How to Convince Your Significant Other to Buy a Boat
So, you’ve been dreaming and scheming about buying a boat, and now seems like the best time to take the plunge. You feel very excited but then you remember your significant other.
You aren’t exactly sure if they’re feeling the same excitement about boating and without their consent, it’s a real possibility that the dream will just fizzle out.
If you have been considering getting a boat and would like the approval of your significant other, then this blog is a must-read.
Buying a boat is a big purchase and most people often over-think before embarking on such decisions.
What if your partner does not agree?
What if she or he cannot understand the beauty and tranquility of a boating lifestyle?
The onus is on you to help them see the possibilities, from your own point of view. And, if this seems such a big thing to do, that’s why we’re here to help you!
Here, are the steps!
Real-Life Case Study: Don’t Find Yourself in this Position!
The best thing is never to find yourself in a position where your significant other stands in the way of your boat purchase. This means getting them aligned with the goals and vision prior to the point of purchase.
Well prior to the point of purchase! You don’t want to do this the hard way like this couple we heard about recently.
The man, Ben, had finally found a perfect 50ft boat he’d so much love, but the wife is clearly not interested in the idea of a boat purchase, at least, for the moment. We decided to share this with our boating community online and well, the comments were mostly hilarious and made in jest.
Some suggested leaving the wife and finding a new wife with the beautiful boat!
The truth is, if Ben had known, things might have been a whole lot better and easier.
Understanding the Journey to Boat Ownership
The thing here is that there are six distinct stages that new boaters go through to boat ownership. The first step is usually the longest and a person may not progress from here for years, if at all.
While Ben is long gone into the latter stages of this journey, for some unknown reasons, the wife got left behind.
In a case like this, that are bound to be big misunderstandings. And that is why we recommend not finding yourself in this situation. You should progress through the stages with your partner going along with you.
Understanding the Steps to Boat Ownership Confidence
We’ve thoroughly explained this in our article on “How to Buy a Boat – the 3 Stages to Boat Buying” and we’ll brief it here again.
Here are the three stages involved. It is strictly necessary to have your partner on board with you (literally) and tagging along with the plan so you both can progress at a similar pace.
It all starts with the desire and decision-making phase.
This is the stage at which you desire to own a boat. Not only that; you go ahead and start to research and explore what you need to help you chart your and your partner’s boating goals, so you can get your plan underway.
This first stage with the three sub-steps is very important to help get your partner on board with your boat buying dreams. Both of you will need to chart your goals and objectives with careful consideration of your needs, wants, and expectations.
The second stage is the deciphering stage and then the final buying stage
The first three steps in this first stage are very critical and will determine how far you will go with your partner on the boat buying journey. You can read our previous article on this for a broader understanding, but this is basically what an ideal boat ownership journey should look like.
Getting Your Partner Onboard & Along with You
But the first thing you should do is assess yourself and discover what type of new boater you probably are.
It should interest you that there are about 6 types of new boaters;
The Gear Guys
Merry Mates
Luxurious Leisurers
Water Weekenders
Seclusion Seekers, and
Nautical Natives
The Gear Guys
The Gear Guys are young men who like to use specialized equipment to pursue hobbies. They are excited by the technology behind their hobbies and want to know intricate details about products related to those hobbies. When they are ready to purchase a boat, they want to talk with experts who can help them make a smart buying choice. For the Gear Guys, boats aren’t just about getting out on the water—a boat is an item they need for their favorite hobby.
Merry Mates
Merry Mates is a family-owned and operated business. They enjoy boating with their families, and they especially love to take their boats out for a spin on warm weekend afternoons. For them, boat ownership is the best way to connect as a family.
Luxurious Leisurers
The Luxurious Leisure lives life to the fullest. The Luxurious Leisure always wants to try something new and is an image-conscious person. The Luxurious Leisure enjoys owning a personal watercraft that has many features and capabilities. The Luxurious Leisurers love to get a boat because it gives them status.
Water Weekenders
Water Weekenders like to be around the water, but they didn’t grow up boating. In fact, many of them don’t know much about the basics of boating. They are the ones who plan outings for their group on the boat. They love to cruise, fish, and water ski. For the Water Weekenders, owning a boat is driven by their desire to entertain family and friends.
Seclusion Seekers
The Seclusion Seekers are nature lovers. They live in a hectic, city environment with a lot of stress to get through, and they love escaping from it all.
Nautical Natives
Nautical Natives have a passion for boating that's in their blood. They're confident boaters and family members who want to keep their love of boats going into the next generation.
Take a look at yourself and see which group you identify with the most. And then, see what type of boater you think your partner will be if they were to be a boater?
Consider and understand just how critical these differences are and will impact your boating dreams along with your partner’s.
Secondly, evaluate exactly where you and your partner are on the boat ownership journey.
This will also impact you and your partner’s boating dreams as well.
Once you have a broad knowledge of you and your partner’s place on the journey as well as the type of boaters both of you are likely to be, you should then concentrate your efforts on aligning those differences.
The last thing you can do is to critically examine and understand how all of these things will impact your boat buying journey.
This understanding will get you prepared to handle future challenges and you’ll be right on track to successfully go through the next stages successfully and happily with your partner.
Conclusion
Understanding the six stages in the journey to boat ownership will basically take you and your partner from unaware to aware, from doubt to clarity of purpose, from being stuck to making actual progress, from being suspicious to being sure, from half-the picture to a full clear view, and, from fighting distractions to staying focused.
It seems all too simple but it actually isn’t. Still, it’s a better way when you compare it with Ben’s case.
When you’re aligned with your partner from the outset, it’s a whole lot better than running around helplessly in the latter stages.
If you are a first-time boater or new to Asia boater, you’ll need more info on how best to handle your specific situation. If you want to find out more about the prices, the costs, the maintenance and the hidden risks of buying and owning a boat, or even if you should, we suggest you and your partner join our FREE webinar – “Boat Ownership Secrets UNLOCKED”.
Let us help you get on track with the stages so your partner can be on the same page with you.
