SOLO SOLUTIONS

John Boyle adjusts his outlook in a bid to get better value out of his boat

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When a fisherman asked me if I had been out much last season, I found myself making excuses - and that made me think. I've found myself pretty much ignoring Cecienne, my Princess V39, for local boating and using her solely for longer trips. And I'm not alone in that. A friend, who manages a Solent marina, estimates around 20% of the berthed boats rarely or never leave home. And that seems odd. After all, when I bought my first motorboat, a Sealine 28, Grey Eagle, over 30 years ago from a boatyard on the Hamble, it was midwinter and the seawater in the dock was iced over. There was no onboard heating but what did I care? In those conditions, we made our first ever voyage, all the way back to Falmouth.

On another occasion, I recall taking