Repairs, Replacements and Upgrades

Our priorities were fairly simple and dictated where our money went when it came to deciding what would be purchased.  Yes, we had a bargain boat but there were numerous repairs to be done and we wanted improvements that met our needs and that meant taking a month or two of each cruising season for the first few years to make our adjustments, and importantly to keep them affordable.

Safety (and security).  The first priority was to ensure the boat was sound and seaworthy.  We intended to live on board for 6 months each year and travel widely for at least 10 years.  That meant leaving the security of our purchase cruising-grounds (as lovely as they were – check out the BVI on the internet!) and see something of the world, albeit ever so slowly.

Comfort.  This covers a couple of concerns.   Firstly, we must have room to live comfortably for 6 months each year – WJ3 is our “home away from home”.  That means good mattresses, nice showers and loos that work.  It means room to store lots of books and space to sit and plonk away at the computer. 

Boating isn't always fun...

It also means having room to share with family and friends and not having to worry where to store sails, fishing rods and other gear that one accumulates on a sailboat.  Secondly, we are not getting any younger.  We don’t want to be overtaxed handling sails in big seas and strong winds or struggling to store the dinghy on deck at night (just to make sure it’s there in the morning!).

DIY.  I like to get to know my boat(s) at a personal level and that means being prepared to do-it-yourself.  Obviously there are some things best left to professionals – like replacing the rigging or setting up an autopilot – but on the whole, the more you are prepared to do yourself, the better.  Firstly, you get to know how systems work – always good when they break down (usually in the most remote of anchorages) and secondly, you can save yourself some serious money.  Professional rates can come in at more than $70 per hour.