Would you buy a boat that didn't aesthetically appeal to you....

I guess it depends on subjective criteria for what constitutes "ugly". I'm assuming it was the post about the Hargrave that prompted this? I personally don't think it's an ugly boat. For me, an ugly boat would be ridiculous details for the sake of being details. Weird curvy sculpted accents or otherwise, some designer making a so-called "bold statement". The Hargrave's exterior envelops the interior, which is fantastic as pointed out in that thread. It's plain, sure, and doesn't have much in the way of personality, but it's not loud and obnoxious like some of the boats seen in the Rogues thread.

So for me, if I personally found the exterior ugly, then no, I wouldn't get it.

It could be a bias against Euro styling vs. traditional nautical. I'm partial to Euro myself, but I can understand why some might not like the Princess Y95, and potentially the Sunseeker 100 for similar reasons. I mean, there's high freeboard, and then there's... well... THAT.

Not being a boat owner yet myself, I'm limited to what I can see at my local marinas and what I read online, and I've noticed there is a clear divide. Some go for the more classical lines of a Fleming, for example, while others prefer the sleek look of the Azimuts or Mangustas. And then there are the oddballs who like their Diesel Ducks (No offense to any Duck owners that may be reading this).

No not an option. Looks are important

I have a friend with a Maserati. Most uncomfortable thing I've ever been in. Looks great though and performs like blazes but I wouldn't think to one to own. Don't even like getting in it. Boats for me are the same. Layout and usage are important as well as of course performance, safety and build quality. Looks are where the compromises would be. As good looking as possible after the other boxes are ticked.

Life is too short to own an ugly boat

Nope, no ugly boat, or ugly anything in my life.
There is an abundance of ugly vessels out there, no idea what people are thinking or what makes them tick.

I have bought a boat I would have called ugly a few years ago, and may still do. I am having fun improving this boat, and it is definitely my greatest design challenge. In fact , it is the first boat I have refit where I am not sure I will like the end result. Having gone through the survey items, electronics, I have just finished a paint job, and am contemplating the next steps, while I am sitting in the Huckins yard looking at one of my old pretty boats without regret. You may ask why I bought it, and the answer is that it takes maximum advantage of a slip I have in Hobe Sound with unlimited Southern and Western views, is relatively easy to single hand, and has shallow draft for Florida/Bahamas.
I am also reasonably sure my next project will be a pretty boat, but this is fun too. (PDQ41 Powercat)
Best,
Maldwin

Interestingly one of your previous vessels comes to mind. It is very hard to beat the layout, build quality and features of the Pacific Mariner 65. I could not own that boat based on the exterior styling. But my goodness, that boat has a great interior and deck layout.

So, no, I would not buy a boat that the exterior does not make me look back on whilst headed off in the tender or waling down the dock and enjoy the view.

Cars, no different.

I am not into homes but that would apply there as well.

Right on

I must add
Certain lines and shapes mean certain things to me.
If I want those certain things, I like the lines and shapes of the boat.

I am THE typical example of a yacht owner designing his boats from the inside to the outside. Falling in love with a great external design and finding out later, your wanted layout would never fit into this pretty boat could end up in a nightmare for me.

My family and me have done a lot of research on yachts between 15 and 25 Meters of LoA. 15 Meters due to the stupid inland waterway license rule in Germany and 25 meters due to CE limit and the leisure boat licenses limit of my children.

Except for my son in law with his Prestige Flybridge twin IPS Plastic fantastic, we could not find the perfect boat with the perfect internal layout and design AND a pretty external design for the other three children and their families. Therefore we went to individually designed and built One Offs, respectivly one semi custom design. The only similarity of all 3 boats are the multiple Volvo IPS drives (Btw. they work flawless, as long as they professionally maintained).

Sadly this was before I discovered AMGs Delta 80. This boat is the perfect symbiosis of a perfect layout for a family, a great modern external design with great performance and seaworthyness and most of all significant onbord safety for kids AND older people. This boat can be operated with a crew of two or even with a capable family crew without payed crewmembers. For the next boats, the search will be much easier .

With bigger boats, this problem is rather small. A good designer and naval architect will easily create a solution to combine a sexy external design with a great layout and internal design. With commercial ships it is different, here, only form follows function, period!

But I am with AMG: "You can not even pay me to have a boat, if I don't like the exterior..."



Just my 2 (Euro) cents

I said it once, but saw the picture and just have to repeat it again, Delta 80 is one of the best designs around (to my eyes). After all this years, still my desktop backgorund.

The boat is a pleasure and one of great joys in life, and must therefore be beautiful (to the owner's eyes).