Two Happiest Days of The Boat Owner's Life.

Many people told me that there are two happiest days in the boat owner's life: when they buy the boat and when they sell it.

I am not sure it is true for the real sailors, I have seem many happy long-time owners, but there must be something to it since this truism is repeated so often. 

So far the ownership was nothing but an extreme stress to me. I mean extreme.

Below are some of the problems I was dealing with since I bought her.

After I put her on the water she was was leaking. I was worried: Will she sink? Will I come back in the morning and see the mast top breaking the surface? The bilge pump is not automatic, should I visit/pump her every day? (1 hr. trip,  each way). I just talked to a guy whose boat sunk in the port. Two weeks later I realized that she is tight, the water particles tend to plug up any small cracks. She does not leak any more. I did install an automatic bilge pump.

The masts had to be taken down for the bridges in Chicago, I had to pay for taking the mast down, then wait in Belmont for a week, step the mast back up, pretty expensive adventure.

The engine transmission does not work. Should I look for a mechanic to fix a tranny, or to install the outboard?

The first outboard did not work. I made many trips from Chicago to suburbs and back, each time installing, removing and carrying the heavy (85 lbs.) engine. The second, new, engine is very expensive!

The masthead broke off with the backstay, the fix is VERY expensive and time consuming. Will the mast on supported halyards alone fall and break some other boat, sink my boat?

Most of all every daily trip to the store seems to cost $250, like magic, always.

- outboard bracket $230

- new wire-to-rope halyards $250

- new shackes and exit plates $250

- new mast head fix $300 + much headache

- rigging labor $400 + $300 + $180

- mast up/down/up $400

- battery-to-engine cables and misc stuff $250

- automatic bilge pump and wire $100

- engine $3200

TOTAL SAILING: 1.5 hours!!!

I don't want to scare the potential boat owners, but this sport is not for a faint-of- heart. Be aware, and rather become a crew (I really need a good crew), then drown all your savings into a boat.

I will keep the boat because I have dreams of sailing to Canada,  30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, maybe Lake Superior in next couple of years.

Later, if I still like cruising maybe Caribbean, Azores, Mediterranean, Malta, Croatia, South/East Africa Mauritius, Reunion, Pacific, French Polynesia, Galapagos ...