2. Sonic Boom

The first thing was to buy my boat. The British Virgin Islands is a great place to find a cheap boat, and BVI Yacht Sales is a good place to start.

http://www.bviyachtsales.com/bviyachtsales/index.html

At first I looked at fairly new ex charter boats, like a 2005 Beneteau 343, It had a luxury white leather interior, two large cabins, it even had a separate shower. However, although I liked it, I just couldn’t afford it, so I started looking at even cheaper boats advertised in the local papers and on Craig’s list.

I focused on the essentials: the hull, the engine and the rigging – these are the important parts. I soon realized that it was possible to buy a better boat for much less money. Following the helpful advice of the very kind yacht brokers at BVI Yacht Sales, who weren’t simply chasing commission, I ended up with something much older. Not one of their listings, but a boat in the same marina as an old Beneteau that I had gone to look at, one that the broker had seen before and knew was still for sale.

Sonic Boom

So I fell in love with a 1969 31-foot Elizabethan. An older boat, but one with a much thicker hull than new boats, and a full keel, which means she would handle heavy seas much better, and I wouldn’t be limited to the Caribbean; I could sail across the Atlantic if I wanted. Although slightly less maneuverable in small marinas, it was my plan to avoid marinas and their fees as much as possible anyway. This boat was also much simpler, which means easier and cheaper to maintain. There have been many discussions surrounding what type of boat is best for single-handed budget cruising; my advice is get something small, heavy, simple and well maintained.

I registered her as a small UK ship, renamed Sonic Boom.