What makes a yacht special?

It is the emotion you get when you see her.

It’s the way a yacht looks her bow, her stern, her beam, her profile, how she sits in the water. It might be a statement about yourself and how you want to be perceived. When I look at a boat her bow tells me something her stern tells me something, and her profile and decks tell me another. If I don’t see walk arounds, on the main deck I say to myself I won’t be able to handle lines easily for tying up to docks or to anything else . If I see a cluttered deck I think of tripping and lines getting caught. When I see a wide beam to length ratio I think she won’t easily be pushed through the water (fuel guzzler or slow sailor and she is going to bob). The same emotion you get goes for the interior. Some people may want the wide boat for interior room and do not care about efficiency. Boats are compromises and tradeoffs it depends on what you want and how close you can get to it, so it’s personal.

When you fall for a boat, it's that moment when everything works. Each and every button works, it all clicks in.

After that 2 minutes of glow, you become a boat owner.

Welcome to our club.

As spotters/enthusiasts, or as an owner?

I'm quite certain the answers on either side of the fence would be very divergent.

Sounds like a Yacht Whisperer?

The people with whom we share it, the places we visit, the food we eat, the wine and spirits we drink. A boat is a boat any way you look at it. With whom and where you venture is what makes it. I don't have memories of a particular boat that are specifically special per say, but like to think I have memories of people and places, which have included our boats.

You know the boat is special when:
• You finish the 3rd coat of varnish after days of taping, sanding and realise that NO ONE varnishes like you do, that’s how bad it looks. But that’s OK.
• Your back, neck and attitude prevent you from mowing the lawn etc, but working all day in your boats engine room, getting the 20 year old $#*@! fittings off the *&%$ hoses and making repairs does not bother you AT ALL!
• Mooring in a tight marina berth is a breeze, without bowthrusters, and don’t tell me we don’t all love that!
• When you just know the engines are running RIGHT and SWEET!
• When the cost of running the boat seems as much a part of the budget as school fees.
• When you plan and then arrive at your destination after a long and challenging trip and know you did it right.
• A cold beer on deck after a long day fishing/diving or whatever with loved ones.
• When you take your youngest son for his first scuba lesson and he tells you he can’t wait to be your dive buddy! (Happened last night).

It’s not what brand or size or cost of boat/yacht/trawler, it’s how you live it!

Should i ask what a yacht whisperer is

History and those who have Graced and Loved her

Gosh, I didn't think Newport Beach was that far from Hollywood?

Some people in Orange County seem to feel there is an iron curtain between them and LA and Hollywood. Was in that area once (for dinner) in two years. It can be your secret.

Coastalive - You seem to be somewhat newish here. We're a friendly forum with humor thrown in as needed. If you don't get it, that's ok but be nice. If you never saw the movie Horse Whisperers you missed a good one.

Thank you for telling me "Horse Whisperers" now I get it. Kind of thought I was being made fun of. Boats do tall me things. I usually go into a boat that I am interested in and just sit, don’t talk, and take it all in. I try to get what the designer and builder had in mind and what they were trying to accomplish. Most good builders and designers don't waste lines and there is a reason for things. I'll try to not be so serious. Now I see that the original comment was actually a compliment.

Right on Costa! I might just be a working man in the industry at the moment but I sure do have passion for yachts. There are times when I am faced with very challenging repairs and I am just not sure how I knew what I did to complete the challenge. I would like to think I am a "Yacht Whisperer" as well!

Thanks

To me a yacht is special for many reasons. She has great lines that seem to soothe my soul.

As was mentioned earlier,
-it's the line of her bow,
-her shear line,
-the shape and breadth of her stern,
-how the interior suits your needs,
-how she sits in the water and glides through it at hull speed,
-how sea kindly she is,
-how quiet she is when you're running, etc.

To me, a "special" yacht is like a fine woman, a great bottle of wine or a nicely built car....your heart beats a little faster as you approach her, and you do a "look back" when you walk away from her. You love her when you're on her and you miss her when you're away.

A good line I heard was - "A boat is only as good as the laughter coming from it".

Corny yes, but I think it's not to far from the truth. Cheers

Far