I got my first big (not
dinghy) boat after I graduated from law school. Everyone in my law school class was dropping 3k+ on Bar study courses. I decided self study and take the $$$ I had saved for bar prep and buy a boat instead. Got the boat (27 foot Oday) and passed the bar...
Honestly, the boat is the cheap part. I got the boat for 1000 and since then (three years ago), I'm sure I've spent 4000 on engine parts, winter storage,
paint, supplies,
rigging, etc... And I have a free mooring. I could spend another 1k+ every year if I had to pay to keep it...