The next step in the voyage around the world took place yesterday. We had Cat's Paw IV, the Fast Passage 39, surveyed, mechanically inspected, and we had the rigging looked at. The survey involved a guy crawling all over the boat and looking at every nook and cranny to see if there was anything wrong with the boat. He checked out the hull, all the boat's systems ( water maker, hot water tank, oven, stove and propane locker, electrical systems, ships instruments). Then we had the boat hauled out of the water and the hull hosed off and he examined the underwater parts of the boat. The mechanic ran the engine and examined it's workings. The rigger walked all over the boat and looked at the lines and the stays ( wires that hold the mast in place) and he even went up the mast and looked at all the fastenings all the way up.
It was very informative to follow them around and ask questions about this and that and find out a lot more about the boat. The boat has some deficiencies which need to be fixed but it generally is in good working order. It needs new sails and the motor needs upgrading or retrofitting. The hull is sound, the rigging is in really good shape and all the instruments are in good working order the only thing we are unsure about is the water maker.
We took the boat out for a sail today and unfortunately there was very little wind. We hoisted all the sails that were onboard and the boat just glided along beautifully. I actually took the helm as we were heading out of the marina and managed to keep it into the wind as Barry hoisted the main. It responded to the helm beautifully and was moving along quite nicely in very little wind.
So, we have decided that we very definitely want the boat, it is just the sort of boat we are looking for. Not too big, fairly easily sailed by two people, big enough to sleep six quite comfortably, big enough to have a dinner party for six, eight in a pinch, if you sat in the cockpit, 16. It also has a reputation as a good sailor, no one will have to wait for us on a long crossing, except for maybe Bruce in his huge catamaran!!! It also is supposed to be able to handle fairly rough weather and the boat is narrow enough that you won't get tossed around down below.
Hopefully all the reports on the boat will be ready tomorrow and we will then finalize our offer to the owner. We are planning on asking for some additional compensation for some stuff that needs to be fixed and we will see where that goes. We could do it today, but if we have the opinion of some experts to back up our claims, we are more likely to get the owner to agree to a lesser price. After that we have to arrange for insurance and then we will have to go to the States to get the boat.
It was very informative to follow them around and ask questions about this and that and find out a lot more about the boat. The boat has some deficiencies which need to be fixed but it generally is in good working order. It needs new sails and the motor needs upgrading or retrofitting. The hull is sound, the rigging is in really good shape and all the instruments are in good working order the only thing we are unsure about is the water maker.
We took the boat out for a sail today and unfortunately there was very little wind. We hoisted all the sails that were onboard and the boat just glided along beautifully. I actually took the helm as we were heading out of the marina and managed to keep it into the wind as Barry hoisted the main. It responded to the helm beautifully and was moving along quite nicely in very little wind.
So, we have decided that we very definitely want the boat, it is just the sort of boat we are looking for. Not too big, fairly easily sailed by two people, big enough to sleep six quite comfortably, big enough to have a dinner party for six, eight in a pinch, if you sat in the cockpit, 16. It also has a reputation as a good sailor, no one will have to wait for us on a long crossing, except for maybe Bruce in his huge catamaran!!! It also is supposed to be able to handle fairly rough weather and the boat is narrow enough that you won't get tossed around down below.
Hopefully all the reports on the boat will be ready tomorrow and we will then finalize our offer to the owner. We are planning on asking for some additional compensation for some stuff that needs to be fixed and we will see where that goes. We could do it today, but if we have the opinion of some experts to back up our claims, we are more likely to get the owner to agree to a lesser price. After that we have to arrange for insurance and then we will have to go to the States to get the boat.
I can hardly stand to wait for the reports, I am itching to get onboard and spruce her up, a little polish here, some cleaning and elbow grease there. I want to get my pots and pans out and put them aboard, fill up the drawers with my clothes, try out my new deck shoes on her, well you get the picture. If all goes well we may have access to her on the long weekend and have the total use of her next week. It's a little much to expect that we will have her by Friday. Oh my, how am I going to fill my time between now and then.
