Boat Shopping

It's been a great weekend. I got to ride my motorcycle to go shopping for a boat with my favorite person in the whole wide world. It just doesn't get any better than that (well maybe if we were shopping for a catamaran in the Caribbean). We originally went to the local marina to look at a 1985 Catalina 27 that was on craigslist. That boat was a total disaster project boat with so many wasp nests in it that it would have taken 2 weeks just to clean them out. Exit stage left, and fast. On the way out we strolled by some guys having way too much fun on a boat drinking beer around a barbecue. I asked them if they knew any other boats that were for sale and they pointed to one across the way, another Catalina 27, but this one in substantially better condition. Here's a picture of a similar one: 

 

We had a nice long chat with the owner who said he wasn't actually quite ready to sell, but it would probably be soon. This works well with us because we need to downsize some rolling stock before we can buy the floating stock. On the way up to the bikes we met another person working on a boat who sent us in the direction of another boat for sale, a Com-Pac 27. Here's a picture of a similar one: 

We don't have any actual pictures of this boat because it's been in bright blue shrink-wrap for the last 2 years. The owner hasn't had any time to sail it so it's been on the hard wrapped up to protect it. The shrink-wrap has a nifty little zippered door though that lets you climb a ladder and get inside. This was a truly amazing boat that has obviously been extremely well cared for. The owner has done all the maintenance lovingly, down to the little fabric covers for the teak grab rails on deck and the little draw-string blinds on the brass portholes. We spent an hour with the owners while they told us all of the work they've done. They have bought another bigger boat that is waiting on the Chesapeake for them to retire in a few months. The inside is beautiful with lots of brass and teak and the layout is perfect for weekends for 2 (and an occasional guest). So now the move to downsize the rolling stock inventory has become a little more pressing, and I guess if the boat is still there when we're ready that we'll make an attempt to buy it. Oh by the way, the name is a wonderfully appropriate "Nomad".