Some
people count sheep to help them fall asleep, as for me I place myself somewhere
out on the lake drifting on my boat in calm seas.
With all of the pressures of the family, job, and world piece issues, it
can be hard to get a good night sleep. Yet
the other night when I was tossing and turning in my bed I placed myself in a
Bluewater Yacht and fell asleep. It
is good to have goals in your life. I
prayed and wanted to build a house, well I did that.
I wanted a nice convertible car, well I did that.
What is my next challenge other than bettering myself, I think it will be
a Bluewater. I know that we men are
accused of being big boys who just keep collecting toys and to some extent that
is true. If in our life we men are
in a race where he with the most toys win, I know that I will not come in first
but when I get to the finish line I want to arrive in a Bluewater.
I had business in Minneapolis the other week, and just north is a town called Mora where they manufacturer the yacht called Bluewater. Well, I couldn’t be so close and not stop by. I called and made an appointment with Dennis Prenevest who is in sales support. I made it clear that I was not in the market for new vessel and all I wanted was to tour the facility and take pictures for my website. Denny, as he is called, was happy to give me the full tour. Even before you walk in the front door of the building, you are meet by a row of yachts available and ready for delivery. It is an impressive site to look at the fleet of 50, 60, or 70-foot yachts.
After cookies and coffee, it was time for the tour. We started in the shop where all of the cabinets and other wood items are hand custumed built. Then Denny took me to the area where they build the lower and upper hull. It maybe hard to imagine what the upper hull would look like because I saw it upside down. I know it had layers upon layers of fiberglass as well as metal plates integrated into the hull for each cleat. Now that’s a neat idea. On my current boat I have a few loose cleats and handles, but hey this is what you get with new technology. Next we entered the main assembly area. Here you can see the foundation for the plumbing, engines, and electrical work. In a room off the main assembly area is the test tank. You can’t build a boat unless you know it doesn’t leak. Here they can lift the boats in and test the engines and other features. Downstairs I got a chance to look at the unique drive system. On the Bluewater, the propellers are placed at the extreme end on the boat and built into a cavity. This enables the boat to travel through shallow waters and add to the stability during operation. After the view of the outside and seeing the techno-babble of how it is built, I really was there to see the interior. It was great. What attracts me to this boat is the room and its unique look. Pictures on a brochure or on a web site do not do this vessel justice. You have more room on this vessel than most boats of the same size. Personally I have to compare the interior space to many of my friends apartments. I wished I could have lived this nice with this much room when I was in college. I can see why many people make this the choice for a live aboard vessel.
Bluewater sells direct to customers and because of this they will sometimes have used boats traded in that are available. On my visit they had a 1988 boat for sale, and as I went through the vessel I was impressed. Not only with its size, but the great amount of wood trim used in every room. Today the company uses rich looking leather wrapped around wood for the trim. The leather being eggshell color is brighter and more inviting and richer looking. Yet the old wood look is historic and reflects the old tradition of boat interiors that have been used for hundreds of years. I guess your preference depends on your taste of new and rich or old and traditional. Either way for me, I would be at home.
While looking and taking pictures, the big cheeses of the company Steve and Jolie Klapmeier came out to meet me. Perhaps they thought I was a prospective buyer and not just a picture taker. When they found out that I was only interested in a tour for my web site, they were still very nice as we discussed the boating industry and the challenges we all face in business post 9/11/01. Steve and Jolie did make a commitment to me that I will hold them to, and that is for an actual ride on a Bluewater. They have clients with Bluewater Yachts here in Chicago and told me that perhaps they could arrange something for me in the spring to really see the benefits of the Bluewater design. I can’t wait and I am sure it will be a blast. But until spring, I will have to look back at my pictures and imagine myself out on the lake challenging the waves. Actually, I can do better than just pictures; I have a demo tape that really makes my mouth water. Maybe I can’t afford to buy a Bluewater today, but I said the same thing about building a house or buy a convertible car. Everyone should have a goal to reach one day, when my son reaches 18 years old in five more years who knows what I can do.