Eight o'clock in the evening...
Sitting in my recliner...
Sipping on a Rum & Coke...
Keyboard on my lap, tapping through Yacht world to...wait, no need to do that anymore! Offer, counter offer, and counter-counter offer, done and dusted, offer accepted. The Retirement Project is no longer a plan, it is a 1982, 42' Tartan currently known as "Encore". (Which pretty much settles the mono v mult-hull debate. Winner? Classic plastic at a reasonable price.)
It seems a bit mystical that roughly 1,269 days ago (the date of the first entry on this blog) we started thinking about 1980s mono-hulls. Then we worked our way through newer boats and catamarans, trying to balance sailing v living v price. More than 3 years worth of diligence and we ended up right back where we started. So if I can offer any advice to those thinking of walking this same path, don't be afraid to go with your first instinct. Also, if you are seriously 5 years out with a pretty good income, look at the buy-a-boat, put-it-in-charter, sail away in 5 years option. I'm sure I'm going to loves me some 42' Tartan...but a 5 year old ex-charter boat can't possibly be any more beat than a 30 year old any kind of boat. (Having bought Nomad and spending the last 3 years working pretty constantly on her, I'm going to make the claim of having some idea of what I'm talking about.) If we wanted to wait 5 years, we would look at it. But I don't think I can keep Deb on the land that long.
So that's it, the trigger has been pulled. A lot of work remains, and we'll be land lubbers for a while yet. If you are near Carlyle, IL anytime in the next year or so, stop by and admire our ridiculously large boat for such a small lake. You can even laugh a bit if you like because, by damn, I think we're going to make it.
Sitting in my recliner...
Sipping on a Rum & Coke...
Keyboard on my lap, tapping through Yacht world to...wait, no need to do that anymore! Offer, counter offer, and counter-counter offer, done and dusted, offer accepted. The Retirement Project is no longer a plan, it is a 1982, 42' Tartan currently known as "Encore". (Which pretty much settles the mono v mult-hull debate. Winner? Classic plastic at a reasonable price.)
It seems a bit mystical that roughly 1,269 days ago (the date of the first entry on this blog) we started thinking about 1980s mono-hulls. Then we worked our way through newer boats and catamarans, trying to balance sailing v living v price. More than 3 years worth of diligence and we ended up right back where we started. So if I can offer any advice to those thinking of walking this same path, don't be afraid to go with your first instinct. Also, if you are seriously 5 years out with a pretty good income, look at the buy-a-boat, put-it-in-charter, sail away in 5 years option. I'm sure I'm going to loves me some 42' Tartan...but a 5 year old ex-charter boat can't possibly be any more beat than a 30 year old any kind of boat. (Having bought Nomad and spending the last 3 years working pretty constantly on her, I'm going to make the claim of having some idea of what I'm talking about.) If we wanted to wait 5 years, we would look at it. But I don't think I can keep Deb on the land that long.
So that's it, the trigger has been pulled. A lot of work remains, and we'll be land lubbers for a while yet. If you are near Carlyle, IL anytime in the next year or so, stop by and admire our ridiculously large boat for such a small lake. You can even laugh a bit if you like because, by damn, I think we're going to make it.
