Why J Craft is good for your wellbeing

A distinguished conservationist and marine biologist, Dr Wallace J. Nichols coined the term “Blue Mind Theory” in his book Blue Mind. It is the idea that water has the ability to put us in a semi meditative state, having a positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Shortly before he passed away, Dr Nichols wrote this analysis of why time spent on the water in a boat can lead to a happy state of mind.

A boat is the greatest technology ever invented to explore open water and the health benefits that come along with it. Boats give us access to some of our planet’s greatest sources of awe and wonder, so we can escape what I call the “red-minded” mode we often experience via an anxious and distracted life on land.

In this golden age of aquatic exploration and neuroscientific research, a combination of technologies is proving to be a potent force in advancing our understanding of ourselves and our relationship to the planet in ways that hold huge potential for improving the human condition.

Awe is an important emotion that helps us get outside ourselves and is tied to meaning, purpose, compassion and self-worth. Water is one of the best and easiest sources of awe and wonder, and boats are the vessels we use most to discover it.

Psychologist Dr Paul Piff at the University of California, Irvine, wrote: ‘In our research, 75 per cent or 80 per cent of the time people experience awe, they’re in a natural environment. And when we’ve gone through and coded what natural features inspire awe in people, the vast majority – far more than 50 per cent – of people’s natural experiences are ones that incorporate themes of water. Boats are a vehicle for a collective experience. Boating at many scales has this totally ritualistic team aspect where you are working together for something that is bigger than one’s own self-interest. And that is an “awe” experience. Boats are literally and symbolically vehicles of awe.’

Boating allows us to get outside of our daily routines and detach from the tether of technology. By getting out on the water, our brains are able to reset, think beyond our current circumstances and connect to something bigger than ourselves.

Pro sports teams, heads of state, teachers and business and non-profit leaders are all tapping into research on mindfulness to enhance performance. Time and time again, it has become clear that water is a conduit to achieving “flow state”, and a boat is a good tool for the job.

The feeling of being connected to something larger than ourselves has been sought for millennia and has been called by many names, including empathy, compassion, transcendence, love, wonder, enlightenment and mindfulness.

It’s interesting to consider the stressors that are eliminated by stepping aboard a boat: traffic noise, sirens, surveillance technology – gone. Televisions, distractions, offices – they all fade away. Then we can begin to focus on key elements that promote that state of calm: the water, a few hand-picked people and, of course, the boat itself.

When buying a J Craft Torpedo, would-be clients are quizzed on why they want to purchase one. After all, a J Craft requires time, maintenance and money. It is a luxury, not a necessity – but a choice that reflects more than a desire for ownership: it signals a connection to something enduring.

Responses vary; some people value the boat as a floating work of art, meticulously handcrafted with the same care that sculptors and artisans have devoted to their masterpieces for centuries. Others see it as a bridge to their own pasts, tapping into childhood nostalgia or a longing for the way their ancestors lived and travelled by water. For some, the boat is an heirloom in waiting, meant to be passed down through generations as a testament to memories made and a legacy carried forward.

But regardless of these things, there is always one truth that pervades all the reasoning: that humans have been drawn to water – to both conquer and live in harmony with it – for millennia.

According to Johan Hallén, master builder of J Craft, these boats embody this duality. ‘A J Craft offers both the means to explore and master the seas with uncompromising engineering, and the opportunity to reflect, dream and revel in the serenity that only the water can provide,’ he says. ‘It’s not just a vessel; it’s a celebration of timeless human desires and the places where they meet – artistry, craftsmanship and the allure of the open water.’

The mere sight of water can induce a flood of neurochemicals that promote wellness. The sound of water alone has been found to increase blood flow to the brain, inducing relaxation and a reduction in stress hormones. Immersion has been successful in treating a variety of neurological and physical ailments and can positively influence our emotional and social health and promote general healing and wellness. And what better way to explore the world of water than via boat?

‘Along the shore’s edge are things you won’t find anywhere else,’ says neuroscientist Dr Michael Merzenich. ‘The feel of the water, the smell of the ocean, the birds you see there, the curiosities you see there, the boats on the surface – these are things that are special to that environment. And all of them are inherently personally calming, rewarding and intriguing.’

A lifelong relationship with water, facilitated through boating, brings vast cognitive, emotional, psychological, social and spiritual wellness benefits to people of all ages. Investing in a high-quality boat such as a J Craft can provide lasting memories and nostalgia that continue across generations.

In late 2017 and early 2018, The Blue Mind Movement, an initiative that encourages and promotes the benefits of water on our wellbeing, surveyed more than 1,000 people from around the world to gauge their emotional connection to water and the ways they practice “Blue Mind” – the mildly meditative state people fall into when they are near, in or on water. The water-themed, land-based activities they engaged in most were aquarium visits, beach combing and wildlife watching (approximately 75 per cent of respondents). On and in the water, their favourites were swimming, kayaking, sailing, canoeing and fishing (nearly half of all respondents). Activities requiring or enhanced by access to a boat were among the most popular and numerous on the list.

When respondents were asked how much water, wild waterways or oceans are a source of emotional resource in their lives, the results were stunning. More than 95 per cent of respondents claimed that water-based activities were an important source of happiness, productivity and connection in comparison to others. In short, water is one of the main elements that gives us self-worth, enhances, and makes our lives worth living. One can’t put a price on the moments when we experience water’s beauty first-hand.

Dr Wallace J. Nichols passed away in June 2024, and his work as an environmentalist is being continued through the Dr Wallace J.Nichols Memorial Fund. The mission of the initiative is to make Blue Mind common knowledge, practiced by and accessible to everyone.