finance
Couple Quits Tech Jobs to Buy Sailboat and Travel
Bianca Chan and Charles Boddie left their positions in April 2025 and purchased a 42-foot sailboat. They cited immigration concerns and a desire for more flexibility. Months later, they report satisfaction with the choice.
May 24, 5:19 AM·1m read1 source
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Bianca Chan, a senior finance reporter, and Charles Boddie, a software engineer at Amazon, resigned from their jobs in May 2025. The couple, both age 30, used savings accumulated during Seattle's tech expansion to purchase a 42-foot sailboat named Windsong.
They had discussed the idea in April 2025 while living in a downtown Seattle apartment. U.S. work visa, against leaving the country due to reported detentions of visa holders at borders.
Chan covered how major financial firms use technology.
U.S. and Canada. Both said the demands of their roles limited time for travel and hobbies. They had considered flexible work arrangements but continued accepting higher-paying positions.
The couple completed a beginner sailing course several years earlier. Boddie later attended advanced clinics in San Francisco and consulted a boat broker. By early May 2025 they had shifted from whether to leave their jobs to how to structure an extended break.
They entered what they called a "first retirement" while remaining debt-free. The pair stated they are considering their next steps after several months aboard the vessel.
