Britain's hardest-hitting motorboat magazine

Daydreaming. We're all guilty of it. We're quite happy to sit at our desks fantasising about chucking it all in and cruising off into the sunset, but do we do anything about it? Do we hell!

There's always a good excuse not to: the mortgage needs paying; the boat's not up to it; we're lacking experience; the cat needs feeding… If you look for an excuse you'll always find one. But all it takes is a different viewpoint, and the very same excuses make compelling reasons why you should take the plunge: if you sell the house, you won't have a mortgage to pay; you've got a boat, so you've got the perfect opportunity; if you go cruising, you'll soon get more experience; you never liked the cat anyway.

Still not convinced? Then I suggest you read the article and take a little inspiration from Dominic and Nicola Gribbin, the young couple who have just completed a four-month circumnavigation of Great Britain in a 20ft boat. Until last year, they kept their craft on the River Thames and hadn't even put to sea. The only formal qualification they've got is the theory element of the RYA's Day Skipper course. To top it all, days before they were due to set off on this odyssey, Nicola discovered she was pregnant.

Not surprisingly, they had their doubters. The Hardy Family Pilot might be tough, but let's face it, there are limits to what any boat of its size can cope with, let alone the people living on it. However, by taking their time and pushing themselves instead of their luck, the couple proved the sceptics wrong and completed their incredible journey.

I'd love to tell you more, but you'll have to read the feature for yourselves. I've got estate agents to appoint. Talking of which, does anybody need a cat?

Hugo Andreae, 18 November 2004