This is my first post and my
introduction. I have been reading this forum for about 18 months and have found it tremendously helpful and often amusing. I have observed that the cost of things is often omitted so have included the big ticket item costs of our adventure so far for those who may be interested. My wife and I were not really interested in sailing or cruising until we found ourselves retired after long, busy careers and then thought, “What now”. The answer “Let’s go sailing”. So last year we did a half day ‘trysail’, then a week long
live aboard ‘competent crew’ course. We then brought a
cheap runabout to do some self
navigation training on Port Stephens and after six months
sold the runabout and started looking for our “first real boat”. It was surprisingly easy. We hit the
internet, discussed
budget, needs and wants. Decided to keep 20% of
budget in reserve for post
purchase work, looked at a dozen
boats and made an offer ($88k Aust) on a well used but solid 1994,
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 42.1. We purchased in
Sydney and swung at a
mooring for several weeks while we had a full
engine service and groom,
alternator,
fuel filter assembly and
exhaust elbow replacement ($5,405 ). We also replaced all standing
rigging and 50% of running
rigging ($9,774) Finally we purchased a
tender and
motor ($4,000 ). All covers needed replacing so we did that and added full
cockpit screening for $4,025. We then hired an experienced
delivery skipper to take us home to port Stephens while giving us a day long sailing lesson on our own
boat. We then both did a week long
live aboard ‘Day Skipper’ course and have been sailing well, but slowly ever since. Our plan was to
cruise the east Australian coast to see if we keep loving the
boat and the life and then to decide “what next”. In preparation, last month, we hauled out, antifouled and applied prop speed ($3,494)....and then along came a virus named ‘rona’! We still hope to be able to
cruise the NSW coast from the end of this month. Until then we will just keep
learning knowing that for a total outlay of $110,673 we have a solid, safe and easily managed 42ft cruiser ready to go. PS The boat came to us named ‘Light Spirit’ but was previously named ‘Southpaw’. If anyone knows anything about her
history we would be glad to hear about it.