Waiting for it

I'm exhausted.

Since starting a new job nine days ago, I've worked eight of 'em.  It was totally my decision, and I loved doing it.  Not only was it helping our finances get back in order after a looooong time of un/underemployment, but I've got a sense of purpose, of value.  Not that I wasn't valuable to people, mind you.  My loving family has always thought of me as valuable, but it's nice to feel it while producing positive results for your employer.  I've even developed a mantra that I've been repeating for a while now: "Every day I prove my worth to earn our berth", which is my way of focusing on our goal of getting our vessel within the next two years.  I know this isn't really about becoming a liveaboard, but it's one of our major steps along the path.  And right now, the next part involves lots and lots of time getting our money straight.

While we wait for our nest egg to get started, we've been trying to decide whether we should purchase a boat outright or save up for a down payment and take out a loan.  The option of a loan, from what I have followed on the subject, is difficult because of two specific factors:

1)  Banks don't want to lend money on older boats, even if the boats are quality-built.  They're (justifiably) skittish over boats more than 20 years old.

2)  Banks don't want to lend money to people who don't have a home address.  It's like there's nothing that ties them to any particular place if the mood hits them or something...

Mind you, there are banks out there who DO work with liveaboards, but those are limited in number and there's usually a large down payment (20% would be minimum, 25% and higher is recommended) and higher interest rates to eat up monthly income.  What it comes down to is whether we want to have a "rent" for a while longer or settle for an older boat?  I'm leaning towards purchasing a boat outright, however that would have us doing a nice amount of repair/maintenance that we may be underqualified (read: definitely underqualified) to perform.

At least I'd be enthusiastic about the attempts to repair the thing.  Just what we need, an enthusiastic repairman who knows virtually nothing on the subject.  In all seriousness, I know I'll be learning how to maintain and repair all the systems on the boat that I possibly can.  It's not just convenient; it could potentially save our behinds.

Despite these difficulties, we're more dedicated to the dream than ever.  We have two pictures of a "dream yacht" posted in our house, one on our bathroom mirror and one on our refrigerator, to inspire us every time we look at it.  I feel like it's working, as I'm using it to keep me focused on what I need to do in order to achieve this dream.  It may sound silly to some, but a good friend once told me that positive breeds positive, and negative breeds negative.  I'd rather look at a boat than a bunch of other papers while I'm waiting for our dream to come true.  It's just that the waiting really is the hardest part.

Darn you Tom Petty for being right!