To TV or Not To TV

Yes, that is the question that has plagued us ever since we decided to live on the boat. The problem is really two fold. First, Captain Mark and I fundamentally differ in our thoughts and approach to television. I truly can take or leave television. I do not “need” the background noise of constantly having the set turned on nor do I particularly care to watch most television shows. I will admit, however, that if the television set is turned on, I will watch it and I do get involved with certain programs. What I have found is that most television shows (like Lost or Dancing with the Stars) can either be “watched” online after the original broadcast or will eventually be available via Netflix. If it is a program that I truly enjoy and want to watch, I much prefer to wait and watch the entire series consecutively via Netflix without commercials.

NOW, Captain Mark on the other hand has a serious television addiction. He must have the set turned on at all times. When we purchased the television set for the boat, it HAD to be a flat screen with high definition. Only the top of the line was acceptable. My idea of the perfect use for a television set is for watching movies and this is why I thought we purchased this particular model of television set.

When we are in some harbors cable television is provided and of course, we had to purchase a high def cable cord for those times. HOWEVER, most of the time cable is not available to us.



Captain Mark does the silliest thing ever – he attaches those old fashioned rabbit ears to the back of this super-duper TV set, puts the rabbit ears outside and on top of the boat. Then he wiggles the rabbit ears in an attempt to capture whatever channel he can find. NEVER, has the picture on the captured channel come in clearly nor has the sound been anything worth listening to, but nonetheless, Captain Mark is able to “watch TV”. I have witnessed him sitting in front of the television screen full of blurry squiggly lines with garbled “noise” pretending to be dialogue. All the while Mark is claiming that he can “see (the program or most likely, the basketball game) just fine”. This drives me absolutely crazy – either watch the set the way it was intended to be watched OR turn it off!



We have debated and debated the TV issue for months. The real heart of the matter comes down to what would make living on the boat the most enjoyable for all concerned. The satellite systems are very expensive, but then EVERYTHING for a boat is very expensive. Mark always uses the cost as the determining factor, while I maintain an elitist/purist attitude toward not having a “squawk box” aboard. But hey if Captain Mark wants to watch Judge Judy and it makes him happy, then maybe it is something to seriously consider.