5Yr plan - am I crazy?

[di_namic42]

Thanks everyone for supportive thoughts and deeds.

Not telling anything till I have signed the contract, but I have found HER.

Watch this space.

I have amended the bucket list on my blog http://diannesbucketlist.wordpress.com.

[di_namic42]

I saw her advertised in January. Timing wasn't right then. The photos on the site were take on the 2012 Loisiades Rally, which I have wanted to do for 3 years now. ooops ... must add to the Bucket list, ( shoulda been there) . The marketing is very slick. It was the absolute essence of what i want to do.



33ft Alajuela, blue water Cutter
Details for the yachties ....http://www.boatsonline.com.au/boats-for ... ter/121227

Very polished marketing video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKuO_YM2IaQ

See more of MICO at http://thelifeextraordinary.com/

Several months later after intensive boat searching started last septenber, doing cruising, WAGS and SAGS, and completing RYA coastal navigation I was really getting frustrated. What was wrong with me that I couldn't choose a boat? Was I doomed to be an eternal tyre kicker, just talking about it, and never actually doing it? Some agents were starting to snicker when they saw me coming, convinced i was a weirdo wannabe that would never buy a boat. Every boat in QLD on the internet I have examined and discarded. all 482 of them, with numerous physical inspections. I looked at sydney boats, but that was getting too hard! I had heard that I would know "the one" when I saw her. I know now I have been unconsciously comparing every boat I was looking at all year to MICO.

Then the momentous email 6.32pm on a saturday night ...... Mico was back on the market. I looked at the website. She is the one, and I have a second chance!

I rang up 9.27am on Sunday morning and there people already looking at her! I waited. The bad news. Those *&^&$#^ people paid a deposit and signed a contract. Contracts fall through sometimes right? So I waited 2 agonising weeks for them to find time in their busy schedule to do the test sail with the haul out ( to examine the integrity of the hull) and survey the next day. I would nbe next on the list if they cancelled out.

Waiting for the acting agent ( and owner last year) to call all afternoon and all night. No call.

I was so sad. I had already mentally pictured living on board, finding crew, sailed to Lizard Island, partied at the Yacht club, watch numerous magical sunsets from the cockpit of my boat, kitted her out and was living a new and different life. I was visualising, tanned ( slightly), slimmer, more taut and outrageously healthy, cancer-free from all that "Vitamin Sea"

Unusally, I woke up early the next morning and was immediately sad for the loss of the dreams. As usual, I checked my email. An email from the agent .... furious emotions alternating from sad to glad to sad to glad to sad to glad ..... I read ....

Took the couple for a sail yesterday down to Marlin Marin which is just up from the boat lifting place.

There was a bit of a swell and about 20kts so we motored out and immediately the husband started saying 'ohh - she's not going as fast as our boat'

I said - David - you have a 1/4 tonne S80 with a flat bottom and a tiny fin keel -- this is a full keel boat weighing 6.5 tonne - this is cruising mate - it's not racing.

We sailed into the wind with 3 reefs in the main but a gull headsail doing 5kts into the wind. I showed them how the auto helm worked and it was all fine but being racing sailors/dinghy sailors they wanted to hand steer. I said - sure but it's a heavy helm if you don't balance the sails and when we are cruising we get on board, lock in the auto helm and enjoy the journey. I think they had in mind they would hand steer for ever.

His wife who was the main driver said from the start she wanted wheel steering and didn't like dark wood below. The husband prefered tiller steering.

So we continued on and I think they began to realise that they were dinghy racing sailors and that long term cruising using an auto helm would be boring well - that was my impression.

Anyway - I wasn't surprised when they dropped the key back this evening and said they didn't think it through.

So after numerous emails, she is almost mine .... I fly to Cairns on sat 2nd , test sail sunday, in water survey monday, out of water hull survey tuesday, settlement tuesday afternoon. Hopefully Champagne tuesday night 5th November! Momentous day!!! ( and yes, I know the saying that the two best days of your life are the day you buy your boat, and the day you sell it!)

Current plan: I will be staying there in Yorkys Knob until september 2014 ( with short visits back to Brisbane to see doctors, have scans to check on cancer progress, see family and check on housesitter). I hope to find experienced crew and to do the Loisiades rally in 2014 if it is running, and sail back to Brisbane oct/nov/dec.
http://www.louisiades.com/yacht-rally/2 ... y-program/

Gotta have a big, big plan, right? Gets me thru the tough times facing stage 4 NSMC adenocarcinoma (non-smokers lung cancer) !!! After a life of being frugal, to spend my super like this takes some getting used to. So if i only have a year or so, then I am using my time to live my dream. If I have longer, then i have started my new life, 18 months ahead of schedule. What's the problem? It is still a monumental decision.

I hope to achieve no 1 on the bucket list - sailing to lizard island in my own boat within the next 6 weeks, hopefully avoiding cyclones.

Lots of "Vitamin Sea" to get rid of this pesky cancer thing!!! Wish me fair winds and following seas!

[Troppo]

Congratulations Di! : ) Awesome boat!

A well-proven seaworthy boat that is ready to go adventuring with. Just what you were looking for. Sure, you still have to check her out but she ticks a huge number of boxes for you and the reasons the couple knocked her back for are not relevant to you. You are not wanting a racer but a cruiser and that is what she is.

Well done.

Louis

[storm petrel]

Congratulations! She looks lovely. I agree that the ocean is a great healer and I hope it works for you.

Best wishes,
Mark

[Peter57]

Good luck Di she certainly looks like a beautiful boat and with good gear on her and an interesting history. Hope the test sail goes well. Cheers Peter

[Shaun]

Great boat Di,
I saw Mico on ebay feb '07 (just looked at the pics I saved on the computer), that was shortly after she arrived in aus from what I gathered...Iooked like a good yacht at the time to sail into the sunset , even more so now with the refits! & all for about the same price, hope it all works out for you. I wonder every now & then where Mico might be, all the best, cheers, Shaun

[Ianb]

Pity I didn't know about Mico last week- I was up within spitting distance of Yorkeys Knob. In fact I usually slip off to have lunch or dinner at the club restaurant.

Now let me be the cold calculator. It is approaching cyclone season and boats up North are harder to sell. If you see defects do not let your heart rule your head. (Lets hope the seller has not read your posts here. ) If you spot defects you can push the price down, but you need to be totally cool about the negotiations. If you are having a survey it must be your surveyor, not "the bloke who does all the surveys around here".

My kids tell me I lecture too much....

[Peter57]

Ian - you lecture too much!! If you watch the sea temperatures Di would have time to sail to Lizard and back to Brisbane before the cyclones hit and chose to run either outside the reef which is the quickest way down sticking near the shipping lane, or if the weather is not certain sail inside the reef and there are plenty of cyclone holes. Cairns is good tying up the river in the mangroves. However, watching the cooker and listening to the reports can have her sailing safely down the coast. She certainly looks a great boat. Go for it. Cheers Peter

[Ianb]

Peter, I was thinking more about the commercial aspects of the transaction. Hope it goes well for Di.

[Peter57]

Hi Ian, with the $ spent on her, there is going to be little if any movement- 65 is the price and is probably worth it. That is for Di to work out and hope all goes well. I am not sure but didn't you get an Arends 33? Was that for about $80k? And I got a Rival 34 for half the price - much better boat!!! Hee Hee Hee Cheers, Peter