Here we go again
‘Are you sure you want another boat?’
‘Are you sure you want another boat?’ I asked for the umpteenth time. Hoping for a different answer but knowing it was unlikely. The constant tire-kicking had kept him occupied for only so long. After a few half-hearted offers to test the market, one had finally taken the bait. All systems were go! As this process advanced, I have gone through several emotions: trepidation, anxiety and excitement. I’m not a sailor through nature or nurture. I am a country girl with my feet firmly planted on terra firma. What excites me is the prospect of adventure, visiting new countries, experiencing different cultures, and meeting people who will become great friends we will still catch up with in twenty years.
We sold our last yacht over seven years ago. Aura was a 50-foot Beneteau Sense we purchased in Turkey. She was an Australian-flagged vessel whose owners had to cut short their sailing adventure due to health reasons. We sailed through the Med, spent a season in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, spent the summer in Bermuda and the east coast of the US, before heading back to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. It was a hard decision to sell, with scoliosis and back-related issues, a monohull was not ideal, as we could sail on one tack for several days at a time. After two and a half years of sailing, we said goodbye to Aura in Trinidad and returned to Australia and re-entered the rat race. I am a creature of habit and routine, so before long, the sailing life was a distant memory. I could plan holidays again without having to make allowances for ‘the boat’. We caught up with sailing friends around the world. I secretly hoped these short interludes would be sufficient to scratch Simon’s itch, which was festering under the surface. The continual stream of ‘boat for sale’ emails was a consistent reminder that the next boat was only a ‘nod of approval’ away.
A year ago, Simon asked me if I was ready for another boat. I knew I couldn’t put it off any longer, so I finally agreed. The look on his face was priceless. He then proceeded to tell everyone that I had come around and agreed to a new boat…there was no going back. The next decision was what to buy. We knew it had to be a catamaran, but what type? The following twelve months involved a lot of YouTube videos and looking at various yacht sale sites and FB groups. Then there was size and configuration. Was a 42-foot boat big enough? We agreed we didn’t want to buy something in the US or Europe. Something closer to home was important as we both have aging parents. We really liked the Fountain Pagot Helia, but the ones for sale were either a little outside our price range or on the other side of the world.
One of the potential sticking points was whether I would settle for a four-cabin layout. In the end, I compromised on the four-cabin option, only because we agreed to renovate one of the cabins to include additional storage, a writing desk, and a workbench. So, what have we landed on? An ex-charter Leopard 45-foot catamaran located in Raiatea.
Our first yacht, ‘Woodsia’, was an ex-chartered Dufour from St Martin that we sailed to Australia in 2008. She was a great boat, but compared to boats today, she was one step up from camping: no AIS, water maker, or air conditioning. Even the freezer was only large enough for a couple of ice trays. What prompted us to consider another ex-chartered vessel? Eighteen years on, we are still in touch with the broker who sold us Woodsia.
Once we identified the right boat and agreed on the price, Simon travelled to Raiatea for the survey. For anyone who has travelled to Papette from Australia via Auckland knows the flight arrives at 1.30 am, so sleeping at the airport before the 7.30 am flight to Raiatea is achievable. The survey went better than expected. Simon had done his research and had visited a fellow sailor who had recently purchased the same boat from a different charter company in Tahiti, who was happy to share his experience and ‘things to consider’ for the survey. He was very pleased with his Leopard, increasing our comfort level. The known common issue of leaking and cracked port lights was identified as something that needed to be fixed, along with several minor issues, such as backfilling toilets, water-damaged flooring, where the freezer had been defrosted, and a missing shade cloth (I was delighted that they existed at all). All of which, the base manager was more than happy to fix. It comes with all the kit, except for a washing machine, but Simon has willingly accepted this chore until we can source one. She needs some work, but that is a story for another time.
We are currently working with the broker to determine when these items will be resolved and when the acceptance of Vessel (AOV) can be executed. This is only the next step, with a few activities to complete before we are allowed on board. These include the transfer of funds, the seller discharging the mortgage, de-flagging the vessel, obtaining insurance, and registering the vessel with the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). We have purchased a flexible one-way ticket to Papette, hoping to be on board by the end of February. All activities require close management, as any delay could push the final handover out by several weeks. In the meantime, we are having fun during the post-Christmas sales, buying items for the new boat. How we are going to get all our newly acquired purchases to Raiatea is a problem for another day. As we slowly move closer to being owners of a new boat, Simon’s excitement is contagious, and I am once again looking forward to the adventure ahead.