How I Lost $30,000
Some time back, my friend James Baldwin, recommended that I check out a mid 70′s model Cheoy Lee 33 sailboat that the owner was giving away. It looked similar to this one:
When I first heard the offer, all I could think about was the time and energy that I would have to put into polishing the massive amounts of teak plus the $250 slip fee that I would be responsible for at the marina. I was a little overwhelmed, especially since whatever free time I now have would be hard to direct to the ever-growing list of projects I could expect for a boat of this size.
Now that I’ve had time to think over the costs versus the possibilities, I’ve gone so far in my find as to imagine outfitting this boat for a trip down to the Keys or the Bahamas within the next year. I might even find a willing cohort in living aboard. What I didn’t count on was how quickly the boat would find a new owner, even in its dilapidated state. I went to inspect it this morning only to find it had already been taken over and moved to another marina. My heart sank. There went $30,000.
Hey Jay, next time someone offers you a 30,000$$$ boat; jump on it!
We had a Cheoy Lee growing up… I think it was a 38 footer much like the one pictured. Lots of wood, but lots of fun. I miss that boat.
And ditto to what Robbie Said… or better yet, pass it on to me!