Monday, July 28, 2008
After a very long road....We own a sailboat !!!
Danielle and I first decided to buy a boat back in April. The first step in the process was fund raising....I cashed out some stock, sold my Mariners season tickets (that hurt), my Bill Stewart surf board (even more), two cars, and everything else that I could get my hands on.
With our bank account flush with cash, We started boat shopping locally in May. After looking at a number of different types, We decided on a Catalina 36. We did a walk through on a 1984 Catalina and loved the layout. However the asking price was high and the boat wasn't in the best of shape...but, we knew what we wanted at that point.
The problem was that there were only 4 on the market here in the Northwest and two of them were in Canada. I expanded my search and found that there was over 20 available in California....all of them newer, and priced lower than the anything we could find locally.
I found a boat broker in San Diego and we selected 7 boats to view. Six of the boats were in San Diego and one in Long Beach (110 Miles from San Diego). I flew down there on June 21st for a marathon boat shopping expedition. It was 100 degrees on Saturday and we spent the day driving from marina to marina in the San Diego area. Two of them were dogs and we walked away from them after 2 minutes on board. Of the four remaining boats I viewed that day, I found one that I was inclined to buy.
Come Sunday, I wasn't sure that I wanted to make the 110 mile journey to Long Beach knowing that there was a 1 in 3 chance the remaining one would be a dog and most likely not any better than the one I already found. I decided to go just to be sure that I looked at all the options...and that is how I found my boat....Her name was 'Aw Geez and she was obviously well cared for and meticulously maintained. This one was leagues above anything I had previously seen. The asking price was a bit out of my range, however my broker thought we would be able to negotiate the price down...bad economy and such.
I told my broker to put out an offer on the drive back to San Diego and that is when the real fun started. It was a full scale barrage of insurance agents, mortgage brokers, surveyors, USCG pilots, title/escrow agents, freight carriers...etc.
After we settled on a price, Danielle and I returned to San Diego for Sea Trials (That means "Test Drive" in boat talk) on July 12th. The sea trials went flawlessly, and after the brokers left, we hung out with the owner and he went over every detail of the boat....he is a super nice guy.
The survey was completed on July 21 and the boat was found to be in excellent condition...no surprise there. We closed the deal on July 23rd
A happy ending...not quite, the boat was still in Long Beach
Note: You can double click on the photos to view in full scale. Use your "Browser Back" button to return to the blog
With our bank account flush with cash, We started boat shopping locally in May. After looking at a number of different types, We decided on a Catalina 36. We did a walk through on a 1984 Catalina and loved the layout. However the asking price was high and the boat wasn't in the best of shape...but, we knew what we wanted at that point.
The problem was that there were only 4 on the market here in the Northwest and two of them were in Canada. I expanded my search and found that there was over 20 available in California....all of them newer, and priced lower than the anything we could find locally.
I found a boat broker in San Diego and we selected 7 boats to view. Six of the boats were in San Diego and one in Long Beach (110 Miles from San Diego). I flew down there on June 21st for a marathon boat shopping expedition. It was 100 degrees on Saturday and we spent the day driving from marina to marina in the San Diego area. Two of them were dogs and we walked away from them after 2 minutes on board. Of the four remaining boats I viewed that day, I found one that I was inclined to buy.
Come Sunday, I wasn't sure that I wanted to make the 110 mile journey to Long Beach knowing that there was a 1 in 3 chance the remaining one would be a dog and most likely not any better than the one I already found. I decided to go just to be sure that I looked at all the options...and that is how I found my boat....Her name was 'Aw Geez and she was obviously well cared for and meticulously maintained. This one was leagues above anything I had previously seen. The asking price was a bit out of my range, however my broker thought we would be able to negotiate the price down...bad economy and such.
I told my broker to put out an offer on the drive back to San Diego and that is when the real fun started. It was a full scale barrage of insurance agents, mortgage brokers, surveyors, USCG pilots, title/escrow agents, freight carriers...etc.
After we settled on a price, Danielle and I returned to San Diego for Sea Trials (That means "Test Drive" in boat talk) on July 12th. The sea trials went flawlessly, and after the brokers left, we hung out with the owner and he went over every detail of the boat....he is a super nice guy.
The survey was completed on July 21 and the boat was found to be in excellent condition...no surprise there. We closed the deal on July 23rd
A happy ending...not quite, the boat was still in Long Beach
Note: You can double click on the photos to view in full scale. Use your "Browser Back" button to return to the blog
Sea Trials
After our offer was accepted, Danielle and I returned to Long Beach for Sea Trials. This is a photo of 'Aw Geeze at her slip in the Long Beach Marina (The same marina where Dennis Connor keeps his America's Cup boat). She had the first slip off the gang way. This coveted spot is usually reserved for "Show Boats", well connected owners, and skilled sailers due to the level of difficulty required to get in and out of the slip. The boat and the owner were all of the above.
This is the one and only photo I have of us on the boat. We spent the entire day on the boat and only managed to get a hand full of photos from the sea trial and none under sail. I was too busy driving and Dani was too busy looking like a movie star. If it wasn't for Paul, the owner of the boat, we wouldn't have this one either....thanks Paul.
About our boat – Amnesty
As much as I would like to say that the boat is named in the spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation...and there is a touch of that in the name. The boat is actually named after an inspirational album “Amnesty”, by a Seattle band that I have followed for quite a few years...The Whole Bolivian Army (www.twba.com).
Bringing Amnesty Home - Part 1
If you ever want a month long migraine, buy a sailboat
If you ever want to drag it out to three months, buy one in California
Getting the boat to the Nothwest turned out to be a sizable project of it's own. The boat needed to be delivered to a boat yard where they would haul it out of the water, a rigger would take down the mast and rigging, and the boat would then be loaded onto a specialized truck with a very expensive piece of equipment called a Travelift (www.marinetravelift.com). Once over here, it will need to be off loaded at a local boat yard (Yup, another travellift), another rigger will re-step the mast, a graphics company has to come out to rename the boat, and then it gets dropped into the water.
Two days before the boat closed (Sometime around July 21st) I started making arrangements for the boat's transportation. The move will need to be precisely coordinated, because once the work starts, the meter is running. I spent the entire week locking down schedules, writing checks, and going to the FedEx office (Everyone wants to be paid in advance with a cashiers check).
The owner dropped the boat off on Sunday morning (July 27th) at the Marina Ship Yard in Long Beach (Paul, I owe you a bottle of scotch). The rigger started on Monday and completed his work on Tuesday (Right on Schedule). The truck driver arrived at the boat yard on Wednesday morning...and I received the following voice mail message from him. Authors Note: I am in Grand Forks, ND on my way to the air port for my return flight to Seattle.
"Ralph, the boat is not here. I went to the office and they don't know anything about it"
Keep in mind that this is a 36 foot sailboat that weighs 7 tons....I don't know how hard it is to loose something like that, but I am sure it is not easy. After a number of frantic phone calls while trying to return the rental call, check bags, get through the security check point, they were able to find it.
Disaster averted....not quite.
The boat yard did not have us on the schedule for the Travelift !!!! I am about to loose my window.... locating the boat took 3 hours and if the boat doesn't get rolling soon, we are not going to make our Friday delivery / off-load slot. Another round of phone calls while I was laid over in Minneapolis Mn. and I was able to get the boat yard to give us the noon slot (over time). The boat was secured and rolling by 2:30pm.
I got a phone call from my driver at 7 pm (I am in Seattle now)....Amnesty is in Sacramento
If you ever want to drag it out to three months, buy one in California
Getting the boat to the Nothwest turned out to be a sizable project of it's own. The boat needed to be delivered to a boat yard where they would haul it out of the water, a rigger would take down the mast and rigging, and the boat would then be loaded onto a specialized truck with a very expensive piece of equipment called a Travelift (www.marinetravelift.com). Once over here, it will need to be off loaded at a local boat yard (Yup, another travellift), another rigger will re-step the mast, a graphics company has to come out to rename the boat, and then it gets dropped into the water.
Two days before the boat closed (Sometime around July 21st) I started making arrangements for the boat's transportation. The move will need to be precisely coordinated, because once the work starts, the meter is running. I spent the entire week locking down schedules, writing checks, and going to the FedEx office (Everyone wants to be paid in advance with a cashiers check).
The owner dropped the boat off on Sunday morning (July 27th) at the Marina Ship Yard in Long Beach (Paul, I owe you a bottle of scotch). The rigger started on Monday and completed his work on Tuesday (Right on Schedule). The truck driver arrived at the boat yard on Wednesday morning...and I received the following voice mail message from him. Authors Note: I am in Grand Forks, ND on my way to the air port for my return flight to Seattle.
"Ralph, the boat is not here. I went to the office and they don't know anything about it"
Keep in mind that this is a 36 foot sailboat that weighs 7 tons....I don't know how hard it is to loose something like that, but I am sure it is not easy. After a number of frantic phone calls while trying to return the rental call, check bags, get through the security check point, they were able to find it.
Disaster averted....not quite.
The boat yard did not have us on the schedule for the Travelift !!!! I am about to loose my window.... locating the boat took 3 hours and if the boat doesn't get rolling soon, we are not going to make our Friday delivery / off-load slot. Another round of phone calls while I was laid over in Minneapolis Mn. and I was able to get the boat yard to give us the noon slot (over time). The boat was secured and rolling by 2:30pm.
I got a phone call from my driver at 7 pm (I am in Seattle now)....Amnesty is in Sacramento
Bringing Amnesty Home - Part 2
The light at the end of the tunnel...is an oncoming sailboat !!!
After a 3 day overland voyage, Amnesty finally arrived. My transporter was one of the best people I had the opportunity to work with so far. He is a boat owner himself and knew that this was my first boat, I received regular updates on progress and he provided me with a pretty accurate ETA.
I knew the route he was taking from the freeway to the boat yard where it would be recommissioned. I found a good vantage point and waited as patiently as I could. My good friend Peter waited with me and even provided some beers that we drank out of paper sacks to calm my nerves.
It wasn't very long before I saw the un-mistakable shape of a large sailboat on a big rig. I was able to snap these photos as she went by.
When Amnesty finally arrived at the boat yard, I handed the driver a bottle of single malt scotch.
After three months of work, countless phone calls, emails, and $7,500 dollars...Amnesty was home.
After a 3 day overland voyage, Amnesty finally arrived. My transporter was one of the best people I had the opportunity to work with so far. He is a boat owner himself and knew that this was my first boat, I received regular updates on progress and he provided me with a pretty accurate ETA.
I knew the route he was taking from the freeway to the boat yard where it would be recommissioned. I found a good vantage point and waited as patiently as I could. My good friend Peter waited with me and even provided some beers that we drank out of paper sacks to calm my nerves.
It wasn't very long before I saw the un-mistakable shape of a large sailboat on a big rig. I was able to snap these photos as she went by.
When Amnesty finally arrived at the boat yard, I handed the driver a bottle of single malt scotch.
After three months of work, countless phone calls, emails, and $7,500 dollars...Amnesty was home.
Like nails on a chalkboard
The recommissioning of Amnesty took nearly 8 days (It should have been done in 3) . It dragged on longer than I expected due to some problems in getting some parts replaced / upgraded while I had her out of the water. It was excruciating, I had waited 20 years to buy a boat....and there she was sitting high and dry 90 feet from the water. There were times during the recommission that I wanted to push her the last 90 feet.
This first photo is the boat being lifted off the truck by a Travelift. A very expensive piece of equipment run by some highly paid yard workers.....$$$$$ Cha Ching
The final photo in this set is Amnesty sitting "On the hard".
This first photo is the boat being lifted off the truck by a Travelift. A very expensive piece of equipment run by some highly paid yard workers.....$$$$$ Cha Ching
The final photo in this set is Amnesty sitting "On the hard".
The maiden voyage of Amnesty.
Actually this is my 4th time out on the boat. Although I have done quite a bit of sailing, my insurance company insisted that I get certified by a USCG Certified Captain before they will allow me to take her out on my own. I spent 20 hours on the boat with him and I learned a ton of stuff.
This series of photos is the first trip out under my command. I went out with a bunch of guys that I work with at Amazon and we had a most excellent time.
Jeto, who is at the helm has quite a bit of sailing experience and has proven to be top notch crew. When you are still learning your way around a boat, having experienced crew aboard is absolutely priceless.
Amnesty on the water
I would like to close this out with some random photos and a final thought....
I had drinks after work recently with a long time friend and mentor. Sometime during the course of the evening he had asked how things were going with the boat. In a gin influenced moment of honesty and clarity, I said.....
"I was in a bit of a funk after I returned from my sabbatical in Costa Rica. At the time I thought I would never in my life do anything as exciting. I was wrong"
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