near Atlanta" to bring a sailboat home. Well, Talladega Alabama is "near" Atlanta isn't it?

I've brought home airplane fuselages, avionics, many cars, and now a boat.

A 1995 Volvo 850 Wagon that had a broken timing belt (no valve damage!) and sold it for 4x the price paid. Drove it 18 months free.

There was a 1983 Mercedes 240D with 36k miles on it, cash from a little old lady, drove it a year and sold it for 3x I paid for it.

A 2000 Mercedes C230k that sounded like it had a rod knocking. $200 in motor and transmission mounts, sold it for 2x I paid for it after driving it a year.

I'm currently shopping for a M35A2 "Deuce and a half" and she will drive home one day to to find one in the driveway. I NEED one to pull the boat the 16 miles to the lake.

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Mon Nov 14, 2011 3:34 pm

My bride for the first 15 years heard about getting a boat and she said "what do we need a boat for" then a neighbor had a sailboat for sale and I brought it home to sail with a for sale sign on it and direct people to him and she saw how much I liked sailing so the next spring we bought the Newport Holiday. I could not get her to go on it as It had low free board and no head so I got the Chrysler and sold the Newport for the same amount. Now she goes on the boat and wants to retire on a bigger sailboat with some requirements I have told her I want to get her out in some rough water to make sure and she says "I will be ok and I trust you" she is a KEEPER!

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 4:22 am

Well, I can't tell you all the support I've received over the years from my spouse...ain't enough electrons to spell it out! About 35 years ago, we started dating in high school. I left right after graduating to go in the Air Force. We still dated for three years long distance before I got sense enough to ask her to marry me. Her staying with me while I was away was the start to the support she showed me, guess I finally realized it. I was 21 at the time.,

30-years we've been married this past September. Of the 35 we've been an item, 25 she spent chasing me or waiting on me while I was doing my thing for God and Country around the world. Raised two of the most wonderful girls in the world while I was away. Picked up the slack in so many ways, it's the military spouse thing, toughest job in the world, I just can't give her credit enough!

We only have two voting members in this household. Oh, there's plenty of commentary from the non-voting members to be sure, and their noise has some effect. But at the end of the day, we two make the decisions.

We've had a few knock-down, drag outs seeing eye to eye on a few decisions. And a couple I recall where she put her foot down on me (where it probably was more deservidly planted somewhere higher

). At the end of the day, when cooler heads prevail, the best decisions are usually arrived at.

The basement and the garage are a testament as to the tollerance of this woman. I'll never be able to say to anyone that I'm not a bit of a spoiled spouse. I'm the neighborhood "go-to" guy for that special tool to get the job done. Not only do I have quite a collection of stuff to make many jobs easier, I have a helpful attitude that comes along with it. Tickled to death when a neighbor or friend asks for help in any area I have knowledge in. Buddy was tiling his kitchen--he never did it before. "Hold-on, let me get my box of tiling tools." Wife knew I was gone for the next 3-4 days, only to be seen dirty and tired in the evening, but with a satisfied smile on my face. No complaints, took care of business while I was gone.

So the most recent test of marital bliss was the boat purchase. It's been in the driveway with the wood frame around it during the unfrozen seasons for the better part of a year and a half. Looking like it will take a bit more this next spring before it hits the water.

Not a lot of funnies here, just a ton of appreciation. She is a saint!

38 special · Post by **38 special** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:23 am

Even though I've made money off every thing I've bought, 76 Harley, 73 Landcrusier, 76 Bronco, boats, cars, guns,ect. she decided to leave me after 18 years and take part of my military pension with her (so I lost money on that deal).. Least she won't be around when I bring home the military Gama-goat I've been searching for.

Sundowner · Post by **Sundowner** » Tue Nov 15, 2011 7:39 am

Met my wife (to be) 27 years ago when I got her on my Hobie 16.
Followed by: Spirit 23, Cat 27, Sunfish, Cat 27, Cat 30, Cat 27, TMI 30.
Five bareboat trips to BVI. Sailing has been very good to us. Every boat (except the Hobie) were more than 20 years old when we got them. She never once questioned a purchased and always helped with "sweat equity".
By the way, we never lost money on a sailboat. If you don't count the hours of labor, slip payments, etc : ). At this time we are boatless. So I showed up with a 21' rowing scull. She just smiled. Guess I have to be on the water somehow.

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 9:39 am

...Dumpster Diving Sailers and the women that love them

Next week on Jerry Springer

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:11 pm

I actually found mine in the woods.

mcrandall · Post by **mcrandall** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 4:04 pm

Your wife?

That's funny, Capt B!

Paul · Post by **Paul** » Wed Nov 16, 2011 11:05 pm

And, Lyle, did you have a license for hunting such a thing???

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Thu Nov 17, 2011 4:46 pm

as a matter of fact I had the owners permission and a sail bag in the truck gave me a license.

Rivercruiser · Post by **Rivercruiser** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 3:33 pm

a sail bag in the truck gave me a license

ROFLMAO... With us it was lust at first sight. Me lusting for the Flower Child and she lusting for the Columbia 22. And it has been a downwind run for more years than we want to admit.

hp18carr · Post by **hp18carr** » Fri Nov 18, 2011 6:10 pm

We met in high school... her long brown hair bounced over her shoulders and her smile melted my heart. from that day forward I have been and always will be her willing captive. Don't read too much into this statment, the concept of the vanquished and the victory does not apply to our relationship. The best words I can find to describe it are... a mutual surrender.

Terrence
Wilmington N.C.
Chrysler 26' 1980
Pandora (for now)

jbbkamp · Post by **jbbkamp** » Tue Nov 22, 2011 5:32 pm

OK, not that I was looking for things to confirm my supportive wife but........I just burnt up her hair blower trying to dry my resin (that I didn't put near enough hardner in) for my cabin hatch. All she said was, "I don't want to receive a hair blower for Christmas!"

Also, I've been sailing since I was 9 but was without my own boat through out our married life until 2 summers ago. Then I took her on a sailing date and rented a little Hobie Cat. We had a blast with almost no wind (paddled most of the time). However, the best part of the outting was she said we could maybe consider getting a sailboat someday. To me that was the green light and 3 weeks later I'd found a little Newport Sand Shark 12' sailboat to "teach the kids to sail". The boat was great fun but was rather heavy at 180lbs to put on top of the van. Sold it for $100 more than I bought it for. Next bought a 9' Hobie Hawk, 75lbs, perfect, and perfect to teach the kids on.

Next was the Laser, just couldn't pass up a good end of the season craigslist deal. And then of course the Chrysler C20. Finally with the C20 and being able to bring the whole family (4 kids) my wife is actually kinda enjoying this.

So 2 years and 4 sailboats later (3 still owned) here we are. I'm back into one of my favorite pass times and she has put up with it all remarkably well.

Married for 16 years and I'm sure there's plenty of other things I've done that she's put up with...and I'm sure she remembers each one!

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Wed Nov 23, 2011 7:59 am

mcrandall gave such a close description that I'm not even going to bother typing it again. I too have been blessed. The divorce rate in the Bureau of Prisons is right around 75%. But we survived an entire career.

My wife didn't know anything about my sailing dream until we'd been married about 10 years or so. (Only a dream because at that time I had only been sailing twice in my entire life. Spent a lot of time onboard ship in the Corps though.) My best friend and his wife were staying over for the weekend and Kevin and I got to talking about pipe dreams. It seems we both shared the dream of cruising around the world. Subscriptions to WoodenBoat, Multihull Magazine, Boatbuilder, and Latitudes & Attitudes followed. She just went along. A couple of years later, the four of us took a sailing class/vacation on a 32' catamaran in FL. She enjoyed herself.

On my 45th birthday she took me to dinner and on the way home I saw a sailboat in this guy's backyard with a "For Sale" sign on it. I stopped to look at it across the yard and she said, "Go ahead, you know you want to look at it." That was my LS-16. The guy wanted $1000, but it didn't have any sails. I offered him $600 and took it home, where it sat lonely and unused for the next 7 years. (We did get her out on the water a few times this summer before one of the plywood chainplate braces pulled out. Winter project.) Mind you, I still hadn't even gotten it in the water when I joined this list and started picking brains.

Then one of YOU posted about some C-22 auction on e-Bay. I laughingly told the wife I wanted to throw a $1000 bid at it and see what happened. She didn't even blink, just said "Go ahead". No joy. It said I had to bid at least $1012, so I did, without asking permission. And I won. So I dragged that boat home last summer, where she has sat lonely and unused since then. But work starts this weekend.

maRaider · Post by **maRaider** » Sun Nov 27, 2011 3:09 pm

Today my wife amazed me be being 100% supportive as I began re-rigging "Dreams" in various ways. She came out and helped me assess the best plans for salvaging as much of the sail as possible, if we decided to cut it down to match the um... truncated mast.

After an hour of looking at the various steps needed to reshape the sail, she encouraged me in my hare-brained desire to really monkey around with the rig by trying out lateen, spritsail, and other sail concepts for the MOW.

We have various needs and I think she is going to help me a great deal in turning the Man-O-War racer into something she and I can let the kids learn to sail in. At the same time, she knows I like speed, so she's going to help me get it moving fast again.

What a great lady!

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Tue Nov 29, 2011 7:43 pm

Just after 5 years of marital bliss I dragged home the C-22 and only after convincing her it was unsinkable would she come sailing with me. The folling spring I found the C-26 and she came coastal sailing for a season even after a knock down. Not wanting to deal with not sailing another winter she agreed to shed our land stuff and move aboard full time. Hows that for being supportive?

LeatherneckPA · Post by **LeatherneckPA** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 5:25 am

Offhand, I'd say that's the WINNER! Better hold on to that lady.

troyengel · Post by **troyengel** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:15 pm

Well, its been 23 or 24 years, I've lost track, . She doesn't like boats, she gets sea sick in minutes. that said, she does like the fact that I involve the kids. its a way to spend time together and for them to learn. as for bringing things home, Well lets just say I built her a really nice kitchen, and put every little thing that she wanted in it. then I added about 1400 sq ft around it. so she is happy to enjoy the house and let me stay busy with boats, planes, scouts and fire trucks.

J. Austin · Post by **J. Austin** » Wed Nov 30, 2011 8:18 pm

Mario wins, hands down. Let me guess, she's probably gorgeous too.
Some guys have all the luck, nice find.

Mario G · Post by **Mario G** » Thu Dec 08, 2011 9:17 am

j42goose wrote:Mario wins, hands down. Let me guess, she's probably gorgeous too.
Some guys have all the luck, nice find.

It would be bragging if I answered that