'I divorced my wife, bought a boat for £38,000 and set sail around Europe'

A dad who has embraced life out at sea for a decade following his divorce has shared how the experience made him 'tough' and 'self-sufficient'. Malcolm Snook, 67, from North Yorkshire, turned to his childhood passion for sailing as solace after his marriage broke down.

Following his divorce, Malcolm sold his business and bought a 35 foot sailing boat for £38,000 which he named Francesca. He invested around £12,000 into renovating it before setting off to explore Europe.

During his journey, Malcolm visited 26 countries, including Portugal, Morocco, and Ukraine. But his dream was abruptly cut short when thieves targeted his boat upon his return to the UK.

READ MORE: 'A knock on the door led us to our dream home... but now we're selling it'

Now back on dry land, Malcolm, a former advertising agency owner, is reflecting on his time out at sea which he says he 'learnt a lot from'. Reflecting on his adventures, Malcolm said: "It was a great experience. I learnt a lot from it. I learnt I can be quite tough and self-sufficient."

His love for sailing was kindled at age 10 when he joined a club in East London, but it wasn't until his personal life took a turn that he fully embraced the sailor's life.

After closing his agency and renting out his home and other properties, Malcolm set sail, navigating through Western Europe, discovering remote Greek isles, and weathering storms and hurricanes.

Malcolm reminisced: "I used to anchor a lot at uninhabited islands in Greece. We had the whole thing to ourselves. It was heaven."

His favourite destination turned out to be Italy, with Rome being a particular delight. He shared: "You could go to all the museums without all the tourists. You could stay and explore for as long as you want. If you didn't like somewhere you can just move on."

Over the decade of his travel adventure, Malcolm spent time with girlfriends intermittently but found he managed well alone. He stated: "I learnt I can cope with being on my own for long periods. But I learnt how important it is to be a social animal."

If he set sail again, Malcolm said he would like a companion with him. For anyone considering a similar leap of faith, he insists on acquiring some training, having a financial plan that suits you and making sure to have the appropriate safety equipment on board. "You have to be prepared for whatever comes," he said.

His book How to Buy a Boat - For The Liveaboard Lifestyle is available on Amazon.