Inspection with a scare

buying a boat in france

With the kids safely settled with their grandparents, Reiss and I set off eagerly for our much-anticipated boat inspection trip. The prospect of a few kid-free days filled us with giddy excitement, like kids ourselves on the brink of summer vacation.

Flying into France, we were buzzing with anticipation until I switched on my phone upon landing. A frantic message on WhatsApp sent my heart racing. An accident involving our boat? It felt like a bucket of ice water dumped over our heads, chilling the excitement of our adventure.

Fear gripped us as we tried desperately to reach the realtor, each unanswered call fueling our anxiety. Had we been led astray? Were our hopes dashed before we even set foot on the boat? The specter of online scams loomed large, casting a shadow over our dream getaway. Our much-anticipated trip threatened to unravel before our eyes.

a fierce storm had caused it to collide

Deciding not to let the scare ruin our trip, we shrugged off the anxiety and made our way to the cozy Airbnb we had booked. As our taxi pulled up to the quaint little apartment, a message finally popped up on my phone from the broker.

Relief flooded over us as we read the explanation. It turned out that the neighboring boat hadn't been properly secured, and a fierce storm had caused it to collide with the Dufour with some force. However, the broker reassured us that the damage was superficial, limited to a bit of paint. Furthermore, both the current boat owner's insurance and the owner of the neighboring vessel would cover the cost of repainting.

With the reassurance from the broker, our spirits lifted, and we decided to proceed with the inspection as planned. If anything, the mishap had a silver lining – by the time of the sale, the boat would be in even better condition with a fresh coat of paint and a new toerail.

Eager to see the Dufour for ourselves, we set off to the marina directly, excitement bubbling beneath the surface. As we boarded the boat, we couldn't help but marvel at its beauty, even with the traces of the recent collision.

The inspection went smoothly, and any concerns we had about the accident quickly faded as we fell in love with the boat's charm and character. With each passing moment, our dream of setting sail on the open seas grew stronger.

Leaving the inspection with smiles on our faces and hearts full of anticipation we still had a lot of question marks. There was some unexplainable water in the bilge and we weren't sure if the teak deck and sails would last very long.

But deep down in our hearts, amidst the excitement and the reassurances, there was no denying it – this boat was the one.

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