I decided.
I’m doing this.
And then, immediately, my brain shut down.
“So… where do I buy what?”
Brand new, full setup?
Over budget. Instant death.
Used?
Cheaper, but scary. Very scary.
“This is stuff you use on the ocean!”
“But new gear costs like $3,000–$4,000, right? That’s insane.”
My brain got stuck in this binary loop.
If I wanted this to be a long-term hobby,
it had to be something I could afford without bleeding money.
The Slightly Cowardly Reasons I Chose a License-Free 2HP Motor
In the end, I chose a license-free 2-horsepower motor.
The reasons?
First of all, it’s light.
And more importantly:
“I want to try this without getting a license first.”
The comfort of having an escape route.
“If it doesn’t suit me, I can quit.”
“If it sticks, I’ll think about it later.”
That said, there’s also a calm, rational voice in my head.
License-free does NOT mean responsibility-free.
I’d taken a jet ski boating license years ago,
so at least the basic rules and dangers of the sea were familiar.
Still, there were plenty of unknowns.
“How suddenly does the wind change?”
“How do you actually read currents by yourself?”
So I figured:
Being overly cautious at the start is probably correct.
I spent time researching rules and safety measures
online and in books before even thinking about launching.
The Internal Committee Meeting Starts Again: Choosing a Boat
Once I started researching, I immediately realized something.
“There are… way too many options.”
Inflatable boat materials roughly fall into three categories:
- PVC: Light and affordable, but weak against sunlight
- Hypalon: Very durable, but heavier
- Neoprene: Basically indestructible, but expensive and very heavy
And once again, my internal rivals started arguing.
“Lightweight is justice.”
“Durability is literally survival.”
That wasn’t even the end of it.
- Bigger boats are more stable, but carrying them is hell
- Unknown brands are dirt cheap, but confidence drops offshore
“I can clearly see the future where I choose cheap and regret it.”
In the end, I prioritized one thing:
Fear of going out to sea alone.
I decided to narrow it down to well-known brands.
※ When you start reading things like
“this manufacturer has been making cartop boats domestically for decades,”
your sense of safety increases dramatically.
The Moment a Literal “God Listing” Appeared on Jimoty
I kept used gear in mind and patrolled every night.
Rakuten. Amazon. Mercari. Jimoty.
It became a nightly internet wandering ritual.
Then one day, on Jimoty, I saw a single sentence.
“Full set: fish finder, engine, dolly included – ¥150,000”
“…What?”
Double take.
Scroll back.
Read it again.
The reason for selling was also strangely good.
“Apartment living makes storage difficult.
I want to resume after moving to a house.”
“Sounds like someone who didn’t abuse the gear.”
“The writing feels polite. I trust this person.”
One of those listings where the tone alone boosts credibility.
The Accessories Were So Good My Rationality Evaporated
The moment I saw the included items, my eyes nearly popped out.
- Inflatable boat
- 2HP outboard motor
- Dolly (transport wheels)
- Fish finder
- Anchor
- Rod holders & flag
- Full slow-jigging tackle set
“This is… a complete ‘go fishing right now’ package, isn’t it?”
If bought new, easily over ¥400,000.
And this was ¥150,000.
Divine.
Pickup Day: Instant Confirmation
I went directly to a Tokyo apartment to pick it up.
The actual gear looked even better than the photos.
Everything worked perfectly.
“This is fate.”
I bought it on the spot.
At that moment,
I felt like I officially became
“a person who does boat fishing.”
Jimoty Is a World of Timing and Fate
- License-free 2HP motors are perfect for testing the waters
- For inflatable boats, prioritize material, brand, and safety
- With used gear, condition and seller personality matter
- Miracle sets do, in fact, exist
Jimoty, Mercari, Yahoo Auctions—
they’re all worlds of timing and connection.
That ¥150,000 set?
I still say this confidently.
“That was a once-in-a-lifetime purchase.”
I’m not fluent in English, but I really wanted to share this story.
So I tried my best using translation tools to write this post.
If you find anything that sounds strange, unnatural, or offensive,
please let me know in the comments.
I’ll check it carefully, translate your feedback, and fix it.
Thank you for reading!
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