My Imperfect Boat

Sometimes Settling for Less is Okay

“Our boat just isn’t out there. Maybe it’s not meant to be.”

Every so often someone will write on boating forums that they have been searching for months, even years, for the perfect boat. They despair of ever finding one and ask others for the fairy dust they used to find theirs.

My husband Glen and I were among the perpetually disappointed. During the pandemic we drove across the country at warp speed to not let yet another “perfect” boat escape from our grasp. Only to discover that the boat we raced to inspect had been underwater in a hurricane — a showstopper. Or had high engine hours — expensive to replace. A search that began with enthusiasm and excitement became drudge and disappointment.

Boats, Boats and More Boats to Inspect

Finally, we let go of our quest for the impossible and decided to look for one that was less perfect. Almost immediately, we were successful. You could say the height of imperfection; it broke down during our sea trial and there were 34 gigs on the survey. Each major gig implied a raft of mystery problems nested beneath. But problems we could fix with sweat equity, a few thousand dollars and Glen’s mechanical skills. The design shortfalls we would have to make peace with.

Imperfect, but ours. And that part is important. Because I am writing this seated on the flying bridge and we now have a boat to travel the Great Loop.

I may ruffle some seagull feathers, but I think it is very rare to find the “perfect” boat. Expecting to find one where everything is exactly as you want — and at a price you can afford — is setting yourself up for disappointment. Fixing the bar so high and saying you will not buy anything less than your dream boat adds a lot of stress to the buying process. As boat after boat does not measure up, you take it as failure.

Nothings Perfect!

Let us say that you do find the “perfect” boat. At the first problem it loses the sheen of perfection. That perfect boat disappoints and leads you to self-doubt and lack of confidence — the last thing any of us need as we get ready for this big adventure.

Now, I don’t advocate buying one with a showstopper survey. It would have been foolhardy to buy the boat we looked at with a water mark halfway up the interior walls. But maybe consider an “almost perfect” boat. One that needs some prettying-up, a few upgrades and minor repairs. An added benefit is that while working to make your imperfect boat an object of pride, you will get to know her inside and out. Which will pay big dividends a thousand miles up the Loop when something breaks.

The good news is, there is no shortage of imperfect boats. They range from total fixer-uppers (make sure you have the repair skills that match) to a turnkey, ready-to-go, perfect, purring boat. And I think the best choice is something in between those extremes.

Glen and I were fully successful in our search for imperfection. After weeks of refitting and much sweat equity, we now see our boat in a different light. She is our baby, and whose child is not totally perfect?