EP16: The Reality Of Buying A Boat Out Of Charter: What One Cruiser Wish He Knew Before Buying

In this episode, I sit down with Steeve Baudry, who moved his wife and their two young kids, then just three and five, from a life across Europe and Latin America to a year and a half cruising the Caribbean, the Bahamas, and the US east coast aboard a Leopard 48 they bought out of charter and fitted out for bluewater cruising. Chapters: 0:00 Meet Steeve: cruising the Caribbean with his family 2:36 The spark: COVID, Costa Rica, and "we only have one life" 6:31 Getting your partner on board (without convincing them) 11:28 The surprises of life aboard 13:22 Buying a boat out of charter: the part that bites 15:41 Time vs. money: the spreadsheet that changes the math 19:52 Sourcing gear: Caribbean vs. the US 22:22 Adapting as a family: safety, the learning curve, and the "marriage-saver" 30:04 How the kids adapted, and finding other boat kids 33:30 Guests aboard (and why fewer visit than you expect) 41:17 Why the course was the turning point 43:30 The real payoff: growing closer as a family 48:41 What cruising kids learn, and going back to school 53:40 What's next: the pendulum between boat life and work 59:23 The truth about long-term cruising 1:01:43 His advice: build a real budget 1:04:14 The only real obstacle, and you're not alone 1:07:36 Wrap-up We get into the part most people gloss over: the reality of buying a boat out of charter. Steeve is refreshingly honest about what he wishes he had known before signing, especially how much of the dream turns out to be maintenance. We talk about the time the upkeep really takes, learning to let some things go before they drive you crazy, and why you budget for the unexpected instead of hoping it stays away. It is also a real family story. His wife was not into sailing at the start, and he shares how the Bluewater Cruising course reset her expectations and got them on the same page, how the kids adapted to life aboard, and the honest pros and cons for a young family. We get into what makes it all worth it too: sharing the experience with guests, finding a small community of like minded people after everyone told them they were crazy, and how the whole thing changes you and makes you better back on land. If you are weighing an ex charter boat, or wondering what cruising with young kids actually asks of you, this is the honest version. To download our FREE GUIDE for Aspiring Bluewater Cruisers visit: https://ebook.bluewatercruising.com/ebook Join our FREE "Let the Journey Begin" Facebook Group with over 6,000 other Aspiring Cruisers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bluewatercruising To start learning everything you need to know and do to go Bluewater Cruising visit: https://www.bluewatercruising.com