Hi All:
Great to see all the interest! I'll start to compile a list of owners with names and emails if people are interested? I'll try to cover the questions/suggestions raised:
LeeV:
1) I'll post our spec later today so others can have a look. You can see the headline spec if you look at DY
Abaco site, search for Astrea 42 and click on 'Boat Details' tab. (Sadly, despite being obvious, I had a hard time seeing that tab when first looking a DY charter boats).
2) Your question on FP removing the cabinet above
oven. I think you'll find that Hull #1 has the Elba Convection Oven/Microwave combo (which is an option) instead of the gas
oven. I'm assuming it is bigger, hence losing the cabinet. So going with standard
propane oven (I'm hoping!) saves the cabinet.
Luc:
Congrats on the purchase and thanks so much for the pics from La Grande Motte.
1) Delighted you'll have time to see the boat and try her out as spec'ing from a spreadsheet and digging around options online ain't fun. We've pretty much gone for most options with the exception of the
bowsprit and
gennaker. We reckoned handling one headsail made more sense for charterers. The bathroom configs are interesting and the central
shower set up is not obvious from drawings - I'll explain when I post spec.
2) I'm hoping to sail an Astrea in late May. As you say, the siblings are great cats (surprisingly close to wind!) so have high hopes. I'll report back.
3) QUESTION: Did your buddy at LGM show notice location of main breaker panel (220v)? In our chartered Lucia (2017 model) it appears to have had it fitted after market in forward
cabin on port side - a royal nuisance for turning off a/c before sleep waking a teenager in the process! Hoping this is not standard.
Chlemaire:
Thank you and happy to share, particularly with a fellow Beantown
winter escapee! Here's a few points on your questions:
1) Being US based, your
broker for purchase, if you went with Dream Yacht, will be Stephen Cockcroft (Catamaran Guru). I can't say enough positive things about my experience with Stephen since I started chatting to him last August - tell him I sent you!). I also met the UK
broker at the
London Boat Show this Jan - also nice guy. Being an early purchaser in the US via DY, the details took a LOT of digging (being a
new boat, this is understandable). Assuming it will be easier to sort details for future purchasers although we still have a few smaller details on the list.
2) We have also never chartered from Dream Yacht either! Gulp.Therefore it is a leap of faith, but given their size, broker
network and, now large shareholding by
Fountaine Pajot, we're being hopefully confident. I've also researched their actual boat booking numbers so looks reasonable. Moorings/Sunsail do a great job by the way and we still have one (last?) charter with them coming up in
Greece in June. Less flexibility on spec though which may impact re-sale?
3) ACY is a reference to Atlantic Cruising Yachts who are a large broker for FP. They have a
network (linked) of independent Yacht Charter management/operators with a number of bases to choose from which is a nice option too. I had some positive dealings with them early on before deciding to go with DY for what we wanted this time out.
4) Where are you thinking of for a DY base with your prospective boat?