Setting sail sooner than expected

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Make sure your girlfriend is rich, or has a rich daddy, so you won't need to charter.

My thoughts exactly!

[freetime]

Nice blog Andreas. When you don´t have the www.fastcat.no company in norway you can just use that address... Easy to remember.

I had plans to meet you and talk and look at your beautiful boat at 2009 ARC in canaria, i have some friends who will sail with a big 65f then. Another time...


Are you 100% about getting a new girlfriend, work to get her back....it works more often than you belive.


Off topic:
After reading your blog and some threads on this forum, i found out that you are like a friend of me from switcherland. He rent a sailboat (Bandholm 33) in germany and went to stockholm-gothenborg(true gota kanal)-denmark-norway(i don´t remember where). This was 7-8 y agoe. This guy have been everywhere in the world. Maybe the world is small...Markus Hofer (with girlfriend Isabelle "Isa" and a friend of him Stefan settl(don´t remember aftename spelling). Do you know him? I can´t find him anymore....

[lolanreg@smartc]

Hi Andreas, Good luck wish I was there! Get out of the cold and you'll love it better each day. Don't carry too much sail at night as it's always harder to do, like reefing or anything else and I guess you being a sailor know all the safety bits, Like having a waterproof torch in the cockpit to throw to anyone that may go over, turn it on first of course, but make sure it's the first thing you throw at the swimmer! I was thinking of purchaseing a 35 Dragonfly Tri in Denmark sometimeand sailing it back to Oz. natureboy

[Eleven]

Kemp's Quay seems to be popular with Prout's at the moment, just down stream of Northam Bridge on the eastern shore.
At the mouth of the Itchen there's a sheltered anchoring spot on the upstream side of the jetty there. Talia (on this forum) moored off the Victoria Country Park and are now at KQ. Unless they are still cruising Ireland.
Boaty destination is the Folly Inn up from Cowes on the Isle of White.
If you need care and attention there's the Multihullworld at Emsworth boat yard in the Chichester area with most trades available locally. Search 'Multihullworld'.
KQ look to be well founded too and there is so much in Portsmouth (anti-submarine nets and special rules for smaller craft entering) and Southampton (stay clear of Container and cruise ships, I think it's 1500 m ahead. And look behind you regularly, they shift).

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by freetime

Nice blog Andreas. When you don´t have the www.fastcat.no company in norway you can just use that address... Easy to remember.

I totally agree. I'm working on making that happen now.

Originally Posted by freetime

Are you 100% about getting a new girlfriend, work to get her back....it works more often than you belive.

It's a long story, but she choses to focus on career (she's a lawyer), while I want to "get out there". There are many more fish in the pond.

Originally Posted by freetime

Do you know him? I can´t find him anymore....

No I don't unfortunately. Sounds like someone I should know though.

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Kemp's Quay seems to be popular with Prout's at the moment, just down stream of Northam Bridge on the eastern shore.
At the mouth of the Itchen there's a sheltered anchoring spot on the upstream side of the jetty there. Talia (on this forum) moored off the Victoria Country Park and are now at KQ. Unless they are still cruising Ireland.
Boaty destination is the Folly Inn up from Cowes on the Isle of White.

Perfect. Now I'll have something to work off

[Eleven]

When you work out where you are really going start similar threads will get you local knowledge. Good Luck.
The Hurricanes running thro the Carib will arrive here two to three weeks later, no worse then foul weather and depressions but there don't seem to be any good days inbetween. Plan your journey with lots of diversions and have the maps for those diversions to hand. I suggest your nav station stocks them all, move the viable ones for the day to the saloon and read through each day, discard off the top of the pile as you pass out of their range. Keep your DR up to date too, you don't want a screen failure at the wrong moment.

[Southern Star]

Andreas, do you expect to remain in the Caribbean during the next hurricane season? If so, I have a property on Playa Zaragoza on Margarita Island (below the hurricane belt) in a protected bay on the north side of the island. The entire island is duty free so it is excellent for provisioning.

In any event, you'd be welcome to use my car and facilities when down there (I also share a security guard at night which would help protect your dinghy, although I am in an extremely crime-free area). My project is nowhere near complete, but I do have a couple of apartments, laundry and the courtyard with pool finished. The rest will have to wait until I head down next fall ( sadly, unlike you I am still setting sail in 2009).

Brad

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Jolly Roger

Make sure your girlfriend is rich, or has a rich daddy, so you won't need to charter.

If one has a FastCat then in my book they are already rich!

09 - Best of luck finding a "richer" GF.

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Plan your journey with lots of diversions and have the maps for those diversions to hand.

That's why I'm giving myself 2 months to get from Norway to Gran Canaria. Hopefully it'll be enough to see me safely down there. Exploring new places is all part of the fun.

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Southern Star

Andreas, do you expect to remain in the Caribbean during the next hurricane season?

Hi Brad,
I do. I'm planning to spend about two years in the Caribbean, before I either shoot through the Canal or down South.

Originally Posted by Southern Star

If so, I have a property on Playa Zaragoza on Margarita Island (below the hurricane belt) in a protected bay on the north side of the island. The entire island is duty free so it is excellent for provisioning.

This sounds exactly like a place I would like to visit and stay for a little while. A safe harbor is always a welcoming sight. I'm also planning to sail along the Venezuelan coast during the hurricane season, but since it's a year away I haven't made any concrete plans, yet.

Originally Posted by Southern Star

In any event, you'd be welcome to use my car and facilities when down there

That sounds absolutely fantastic. We'll definitely need to talk more about it when I get across the Atlantic and the sailing season in the Caribbean starts coming to an end.

Originally Posted by Southern Star

sadly, unlike you I am still setting sail in 2009).

I was saying the same two weeks ago, yet look at me now. Stranger things have happened and we may be sailing alongside each other before you know it.

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by Therapy

If one has a FastCat then in my book they are already rich!

I wish. If that was the case I wouldn't be doing charters to make money to sail.

[freetime]

Hi Andreas.

Does the boat sail well outside norway, have you seen any hard weather yet?

How many can sleep in beds?

[Southern Star]

Andreas, keep in touch. As to my leaving before next fall - no chance. I have cases here to finish, a house/contents/3 cars to sell, and a boat that still requires some equipment/refurbishing and a good shakedown before she'll be ready to go (actually, the same could be said of the skipper).

Brad

[Stella Polaris]

Originally Posted by freetime

Does the boat sail well outside norway, have you seen any hard weather yet?

Sailing up from the Netherlands she sailed very well. Sailing southwards now I'll be able to tell you how things go. I have a lot of confidence in the boat, if not I'd never set sail now. I haven't hit really bad weather, I do my best to avoid it.

Originally Posted by freetime

How many can sleep in beds?

4 - 6 people in the aft cabins (The beds are 180cm x 210cm) and 2 people (1 each in the forward bunks ahead of the head.)
My honest answer is 4 people and that's in proper luxury. Anything more than that and it's a bit cramped for anyone not sleeping in the aft cabins.