We quit the rat race to sail around the world in our £38,000 boat – it was cheaper than putting a deposit on a house

A couple who were sick of the rat race decided to pour their savings into buying a boat so they could travel around the world. 

Zach Seward and Becka Eva, both 27, came up with the idea during the pandemic when they were locked inside their university house and yearned to travel the world and experience new countries and cultures. 

Despite their lack of knowledge around big boats, as they only knew how to sail smaller vessels, the pair were determined not to let that come in the way of their dream, so they spent numerous hours researching and learning the basics.

Zach and Becka then came across a 40ft monohull that has two cabins, two bathrooms, a kitchen below deck and a lounge area above deck where they can look out into the far distance. 

They took the plunge and bought their boat, which is called Teulu, in March last year for £38,000 and then splashed another £10,000 on top of that on refurbishment. 

On average, a first-time buyer needs to raise a whopping £62,470 for a deposit in order to buy a home, 8 per cent more than in 2021, according to data from Halifax. 

The millennial couple spent a fraction of that cost for their mobile home. 

Becka, who originally hails from Guildford in Surrey, who spoke to both MailOnline and Omio, said: ‘As much security as there is in getting on the housing ladder and paying into a mortgage, the thought of that sent us running. 

‘We knew we wanted to see the world, and of course, we could have bought a place and rented it out, but we wanted true freedom.’ 

Zach added: ‘Home is wherever we want it to be. We have the rest of our lives to buy a house and settle down, but doing this kind of stuff when you’re getting older, it can get challenging. 

‘We both wanted to do it now whilst all of our family are pretty healthy. So it doesn’t really matter as much as being away for long periods of time.

‘We both worked normal jobs that we enjoyed but we could see ourselves getting locked into these jobs until retirement and that was scary. We thought that if we didn’t do this now, we were probably not going to have a chance to do it again.’

Zach, who is originally from Farnham, Surrey, said whilst it’s nice travelling with a backpack, he wanted somewhere that felt like home.

But it didn’t come easy, as they had to save for two years and cut out many luxuries in order to be able to afford their boat. 

Zach said:  ‘When most students were splashing cash on nights out, we decided to save the pennies and work as many hours as we could. 

‘My first job out of Uni wasn’t my dream job by any means. I worked 60-hour weeks, working night shifts, but it was a means to an end.’

Becka also took on multiple part-time jobs, and the pair sold the majority of their belongings, including Zach’s car, surfboards and clothes. 

They shared a room in a four-bedroom house in Wales which only cost them £350 a month and they set themselves a tight weekly grocery shop budget of £20. 

The pair, who met at Swansea University, would only have one hour a day together due to their different shift patterns, which only made them more hungry to achieve their ambition.

‘It was a pretty challenging period of our life. It kinda felt like we had this dream, but it just felt so far away for months and months and I remember thinking, is it worth it? 

‘Before we even found the boat, we were just saving for the sake of it. But when we found it and our offer got accepted, it was a relief,’ Becka said. 

But even then, it was a further six months until they set sail as they needed to install an electrical system and add a new battery and solar panels to ensure that Teulu was fully equipped to deal with off-grid living. 

Zach and Becka now earn their income primarily through their YouTube channel, Teulu Tribe, where almost 65,000 people follow their journey as they navigate the sea and show the challenges they face daily – along with the picturesque sunsets from around the world.

They admit that at the moment around 80 per cent of their income is currently being reinvested back into their boat for tweaks and repairs.  

But it’s not all been smooth sailing for the couple, who said they have experienced some challenging times at sea. 

When they first bought Teulu, there was no room on the marina and they were told to leave the area during a particularly stormy day. But the couple persevered and took their boat out sailing on a regular basis to get used to manoeuvres and also how to deal with the unpredictable weather. 

Since they left the UK in September last year, they have endured a near miss with a cargo ship in Porto and had a catamaran collide with them in Martinique.

Zach said: ‘The catamaran hitting us was an interesting experience. The person who was controlling the boat maybe used it as a weekend boat or something like that, but they just didn’t care about their boat or our boat or anyone’s safety in the situation. 

‘We knew they weren’t the full-time liveaboard type people because nobody would treat their home or someone else’s home like that. So we brushed it off, the boat only had some very mild damage.’

The pair said they have been in situations when they had to help other boats which have dragged anchor and hit other vessels. 

‘There’s something called SOLAS which stands for safety of life at sea and it’s more if someone is sinking or has an illness onboard and you’re in the area and can help, then you have to by law,’ Becka explained. 

‘It’s a really comforting feeling and now there are a lot more boats in the water. You never feel far from help, should you need it and we haven’t, luckily.’

Although drifting around the ocean can seem quite daunting and lonely, the couple have said the boating community is unmatched. 

‘The thing that’s really surprised us is how amazing the sailing community is. Whenever you drop anchor, you met about ten friends straight off the bat which is something we really didn’t expect,’ Becka said. 

‘We’ve made some lifelong friends and the friendships we have made out here are much deeper because you’re literally in the same boat.’

Zach added: ‘We can definitely see how living on a boat alone can be lonely for some, so to have the most friendly neighbours in anchorages who will just dinghy over to you when you arrive and welcome you has been such an incredible thing.

‘A lot of other sailors have also helped us out. The sailing community has been incredible. Just about everyone will help you if you need some advice or an extra pair of hands, and everyone looks out for each other.’

Whilst being away from their families can be tough at times, Zach and Becka said it has made them appreciate the time that they do spend together more.

‘We have a really great relationship with our family as it is and so they get to come and visit us, which is amazing, [as we] get to give them the experiences that we love to share.’

The adventurous duo have said that they are planning to go back to the UK every year to see their loved ones and that they video call whenever they are able to get signal.

The graduates have visited a whole host of places across many different countries, including France, Spain and Portugal but also Colombia, Aruba and the Cape Verde Islands. 

When asked what their favourite location was, Zach said: ‘Dominica was probably one of our favourite places to be. It’s known as nature’s islands in the Caribbean. It’s very untouched and there are loads of beautiful rainforests.

‘Grenada we really liked as well, there’s a real charm to it.’

Becka said she really enjoyed Bonaire, a small Dutch, Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela. 

‘It was just so beautiful there and friendly and it’s very small, but they just love the ocean and love keeping the reef as healthy as possible. There’s a big diving community and it’s a really fun place to be.’

For those who may be tempted to quit their mundane nine to five office job and travel around the world, Zach and Becka have said that their biggest piece of advice is to sail on as many boats as possible. 

Becka said: ‘If you are thinking about doing something similar, firstly, that’s amazing, go for it. 

‘But secondly, crew and sail on as many boats as possible. This will help you decide if this lifestyle is for you, but also what sort of boat you want if you do decide to buy. 

‘There are also plenty of websites to find boats to crew on. You could also charter a boat with friends or family, which will give you a good taste of boat life.’

Zach added that being able to keep calm in difficult situations at sea and building resilience is key, as their lifestyle can be unpredictable at times. 

When asked about their long term plans, Becka said: ‘Maybe one day we will live back on land. It’s really hard to tell. But our whole motto is if we are enjoying the right now, then we keep going, so it doesn’t seem like that will be anytime soon.’