They say the two best days you have when you own a boat are the day you buy it and the day you sell it.

Having done both of those half a dozen times I’m here to tell you there is truth in the saying. That’s mainly because when you decide to sell it’s only because you want to upgrade in size, and the sooner you sell your old smaller one, the sooner you can buy your newer bigger one. A bit like Donald Trump in reverse.

It’s important then, to read the ads for boats very carefully. The owners that say, “selling because I want to downsize” should take up a career in politics.

Seriously, no one wants to downsize. Saying I wish I had a smaller boat is a bit like saying, “I wish I had a smaller…” well, you know. It just doesn’t happen.

In my case though, I sold my last boat actually not meaning to buy another. And so far so good. Doesn’t mean I’m not allowed to look though, does it?

Manboobs and I cruise down to boatyards at the Sunny Coast every so often just to dream, but we’re not actually going to spend any money. It’s window shopping. Or I suppose you could say clears shopping for that matter.

It’s also fun to send emails of very nice rigs to other members of the Dudds to get their reactions. Some of the Dudds are more interested in boat buying than others.

Stuffer, Manboobs and I for example, can spend hours going over the curves, lines and hidden attributes of various tubs, but the others are less interested.

Pommers and Doughers regard boats as things that carry cold beers across wet stuff, whereas Skipper has no interest in a new boat because he’s already spent about $5000 on his current boat. Which is interesting, as his current boat would sell for about $35 on the open market. But that’s Skipper. You don’t question his logic. That just makes you more confused.

So, I would just like to let partners of those who fish rest easy. Just because he or she is spending hours on boat selling websites checking out the talent, doesn’t mean you’re going to have to fork out cash for a new boat. Your partner is not necessarily lying if they say they’re only looking and not buying a boat.

But if they say they’re buying a SMALLER boat, then you’ve got reason to be concerned. If that’s the reason you get for all that surfing of boat sites, be afwaid…

Be vewy, vewy afwaid…