How would spend £200K and £1400 per month to buy a bluewater yacht to liveaboard and sail / maybe circumnavigate for years to come?

[Rob44]

Rob, a couple of thoughts. Not sure if you're retiring from the airlines but I followed a similar path starting 10 years ago when I did a day skipper, chartered all over, coastal skipper, then YM ahead of retiring and since then bought my own boat. With plenty of charter sailing under my belt and membership of a Solent boat club, I soon realised I was happy enough pottering along the south coast and across to France.

We've spent up to 3 weeks on board and it's always nice to come home to our own bed. If you still plan to sail the world, a colleague, Jim Wallace, did exactly this. He bought a Slocum 43 in Croatia, shake down sail back to UK, kitted it out for a RTW trip and did just that. The boat is now back in Gosport and was for sale until recently. Full disclosure, the buyers survey reported osmosis so they pulled out so Jim is currently undecided the next step.

On the basis I don't believe any boat has ever sunk because of osmosis, there may be a bargain to be had. If you want to be put in touch with Jim, send me a PM. Secondly, if you fancy a day sail in the Solent and see how my decision from "must be a Hallberg Rassy" to finally purchasing a stock Beneteau AWB to fit my revised "mission profile" was made, then get in touch.

From your comments, you remind me of my previous self where I tried to carry aviation related experience across into boating until I realised it's very different.

Here's an article about Jim.

I sailed across the pacific with one hand - Yachting Monthly

Hello Wonkywinch, I think I’ll pass on the osmosis, thanks. That’s maybe something for Jim to sort out, prior to selling?

Interesting article too and thanks for the link. It read a little bit like a basic HF case-study to be fair, and left me wondering about the more in-depth reasoning behind the decision making. I figured much of what he described was the proverbial tip of the HF iceberg and there was probably more to learn from this specific decision making than just the described ‘must catch a flight’.

And thanks for the offer to sail! I’d genuinely be delighted for the opportunity, but must admit I’ve some concern over being ‘trapped’ on a dodgy AWB/Beneteau having to listen to boring airline pilot dits

 

[wonkywinch]

I think I’ll pass on the osmosis, thanks. That’s maybe something for Jim to sort out, prior to selling?

I don't think it's financially viable so the idea is someone who understands osmosis and the real risks gets a bargain genuine tried and tested bluewater boat.

There seem to be polarised views on whether it's a genuine boat ending issue or not.