I'm almost there! My offer was accepted...

[BothFeet]

I fly to Fort Lauderdale to see her for the first time in person this coming Friday. If that goes according to plan I'll arrange the survey immediately thereafter.

It's been SUCH a long time coming. In the last year I sold the '62 Triumph, the '90 Vogue Prima Vista, the H2, the wife, one of three businesses. Wait, I didn't sell the wife but I did get rid of her. Well actually not "rid", she seems to still somehow pop up in my life, but I am 5 months separated and FAR happier and FAR less stressed. But anyway, I've been angling toward moving aboard for two years.

She is a 2000 R&C/Leopard 45ft. She's just finishing a 2 year tour of the Caribbean with an owner who appears to have really done everything right. New 54hp Yanmars, excellent suite of electronics, new standing rigging, and an excellent maintenance record. He's waiting on a new prop and replacing 4 hatches, just as he planned and said he would. We've been talking on and off since last August. I really think we are both on the same page.

My desires were:
Beam less than 25ft
shaft drive
new-er-ish gear
full and redundant comms
2000-2007 hull
thoughtful solar
epirb
liferaft
dinghy

Extras:
watermaker
cockpit curtains
good upholstery

Negatives:
Wanted a 63ft max mast but hers is 71ft.
Wanted a hard bimini but hers is soft but appears very, very well done.

If all goes well we should close in 2-3 weeks, dependent on survey of course. If/when that happens I'll have to run her from Ft Lauderdale to Wilmington, NC.

Now I have to decide on her name...

Scott

[maxingout]

New rigging and new Yanmar diesels sound very good.

Cat's need to have top notch rigging. I have replaced most of my rigging several times, especially the diamond stays. Some of them have required replacement three times because of broken wire strands.

New Yanmars come in handy, and having two new engines gives you lots of reliability and options to move the boat quickly when there is no wind.

Good luck on your new adventure.

[BothFeet]

I was happy he choose 54's. They don't have 900 hours on them. The rigging is Triple X.

Thanks!
S

[krafthaus]

Sounds like a great vessel. I hope your survey and the rest goes well for you and you have yourself a new boat!

[icemate]

Live your dream. Sounds great, enjoy. Living aboard was some of the best days of my life. Met terrific people.

[Classicsailboat]

Someone told me it's bad luck to change the name, I did anyway and have survived quite well, good luck.

[jkindredpdx]

I traded my wife for a boat... and I've been happily living aboard off and on for 5 years. Never suspected I could be so happy. WARNING: This lifestyle may be addictive!

As for changing the name, you can control your bad luck by performing the proper ceremony which involves pouring adult beverages over the hull and down the hatch. With a Cat you have twice as many hulls, so may need to pour twice as much beverage down the hatch

[44'cruisingcat]

Sounds like a great boat. Congratulations!

[Djarraluda]

The old saying was "Change her name, change her luck"!
Based on the name of the boat being engraved on the sovereign laid under the heel of the mainmast. Mainmasts being what they were, they never got lifted - the sovereign was to pay Davy Jones his dues should the ship sink with hands aboard. Change her name and DJ would no longer know she was the source of payment.
Suitable libations and a check there is no name engraved on a hidden sovereign will atone!

[hellosailor]

Dude, if the ex-ish wife has a passport you can sell that for $25,000 easy. Make someone a deal and throw in a free wife with the passport.




Act fast, she might be selling yours even as we speak.(G)

[Boatlegs]

haha, I traded my X for a better boat and I'm a she! It worked out perfectly, good choice. That's the awesome about boats, you get to survey and get a professional opinion before committing. Not so much with the X's. ha

[hellosailor]

Hey, boatlegs, I don't want to shock you, but surveyors aren't any better than matchmakers.


OTOH, boats don't snore, or chug milk out of the carton.(VBG)

[Red Herring]

How exciting! Good luck to you!

[cwyckham]

Be sure to check back and tell us how the survey goes!

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by Classicsailboat

Someone told me it's bad luck to change the name, I did anyway and have survived quite well, good luck.

I think it is bad luck to keep some stupid name someone else used (like the name of their mom or wife).