Retirement panic

Sorry if this appears harsh, but seriously, this appears to be no more than a marriage of convenience. You don't appear to want to share a house, companionship, hobbies, interests, time together or finances with your husband.
Your husband sounds lonely, looking for an interest to replace work, and although the boat idea was a bit daft, you don't seem to have any desire to spend more time together now he is retired.
Wouldn't you be happier single?

Out of bed on the wrong side today, eazybee?

Why doesn’t he just rent a boat. You should be able to hire one for quite a few weeks a year for £5,000/year. Then no worries about the upkeep and he’ll really find out if it’s for him or not.

I have no problem with your lifestyle of living in your own homes, I've done it, it works and more people should consider it. I have my own house and no one would ever be able to persuade me to sell it and lose my independence, no thank you.

So he says at one point in effect that you should want what he wants [a pipe dream basically], and do it or he will divorce you. That is awful, manipulative and selfish whether he has now retracted it or not. It's emotional blackmail...low.

Apart from the costs and disadvantages mentioned by previous posters is it wise and practical to be 73 and living the rest of his life on a boat? If at times [bitter weather/flu/illness etc] he is not on the boat but at yours then he will be using you and will have frittered his equity away. And you pick up the pieces? Does this seem fair to you?

If you don't want to do his plan....say NO. He's your husband and should care about your needs, wants and feelings so you should be able to say the way you want to live and how to manage your own finances to safe guard yourself and your future. Stay living where you are, do not sell up. I would not buy a house jointly with him, it could get messy at some point and you could be reliant on him financially and a victim of his whims in the future. Your finances have been separate for 20 years, I suggest you keep it that way. You will feel very uncomfortable in the years to come if you don't.

Take more holidays on boats, as many as he or you both want, enjoy them without the responsibilities and costs. Time to be realistic.

In the same way one could say " He's your husband and YOU should care about his needs, wants and feelings so he should be able to say the way he want to live and how to manage his own finances to safe guard himself and his future."

What is sauce for the goose etc.. But really if you are a couple and want to remain so both have to be prepared to be realistic and to compromise!

I think that's what I have agreed to PECS. He is free to choose the way he wants to live/spend his money, as I am.

If he believes it will be too expensive running two homes on a pension why is he spending a huge amount of money on a boat which he may not be able to use in retirement for long.
None of us know how our health will be in later years, I love sailing but cannot now pull a boat up a jetty because of heart problems.
If he still loves his sailing suggest he hires a boat for the times he want to sail.
My husband and I have done many Nielson holidays which include sailing. You can have a lovely holiday in Europe and don't need to do anything if you don't want.
Our interests when we were younger included windsurfing and sailing but we only do this now on holiday.
I personally wouldn't sell my home, if you love your way of life at the moment don't change it.
Say he can come and stay with you for longer or you go to his.
He clearly just want to by a boat.

Always best to keep options as open as possible until everyone concerned is feeling content and secure!
Act in haste repent at liesure etc!
Best wishes for a happy time in the future!

PECS, the OP's DH was trying to tell her what to do with her own finances i.e. sell her home and subsidise his choice to spend a huge amount of money on a boat.
He is entitled to say that, of course, but Rufussmum is entitled to say No.