For the last several months I’ve been casually perusing Craigslist and even eBay looking for my next sailboat. It’s kinda like the new car fever I’ve been experiencing lately too, I guess. I’d been thinking that I should try and get a another sailboat that doesn’t need a lot of work; something that someone else has already done most, if not all, of the refitting and repairing.

I would see a boat fitting my criteria and then imagine how much more I’d be able to use it. Primarily because one item of my criteria is that it’s already located on a lake closer to where I live. Currently, I’m about an hour drive away from my Hunter 25 on Eagle Mountain Lake, so I’ve been thinking I should find something closer. I’ve been fantasizing about having a (my) boat so close I could use it a couple times every week.

Why not just move my Hunter you might ask? I considered that, but then discovered it would cost me about $900, almost the entire amount I initially paid for the boat just to move it across the DFW metroplex to Joe Pool Lake which is only eight minutes away from home.

Unable to find an available boat already located on Joe Pool, my search area widened to include Grapevine Lake, Lewisville Lake and even Lake Ray Hubbard. All of these are good sailing lakes, but they’re just about the same distance away as Eagle Mountain. At that point I realized I was just searching for anything to replace what I had (at the time) decided was basically an albatross that I might never get around to finishing.

I say all of that to say this: I’ve now come to the realization that the best boat for me right now is the one I already have! When I got my head out of the clouds and cleared up from the allure of getting a new-to-me boat, I knew there’s not really a whole lot left to do on my refit. Basically if I replace the carpet on the interior hull walls and the cushions I’ll be just about finished.

I know at some point in the future I’ll want and need a more spacious boat, especially considering my long-term plans and goals, but I’ve decided that in the meantime I need to just enjoy the boat I already have and not focus so much on trying to replace her [just yet]. She’s still a good boat…and my first. 🙂

Can anyone out there relate to what I’m feeling here? Experienced the same thing at one time or another? How’d you deal with it? Let me know in the comments…

Mike