Buy a boat

“Last spring I looked at a few used boats on Craigslist, one seriously, but either they needed too much work, were too expensive, or sold immediately before I could even see them in person. It got to the point where I was starting to give up hope. It seemed as though another summer would go by where I would have to rely on OPBs (other people’s boats). With used boats moving so quickly and having a few interactions with potentially deceitful sellers, I wasn’t feeling great about the whole process. [...] Upon arriving at Riverside Marine, another individual was already looking at the boat. I began to panic. Thankfully, they moved on to a larger model, and I could finally step aboard the boat I had already come to think of as mine. I am normally an indecisive person, but that was probably the fastest I have ever made a decision. My dad and I looked at each other, trying not to appear too eager, but we both knew... I said, “YES!”

“We initially set a budget of around £100k to buy a boat, thinking that we would want two cabins and a decent galley for spending weekends aboard. We looked at a series of rather jaded second-hand boats at the price point, most of which were 20 years old or more, and felt a little dejected about what our budget would buy. Even if we could find a boat we liked for the right money, we would still need to spend a whole lot more on updating the upholstery, electronics and grubby teak decks. I studied mechanical engineering at university and am reasonably handy with a spanner but the prospect of constantly having my head in the engine bay battling with 20-year-old diesel engines and fuel systems did not appeal.”