The Adventure Begins- PM's Story

The seed for our Velomer adventure was planted back in the summer of 2008 when the Amidons, Guyots and Chasteens rented a canal boat and toured the Erie Canal for a week.  The six of us had a great time cruising the waters, riding our bikes along the canal path, exploring upstate New York, and of course visiting the local wineries.  During this trip PM mentioned to Bob, "I think I could do this for a while," referring to living aboard a boat.  That was all the encouragement Bob needed to pick up the football and run with it so to speak.

Discussions started and decisions made.  "I don't want to be outside the sight of land," PM declared.  "Not a problem," Bob replied.  "We'll do the Great Loop."  This was a boat trip that circumnavigates the eastern United States that Bob had learned about while reading one of his many boating magazines.  Bob has been around boats all his life and loved being on a boat.  PM almost drowned at the tender age of nine and although was willing to go on a boat never really warmed up to the idea of living on a boat.

Step number one of the process was finding a suitable boat.  Bob wanted a Grand Banks.  PM wanted a boat that floats as well as one that had an adequate amount of amenities that made for comfortable living such as a full functional kitchen, dishwasher, washer/dryer, water desalinator, at least two bedrooms and two bathrooms, and maybe even a hot tub.  So we started to look at Grand Banks. The first several boats we looked at were very nice and had some of the features PM was looking for, but the price tags were way more than we could ever imagine spending on a boat.  So we decided that perhaps we should look at boats that we could afford versus ones with all the bells and whistles that PM wanted. Unfortunately the Grand Banks that we looked at within our price range needed so much work we knew they weren't for us, particularly since neither of us are overly handy.

One evening while having dinner at some friend's house, the other couple at the table said that if we were looking a Grand Banks, we should also consider a Monk.  We had never heard of a Monk before and were told that Edwin Monk worked for Grand Banks for a number of years and then started his own boat building company that improved on the design such as a more pronounced bow flare and an engine redesign.  The husband of the couple mentioned that a 1986 Monk 36 was for sale at the Rumery Boatyard in Biddeford that we could take a look at. 

We called the broker and set up an appointment to view the boat.  Of course, it was the middle of winter and we had to crawl under the plastic shrink wrap to view the vessel, but it was love at first sight!  PM was a happy camper as the boat had the two bedrooms and two baths, a full kitchen, the island queen bed, a remarkable amount of closet space.  The wood walls and floors of the interior gave a warmth that was charming.  We found the boat of our dreams and put in an offer contingent on a marine survey.  Our excitement mounted.  Bob met the surveyor at the boat several days later for the inspection.  During the inspection, the surveyor poked and prodded the various boat parts and when he came to the fuel tanks said, "Oh, here's a deal killer!" Bob's heart sank.  Both fuel tanks were rusted through at the top.  In addition, the teak decking exhibited signs of rot, electronics ancient, and stern thruster unresponsive.  It was not pretty.  The full survey report listed numerous items needing addressing and gave an estimated cost of repairing all.  If we paid full price the total would put us way over budget.  We had a lot to think about.

Meanwhile, as the dream started to take shape, PM decided that she should probably take a boating course and found one at the local community college taught by the USCG Auxiliary.  During the course, one of the instructors was someone PM knew professionally who asked her why she was taking the course.  She told our tale of woe.  The instructor, Winn Pillsbury, told PM that if the boat deal fell through to give him a call as he and his wife owned a 1988 Monk 36 that they might be willing to sell.  He had just replaced the fuel tanks and the 1988 Monk had fiberglass decks.

We made a counter offer on the 1986 Monk that took the needed repairs and our budget into consideration.  This offer was flatly refused.  Bob started to get a little crazy.  "We've been looking for a boat for almost two years now.  We should just get the boat for what the owner wants and make the repairs!"  PM, the financially responsible party, replied, "Over my dead body! Let's talk to Winn about his boat."  Winn showed us his boat which had everything in it that we liked about the 1986 Monk and didn't need extensive repairs.  "How much do you want for your boat?" I asked.  "Make me an offer," Winn replied.  "I know how much I paid for it and I know how much I put into replacing the tanks and all the other work.  So make me an offer."

At this point we felt very ill at ease.  If we offered too little, Winn may be insulted and decide not to sell.  If we offered too much, we would pay more than the boat was worth.  "Something is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it," Bob waxed philosophically.  "So what's it worth?" asked PM.  "Whatever Winn wants," Bob replied.  We decided that perhaps PM was the better party to do the negotiating.  After a tense 24-hour period of cogitating and some heated discussions, we decided to start with our original offer on the 1986 Monk which we felt was the market value for a functioning vessel, added a chunk for each of the two years newer of the 1988 Monk, added another chunk for the fiberglass deck, a third chunk for the recently replaced fuel tanks, and a final chunk for the updated electronics.  We were at an amount at the upper reaches of our budget but still within budget.  "What if they don't accept our offer?" asked Bob.  "We'll deal with that if and when it happens," PM replied.