Okay, have had a dozen attempts at this
Trying to shorten the story, cut out details
Still pretty raw - hate to admit
FAIL
I'll leave it to Simi to tell more of his story when or if he wishes, but like a lot of things in life unexpected global events played a role I think. The 2007-2008 GFC led to many people needing to tighten their belts. With time, nice-to-have assets like holiday cottages and boats came onto the market en masse. I can't recall exact timing, but certainly by around 2010 boat prices had tanked as there were huge numbers of boats on the market. About then, or not long after, I remember Simi posting (different forum and UserID) that it was now going to be cheaper to buy a used boat than to finish his cat. I don't recall how long his search was, but I seem to recall at some stage some USA boats catching his eye at least. .
.
It was pretty much lie to myself to build a boat "not much bigger" than the prior build and go hard at it full time. Full time being 7am to 6pm 6 days a week, sometimes if a big glassing run on, until 3am keeping the chemical window going.
Turned out there's as much material in one hull than the entire 10m cat we built before.
To provide income after boat was eventually launched and partner retired, in my "spare time" I used her income getting us into debt, buying houses, subdividing land, moving houses, building more houses and renting them out all several hundreds of miles from home and living in a car on site for a lot of that time getting it done.
Burning the candle from both ends with a flame thrower
Putting myself in hospital with double hernia and burnout.
GFC hit, got through the GFC bruised but intact - banks tried to sell us up but we somehow held on
But, left me mentally and physically whipped - not quite the blubbering mess
Unable to get back into the boatbuilding - couldn't even look at it.
Partner wasn't much better.
Next several years spent using up her accrued time off in llew of pay, accrued holiday pay and long service leave allowing us to spend 3 months every year in South East Asia finding a place to retire to and checking out boat building yards.
Then my partner had both her parents die a few months apart - then she was made redundant - the straw that broke the camels back for her.
Current boat appeared at same time, bought her for a lot less than cost of finishing backyard boat,
Planned on taking her to Thailand for the big cosmetic tart up
Moved aboard, locked up house, ran away in an attempt to regain sanity.
Due to loss of "JOB" Banks tried to force us to sell again and again they failed
Covid came, SEA adventure on hold
Staying out here waiting for the zombie apocalypse
And I got my girl back, sanity restored for both of us
A busy end to last year and start of this year
A mate came back from a long stint overseas, needed a place to stay, we had an empty house he just needed to clear it out - keep what you want and bin the rest.
Got a job, now paying cheap rent, he bought my motorcycle and plans on staying indefinitely.
Several rental houses sold , our choice of timing and the rest are now debt free - no more Banks
Now backyard boat sold
Not much holding us back now so heading south now for a set of stabiliser arms, a bit of work on boat before heading north again with no fixed destination.
If the stabilisers work and we make it to Darwin we may as well keep going to Indonesia.
If we don't make it the old girl will likely be sold and we'll set up base in a private pool villa somewhere in South East Asia for the next round of adventure.
And now that poison is out of my system........
