A couple who have bought a convict's yacht at a knock off price have now done it up and are planning to sail around the world in it.
The yacht, which was reportedly bought in the 80s for several million pounds, was sold at police auction for just £66,000, after its owner was convicted of fraud.
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Jon and Louise Stevens snapped up the 85ft super-yacht 'The Caviar'. Having spent £300,000 doing it up after it fell into disrepair after being moored up for 13 years, the couple have now let out their two-bedroom apartment and are living on the boat full time.
The yacht, which has been restored to its former glory, is named The Juliette after their daughter, and the pair are planning on sailing it around the Channel Islands and France with their pet dog.
Next year, they hope to take it to the Mediterranean.
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The boat is a Sanlorenzo yacht. Built to measure, they are made in Italy, with this one dating back to 1986. It has five en suite bedrooms, a kitchen and an open plan living area. Try buying a five bedroom house for £66k.
The boat also has three decks, including one to keep a jet-ski on; it can travel at 35 knots and has three 1,100 horse power engines.
After Jon and Louise renovated it, it's thought to be worth around £400,000.
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Jon, who is a property developer, didn't plan on keeping the boat.
He said: "Louise and I have worked on ships before and we met on board one. We began by doing up houses but it has always been our dream to renovate a boat.
"When we bought the yacht two and a half years ago we didn't intend to keep it.
"But we invested so much time and money into it we couldn't just let it go.
"The boat had been in Southampton for 13 years but eventually the owner did something dodgy and it was seized and sold at a proceeds of crime auction.
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"Our family and friends at first thought we were absolutely mad to buy the yacht given the state of it, but they've been so helpful."
Although they had doubts at times, the pair say all the hard work is worth it.
Louise added: "It has been quite daunting because most owners of a yacht this size have staff on board and we do it all ourselves.
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"All our married life we've lived in two bedroom flats so to take on a massive yacht is some challenge.
"But it is such an adventure and this is such an exciting new life for our family.
"There are times when we've thought did we take on too big a project, but the views you get off the back of the yacht make all the hard work worth it."
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