Complete Book of Boating

A common saying in the boating world is that the two happiest days in a man’s life are when he buys a boat (especially a yacht) and when he sells it. When a person buys a boat or a yacht, the buyer is often unaware of the costs of that boat or yacht—hence, the second happiest day is when he sells it. The “two happiest days” saying originally applied (cited in print from the first half of the 19th century) to being married and to holding political office. The “yacht” version has been cited in print since at least 1931. The “two happiest days” saying also has been applied to buying cars, collectibles and to many other events. Other sayings about boat ownership include “A boat is a hole in the water into which you pour money” and “ Break Out Another Thousand (dollars).”