Picture this, you’re traveling down the Jersey coast enjoying the sun and surf on your absolutely beautiful sailboat. The wind is strong that day and you’ve caught it at just the right angle in your sail and you’re moving faster than you thought possible on a sailboat. If only your ex could see you now. They’d be kicking themselves, ready to hop aboard and take back everything they said about you being a loser and unintelligent. Would an idiot be able to operate a sail boat to such a high technical degree? I think not. Life is good and it’ll only get better.
Suddenly your good vibes and award winning smile dissipate as a rogue wind throws you off course, luckily you aren’t foolishly near the shoreline where rocks would have chewed up your hull. Even in the face of adversity, you proved yourself worthy of this beauty, which you named after your mother who was your one great supporter. Everything is back to being grand, even your smile makes an appearance again. What could possibly go wrong?
It happens, things go wrong. You hear it coming for you, fast and loud. You hear the water slosh and splash as it cuts a path near you. You hear screams of joy as if you were at an amusement park. It’s a speed boat tearing up the water and destroying your piece of mind with its noise and its passengers. Before you can hide your hatred for what you are hearing a disturbing sight catches your eye. That disturbing sight is your ex-turning off the motor and stopping their boat just to say, “Hello.” If you weren’t filled with contempt before, you sure are now. Small talk is made between you, your ex and their new significant other because you don’t want to be rude. They ride off at top speed screaming and laughing leaving you snarling to yourself cursing your ex and their new speed boat.
Not to put a damper on sailboats with this made up story, but operating a sailboat and operating a speed/power boat are completely different experiences. Engine powered boats are incredibly impressive and have a rich history of innovation. Engine powered boats have been around for a very long time, even if you exclude the Vikings use of manpower to row. There have been steam powered boats since the 18th century but the gas powered ones that are more popular today were slowly introduced and invented during the 19th century or the 1800s. By the 1900s gas powered engines and unbelievable speed was the obsession of many boat enthusiasts who traveled from across the globe to race each other trying to find out who had the fastest vessel. The love of speed and power hasn’t changed since then, because when most people now think of boats they think of a roaring engine, the wind in their hair, and the excitement of speed.
