I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Discover Boating. I received collateral to facilitate my review and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.
I have so many great memories, throughout my whole life, that involve boating. When I was a little girl, I used to love fishing days with my dad. We’d load up the camper, hook up the trailer to bring the boat, and always – always – stop at 7-11 to get those raspberry-filled powdered sugar doughnuts. We might go out for just the day – or make a long weekend out of it. He would catch fish, I would throw them back when he wasn’t looking, he’d catch more to make up for it. But even when we didn’t catch any fish at all – it was great time to bond with him. He helped me learn an appreciation for the outdoors, that I’m excited to share with Abby as she grows up.
Living the boating lifestyle
These days, my dad has sold the old boat and camper. But he’s made the jump to living on a boat. A lot of people thought he was crazy to sell a bunch of his stuff and buy a sail boat to live on – but I think it’s an awesome adventure for him. It’s set up to have every darn thing he needs, and is just perfect for him. He hasn’t gotten to take it out yet – he’s replacing the motor and taking sailing classes – but it’s beautiful and peaceful just to sit out there on the deck at the marina. Abby can’t WAIT to go out sailing with grandpa. And I can’t wait for her to get to build memories of spending days out on the water with my dad, just like I did as a little girl.
Life is Better with a boat
If you can watch that video without getting a tear in your eye {or a whole waterfall of them like I did – I’m such a sap} – I’d be amazed. Buying a boat isn’t the same as buying a new car or something… You’re getting more than just a boat. You’re getting a whole new set of activities your family can do, new places you can see and explore, and so many great memories to make. While you’re out on the boat, you’re together – whether it’s a quiet father-son afternoon catching fish, or a bunch of friends out for fun, you’re creating those amazing moments that matter.
Making our own memories on a boat
We’re thinking of getting a boat of our own soon too – But I’m really unsure of what to look for when shopping for a boat. I mean, just being on a lot of boats over the years doesn’t make me an expert, lol. But there’s a super helpful resource I just found out about that has been a huge help already – if you’re thinking about buying a boat you can check out their cost calculator, or find out where you can rent a boat or two to try out, before committing to a purchase. They also have some great tips on boating activities – to give you inspiration and ideas for this summer. And be sure to check out their Pinterest page for more boating fun.
What do you think? Do you have family memories that involve boating too? Are you thinking about buying a boat – or have suggestions for us on what we should keep in mind when shopping for a boat? Let’s chat in the comments below…
We love going out on the boat!! We have so much fun on the water :)
We had a 36′ cabin cruiser growing up and my childhood and high school weekends were spent on the water and at the marina staying on the boat with friends and family. We had so much fun and made so many memories. We’ve had boats and jet skis over the years so my kids could experience boating as a lifestyle as well. Boating is our favorite recreational activity.
We lived on a sailboat for a while, it sounds better than it is. Most places don’t want liveaboards, you can leave and come back if they still have a slip. Sometimes we anchored out in the international anchorage. It is good to have for fun, though. Expensive, I wouldn’t make a big investment unless you know you have a beefy retirement fund, life insurance, college funds for the kids, etc. first. A small boat you can tow would be best, depends on what you want to do. We had a small sailboat we could take with us even on trips, that was fun. Take boating lessons and learn the rules.