Here I finally pick up where Course Change Part I left off a few weeks ago——–>
…With our Guatemala boat attention lost, we turned to the internet again. On a Facebook group Ali follows she spotted a boat that had been for sale, privately, for two weeks.
The boat had two things that I didn’t like about it—it was a four cabin layout (we’d much prefer an owner’s version, but understand that those are few and far between), and it had twin helm stations at the stern end of the hulls (which has always struck me as one too many for any sailboat). I initially wrote it off, but then kept coming back to it. The boat was absolutely loaded to the gills with every available factory option. Upgraded engines, upgraded sails, upgraded interior, winches, solar, watermaker, and on and on and on. It was also priced really well. A full six figures less than the boat our friends were selling, which was similarly equipped. Yet this boat’s builder also had a much better reputation. This boat would be considered a bluewater sailing catamaran, the Guatemala boat would almost certainly not be. That’s not usually a deal breaker for me (just look at the Wildcat catamaran for an example of that), but I’ve come to realize that a boat (or bus) with a solid brand name tends to have that reputation for a reason. As if to put icing on the cake, the boat was located in our favorite place in the world, Mexico.
However, I initially decided that boat wasn’t for us. The two negatives I had listed seemed like enough.
Friday we were back to logistics. We might not have a boat to buy yet, but we had one to sell. Even if we didn’t find a boat right now, we could work on selling ours, and we could go visit family in Minnesota during the summer. And being that we are quickly approaching hurricane season in the Caribbean (not for Aruba which is out of the hurricane belt, but over in the islands and up through the US), it’s almost guaranteed that there will be a big influx of boats coming up for sale. Cruisers do this all the time. They want to enjoy their boat during cruising season, then dump their boat on the market right when the hurricanes roll around.
By Friday afternoon we were very confident we were moving forward on this new plan. We’d gone from a plan to cruise on over to Panama for a few months, to selling our boat, buying a catamaran, and sailing around the world a second time. Five days had passed.
That night, after dinner, we talked to the kids. This plan could still be derailed very easily. We’re a family, and we make family decisions. If we’re going to sail around the world, everyone has to be onboard with the idea. When we asked them, I held my breath. But I didn’t need to, the instant flush of excitement and joy on their faces told me everything I needed to know.
After that exciting news we hit them with more, we found a girl’s and a boy’s camp they could each go to in the summer. Ouest has a friend in Puerto Rico that goes to camp each summer and tells Ouest all about it. Both the kids have decided that sounds like the coolest thing ever, and we had told them we would work on figuring out a way to make it happen. Now we had.
Saturday morning rolled around.
We both agreed this was a solid boat for a circumnavigation.
Saturday night I was on the phone talking to the owner. For what it’s worth, he sounded distracted, and a bit deflated. He told me that the boat hadn’t really been for sale for the past ten days or so as they had gotten a full price offer they had thought was going to happen. That afternoon the buyer had backed out. I told him I wanted to make an offer and he sent me a form so we could make it formal. He also told me that he had promised another person that he would wait until Sunday afternoon for his offer.
Assuming this was all true, and I had no reason to believe it wasn’t, I was going to be competing on Sunday for a catamaran to sail around the world in.
Saturday night I mulled things over. I scoured the internet for reviews, and for any past history of this particular boat (let’s just say it is much easier when a boat owner is a dedicated blogger, which this one was not). I went to bed debating two numbers. Full asking price of $398,000, or try a lower number, with what would most likely be better terms than another buyer.
On Sunday morning I sent our offer. $365,000 and seller pays for haulout, bottom painting, saildrive seal replacement, and any other prop or related repairs needed on the underside of the boat. He had told me he already had a quote and a date to have that stuff done, and it was about $3,500. My offer also included the facts of our life. We were circumnavigators, had owned a number of boats, had been through this process before, were intimately familiar with Mexico and were happy to have the boat located there, and we were straight shooters, as evidenced by our long history on Bumfuzzle. That stuff may or may not matter to him, so we added that it would be a cash deal and we could close very soon.
Then we waited. Sunday night he told us he had both offers in hand and he would let us know in the morning.
It had been exactly one week since any of this had entered our minds.
Monday morning he messaged us.
“When is a good time to call? Have you looked at flights?”
Before even talking to him, we knew it was ours.
As it turns out, we guessed right. He was ready to move on. Our much lower offer trumped the offer from the first-time buyer who was contingent on getting a house sold. If the seller had more time he could surely get the asking price, but when it’s time to move on, it’s time to move on.
He counter-offered us, though, with an even lower price. $360,000 and we pay for the bottom painting and other stuff. This is actually great. We’re going to haul the boat for a survey (I know, I know, I have a grudge against surveyors, but at some price point it’s hard to justify not getting another set of eyes on the boat), so if there is anything wrong with the bottom we could simply back out. But assuming everything is good, we will probably just wait on the bottom painting. If we sail around the world again we won’t be leaving for nearly a year. March-May is when boats are leaving Mexico bound for the South Pacific. We aren’t ready to leave yet, and will be happy to spend the next year in Mexico. We’ll do the bottom paint when it’s time to head across the Pacific.
So that’s it. Right place, right time. I’m off to Mexico to look at a boat while Ali and the kids hang out in Aruba on our other boat.
25 Comments on “Course Change Part II”
YEAHHH!!!!!
I can say that you’re approach to life is so splendid and viewing events like this as an opportunity to change things up for the better is wonderful. Best of luck with the sale of your boat and the purchase of the new one.
A quote from the Late Capt. Sterling Hayden,
“ The years thunder by, The dreams of youth grow dim where they lie caked in dust on the shelves of patience. Before we know it, the tomb is sealed. “
These words will not become a part of your epithet. Instead, perhaps, we’ll read;
“ Ali and I are preparing for our around the world voyage number ?, with our grandchildren.”
There can be no greater opportunity to learn about life than to simply live it.
All the Best
Sterling Hayden’s Wanderer is one of my all-time favorite reads. Can’t believe it was first published sixty years ago now. Anyone who hasn’t read it, give it a try. It’s only a couple bucks on Kindle now. https://amzn.to/3LSwoQJ
Ive been following you since the first time around, love living vicariously through you guys. Congratulations on the new boat! You guys are true adventurers. I am going to Machu Picchu in five weeks ( from Ohio), looking forward to my own little adventure! Keep on Bumfuzzlin along! Oh and I love the hat! Weather’s warming up, I’ll be able to use it!
Wow. As your convention loving reader I don’t often think I can offer you advice on a life I find very interesting but is not for me. And certainly not advice others here couldn’t do significantly better at. BUT if by camp you mean overnight camp….We’ll I did send 2 girls to overnight camp for 8 years each and come from a long line of overnight camp goers (I went and My mom is 90 and SHE went to overnight camp. So did all my aunts and uncles, cousins etc….). So if you or Ali have any questions in that regard I have some thoughts. Let me say that 12 and girl and camp is often like the middle school experience Ouest is missing or should I say smartly avoiding( though both my girls LOVED camp….the benefits definitely outweigh the downsides .) . Even when that’s not the general vibe of the place.
Wow you guys don’t fool around….congratulations. That’s great we’ll see you in La Cruz..in November…Marilyn…
Still with the cliff-hangers! Since this is dated a week ago I’m going to assume you have looked at the boat and will be posting pictures soon. I can’t wait to see it!
It takes me longer just to decide whether or not to Mow the lawn.
Well, see, that’s your problem—you’ve got a lawn. 😉
Brilliant news. Hope all goes well with the survey.
Great news! Another year home in Mexico sounds like just the thing. Additionally, borders have been askew the last few years with Covid so perhaps the year will see a normalization. Buena Suerte, Amigos!
Wonderful news. I am sure both exciting and a bit nail biting at the same time. Can’t wait to see pictures and layout of the new home. I imagine the owners cabin layout has a bigger owners cabin than the four cabin layout? Can you convert the fourth cabin to storage/pantry? A year in Mexico sounds like a great way to acclimate and get ready to go.
Woop Woop 😁! Goodonyas! THE PLACES THEY WILL GO! cruising kids that turn into young adults along the way! Again, goodonyas!
I hope the new boat checks out well. Very exciting to have a new direction, new adventures ahead. Looking forward to report on the boat.
For what it is worth, I fully agree with you opinion concerning boat manufacturers, particularly after having followed you through your experience with your first catamaran. Wishing Ali, Ouest, Lowe and you the very best in this new endeavor.
Awesome!
I have been reading you guys for quite a while. When I read the Part 1, I thought about it a bit. I figured out that this is just the way the Bums roll. So when part 2 showed up, yep. No surprise. Typical Bum move. I’m glad the kids are getting a chance to grow into humans, and not the cookie cutter lives so many kids are being subjected to.
Congrats!
Post pics quick.
So, I am slightly hyperventilating. We are based in Puerto Vallarta (not on a boat though). If you plan to hang around here as a family while you do boat work, so would love to finally meet you guys! Our kids refer to you as ‘the boat family’, even when you were not sailing.
Great yard in mazatlan, astillero marecsa …up river from old harbor. Owner is naval architect and has the good paint.
Well, I’m currently living in Aruba, but I need to go to Puerto Vallarta…
Heh – what a life. 🙂
Congratulations on the new boat! The trip around will be different this time, both because you will do it with your kids and also because the world has changed since the last time, some ways for the better and some ways that will make it more difficult. Love that you are so willing to head off again. What fortunate kids!
This is the exact same year and model that I chartered out of Antigua. First time I sailed a catamaran as well… and mistakes were made.
After crossing to Guadalupe we pulled into Dashaies. Had to anchor out since all the mooring balls were taken. Made the rookie credit card captain mistake of not putting out enough scope because I didn’t trust the fuzzy worn rode.
We were eating dinner when some French sailors from the anchorage came down the street calling out “Nautitech 40, Halifax, Pride”
They had a hand made sign on the back of a French Kellogg’s corn flake box with this written and our boat’s name “Pride” in quotes. Indeed there was no “Pride” that night, we still use air quotes with that word every time. I still have the cornflake box displayed prominently to remind myself to be more cautious.
The sun had already set and my buddy and I rushed to the dingy leaving 4 of the crew behind to collect our food.
When we got to the boat and we attempted to reset the anchor and let out all the scope. After dropping the hook closer in we put both engines into reverse and suddenly spun in a tight circle.
Surrounding boats were less than pleased and we were completely mystified why this was happening.
After enjoying curses and insults in many languages we had a helpful Welsh guy dingy over and try to help us set it. He spun as well.
We finally figured out that the port engine sail drive was stuck in forward. It was always spinning forward even when in neutral if the engine was running. Turned out it was a internal failure that required a haul out.
So anyway if your Nautitech happened to be chartered at one point with Horizon and named “Pride” I apologize for any bad karma left behind!!
While we’ve been moving our small family across the globe to Grenada and settling aboard a new boat, I realised I hadn’t checked in on your site recently (a well-thumbed copy of your first circumnavigation book is on my work desk however).
You guys made a great choice on an Open 40 – they’re awesome boats and at the top of our list if we go back to a catamaran. Looking forward to catching up on all your recent posts – a number of our friends are also currently mid-Pacific so hopefully you’re also getting good sailing conditions!