I participate in a number of Facebook groups for cruisers and soon-to-be cruisers. And every so often, a group member will lament that they’ve been searching for however long (months to years), yet still haven’t found the perfect boat. They despair of ever finding it and ask for tips on how others found theirs.
The reality is that I think very, very few cruisers ever find the “perfect” boat. Expecting to find one where everything is exactly as you want — and at a price you can afford — is setting yourself up for failure.
I’m not saying to take the first boat you look at or accept one with a seriously deficient survey. But maybe take an “almost perfect” boat. One that needs a few upgrades, or a bit of cosmetic prettying-up.
There’s a wide range out there from total fixer-uppers (which I generally don’t recommend) to a totally ready-to-go, exactly-as-you-want-it perfect boat. All sorts of shades of gray in between the two extremes.
I think that saying you won’t buy anything less than the perfect boat adds a lot of stress to the boat-buying process. A lot of perceived failure as boat after boat isn’t going to measure up. “Our boat just isn’t out there.” “Maybe it’s not meant to be.”
And then if you do find the “perfect” boat, the minute that there is any problem with it, it’s going to lose that luster of perfection. And you’ll be angry that the perfect boat wants attention. And question your decision-making all over again.
I argue instead for looking for the “almost perfect” boat. The one that you actually can find. The one whose imperfections you can live with.
And that last bit is the key: you can live with. As in, you have a boat.
This past weekend, Larry Webber, a TBG reader and friend, sent me a note that he finally found THE ONE after about six weeks of looking. No, not perfect, but a perfect starting point. Said Larry, “I’d rather have an ‘almost perfect’ boat than still be looking for the perfect boat.”
This photo accompanied the note. See that grin?
Coincidentally, I’d just been talking about the concept of the search for the perfect boat with another friend of mine, Behan of Sailing Totem. They just completed a circumnavigation with their three kids, and she and her husband Jamie offer cruising coaching (at very affordable prices, too — see here). As you might expect, boat shopping is a big topic in their coaching!
Said Behan, “People often come to us with preconceptions about their perfect boat and frustration or concern about finding it at their budget. They’ve typically been influenced by bad advice shared with good intentions or dogmatically presented opinion without context on Internet forums. We help them understand design trade-offs to expand their view on models that fit their goals. There is no perfect boat: all boats are compromises, and understanding those better allows an informed decision from a broader consideration set of boat models. At the end of the day, this helps people get out on the water sooner, or with more budget preserved for their cruising kitty, or both.”
So, maybe the perfect boat is actually the “almost perfect” boat that you do find. 😎
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Mike McIntosh says
We changed to a Gemini 105MC four months ago. My wife hates to heal and we wanted a bigger boat than we had. The Gemini is a great compromise so I can still sail and she does not have to heal. So far we are loving it and still doing things to it to make it ours. Living in Florida the shallow depth is a plus and she actually points a lot better than I had heard catamarans do.
Rico Torriani says
My problem is the location. In East Africa there is no market for sailboats and shipping or sailing one down from Europe is expensive. I see many boats in yachtworld which I could afford but they are far away. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Behan says
That’s a tough one Rico. You might luck out on a boat that shows up there with a crew that’s “done,” but probably have to shop elsewhere – and all that introduces cost and risk. It’s astounding how frequently boats are misrepresented (or selectively represented) in a listing! One idea for you: before you buy a plane ticket, try to find someone locally with boat senst (and no investment in the outcome) who you can pay to take a look and a few pictures, to see that it’s what’s actually in the listing.
Steve McDonald says
Carolyn, I feel like I’ve been gently led to the, perhaps to everyone else rather obvious, conclusion that the perfect boat is the available boat that ticks most the boxes. I love her already! Thanks.
Oscar Morrison says
I like the idea that I should think of looking for an almost perfect boat that I can be happy with instead of holding out for something that perfectly fits my expectations. My wife and I moved last year and I’ve been craving going out on the water nearby. It will probably make finding a boat an easier process if I set my expectations right.