Last updated on November 9th, 2024
It is often suggested that owning a boat is the universe’s way of telling you that you have too much money. To be fair, a seagoing vessel is not something that can easily be bought and paid for on most people’s budget, but if you want to see the world from a more leisurely angle, there are few better sights than the coast of somewhere new as seen from a boat. This is a desire that should not be available only to the very rich – we should all have the chance.
With that said, there is still the question of how this is achieved. If you’re someone who enjoys sailing, it is worth looking into various ideas for how you can enjoy the sensation of looking to the horizon and seeing a new destination growing larger in your eyeline. You don’t need to be a Hollywood megastar or the child of an oligarch to enjoy time on a yacht or boat. It just requires some work and a little ingenuity!
Look into opportunities for joint ownership
Unless you’re a retired multimillionaire – and for the purposes of this post, we’ve already agreed you’re not – you’re not going to be on board your craft 365 days a year. So with that in mind, it’s worth considering what can be done to spread the cost of boat purchase and ownership by owning a share in one. You can buy a boat and release it into charter management, so you get much of the money back in charter fees and still have use of it for months on end, or you can collectively buy one with other investors and then agree a time-sharing rota. It’s worth noting, though, that the boat will be in use more often, and usually need to be traded in sooner than a solely-owned craft.
Buy cheap or second-hand, and fix it up
Fixer-uppers aren’t just for dry land – you can purchase a boat that has fallen into some disrepair, often because the previous owner has got tired of maintaining it and wants it off their hands. If you drive a hard bargain and get a good price, you can then set aside the time to bring it back to its best: sourcing a new motor from the likes of Volvo Penta; repairing any structural damage that you or an expert may find; and giving it a makeover with a new paint job and any add-ons you deem worth the outlay. This will take some hard work, but it will save money and bring your dream of the seas closer to the horizon.
Rent a boat on an as-needed basis
As we’ve noted, you can buy a boat and rent it out, but if you aren’t in the market for paying the full costs of ownership you could put yourself on the other end of that deal. Boat rental does mean that you won’t own the boat, and this will place some limitations on how you use it. If, however, you just want to enjoy a week of leisure cruising and evenings enhanced by the best sunsets you’ll see, then renting can be the perfect choice for you.
None of the above options will make it cheap to have and run a boat, but if you’re looking for a way to make a dream come true, they’re a worthwhile place to begin.