Tim & Stephany Mauer discovered the British Virgin Islands in 2000 while on a charter. The experience was intoxicating and changed the course of their lives. They made it their goal to buy a boat and spend their years sailing the Caribbean islands. In this episode of Upthinking Finance™, they share how they made their dream a reality.
Tim landed in the medical technology field after college. A friend that worked for World Sports Promotions called him up and asked him to ski for a promotion in Jackson, WY. Long story short, he took a leave of absence to do that job.
He skied, ran marketing promotions, and worked harder than ever. He constantly traveled and worked crazy hours. Tim thrived in this life and loved every minute of it. Eventually, he went to work for this company full-time, working his way up the ladder. The company continued expanding, hiring, and growing.
One of his colleagues asked him to interview a potential hire—Stephany. Tim ended up recommending her for the job. He was in awe of her. She had already traveled the world and was living the life he loved. Eventually, they started a relationship.
Tim booked a sailboat for a sunset cruise and proposed to Stephany over dinner. They had hundreds of ideas of how to get married. But they decided to go sailing with a crew and close friends. They constantly talked about that trip.
Tim had parted ways with his company and launched his own business with a friend. Their business continued to grow. Tim and Stephany spent all of their free time sailing and their interest in sailing full-time never faded.
They went to boat shows every year. They read boating magazines. They started telling people that their goal was to sail around the world. Then they created a 10-year plan to retire early and sail the world.
After a series of events, Tim exited his company and they started traveling Central and South America. They wanted to experience different cultures. They always found themselves by the water. They finally decided to buy their boat ahead of schedule and start living their dream.
They spent the first year learning the boat, exploring the islands, obtaining licenses, and learning to be jacks of all trades. They had to learn the roles of electrician, plumber, sailor, weatherman, navigator, bartender, host, and chef. They needed first responder, water rescue, and firefighting training.
Tim notes that there’s nothing like waking up in the morning, grabbing a cup of coffee, and walking out to see the beautiful bay you’re anchored in. You’re surrounded by beautiful beaches, lush jungles, and sparkling water.
They’re running luxury yachts with all of the creature comforts of home. They get to go to all of their favorite places. They can drop anchor and go explore.
Your office moves wherever you want to go. It’s a slower, more relaxed life.
There are some creature comforts that they miss. It takes time and planning to buy something and wait for it to get shipped to the island. They can’t just call an ambulance if there’s a medical emergency. There aren’t large grocery stores with aisles of food. But they’re...
