Want to live on a boat in Sentosa?

Does the idea of buying a four-bedroom home in Sentosa for $750,000 sound unbelievable? Well, it’s not; the only difference is, it’s a live-aboard boat. We spoke to Capri’s current owner, Canadian DANY BOLDUC, and his American fiancée Leah Hevey, about the appeal of marina life, and why he’s giving it all up to be a landlubber.

Who lives here: Canadian expat Dany Bolduc.
Size and type of home: A four-cabin, two-head (bathroom) boat, Capri, moored in Sentosa.
Style of home: Modern, with Asian touches.
Dany’s favourite room: “The upper deck by the barbecue when the sun is setting.”

I meet Dany in the reception of One Degree 15 Marina, and we hitch a ride on a golf buggy to Capri. As we arrive, the sun is beginning to lower in the sky, and the surroundings couldn’t be more appealing; there’s a resort-holiday vibe here that makes it easy to forget the 15-minute drive from the CBD.

Dany began his live-aboard life in Hong Kong, where he resided from 2008 to 2010, following assignments first in Brussels and then Paris. When he moved to Hong Kong, he was put in touch with friends of friends who lived on a boat in Discovery Bay, Lantau Island. “I fell in love with the lifestyle, as that’s what it’s all about. I just love being outdoors and living near the water; there’s a real romance to it all,” he explains.

He leased a boat during his time in Hong Kong, and when he moved to Singapore he was keen to find another. “I was desperately trying to find a live-aboard; I went to Keppel and other marinas, then a friend pointed out Capri. It had originally been used as a charter boat so it looked different to how it does now; but I fell in love with this part of Singapore, and I bought the boat in 2010.”

Capri is made for entertaining – Dany renovated the kitchen, which has a built-in oven, a gas cooker and granite surfaces. Then there’s the projector and screen in the living room, providing more indoor entertainment, not to mention an upper deck with a barbecue and a teak outdoor dining set.

For Dany and Leah, the sense of the community within the marina is a major appeal of living here. “You can be as private or as social as you like, and everyone looks out for one another here.” When he first moved in, there was very little to do in the local area, but now it’s bursting with places to eat and drink, and there are plenty of activities to keep everyone occupied.

“The club has a gym and a pool, and organises social activities all the time, and you can bike to the beach in less than ten minutes.” There’s also a Cold Storage supermarket a stone’s throw away, and the W Hotel almost on the boat’s doorstep.

Sea to land

Leah lives in a landed property in Yio Chu Kang with her three children, and teaches at the nearby Singapore American School (SAS) where her children are students. Although they spend many weekends on the boat with Dany, the commute from Sentosa to SAS during the week is just too much for all involved. This, coupled with Dany’s extensive work travel and consequent underuse of the boat, means they have come to the difficult decision that Dany should sell up.

“I’ve been living on a boat now for almost ten years, and I would do it again, but it’s just not the right thing for me at the moment. Life is very fluid, and the circumstances are what they are; and if we’re not on board most of the time, it feels like such a waste.”

Capri is on the market for $750,000, and comes with perpetual live-aboard rights, which means it has a permanent space in the marina. “The upkeep is quite simple,” explains Dany. “The exterior needs washing once a week, and you need to run the engines once a month to keep the parts moving. The rest of the maintenance is really similar to that of an apartment or house.” Then there’s a monthly berthing fee, and club membership fees.

The couple will most definitely be sad to see the boat go. “We’ve had some incredible times here,” says Leah. “I remember when Dany first told me he lived on a boat; I really didn’t know what to expect. When I saw it, I thought it was amazing – I was shocked at how much of a home it was.”

Right now, though, it’s time to sell. “This is a real family home that comes with an incredible lifestyle,” says Dany. “If it was just that bit closer to SAS, I wouldn’t be selling.”

Recommendations

Food & Drink

W Hotel (“We’ve enjoyed many great Sunday champagne brunches at the W – and Starwood Preferred Guests get 15 percent off”) 21 Ocean Way 6808 7288 | wsingaporesentosacove.com

Foodie Market Place (“a great butcher for barbecues”) 225 Outram Road 6224 3290

Home

Taylor B 43 Keppel Road 9420 4000 | taylorbdesign.com

Life & Family

Dr Chook Sports & Lifestyle Medical Centre #10-02 Orchard Building, 1 Grange Road 6736 3998 | drchook.com

Yusni Mustaffa at One Degree 15 Marina Gym (“for good personal training”) 11 Cove Drive, Level 2 6305 6981 | one15marina.com

If you want to find out more about the Capri, or arrange a viewing, go to capriforsale.com, or email bolducdany@gmail.com.

Want more home inspiration? See our home decor section!

This article first appeared in the August 2017 edition of Expat Living. You can purchase a copy or subscribe so you never miss an issue!

Amy Brook-Partridge

Amy has two kids, one dog and one husband - although she'd love to have more than one (dog, that is). She's mad about F45 training, running and playing Gaelic football, when she isn't injured or drinking a little too much wine.