As promised, here's what's up with us. This won't be the last travel we do,
but we expect it *will* be the last research travel we do. As a quickie
review, in frustration at not being able to fit on virtually any of the
about 80 boats we'd boarded out of the first more-than-100, this second
major round of search included boats up to 47 feet. After the first
segment, from Annapolis to Charleston, in which there were a little over 60
boats, of which I got aboard more than 50, and which produced several boats
which could work for us, I dumped all the boats over 45 feet from the
remainder of my database. I'll not make the leg from Corpus Christi, Texas
to Pensacola, because it shouldn't be needed. So, the last trip was another
circumnavigation of Florida.

This trip had a list of 60 initial boats, of which 4 were revisits. One of
the revisits was to the Gulfstar 44 we'd originally focused on, one was a
boat we'd initially rejected but could not justify in any of the research on
it so went back to check it out, the third was one which we wanted to see
again because of some compromises/evolution in our thinking of what could
work revealed in the Annapolis/Charleston trip, and the fourth was one on
which we'd tried to get twice in the past, and didn't succeed. We've still
not been on that boat. Somehow, the broker just can't seem to get an
appointment...

In the course of working with our brokers (12 major markets, 6 different
brokers), we also were taken on some additional boats which hadn't been on
our list. That raised the total to 78 on this trip. About half of the
additional boats were, quite simply, just fishing expeditions by the broker
involved, and didn't work at all. In this 12 day trip (counting the 1500 or
so miles that I drove, and the day I went fishing with my house-host), I got
aboard 59 boats. The remainder were either discounted due to a prior
example not working, or, in a couple of cases each, sold, strongly
recommended against by the broker, or otherwise unavailable.

So, in the end, this second major phase of our search had me on (and off,
very quickly, in the vast majority of cases, because I hit my head) about
110 boats in the space of 6 weeks. I even went sailing with a broker on one
of his 'fishing expedition' boats, and thoroughly enjoyed it - but it didn't
come close to working for us. Before that, I'd been aboard about 80, in two
trips to Florida and one to the Virgin Islands. I have well over 100 boat
types which were expected to work - based on the best research I could do
prior to boarding - which *don't* work. Total boats attempted or succeeded
to see was over 290 in the time since we started, from an initial database
of over 3000 listings.

Compromises....

However, included in the 17 added boats there were also 5 more examples of
one which we found to fit nearly all of our parameters other than size and
money. Given how much difficulty we've had getting even a *couple* of our
parameters met, and this meets virtually all of them, that's where we're
making our compromise (size and money). Those other 5 boats were quickly
added to the list, and, since I'd made such good progress along the way, I
was able to double back the 300 or so miles needed to see the last three
examples on the west coast on my way back to the Atlanta area.

Choices...

In my last trip report I indicated that we'd finally found some examples
which could work for us. This last trip has added several more, which now
presents us with an embarrassment of riches: the agony of making choices.

Also very instructive has been a review of my most recent (previous) trip.
I did that because our current (presumed final) favorite boat type had some
examples in that trip, and I didn't recall seeing them. My review revealed
that, indeed, I had not seen two of the three - but on one of them, I had
not only seen it, but my notes indicated it to be "interior project
cosmetically, looks to be ok mechanically, stinky, really rough, would be ok
'type' boat." It was rough enough that I didn't do a video or report on it,
just making those brief notes on the single page (YachtWorld's basic info
front page) I had for it, and a single, small, notation in my database.
While it was the same boat (type) which totally got my attention later when
the broker took me on it (along with the other 5 fishing expedition boats he
did with me), its condition was such that I didn't even recall it. Because
it's 46 feet, the others which had previously been on my list weren't on
this leg of my search, because I'd not been sufficiently impressed with that
other one to make a note to keep this type in this leg.

For those of you considering selling your boat, I don't figure I'm a typical
buyer. That is, I'm far less emotional about a boat than the norm. One
broker (the one who did the offer with me on the Gulfstar 44 and likely to
do an offer with me on an example of this new type) commented that I was by
orders of magnitude the most fastidious and organized buyer he'd ever
encountered. That's neither here, nor there, but it should indicate that I
would look past stuff that might turn off most others, if there was a
potential in a boat. At least, that's what I think I've done. But this
boat was in and out of my mind in a flash. Yet, when I went aboard the one
which had been rehabbed to a mirror shine (literally - my video shows a
mirror reflection, from the floor, of a mirror in the aft cabin), there was
no question that this was our boat (type). Same basic boat. Much different
impact. Granted, your boat may not be the stinky project that the first one
was. But if it's buffed to a high shine, it will definitely sell faster!
But, I digress.

This trip, I did 16 videos and reports on that many boats. Very fertile
ground. Two of them were repeat visits - one on the GS44 we'd previously
offered on, and the other on a C&C 43 Landfall, which we'd rejected on the
first time around. In this trip, I included in my reports and videos boats
which were marginal in headroom in the master cabin and head, on the basis
that, if I had to make a compromise on my headroom requirements, areas where
I'd be standing minimally (I anticipate the bulk of my showering to be a
fresh water rinse on the stern deck or platform following a sea scrub, and
just in the times of dressing and undressing, some of which would be bent
over, anyway, in the cabin) would be a good place to start. I also included
a couple of boats which we'd not previously have considered, because they
had pullman rather than rectangular berths. In the end, we've again rejected
those types based on the lack of separate private spaces, as those had heads
which required access through the sleeping space. We also (in the end -
included in the initial expected working types) rejected the aft cockpits
with full-width masters under them, even though they mostly worked, because
we had several choices which didn't require those compromises.

So, ones which can work include, in addition to the earlier ones, C&C 43
Landfall, Tayana 42, Catalina 42 2cabin, Islander Freeport 38, CT 42K (a
custom boat - we don't know what 'production' models might look like), C&C
44 AC/CB (offshore racing certified - no blue water problems there!), Morgan
45 Nelson Marek, Gulfstar 43K, Celestial 46 (one of the opportunistic ones
based on the interest in the following) and, the winner is (drum roll,
please), the Morgan 46, in either ketch or sloop, shoal or draft, with or
without added inner forestay.

Sockless...

In the course of that whirlwind tour of the boatyard where I went aboard not
only the half-dozen ones I'd scheduled to see, but the other 5 not on the
list, I went on a Morgan 46 which had been totally rehabbed, and very well
equipped, to boot. For one who's as pragmatic as I am, I have to laugh at
myself in reflection. This boat knocked my socks off. With the exception
of full standing room (manageable, but requires my either facing outboard,
as at the workbench, or angling my head as I walk) in the walkthrough, it
was as though someone had read over my shoulder while we were writing up our
specs, and then did this boat. The only problem is that it's a bit bigger
than we want, and *way* more money.

Many available...

But, it set the stage. I was staying at a rowing buddy's house (we were on
three national championship teams in college) in Boca Raton, and had access
to the internet. I quickly searched out YachtWorld for all the other
examples of Morgan 46 currently available, of which there were several in
FL, including (the hard part!) three on the west coast, from which I'd just
come. I alerted the brokers I was working with, and, fortunately, was able
to complete the trip in time to get to all but two of the other examples,
one of which had gone to contract and had a sea trial scheduled for the next
day, and one of which was unavailable. Twoof the M46 in which we have
active interest are very rehabbed, and very attractive, and very expensive.
Another is very heavily equipped for cruising, but a bit tired, and would
need some cosmetic work, and some interior redesign. It's been on the
market for over 2 years and presumably would be subject to offer. The final
one is sort of average, but the "owner's very anxious and keeps calling
every day to see what's been happening" according to the listing broker, per
my buyer's broker. How that might translate to susceptibility to an offer,
I can't say.

I'm learning...

So, I'm back at home and trying to get smart about these (M461/2) boats. I
learn that they're not really 46.5 feet, but rather, a 45 hull with an
anchor roller. That makes me happier, since I'd been trying to keep to 45
feet. The size labeling was changed to reflect the differences between it
and the earlier 45 which was more charter based. (Very little storage by
comparison, and emphasis on how many could sleep aboard.) They were made in
shoal and 'deep' (5-3 and 6-0, respectively) draft versions. The 462 is a
ketch and the 461 is a sloop, though, based on what I've seen, a jackstay or
inner stay is a common addition or modification to the type.

They've got a moderate D/L of 244, even though it's a 30000+ (the + being
depending on who you believe, and how it's equipped) pound boat, and reports
from owners say they point rather better than I'd have expected (35* in
light, 30* in heavier air). Encouragingly, all repeat how bulletproof and
comfortable they are offshore, including some hair-raising stories about
sailing in 40-50 knot winds for 9.5 hours at hull speeds. There's even a
website which shows the (ketch rigged) boat going out to play in the Gulf of
Mexico in the aftermath of a hurricane, with all non-reefed sails flying,
and a huge wake resulting. All the reviews (that is, some dispassionate
non-owner writing) I could find cite how overbuilt it is, including solid
hull and plywood-only cored deck, chainplates directly to the hull, dual
keelsteps in ketch rig, etc., etc. With a highly modified full/(BIG)Brewer
bite or big fin/skeg underside, depending on how you define them, it tacks
*and* tracks. All that's to the good, and very reassuring, of course,
but...

What did it (the boat type) for me, and, on review of the videos and
reports, for Lydia is:

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...

I can stand everywhere in the boat without hitting my head. No, I didn't
try the engine room, though it *is* easy to climb into it. One of the
brokers I worked with is 6-5, wearing a ballcap, and he cleared easily, as
was seen in several instances on the video.

That same broker, who usually does major powerboats, and so hadn't been on
or familiar with this boat, on opening the doors in the walkthrough, said,
"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Look at this engine room!" in shock. The engine
room is spacious, even with a generator and watermaker installed. Access is
excellent through the walkthrough and the head. Access to anything in there
is easy. Most examples had all the mechanicals in this space, other than
AC, which typically, if present, occupied either under-berth/settee space or
sometimes closet space. With all the storage space available, such use was
not troublesome.

The master cabin, without any modification to the berth, has a (landside)
full sized mattress athwart at anchor *and* a very large a-hull berth on
both sides for sleeping under way. With a *very* slight modification, a
landsize queen can be the athwart version. Many drawers, closets, and cave
storage spaces, as well as a vanity round out the creature comforts.

The master head is nearly centerline, and close to the center of gravity,
facing inline. You can use it as comfortably as any head use can be under
way. In addition, there's a separate shower (with a *BATHTUB* - not a
bucket - not that we'd use it as a tub) to keep the rest of the space dry.

The walkthrough is either already or easily made into dynamite work space.
Standard issue was sometimes a double bunk, and both ends have doors on
them, so there's separation from the main cabin. One example had over 6
feet of bin small parts storage behind a hinged cover, with ample segmented
deep and shallow wooden drawers beneath, as well as an over-2-feet-deep
workbench of the same length.

The nav is sit-down, comfortably, unless it's been modified, as it has in
some cases, to the better, with half-chart capability, and is convenient to
the companionway.

The galley is bigger than my kitchen, my landside reefer aside, literally.
There's more storage, more refrigeration space, and more counter space, all
in an isolated, athwart, U, than I've seen on any other boat. Several of
the examples had offshore straps in place. Most had manual fresh water,
some manual seawater as well, and one even had pressure seawater with a
separate handled, high-spigot, full sized faucet.

The salon is spacious, but includes cubic yards of storage over, behind and
under the seating spaces. Varieties of table arrangements are present,
depending on who's fiddled with it, but it ranges from stowed, always open
space until you want the table out, to mast-base mounted stuff which won't
give if you jump on it. Depending on who's done what to it, it's got either
a full queen berth or the more normal pull-out and more storage variety on
port and a huge (7 feet) U on starboard. Handholds abound, but I'd add more
to any boats that I saw. Floorboards lift for more storage and easy access
to the through-hulls and tanks, and they're a full inch thick.

The forward section has another huge (by forward head standards)
head/integrated shower and two closets and a large V with cave and drawer
storage underneath.

14 opening (no fixed) ports and, depending on who may have fiddled, 6 or
more hatches ventilate the interior. One of the hatches is another
(aft-facing)companionway to the aft cabin, though I didn't see any examples
where the ladder had been retained. None the less, as a hatch, it's more
than large.

Overall, below, there's a hard headliner, easy to clean, bright, and not
prone to falling down, shredding foam or fabric parts.

Topsides, the cockpit is big enough for me to sleep in, and the backs of the
seats are moderately high. Aft, there's full-width lazarettes, and a very
nearly sheer almost-to-the-water transom which makes for easier climbs out
from swimming, and/or reasonably easy addition of a platform. Most of the
examples I saw had davits. Forward, there's a major dual-anchor roller
assembly in stainless steel (the other 1.5 feet in the change from '45' to
'46.5' LOA) and a double-door anchor locker and large split rode locker
underneath. One of the examples had also run a fairlead of 3" PVC under the
forward berth for additional chain storage. Walk-around space is wide
enough to be comfortable, and handholds run the side lengths and middle of
the cabin top(s). Ample space is available for dinghy stowage, added
storage boxes, or lounging/sunbathing, if the mood strikes.

So, that's the boat (type) we're focusing on. There's several other (types)
in the wings should these fail, somehow (offers not accepted, cost to
rehab/renew/modify out of budget, that sort of thing), for which we're very
thankful and blessed. Our next step is to determine which of these to offer
on. Likely we'll make another trip, this time together (I've done all but
the Virgin Islands and the first FL swing alone), but only to review those
on which we expect we're likely to offer. I've found that to be prudent, as
in each prior instance (granted, they were marginal to begin with) where
I've gone back, the second viewing showed me stuff which eluded me on the
first, and never was the second impression better than the first. A case in
point is the GS44, which, on review, this trip, not only didn't fare as well
cosmetically, it's a very firm brush for me standing nearly anywhere in the
boat, and were it not for the soft headliner, I'd hit, hard, in the stern
cabin. As it is, I can't stand in the shower. So, the only other boat on
which we'd previously offered is now on the third string, warming the bench.
Before our trip, in the immediate meantime, I'm in the due diligence stage,
learning all I can about the type, including talking with Charley Morgan,
bless his kind soul. I'm also investigating sources for interior work to be
prepared for the cases where that's needed, and having my Virgin Islands
broker look into the several available over there. We anticipate an offer
shortly.

Phew...

L8R

Skip (and Lydia, by proxy)

--
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away
from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover." - Mark Twain

"Skip Gundlach"
wrote:
....snip...
and, the winner is (drum roll,
please), the Morgan 46, in either ketch or sloop, shoal or draft, with or
without added inner forestay.
....snip...

Congratulations! Sounds like you've definitely found a winner. Now all
ya gotta do is obtain an excellent example for a reasonable price and
have yourselves a merry little xmas!

Frank

Greetings...

"Frank Maier" wrote in message
om...

Congratulations! Sounds like you've definitely found a winner. Now all
ya gotta do is obtain an excellent example for a reasonable price and

Well, now, there's the rub. We're still working on it, and may well spring
for one of the high priced spread, but the above doesn't exist in the
current ones known for sale. In the area I've been through (which is from
Annapolis to St. Petersburg), there are either very depressingly beat
examples, or breathtakingly expensive examples, and not much in between.

Case in point is one which was very well cruised, pretty well equipped with
hardware thereto (somewhat marginally in electronics, but older electronics
are discounted, anyway), and shown in the pictures with a very nice looking
dink and cover in the custom heavy davits, and motor on the back rail, next
to the custom hoist. It's been sitting for 2.5 years, and "the owners are
out of the country and want it sold" per the listing. When we went to see
it, there was a dink in a shoreside hoist, and an outboard in the walkway
next to the house, and no hoist on the back rail.

When asking about that in followup, "there is no dink or motor and the hoist
has been removed." The batteries, of which there is a lot of amperage, are
5 years old, now. The watermaker was not pickled. And the last offer 30
days ago was rejected; they'll take the listing price, or it will continue
to sit (and, I gather, perhaps they'll continue to sell off items from it in
order to enhance its value?).

We don't really know, but it would probably take not less than 20, and we
speculate that it might be closer to 40-50k to bring it up to bristol. If
the latter, there are ones which have already been rehabbed - but we're not
at all sure we want to spend that much, as it would be on the order of
*tripliing* our original budget, when we were reluctantly prepared to
double...

But, we're continuing our due diligence, and exploring options. We'll
likely make a dash through the territories to visit the ones which have the
most promise, and offer shortly after, early next month.

have yourselves a merry little xmas!

:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, As The Stomach Turns...

Frank


--
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away
from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover." - Mark Twain

Skip Gundlach wrote:
:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

Skip,

sigh Been there, done that. Just stare at them and picture yourself
anchored in a beautiful cove with an island behind you and a sunset/rise
before you.

dave

--
-----
news_bucket e-mail address goes to a blackhole. Sorry. Send e-mail to
"respond" at the same domain.

Skip Gundlach wrote:
:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

Skip,

sigh Been there, done that. Just stare at them and picture yourself
anchored in a beautiful cove with an island behind you and a sunset/rise
before you.

dave

--
-----
news_bucket e-mail address goes to a blackhole. Sorry. Send e-mail to
"respond" at the same domain.

Skip Gundlach wrote:

:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, As The Stomach Turns...

Unluckily, you'll have to let Lydia handle her kids -- they're never
yours and you'll never really have any hold on them. No one will ever be
good enough for MOM, and she and their Dad never did anything so crass
as have sex or other such fun anyway.... ;-)

Ideally, the two of you should have a long and enjoyable life together
doing whatever you choose to do, the last one dying with $1 over funeral
expenses, including a massive wake for all your friends still left
standing ;-)

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Skip Gundlach wrote:

:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, As The Stomach Turns...

Unluckily, you'll have to let Lydia handle her kids -- they're never
yours and you'll never really have any hold on them. No one will ever be
good enough for MOM, and she and their Dad never did anything so crass
as have sex or other such fun anyway.... ;-)

Ideally, the two of you should have a long and enjoyable life together
doing whatever you choose to do, the last one dying with $1 over funeral
expenses, including a massive wake for all your friends still left
standing ;-)

--
Jere Lull
Xan-a-Deux ('73 Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD)
Xan's Pages: http://members.dca.net/jerelull/X-Main.html
Our BVI FAQs (290+ pics) http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 06:04:18 GMT, "Skip Gundlach"
wrote:


:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, As The Stomach Turns...

Either immaturity or jealousy at work, methinks. I have no clue as to
your domestic arrangements, but it's your life and you've earned
whatever comfort and adventure you care to take on. A 21 year old is
his own man, and must decide for himself the course his life takes: he
can bitch ashore, or swallow his foolish pride and beg you to crew for
a few weeks at the start of your fabulous new adventure.

Here I am at 42 with a two-year-old son, giving advice! Oh, well...I
want to hit the sea like you before I'm 50 and 10 year old kids don't
get a vote unless they stand four hour day watches and take noon
sights for the old man...G

R.

On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 06:04:18 GMT, "Skip Gundlach"
wrote:


:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

L8R

Skip and Lydia, As The Stomach Turns...

Either immaturity or jealousy at work, methinks. I have no clue as to
your domestic arrangements, but it's your life and you've earned
whatever comfort and adventure you care to take on. A 21 year old is
his own man, and must decide for himself the course his life takes: he
can bitch ashore, or swallow his foolish pride and beg you to crew for
a few weeks at the start of your fabulous new adventure.

Here I am at 42 with a two-year-old son, giving advice! Oh, well...I
want to hit the sea like you before I'm 50 and 10 year old kids don't
get a vote unless they stand four hour day watches and take noon
sights for the old man...G

R.

Happy New Year, y'all (being a southerner for the last 25+ years, I can get
away with that. Since I'll be off and running over the annual changeover, I
have to be premature about it)

Here's the latest on what's happening chez nous for those hanging on my
every word (yup, all three of them!)...

"Skip Gundlach" wrote in
message ink.net...
Greetings...

"Frank Maier" wrote in message
om...

Congratulations! Sounds like you've definitely found a winner. Now all
ya gotta do is obtain an excellent example for a reasonable price and

But, we're continuing our due diligence, and exploring options. We'll
likely make a dash through the territories to visit the ones which have
the
most promise, and offer shortly after, early next month.

We're going to do a very abbreviated dash. It will be through two locales
in FL, only, over New Year's eve and the following couple of days.

As is our wont, our last few holiday and weekend days have been spent in
review of video, reports, layouts (including one set of copies of the
original plans on one boat type) and our preferences, needs, and fantasies.
After winnowing those which *could* work for us down to 4 top candidates, we
then reviewed just what it was which motivated us the most and least about
each. In the end, we decided to eliminate all the others and concentrate on
the Morgan 46 class, without limiting the choices by specifying hull or rig,
as each had their own benefits.

Before that, I'd made contact with Charley Morgan himself, and had a lovely
chat for quite a while with him. He was totally - other than by hearsay
from owners who'd told him about theirs - uninformed about the boats, having
retired long before they were produced by the company; he's not even sailed
on one. However, he did give me several leads, which, by due diligence, I
was able to track down, as well as find others from talking with them. Each
of the ones I spoke with had been with the company at the time these were
built. I was able to talk at great length with Pete Brown, the service
manager for the entire production run as well as Quality Control supervisor
for a period in the beginning; he's now a surveyor, and has surveyed several
in recent times, so was a great help in knowing where to look for the
(*very* few) potential challenges in these older yachts. I also spoke at
length with the parts department manager and a few others who had been
there, so learned a great deal about how these boats were made - which made
me feel marvelously clever for selecting such a stout boat. This surveyor
has surveyed a lot of them, but in particular, recently, two
circumnavigators, one of which went around the hard way, with no canals. He
asked the owner if there had been any special prep, and aside from renewing
the usual stuff which gets old, there had been none, and despite carrying
spares for nearly anything which might go wrong, none were needed. So, I
have no doubt that, barring stupid disregard for normal maintenance, these
will stand up to nearly anything we might encounter.

All this dithering and not-running-out-and-buying-a-boat also produced two
current owners of the Morgan 46 type we're targeting. One of them has
graciously offered to take us sailing (as well as see how they deal with
living aboard, full time, with a cat, too, and then going out sailing at the
drop of a hat). The other of them has owned since new, and has offered to
not only fill our heads with everything there is to know about them, and to
come with us on a couple of the ones we're seeing, but show us how he spent
70k on his most recent refit. Both of these owners are in the same general
area, so we'll have a very full couple of days immersing in M46iana.

have yourselves a merry little xmas!

We did, indeed, most of which was spent getting to the point above.
However...

:{)) We'll do that, despite that her kid(s? at least one, but he - the 21
year old college senior - claims it's all 4 of them) seems to have a bug
up
his rear about our doing this which has resulted, this weekend, in an ad
hominem attack on me and my sanity and a threat, as well, should I
continue
in this course, along with an accusation that I'm stealing his mother's
fortune (I'm buying the boat) - and, not incidentally, his mother :{))

I wrote him a note indicating that it would be appropriate to talk about
what it was/is which is prompting all this. He replied with a laundry list,
but most of it had to do with his nervousness about our ability to do this.
His enumerated concerns were addressed one at a time. The other had to do
with that he wished it wasn't happening quite so soon, for reasons he wasn't
willing to spell out, but I think he's nervous about setting out on his own
when he gets his first job after this, his senior year in college. It's
being better to 'wait 5 years' was as close as he could come to that
admission, so I asked for some specificity about what would (not 'might')
change by waiting for any defined point in time.

I've yet to hear back from him, but at least there's communication :{))

So, we're off to do our final looking. We'll see 4 boats in this mad dash,
sail on another, and then spend a day or two in St. Augustine, our country's
oldest city, to which - other than drive through - neither of us has been
before, and then head home.

We've got our Virgin Islands broker looking into the 3 over there, our NC
broker, who says he can communicate with every owner of every boat made, and
find us one if we don't get what we want the first time around, and our
Annapolis (the one who 'rescued' me from the jerk I started with) broker
looking into that area, so we're confident we'll have our boat if this trip
doesn't do it for us.

The earlier version of this referenced one example of a well-equipped
long-distance cruiser with stuff no longer there and a non-pickled
watermaker; that boat is still very high in contention, as we've also
developed a contact for getting estimates on what it is we'd like done to
it. I have doubts that it could be as much as the differences between it
and the two high-priced spreads in FTL - but then, again, we'll talk at
length with an owner who just spent 70k on his *second* (in 25 years) refit,
so, perhaps it will be that much.

Stay tuned...

L8R

Skip and Lydia, stomachs no longer turning, just jumping :{))

--
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away
from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream.
Discover." - Mark Twain