Five Years Ago

Can you remember the day you bought your first boat?

It is almost five years to the day that we made the decision to buy Naughty-Cal. I can still remember now that fateful day. Spending time on the boat making sure she felt right, looking over the competition again to make sure we were making the right choice, nipping back onto Cal for one last look and then heading out with the broker for a test drive on the river.

The hardest part was sitting down with the broker and striking the deal. Naughty-Cal was a stock boat so no third party to deal with, however they did have their own price in mind. After a bit of bartering we all agreed on a price that was fair to all involved. We got some off the asking price so we were happy and they got a fair price. So with the small holding deposit paid, subject to survey, we took one last look at our purchase and headed for home feeling very proud but also somewhat scared. Just what had we done?

In the coming days we were busy organising funding and surveys but also getting ready to head off on our two weeks boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads. The survey was carried out whilst we were on holiday and after a phone call to the surveyor confirming only minor faults to remedy we rang the brokers to pay the remainder of the deposit, £9.5k! We could now relax Naughty-Cal was to all intents and purposes ours. Now we could enjoy our holiday safe in the knowledge our boat would be ready and waiting for us when we got home.

Now holidays always fly by but this one felt as though it was over before it had even started. All too soon we were heading for home but this gave us the chance to call in and see how work on our new boat was progressing.  What a pleasant surprise awaited us. Naughty-Cal was externally valeted and shining like a new pin and work was well under way servicing the engine and drive. Happy that work was progressing we left Cal for just one more week.

The week flew by as we spent each evening gathering items we would need for the boat, new bedding, new pots and pans, new cushions, new crockery and cutlery, this was like furnishing a new home. Exciting but unimaginably expensive as well.

Finally pick up day arrived, but that is a tale for another day.