Boats & Beautiful Things - What to buy a boat owner

Dec. 17, 2011 - PRLog -- Maritime and Nautical gifts: What to buy?
Many of us that find ourselves on this site may be looking not for ourselves, but someone else. A nautical or boating antique can make an excellent gift, and shows real thought, but if you’re not familiar with the world of boats buying such a thing can be a bewildering proposition. It’s easy to feel like your falling down the rabbit hole, with endless shiny brass things circling round you – a clock, a barometer, a clock and barometer set, what about a telescope? or a clinometer (what is a clinometer?), maybe a compass, which compass? and so it goes on. Before long you will be feeling utterly bewildered and no doubt abandon the whole idea and just stick to what you know, the favourite drink, the dinner out and that old favourite the Christmas jumper. Well reliable as those old reliable gift solutions may be its so much nicer when you’re actually excited about what you’re giving, and it doesn’t necessarily have to cost you much more. We appreciate that some of our customers may be all at sea (pardon the pun) when it comes to making the final decision, which is why we are always on hand to advise.  In the meantime here are a few pointers that may help you avoid some of the common pitfalls.
1.   Do you want but something for the person, or something for the boat?
At first glance, you may ask, what’s the difference? Surely if it’s for the person’s boat, it’s for the person? Well while that may be true to a certain extent there is likely to be a big difference in how well you know a person and how well you know their boat. And, before you offend everyone else on here, No! One 1940’s classic sailing dinghy is not much the same as any other 1940’s sailing dinghy, in fact even if they were exactly the same make model and year they have had some 70 years of loving adjustment, gradual renovation and updating. To think that they would be the same is as far from the truth as to imagine two identical twins would be the same after the same passage of time. Believe me, even if you can’t spot the difference, her captain can, and to him its important and what marks her out and makes her special.
OK, so where does all this ranting leave us. Well I guess the bottom line is if you don’t know much about the boat concerned and aren’t prepared to spend time and effort finding out about it, needling the prospective recipient with subtle, yet probing questions, then buying a gift for him or her may be the safer option. There are plenty of things to choose from, with something to suit every pocket. Have a browse around the site and pay particular attention to the gift section. My personal favourites, although admittedly not a cheap option, are the 18th Century cufflinks. If that doesn’t suit, why not consider a Guernsey jumper? Admittedly their not antique, but most of them will be by the time they go out of use. These are serious garments, which in many cases are passed down generations. We have two in our family that have belonged to both my grandmother and my mother before my sister and I got our hands on them. They also keep you really warm, and call me romantic but there can be something special about pulling on a jumper or scarf, especially when it’s cold outside and your far from the person who gave it to you. It’s almost like they’re there with you giving you a hug.
2.   Knowing what to buy for the boat
If you definitely want to buy something for the boat, perhaps it’s a project nearing completion or a beautiful old classic just missing its original compass, you do need to know exactly what it is you’re looking for. Sizes, makes and dates are going to be all important. Getting it just right will make all the difference. But as I said before don’t worry. We are here to help. If you know roughly what you want to buy then get in touch and we will see what we can do. Our stock is always changing and updating and as a result we may sometimes have items in the warehouse that are under renovation or just haven’t made it to the website yet. Just because you can’t see it, doesn’t mean we don’t have it.
A good thing to look out for, when snooping around, are makers marks. If the boat already has a Sestrel barometer and ships clock, you can bet your bottom dollar your sailor would love a compass to match. As I said age is all important and it can be difficult to describe the subtleties of instruments over the phone or in an email, the best option is probably just to take some photos. In fact, the more photos the better chance we have of being able to match things perfectly and come up with the best solution. Don’t be afraid to ask, we don’t believe in pushy sales, we think the quality of our products speak for themselves, if we don’t think we have what your after we will simply say so. Then, depending on how urgent the gift is, we can either, keep your details on record and let you know if we do find it, help you choose something completely different, or advise you where else to check. One thing to certainly avoid is resorting to reproductions to fill a gap. While they may seem like the obvious solution, in ready supply and boasting modern assurances as to their reliability, this is undoubtedly not the point. If you choose to own a classic boat, you have already overthrown all these conveniences in favour of what you believe to be a beautiful ideal. The reality is therefore, that any modern gifts may, however well intended, smack of unwanted corruption, and could even cause offence. Of course there are concessions we all make to the modern times, especially when it comes to the hardware that inevitably will perish and need replacing, but it is important to gauge exactly where this line is drawn, as obviously it will vary from boat to boat.
3.   There is another way….
If all that has just left you feeling very disheartened. If you wanted to buy something for the boat, but are now worried you will just get it wrong, never fear, we have the perfect solution. Bespoke or commissioned gifts are created to order and as such will always be just what you wanted. We offer yacht or boat portraits, which can either feature your boat or perhaps one you wish was yours…. These detailed sketches are hand drawn to order so a little forward thinking is required but they are well worth the wait. When I presented my beloved with the drawing of his yacht, spinnaker full and cutting through the waves, he was almost moved him to tears (something very rarely achieved by even the stingiest of onions).
If drawings aren’t your thing, or you’re just looking for something a little bit different, then take a look at our half hull models. Part of our shipbuilding heritage, these tactile items can be designed with you to the very last detail. You can specify the size and type of model right down to which woods are used to pick out the sails. And, if you’re ever unsure, our master craftsman, Peter Mitchell, will always be on hand to guide you through the process and ensure the finished product is everything you hoped for.
4.   If money is no object….
Of course, for the very generous and well-heeled amongst you, the answer is obvious. What to but for someone who loves boats? Why, a boat of course! And what a boat she is. Our bespoke handmade clinker dinghies are the kind of beautifully crafted tenders most of us only dream of, but they do look very well on the davits.
If you have made it thus far, and still have questions, then you are quite clearly of both a determined and curious mind (the ideal combination for seafaring adventures!).  Don’t wait a moment longer, drop us a line and see what we can do, we look forward to hearing from you.

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Here at Boat Antiques we deal in well made classic boat parts both antique and remanufactured. We are a small shop with a big heart and our online store is always expanding.