I bought a 40-foot boat for $1. It's been a game changer.
Some say there's nothing more expensive than a free boat, but I've been pleasantly surprised.
My husband and I recently sailed for over four months and traveled over 1,000 miles on this boat.
"Simon! Lara!" shouted Bill the bartender as we entered the town brewery. "You know anyone who wants a free 40-foot boat?"
Simon, my husband, began frantically shaking his head no. The adage in the boating community is that there's nothing as expensive as a free boat, but I asked Bill to tell me more.
Bill was friends with a couple who had aged out of sailing and needed to get rid of their 1970 40-foot Morgan ketch, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time.
I bought a boat for $1
The boat wasn't actually free — when I spoke to the sellers, they wanted $1 for it. Turns out, I'm not the first person to buy this boat for a dollar. In fact, I'm at least the third.
One former owner sailed it almost from the North Carolina coast to Bermuda before experiencing issues that caused it to partially sink.
The owner before us bought it with severe damage and restored it. He kept the dollar tradition because the boat was too old to insure and needed too much cosmetic work to list it with a broker.
The dated interiors and worn surfaces were just right for us, though. The boat even had the tiny cast-iron wood stove I'd been coveting.
We love the adventures we've had
We set to scrubbing off a few years of dust and grime. We repainted the interior in sunny golds and oranges, leaning into the 1970s vibe.
After changing the oil and replacing some filters, she was ready to sail. All in all, we didn't have to spend too much fixing her up — our biggest cost was a few cans of paint.
We cast off the lines three months after purchase, setting sail from our home port in Oriental, North Carolina — a lovely small town of about 800 people, known as the sailing capital of the state.
One of our first stops was Georgetown, South Carolina, where we ate perlau fritters. A few weeks later, we were enjoying lionfish sushi in the Keys.
Our wood stove kept us warm through a freak winter snowstorm. We spent entire days watching nurse sharks and parrotfish by the seawalls in Marathon, Florida.
Because we could anchor for free or just a few dollars in most places, we had all the time to ourselves and didn't need to toil away at jobs for financing.
We sailed over 1,000 miles from North Carolina to the Florida Keys. In all, we spent over four months traveling, spending little to do it.
We made friends in anchorages whom we would never have met otherwise. Buying this boat has truly been a game changer for us.
I got into boating because housing was too expensive
When Simon and I got married, we started looking for a house in Dunedin, Florida. However, the few houses we found in our price range were less than appealing.
One home tour left us scratching flea bites after; another had a plant room built into the garage that had grown very moldy.
With a mortgage preapproval expiring, we were getting discouraged. One day, Simon showed me his laptop screen and said: "Alternate plan?"
It was a Craigslist ad for a 25-foot sailboat. That was the beginning.
10 extra feet doesn't sound like a lot, but it changes everything
We bought the 25-foot sailboat for $3,000. Since then, I've purchased several boats, each one a bit bigger and less expensive than the last.
Before buying the $1 boat, Simon and I were living on a 30-foot boat I'd purchased for $1,000. Anyone who's done the tiny home thing can tell you about the cluttered surfaces and the utter lack of time alone.
When you live on a boat that small, you don't get to sail it very much, either. Items on counters need to be stowed, and maintenance goes undone because you don't have the room to work.
The 10 extra feet that came with the 40-foot Morgan ketch were a welcome relief. We now have room to stow all our gear, so we spend time sailing instead of sitting at the dock. There's also less tension between us because we have enough space to do our own thing.
Our 1,000-mile shakedown cruise showed us this $1 boat is sturdy enough for any seas and comfortably equipped enough for us to live here without climbing the walls. Next winter, we'll take her to the Caribbean. After that? Only the wind knows.
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Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business Insider
I bought a 40-foot boat for $1. It's been a game changer.
Simon, my husband, began frantically shaking his head no. The adage in the boating community is that there's nothing as expensive as a free boat, but I asked Bill to tell me more. Bill was friends with a couple who had aged out of sailing and needed to get rid of their 1970 40-foot Morgan ketch, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I bought a boat for $1 The boat wasn't actually free — when I spoke to the sellers, they wanted $1 for it. Turns out, I'm not the first person to buy this boat for a dollar. In fact, I'm at least the third. One former owner sailed it almost from the North Carolina coast to Bermuda before experiencing issues that caused it to partially sink. The owner before us bought it with severe damage and restored it. He kept the dollar tradition because the boat was too old to insure and needed too much cosmetic work to list it with a broker. The dated interiors and worn surfaces were just right for us, though. The boat even had the tiny cast-iron wood stove I'd been coveting. We love the adventures we've had We set to scrubbing off a few years of dust and grime. We repainted the interior in sunny golds and oranges, leaning into the 1970s vibe. After changing the oil and replacing some filters, she was ready to sail. All in all, we didn't have to spend too much fixing her up — our biggest cost was a few cans of paint. We cast off the lines three months after purchase, setting sail from our home port in Oriental, North Carolina — a lovely small town of about 800 people, known as the sailing capital of the state. One of our first stops was Georgetown, South Carolina, where we ate perlau fritters. A few weeks later, we were enjoying lionfish sushi in the Keys. Our wood stove kept us warm through a freak winter snowstorm. We spent entire days watching nurse sharks and parrotfish by the seawalls in Marathon, Florida. Because we could anchor for free or just a few dollars in most places, we had all the time to ourselves and didn't need to toil away at jobs for financing. We sailed over 1,000 miles from North Carolina to the Florida Keys. In all, we spent over four months traveling, spending little to do it. We made friends in anchorages whom we would never have met otherwise. Buying this boat has truly been a game changer for us. I got into boating because housing was too expensive When Simon and I got married, we started looking for a house in Dunedin, Florida. However, the few houses we found in our price range were less than appealing. One home tour left us scratching flea bites after; another had a plant room built into the garage that had grown very moldy. With a mortgage preapproval expiring, we were getting discouraged. One day, Simon showed me his laptop screen and said: "Alternate plan?" It was a Craigslist ad for a 25-foot sailboat. That was the beginning. 10 extra feet doesn't sound like a lot, but it changes everything We bought the 25-foot sailboat for $3,000. Since then, I've purchased several boats, each one a bit bigger and less expensive than the last. Before buying the $1 boat, Simon and I were living on a 30-foot boat I'd purchased for $1,000. Anyone who's done the tiny home thing can tell you about the cluttered surfaces and the utter lack of time alone. When you live on a boat that small, you don't get to sail it very much, either. Items on counters need to be stowed, and maintenance goes undone because you don't have the room to work. The 10 extra feet that came with the 40-foot Morgan ketch were a welcome relief. We now have room to stow all our gear, so we spend time sailing instead of sitting at the dock. There's also less tension between us because we have enough space to do our own thing. Our 1,000-mile shakedown cruise showed us this $1 boat is sturdy enough for any seas and comfortably equipped enough for us to live here without climbing the walls. Next winter, we'll take her to the Caribbean. After that? Only the wind knows.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business Insider
I bought a 40-foot boat for $1. It's been a game changer.
I bought a 40-foot Morgan ketch for $1. I'm at least the third person to buy it for this amount. Some say there's nothing more expensive than a free boat, but I've been pleasantly surprised. My husband and I recently sailed for over four months and traveled over 1,000 miles on this boat. "Simon! Lara!" shouted Bill the bartender as we entered the town brewery. "You know anyone who wants a free 40-foot boat?" Simon, my husband, began frantically shaking his head no. The adage in the boating community is that there's nothing as expensive as a free boat, but I asked Bill to tell me more. Bill was friends with a couple who had aged out of sailing and needed to get rid of their 1970 40-foot Morgan ketch, and I happened to be in the right place at the right time. I bought a boat for $1 The boat wasn't actually free — when I spoke to the sellers, they wanted $1 for it. Turns out, I'm not the first person to buy this boat for a dollar. In fact, I'm at least the third. One former owner sailed it almost from the North Carolina coast to Bermuda before experiencing issues that caused it to partially sink. The owner before us bought it with severe damage and restored it. He kept the dollar tradition because the boat was too old to insure and needed too much cosmetic work to list it with a broker. The dated interiors and worn surfaces were just right for us, though. The boat even had the tiny cast-iron wood stove I'd been coveting. We love the adventures we've had We set to scrubbing off a few years of dust and grime. We repainted the interior in sunny golds and oranges, leaning into the 1970s vibe. After changing the oil and replacing some filters, she was ready to sail. All in all, we didn't have to spend too much fixing her up — our biggest cost was a few cans of paint. We cast off the lines three months after purchase, setting sail from our home port in Oriental, North Carolina — a lovely small town of about 800 people, known as the sailing capital of the state. One of our first stops was Georgetown, South Carolina, where we ate perlau fritters. A few weeks later, we were enjoying lionfish sushi in the Keys. Our wood stove kept us warm through a freak winter snowstorm. We spent entire days watching nurse sharks and parrotfish by the seawalls in Marathon, Florida. Because we could anchor for free or just a few dollars in most places, we had all the time to ourselves and didn't need to toil away at jobs for financing. We sailed over 1,000 miles from North Carolina to the Florida Keys. In all, we spent over four months traveling, spending little to do it. We made friends in anchorages whom we would never have met otherwise. Buying this boat has truly been a game changer for us. I got into boating because housing was too expensive When Simon and I got married, we started looking for a house in Dunedin, Florida. However, the few houses we found in our price range were less than appealing. One home tour left us scratching flea bites after; another had a plant room built into the garage that had grown very moldy. With a mortgage preapproval expiring, we were getting discouraged. One day, Simon showed me his laptop screen and said: "Alternate plan?" It was a Craigslist ad for a 25-foot sailboat. That was the beginning. 10 extra feet doesn't sound like a lot, but it changes everything We bought the 25-foot sailboat for $3,000. Since then, I've purchased several boats, each one a bit bigger and less expensive than the last. Before buying the $1 boat, Simon and I were living on a 30-foot boat I'd purchased for $1,000. Anyone who's done the tiny home thing can tell you about the cluttered surfaces and the utter lack of time alone. When you live on a boat that small, you don't get to sail it very much, either. Items on counters need to be stowed, and maintenance goes undone because you don't have the room to work. The 10 extra feet that came with the 40-foot Morgan ketch were a welcome relief. We now have room to stow all our gear, so we spend time sailing instead of sitting at the dock. There's also less tension between us because we have enough space to do our own thing. Our 1,000-mile shakedown cruise showed us this $1 boat is sturdy enough for any seas and comfortably equipped enough for us to live here without climbing the walls. Next winter, we'll take her to the Caribbean. After that? Only the wind knows.
New York Post
25-06-2025
- New York Post
We're ‘bakery tourists' who travel the world looking for the ultimate pastry — here are the best spots
A mom and daughter travel the world in search of the ultimate pastry — and say their favorite is a hot cross bun croissant at their local bakery. Jessica Morgan-Helliwell, 26, and her mother, Louise Church, 48, are 'Bakery Tourists' — trying posh treats at artisan bakeries from Australia to Prague and Marrakesh. Advertisement They share a love of pastries and bakes — and for the last two years have been traveling the world to find the best and most unique bakeries. 6 Jessica Morgan-Helliwell and her mother Louise Church are 'Bakery Tourists'- trying posh treats at artisan bakeries across the globe. Tom Wren / SWNS They try to visit at least one new artisan bakery each weekend and plan their trips abroad around them. The duo share their finds on their social media accounts under the handle @loveeatdrinktravel. Advertisement Their favorites include in Prague where at the Artic Bakehouse they had a cherry bomb pastry and at Brooki Bakehouse in Brisbane, an almond croissant cookie 6 The pairs posts on their social media accounts under the handle @loveeatdrinktravel. Tom Wren / SWNS But despite trips to London, Marrakesh and more, Morgan-Helliwell and Church say their all-time favorite spot is just eight miles from their home. Their best pick is a hot cross bun croissant at Little Valley Bakery in Swansea South Wales. Advertisement 'They had croissants with the iconic hot cross bun cross on top, and a buttery raisin filling — and it did actually taste like a hot cross bun. It was really unique,' said Church. 6 Morgan-Helliwell and Church say their all-time favorite spot is just eight miles from their home, at Little Valley Bakery. Tom Wren / SWNS Morgan-Helliwell added: 'It had buttery spiced frangipane, flaky croissant layers, and that iconic hot cross bun cross.' Morgan-Helliwell added: 'We've always had a love for pastries and bakes. Advertisement 'We've got Italian heritage — my great-great grandparents are from Italy, so we love trying Italian bakes and food. 'We go to all kinds of different places and try new things along the way. 6 'We go to all kinds of different places and try new things along the way,' Morgan-Helliwell said. @loveeatdrinktravel / SWNS 'We look at social media a lot for inspiration — I think that can be a really good way of finding new places to go. 'We always have an eye on the local area as well — we've got a lot of bakeries that have opened close to us recently. 'If we're going abroad, we always have a look to see what's about. 'We've just got back from Prague, and social media was a big part of looking into where to go. Advertisement 'We've been doing social media content creating for about two years now, and going to all the local restaurants. 'We found that we were always looking for new places to go, so we thought we'd start documenting it ourselves – that's where @loveeatdrinktravel came from.' Church added: 'We're constantly looking for places to go — we never sit still! Advertisement 'We love adventuring, so we're always planning where we're going on our next trip. 'We always try and go somewhere new on the weekends if we can. 'We're planning our next trip abroad in a few weeks, to Marrakesh, so we're already looking at places to try there. 'We go to London a lot — London is about three hours from where we live in South Wales, so we plan our trips around where we want to try.' Advertisement Morgan-Helliwell and Church are always on the hunt for bakeries that put a new twist on classic favorites — and they say that the look of the pastry is almost as important as the taste. Church's top choice is a traditional almond croissant, while Morgan-Helliwell recommends a fruitier version — describing a recent raspberry croissant as 'one of the best things I've ever tasted.' 'On social media, people tend to love the pastry and bakery finds more than anything else at the minute,' Church said. 'I think a lot of people are interested in unique bakes as well – something different from the norm and aesthetically pleasing. Advertisement 'I think people eat with their eyes, so it's good to find somewhere the pastries look really tasty. 6 'We love adventuring, so we're always planning where we're going on our next trip,' Church said. Tom Wren / SWNS 'There's a local bakery to us — Little Valley Bakery — and around Easter time, they were doing hot cross bun croissants. 'They had croissants with the iconic hot cross bun cross on top, and a buttery raisin filling – and it did actually taste like a hot cross bun. It was really unique. 'I think people are experimenting with different flavors — the base of the pastry stays the same, but the flavors might be more Italian. 'The unique flavors put a twist on traditional bakes.' 6 'I think a lot of people are interested in unique bakes as well – something different from the norm and aesthetically pleasing,' Church said. Tom Wren / SWNS Despite their traveling, many of their favorite places – like Little Valley Bakery and Refinery, both in Swansea – are close to home, so the pair plan to start a new series on TikTok to highlight the families behind some of their must-visit spots. 'We've decided we're going to do a tour of Italian cafes,' said Church. 'A lot of Italian families moved to South Wales during the war and started cafes that do homemade cannolis and traditional pastries – so we want to try as many as we can find and talk to the families about what it's been like to be in the cafe business for so long.' But after two years of travel and content creation, Morgan-Helliwell and Church say the best thing about their journey is the opportunity to spend quality time together – while enjoying delicious sweet treats along the way. 'We absolutely love doing it — and it's a great way of spending time together as well,' said Morgan-Helliwell. 'We go to all kinds of different places and try new things along the way — I think it's really nice.' Church added: 'It's a great way of bonding and spending time together — it definitely brings us closer together. 'Having that shared interest is really lovely, and we get to explore lovely places along the way – and eat some really good food.' Morgan-Helliwell and Church's top five recommendations from their travels are: A white chocolate and pistachio croissant from Rock N Dough, Narbeth A seasonal hot cross bun croissant from Little Valley Bakery, Swansea An almond croissant cookie from Brooki, Brisbane A cherry bomb pastry from Artic, Prague An almond croissant from Monty's, Neath
