November 23, 2005 Well, we went and bought a boat!
We are now the very proud owners of a 1993 Sceptre 41 sailing vessel Named "Kloosh". This has been her name since being originally built. The name comes from a Chinook Indian word with many meanings but generally thought to be in the area of 'Pleasurably Good' or 'Good Wind'.
The survey came in saying Kloosh is in the best shape of her life with much of the credit going to her second owner Andrew Campbell. Andrew has been very helpful to us and has provided us with very detailed operations manuals of all systems onboard.
We will put Kloosh into winter storage in Gloucester, MA where we purchased her. Next spring we plan to start our cruising life by moving Kloosh to the central Maine coast for the summer of '06. We will then store her in that area for the winter of '06/'07.
Then retirement and moving aboard in the spring of '07. We hope to slowly move south along the Eastern Seaboard following the Sun.
All our friends and family are now advised to get their reservations in early and often to enjoy the sights afforded by our trip through some of the best cruising in the world.
November 1, 2005
Today we made some progress toward our destination of owning a cruising boat. We made an offer on S/V Kloosh. The offer was not accepted and neither were the counter offers. But....at the end of the day we know what we can buy the boat for.
As it stands right now we are $5000 apart.
We have decided not to negotiate anymore on price.
Now is the time to either accept or walk.
Both Cheryl and I will consider the choice we have before us this evening and let our decision be known in the morning. Cheryl is in Denver on USPS business and I am at home. We will not talk again until the AM, then let each other know what we would like to do. Then inform the broker.
In my mind, at the moment, we are damn close. Its crazy to spend this much on a boat but she sure looks like a comfortable boat to go crazy on and Hey! she does afford one a view. I'm thinking we may not be able to afford to go ashore in some of the places she will take us but at least we will be able to be comfortable while viewing them. And that is more then some can say!!
Until I see O'l Sol again I cannot say...Good Night!