I think I have found my boat, no details yet as I do not wish to count my chickens before they have hatched. A full update when the deal is done.
After considering the the costs of getting 'Amy' ready for sailing away and the fact that much of it ie. lifting in, was to a large extent outside of my control. I decided to withdraw my offer. A shame as she was a lovely boat.
However there is a Nicholson 26 for sale on the Solent and although not cheap, does look to be in excellent condition. So in a couple of days time I shall be off to Hythe to view it. Seeing as the Smoothound fishing is good down that way, I shall lash my kayak to the roof and see if I can catch a hound or two. Back down to Littlehampton for another good look round 'Amy' Still quite a bit of stuff to do ie. wiring up, mast instruments , radio. There is somebody coming down to look at the boat over the weekend if they top my offer I shall be given the option of matching it. I am not able to up my offer. So now I am waiting for the call to see if she is mine or not, I hope she is as I am a little smitten.
A An advert on apollo duck for an Albin Vega down in Littlehampton, there were only 2 photos but it looked good and I had missed out on another Vega on the south coast just the week before. I arranged to go go down and have a look on Monday 9th June. I had just finished a week of night shifts ; bet hell I wanted a yacht ! . My mate Neil rang me on the way home from work and said he would like to come down too, he had family down that way, so we could pop in to see his old man on the way back....plus he could poke me in the ribs when I started to nod off. It was a good drive down and we arrived at midday. I rang Andrew who was selling the boat on behalf of his father and I was soon walking into the boatyard shed for my first look. Kieth, Andrews dad ,was there and I have to say the boat looked pucker. Lovely and clean and best of all a brand new engine . Kieth showed me round and all the work done looked to have been done to a high standard . All receipts were present plus all the original handbook. Inside was clean and well thought out and I could stand up...just. I had a look at the mast plus all the kit that had been bought for the boat ie windex, radio, echo sounder ect. Sails looked good as did the standing rigging. If I had bothered to charge up my camera I would have had more photos. So after a good look over the boat and a chat with the boatyard owner, who had fitted the engine and had done quite a bit of other work into the boat. We headed off back to Kent, stopping off to visit Neil’s dad on the way; always a pleasure. Update... I have put in an offer for the boat and it has been accepted in principle, I am going back down to Littlehampton on Thursday [ the 12th ] to finalise the deal. It could all go pear shaped yet, but it looks like I may have found my boat. :-)
|
AuthorAdventure Archives
June 2016
Categories |