Reality Check: We Bought A Boat!

April 2018
April began just like any other month.  We are busy working our day to day lives but constantly looking for any 44ft. Endeavour Boat for sale that met most of what we wanted to find in a boat.  Earlier in February we visit one on the coast of North Carolina and felt that this might be our boat, but negotiations just could not get us close to where we wanted to be on price  We could not meet them near their price just yet in our budget, but we were working on someways to possibly purchase this boat. Since we had been watching and looking at boats for awhile, we knew that on any given day it could sell, so we continued to look for any new ones that entered the market.  April brings my spring break from school where I work.   My husband and I were planning to head to Florida and check out a few while we were down in the Tampa Bay area.

On this trip we visited some Endeavour owners and looked at their boats.  One couple was actually selling theirs and we looked it over but just wasn’t sure if it was the one for us. On one of the last days of break, we noticed that a boat had been moved to St. Petersburg, Florida from further north where it was originally docked.  We did not care for the layout so had decided not to make the long trip north to see this one.  But now it was close to where we were staying, so it made it a little more enticing to drive across the Skyway Bridge and have a peek. 

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Making a Decision:  April 5, 2018

The Colorado Cat had just been moved down to the St. Petersburg Municipal Marina, and after speaking with Lou Hodac of Pier One Sales we were able to set a time to get a look at her.  Even though we went to see this boat, again we did not think we would like it enough to even consider an offer.  It was just another boat to go and look at and learn more about Endeavours.  

As I toured this boat I just took random shots of the layout just to have as a memory.  I did not take a video camera on this trip and left not really thinking I was interested in the boat.  As we discussed the electronics and the layout that we didn’t think we really wanted, we kept coming back to the price.  What could we actually get this boat for? Maybe this boat was worth making an offer to see if we could get closer to where we wanted to be.  I just knew that I wanted to start low since it was not the boat that we thought we wanted.

The next day as we made the drive back to North Carolina we had a conversation with Lou again boat to get several questions we wanted answered.  Lou encouraged us to make an offer.  I told him he might not like our offer and he said just make one so we have some place to start.  So we did.  We knew it was not an offer that would be accepted and the counter was very little off the original price, but this began another discussion about what stayed and left the boat.  We began to feel like this would not be a good deal, but Lou encouraged us to make one more offer.  We came up some from our original and the next day got a call that we would soon be boat owners!  We Bought A Boat!  

Survey Day:  April 12, 2018

Thus began our journey to own Journey.  So much to learn, schedule, and do over the next few weeks.  D began immediately setting up all necessary   contacts for a boat survey day.  I was working, so he headed back down to St. Petersburg to give her another once over and learn all he could on the survey day which was April 12th.  Boat Surveys are serious business and all have to align from engine to hull.  The previous owner was gracious and also spent another day with D showing him how to operate different areas on the boat.  After several long days and a quick trip back to NC, we waited on the survey results that showed the boat had few issues for us to worry about.  We were ready to close. 

Closing Day:  April 28, 2018
It was here and we were ready.  We drove into St. Petersburg the day before and stayed in a KOA cabin in St. Petersburg for the night.  Our truck looked like the Sanford and Sons because it was so loaded down.  Finally on the afternoon of the 28th, we took possession our boat!  We were new boat owners and super excited!  The fun was just beginning we had so much work to do!  Our dream of adventures and living on the water was becoming a reality.  

​ Yes! We Bought OUR Boat