Naomi Derbyshire, 29, has swapped her London banking career for a life on the water after buying a 1974 sailing yacht on Facebook Marketplace for £1,900 and renovating it into her home. She now saves £1,225 a month by living on the boat in Chatham, Kent.
From Bank Analyst to Boat Owner
Derbyshire had worked as a business analyst for a bank in London for three years, earning £37,500 a year, but was tired of spending over £1,500 a month on rent and bills. With no sailing or DIY experience, she bought the yacht in March 2024 and spent 10 months restoring it with help from YouTube tutorials and fellow yacht club members, keeping renovation costs to around £2,000.
She said: "It's been such an amazing experience. When I started out, I had no idea how to sail or even use a drill. Through watching YouTube DIY videos and getting a helping hand from locals at the yacht club, I was able to get my boat floating. I was expecting it to sink right away, so I was very impressed when it stayed up, and it's been floating ever since."
Inspired by Mauritius Memories
Born in Nigeria to an English father and Nigerian mother, Derbyshire moved to Kent aged 14. She studied economics at Aston University in Birmingham, graduating in 2020 before moving to London. After three years in banking, she began looking for a different way of life, inspired by memories of time on the water in Mauritius.
She said: "It just got so tiring. I was working full-time in a job I wasn't particularly interested in, and renting in London meant I rarely had any money left for myself or savings each month. I thought about how much I loved being on the water in Mauritius, so I decided to look for more flexible living arrangements."
Finding and Buying the Yacht
While browsing Facebook Marketplace, Derbyshire discovered sailing yachts priced between £1,000 and £5,000—far less than she expected. She spotted one in Kent for £1,900 and arranged to view it.
She said: "It all happened quite quickly - I'd say from looking online to the purchase it took less than a month. As soon as I realised the boats weren't as expensive as I thought, my choice was made."
"I found a boat, which definitely needed some renovations, listed for £1,900, so I contacted the seller and bought it within a few days. My tenancy agreement for my London flat, which cost £1,075 in rent and £450 in bills each month, was due to end in April. So, after a few weeks of owning the boat, I moved in and was only paying the monthly £270 marina berthing fee, saving around £1,225 a month."
Renovation and Learning to Sail
The yacht was still on land when Derbyshire moved aboard and began restoring it. She watched DIY videos online, while yacht club members offered advice and practical help.
She said: "It was an overwhelming project ahead of me, but luckily I had help. The men around the yacht club all became like dads to me, helping me out with various stages and telling me what to look out for."
Over 10 months, she tackled jobs including repairing deteriorated seacocks and fitting a new fuel filter. Doing the work herself and using inexpensive, second-hand or borrowed materials kept costs to around £2,000.
New Life and Future Plans
In May 2024, Derbyshire left her banking job and became a pub chef, giving her more flexibility while she worked on the yacht. She said: "It was a time of a lot of change. I was learning so much about the boat, that my old job just didn't fit into my life anymore."
"I needed something more flexible, and needing money wasn't as much of an issue. I took my time with the renovations, saving on any potential labour costs, and got a lot of the materials second hand. Also, while renovating, I joined the crew of someone else's boat from the yacht club, so I learnt to sail whilst out on his boat."
Flame Mama, as she named the boat, was launched in February 2025. After a year-long break, Derbyshire is finishing work on the galley and deck before her planned trip to Europe.
She said: "I'm so excited - it feels like my dreams are coming true. I have to fix a new sink for the galley, which is essentially the kitchen, and update the cooker."
"Plus I have some deck jobs to be getting on with, like replacing the guard rail and fixing the top of the mast. I hope to be on my way to France in May."
