Time, health, and money are golden assets, but it's rare to have an abundance of all three at the same time. Often, when you feel like you have a lot of one (say time), you're lacking in another department (like money).
What if you have a boat, but your time is limited and you can't go out on the water as much as you'd like? Owning a boat is one of life's great pleasures. But unless you have a lot of free time to spare.
Buying a boat is not just a matter of money—you'll also need to consider the amount of time you can reasonably spend on your boat.
So when you're ready to buy a boat, ask yourself this question.
How much time do you have to use your boat?
By deciding how much time you will have to use your boat, you can determine which type of boat is best for you.
If you only have weekends and holidays available for boating, then purchasing a live-aboard vessel may not be feasible unless you relocate close to where you'll keep your boat.
Also, If you live near the water and can use the boat with relative frequency, a larger boat might be a good choice. If you'll only be able to use it occasionally and for short trips, a smaller boat might be a good option.
If you’re working or living in Asia, think about how much time you will have to use your boat. Here are 6 statements, so if you can answer yes or no (or maybe) to these 6 statements. It will help you narrow down how much time you have for using your boat:
I have plenty of time or annual leave to go boating whenever I want (Yes/No)
I need to travel to my home country during most of my annual leave (Yes/No)
Most of my boating time will be on long weekends with public holidays (Yes/No)
My family or partner loves boating and usually, we’ll go boating together (Yes/No)
During the weekdays I have a lot of available time (Yes/No)
Other (State your statement)
Now it’s time to put the ‘yes’s’ in order of priority. 1 is the highest priority or most likely time factor in being able to use your boat.
While cruising or motoring to Thailand sounds like a great idea, it can take 4 days to get there and 4 days back again. And sailing even longer. So, the question to ask yourself is, how much time do you really have?
The reason this is important is that the distance and types of waters that you wish to travel greatly determine the time it will take for the trips of your dreams. When you look at your work schedule and your available time-off, it might be faster and cheaper, and more realistic to fly to Thailand and either take your boat out from there or charter a boat.
So, take some time to think about how much time you will have, and how this might change in the next 2-3 years.
Click here to read the last part of this 4-part blog post on the 4 Key Questions Before You Buy a Boat – “How much will it cost to keep and maintain your boat?“
Note: You don't need to be rich or spend hundreds of dollars to unlock boat ownership secrets and enjoy a boating life. You can unlock boat ownership secrets that will transform your life (and in as little as 3 days!)– and it won't break the bank.