Living the Dream

Ever wonder about living the dream? Me too.

I was reading a post on a bulletin board about a guy that has to sell his boat. It seems he wanted to “live the dream”. Only problem was, he wasn’t ready to live the dream and I’m not really sure if he was ever ready to live his dream.

I’ve been thinking about this “living the dream” and the “cruising Lifestyle” crap that seems to dominate the boating world. What the heck is it?

Bealls has a slogan in their commercial here in Florida that says something about the “Florida Lifestyle” whatever the heck that is. It seems the way to “Live the Florida Lifestyle” is to buy their clothes. Well, I kinda think it’s a marketing scheme. You know, buy our stuff and you can live a certain way.

Same thing with boats and boating. If anyone wants to live the “cruising lifestyle” or the “dream”, they have to buy stuff – lots of stuff, like boats. Oh yeah, you have to outfit it. And don’t forget you have learn how to operate the boat and of course, your boat has to have all the best stuff so your boat looks and performs better than the boat in the slip next to you. I tell you, it’s enough empty you bank account – which brings us back to my point – that was the point, emptying your bank account.

Ya see, the way I figure it, boat people living a boating lifestyle, already have boats. We have always had boats of one kind or another.

We don’t need a bottle of rum, a big party and hot model to talk us into it. Some of us live on them and sail them regularly. We go on week end and vacation cruises almost as much as we go to work. Our boats are generally up to cruising standards and well maintained. On occasion, we head down island for a little while (as far as money and vacation will allow), with every intention of heading back as soon as we can. Some of us if not most can leave the job we’re in to go sail because we can always get another one if we need to. That, to me, is “the dream” - more or less.