Roberto: Cancer, Retirement and a Boat for 85,000 Euros

At daybreak, on the deck of his boat moored in a small harbour, Roberto makes coffee while watching the water lap gently against the hull. A few years ago, his mornings began in traffic jams, with a watch on his wrist and files waiting on his desk. Then came the diagnosis: cancer, medical appointments and a fear that is hard to put into words. Roberto did not try to pretend that nothing had changed. Instead, he left his job, sold some of his possessions and bought a boat for 85,000 euros to live on. It may have been a radical decision, but it was not necessarily a thoughtless one. Today, he says he would not swap it for anything.

Cancer changed the way he sees time

Roberto says his decision did not come from a fantasy of permanent holidays, but from one very simple question: what is the point of postponing life? After being told about his illness, he spent a few days still thinking about work, colleagues, deadlines and the retirement that had once seemed far away. Before long, that whole routine felt almost unfamiliar. We all know the moment when bad news suddenly rearranges our priorities in an unexpected way.

He paid 85,000 euros for his boat, a figure that may appear substantial, but one he compares with the cost of housing in some cities or years of loan repayments. The cabin is not large, the bathroom is cramped, and every item needs to serve a purpose. Roberto has brought aboard a few books, simple clothes, photographs and a small radio. Everything else, he says, did not need to come with him.

Living on the water has not made the illness disappear, nor has it removed the anxieties surrounding medical check-ups. Roberto does not portray his decision as a miracle cure, still less as some heroic escape. Rather, he says he wanted to regain some control over everyday life: waking up facing the harbour, setting his own pace and feeling that every day truly belongs to him. That kind of freedom cannot easily be measured on a bank statement.

Life on a boat: freedom still requires organisation

People who dream of living aboard often picture sunsets, stopovers and the soothing sound of waves. Roberto advises starting with something less romantic: drawing up a detailed, item-by-item budget before signing anything. Berth fees, insurance, engine maintenance, fuel, water, electricity and unexpected repairs can soon become costly. A boat is not simply a small floating house without limitations; it is a living home that needs regular attention.

A common mistake is buying, on impulse, a vessel that is too large, too old or poorly maintained. Roberto viewed several boats before finding his, and sought assistance to inspect the hull, engine and safety equipment. Let us be honest: hardly anyone really does that every day, particularly when they are already dreaming of casting off. Even so, a thorough inspection before buying can prevent the dream from becoming an endless bill.

His rule is straightforward: do not mistake simplicity for improvisation.

“I own fewer things than before, but I have to take better care of what I do have. The boat taught me that: you cannot ignore a leak, a weak battery or bad weather in the forecast.”

To make this life enjoyable, Roberto relies on a few practical principles:

• set aside a financial reserve for urgent repairs;
• choose a harbour close to healthcare and shops;
• learn safety procedures before the first trips on the water;
• keep in regular contact with loved ones, even from the quay.

This discipline does not spoil freedom; it gives it a firm foundation.

A less comfortable but more fulfilling retirement

Roberto’s account resonates because it is not solely about a boat, illness or retirement. It concerns the sense of vertigo many people feel when time stops being an abstract idea. His present life is not perfect: there is dampness on some mornings, neighbours on the pontoon, administrative paperwork and days when his body abruptly reminds him of its frailties. Yet there is also coffee drunk outside, light shimmering on the water, and the feeling that he no longer needs to chase a future version of himself.

Key point	Detail	Added value for the reader
A life choice prompted by hardship	After his diagnosis, Roberto chose to stop working and reorganise his life around what seemed genuinely precious to him.	His story shows that profound change can begin with a personal question: what truly matters today?
A boat bought for 85,000 euros	This amount covers the purchase of the boat, but life aboard also requires planning for the harbour, insurance, maintenance and technical setbacks.	Readers can separate the fantasy of a nomadic life from the financial and practical reality of a floating home.
Freedom depends on preparation	An emergency budget, a technical inspection, safety measures and access to medical services are all decisions that make this way of life sustainable.	The desire to go elsewhere becomes more reassuring when it rests on practical, clear-eyed choices suited to one’s circumstances.