Wife's operation "Sneaky Boat Ninja" Anniversary present...

[trayson]

So I'm the type that's near impossible to buy for. If it's not terribly expensive, i just buy it. If it's a bigger ticket item, I do painstaking research to find the best item at the best deal...

My wife started working weeks ago on what was going to be my anniversary present. She was able to enlist the help of a couple "boat ninjas".

When I bought the boat, the rear cushions were in sad shape, and the trunk lid had a big split on the center seam. The vinyl that covered the hinge was also looking pretty bad.

Before:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hDutLxr9yj0/UVO5YISmcWI/AAAAAAAANto/WBuilTiNznY/s800/photo%2520%25282%2529.jpg

I found some white cushions on ebay and got them for next to nothing. They were a little small, so I used the bottoms of the old cushions to hold them. Kinda looked like cushions sitting on cafeteria trays... But it worked and it was super cheap. The white was "close" in color to the light gray and it was getting me by... I "fixed" the ripping seam in the center of the trunk with some black gorilla tape. It held for a couple months.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-kadaXilR0AI/UbUv9UxvcnI/AAAAAAAAOF0/5lm74ynKuLM/s800/%255BUNSET%255D.jpg
After a few bruised knees and scraped shins, I guess the wife wasn't a big fan of my cheap ass fix on the seats. And I knew something would have to be done again on the trunk lid.

So, she enlisted the help of some "boat ninjas" that we'd met via the Moomba forums. With their help, they were able to find my old seat vinyl, take my seats and the trunk lid without me knowing, and got them totally reupholstered. Then while we were away in Vegas celebrating our anniversary, they actually came and stole my boat and removed the decals and did an aggressive polishing on the gelcoat. They also dressed the trailer and oiled up the teak and reapplied the decals (which my wife was able to re-order from the place I had them custom made at).

New rear cushions and trunk lid:
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5334/9974424463_81a0d80797_b.jpg
We went with a black stripe on the trunk lid to match the one that's on my engine cover.

[trayson]

And the shiny polished up gelcoat with fresh decals.
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n54/phathomthis/Swim%20Platform/IMG_20130926_180323_404_zps4db6f12a.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3829/9974565603_c5c2503562_b.jpg

[villain]

That's killer man! My wife is the kind to get me a tie or a free teeth whitening. Doesn't put much effort in gifts. You have definitely found a keeper!

[Copper]

Very cool! Looks great and happy anniversary!

[jaywidhalm]

Very nice...congrats! Now you have to match that class for her birthday!:)

[DAFF]

To pull her boat ;)

[Moor]

Boat looks good Trayson, sounds like you got a good one (wifey). Does she have any single sisters? hahaha

[trayson]

Sounds like she wants a new truck.


To pull her boat ;)

ROFL. She is already the one that owns the tow rig!!! And it's pretty new. 2009 Ridgeline with only 21k miles. Newest rig that either of us own. (I have a 98 BMW M3, a 99 Audi A6 Avant, 2000 Jeep Wrangler, and a 2005 Kawasaki ZX6R)

This is this Spring when we first got the boat:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3c3AHy06QyE/UYKfdadOMJI/AAAAAAAAN4c/OBFSAlEjmBA/s800/%255BUNSET%255D.jpg


Boat looks good Trayson, sounds like you got a good one (wifey). Does she have any single sisters? hahaha

Nope, no sisters. She's a keeper for sure. She supported us getting a boat despite having a deathly fear of getting in the water (from an experience with undertow when she was a kid). And this summer she's made some serious progress with that and has gotten up on the wake surf board.

Of course, I knew she was something special on the first date when she said "I like to go fast".

[SquamInboards]

Of course, I knew she was something special on the first date when she said "I like to go fast".

I went on a date once with a girl who told me her worst fears were fire (I love campfires, bonfires, grew up in a house heated 100% with wood) and fast driving (I like that too). That was a bad start. I married the one who said "of course" when I asked if her car (Volvo S40 T5) was manual transmission. 30th birthday present from her? Rally school.

Enough about me! That boat is looking really good now! Sounds like you guys have a good thing going, all around.

[trayson]

I went on a date once with a girl who told me her worst fears were fire (I love campfires, bonfires, grew up in a house heated 100% with wood) and fast driving (I like that too). That was a bad start. I married the one who said "of course" when I asked if her car (Volvo S40 T5) was manual transmission. 30th birthday present from her? Rally school.

Enough about me! That boat is looking really good now! Sounds like you guys have a good thing going, all around.

Nice! I remember getting stuck behind a SLOW driver that was holding up traffic when I was in my M3 with her in the passenger seat. When I finally had an opportunity to pass, I reached over her lap and flipped off the driver out her window.

I asked if that bothered her, and she said, nope, they deserved it. She's never once complained about my driving. (I'm actually a skilled driver, done track days and what not. But sometimes the morons on the road get to me). I remember another time that we FINALLY got an invite to go out on a fairly new B52v3. She had some stuff come up and was late in meeting me. I was frustrated with the situation and rallied through Portland traffic to get to the boat launch as quick as possible. She just sat there in the car and didn't say anything. Later, I asked her if my driving bothered her--she said no, that she figured it just best to let me focus on my driving. We laughed and determined that that drive through Portland was deemed a "Wakeboarding Emergency". My favorite is when we would be riding doubles on my sportbike. I had a comm system where we could both listen to music and talk with speakers/mic in the helmets. When I would accelerate quickly, I could hear her giggle. Loved it.

I remember that when I first met her, I told her that I'm a big kid. I love my toys, I will always have a lot of them, I am passionate about my hobbies and recreation, and that will NEVER change. She was down with it, and I knew she understood when for my birthday she got me a sign to hang up in my garage:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-qkQsmyVXSyI/TpXQrJ0mdXI/AAAAAAAALlE/R1_EIr_x55Y/s400/2011-07-13_22-32-52_474.jpg

[tg0824SSVGG]

Sounds like she wants a new truck.

Ha! Will your wife adopt me? That's AWESOME, and totally amazing what they did to help out. Very nice.

[tg0824SSVGG]

I remember that when I first met her, I told her that I'm a big kid. I love my toys, I will always have a lot of them, I am passionate about my hobbies and recreation, and that will NEVER change. She was down with it, and I knew she understood when for my birthday she got me a sign to hang up in my garage:


A keeper for sure. I've been married for 32 years, and stay that way because we both love the same things and appreciate each other. Way to go!

[trayson]

A keeper for sure. I've been married for 32 years, and stay that way because we both love the same things and appreciate each other. Way to go!

Oh, and did I mention that she actually ENJOYS driving the boat and has gotten to be a damn good surf driver? Woo-hoo.

[timski]

Hey Trayson, sounds like you got a good wife too. My wife on our last date afternoon and night, said to me, "lets go out in the boat just the two of us". She told she would "pull me on my hydrofoil until I couldn't hold onto the rope anymore, then we would just enjoy the rest of the evening on the river in the boat". Oh Todd, by the way, you have a classy wife too. :)

[gogger]

Don't you need a spotter in LA?

[tg0824SSVGG]

Oh Todd, by the way, you have a classy wife too. :)

Thanks Timmie, she's a keeper for sure!

[Jetlink]

Don't you need a spotter in LA?

Only if you get caught.:p