>buy 38 to 42 ft yacht (probably in Carribbean).

There are many boats for sale out here and the very great majority have been sitting on the hard for a long time. People we have met who have bought out here not unusually spend three months refitting (with associated costs).

Ladies quite often like day sailing but few like ocean sailing. Make sure you do a 7 day trip across the Caribbean before you go through the canal. If you do go through and she doesn't like the trip to Galapagos the next trip is 3,000 odd miles.