Do you have 'off years'? PS this is my 5000th post...

[Whiskey Bravo]

[QUOTE
If I wanted to be depressed I could add up the costs of owning and maintaining vs the usage - although when I see the price of package holidays (even so called cheap ones) then I often feel better about the money we spend on Serendipity. Just a couple of weeks anywhere seems to cost thousands! Perhaps its not so expensive after all and that makes me feel better about this sailing (or lack of sailing) lark.[/QUOTE]

Sorry to hear about your woes. On taking early retirement 2 years ago to join the previously retired SWMBO, we debated the Buy boat v. Charter options. Against my preference we went down the chartering route but I'm pleased to say it seems to be working; in the past 12 months we've sailed in the BVI, Cape Verde, Croatia, the Sporades of Greece, the Solent, not to mention the Norfolk Broads and this weekend we're off to Thailand for 2 weeks sailing. I know it's not the same as having your own boat and if money was no object we'd do both, but we have had some great times, we haven't lashed out many thousands of pounds on buying/mooring and maintaining and we've seen a lot of the World and had 10 full weeks sailing. This afternoon we're trying to book for next June to continue our sailing exploits.

Hopefully all those who had a bad year this year will have a great time in the future.

 

[dylanwinter]

great year

despite holing the boat on rocks off Cromer its been a great year. Started out overwintering afloat and in commission on the Alde

then around to southwold - dropped the mast and spent 48 hours up the Blythe

hit a £500 repair bill for the back of the gearbox - submerged supermarket trolly up the blythe to blame

then around to the broads - in through lowestoft - hottest week of the year - jill was with me which was wonderful

wife then up to the north broads for a month

filmed three rivers race

around to blekeney via cromer rocks - hole

wainfleet - and realised how bad the hole was

six weeks ashore up to elbows in unguents - great place to fix a boat though

back on the water september

- afloat now

sailed this morning filmed the nots doing their thing at high tide

now its a ten tealight evening on the slug

of course some people would say being on a pontoon in a hail storm in an 18 foot boat would be horrible - but in sailing you take your pleasures where you can. I am hoping for decent light in the morning

D

 

[Lady Campanula]

sailed this morning filmed the nots doing their thing at high tide

now its a ten tealight evening on the slug.... but in sailing you take your pleasures where you can. I am hoping for decent light in the morning

You have the rare and precious skill of conjuring up, for us, an evocative picture in a handful of words. And, this evening, I thank you for it.

I've enjoyed the peace of a few multi-tealight evenings on 'Raffee' just of late, and I wish you warmth and comfort aboard tonight, and clear light in the morning's enterprise.

 

[TiggerToo]

You have the rare and precious skill of conjuring up, for us, an evocative picture in a handful of words. And, this evening, I thank you for it.

hear hear

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Indeed... a lovely picture in my head.

 

[Sybarite]

I have had several years where I only had about a week's effective sailing but this year was slightly better. It's taking longer than I thought to sell the house to enable me to move down to Brittany instead of being more than 300 miles from the boat.

 

[30boat]

Oh yes this year was definitely in the off category for me.My boat was hit by a ship and I was lucky to come out of it alive.The three following months were spent repairing her so no sailing to speak of this year.But hey,I've got a new rig!