Getting ready to say goodbye

[bbg]

Well, I had a succesful weekend, but a bit sad.

Sold my boat for my asking price. First two people to see it made an offer, so maybe I could've got a bit more but then if I hadn't sold it it would've cost me more to list it with a broker.

New owner wants an "orientation" weekend, so I'll go back one more time, for one more sail at the end of January. I haven't told the new owner yet but, if I'm going to show him the ropes, he's going to get his money's worth - weather permitting we'll be going for an overnight sail.

So, I'm getting ready to say goodbye. I have to say that I don't really have much of an emotional attachment to the boat. A little bit, but not much. So I'm happy to have sold it, but there is a sadness because it means that I won't be doing the next Mini Transat. The next race (in 2013) would be appealing because it arrives in Guadeloupe (instead of Brazil, like this year) but it would be too expensive and mean too much time away from the family.

In less than three weeks I'll be boatless once again.

 

[armchairsailor]

In less than three weeks I'll be boatless once again.

But think of the stories you can tell. Respect for what you've achieved.

 

[Babylon]

In less than three weeks I'll be boatless once again.

Any ideas how you're going to deal with this?

 

[bbg]

Any ideas how you're going to deal with this?

Start taking vacations with the family again, for one thing. For the first time in more than two years.

Preparing for the race, with the training, the requirement to do all the qualifying races and the solo qualifier, took all my time. In February I'll take my first ski holiday with the family since 2009.

And maybe next winter take a week or two somewhere sunny on a big catamaran. Until then, I've been invited to sail on an OPB 27 in Sweden, and an OPB 100 in the Med. Just got to negotiate the time away from home!

Edit - thanks to armchairsailor. I guess I'll also have to change my avatar.

I'm interested to know how others have felt about selling their boats / becoming boatless. As I've said, for me there isn't much emotional attachment. My boat was a tool to do a job and not much more - like a hammer or a screwdriver - but I still feel more of a loss than I expected. I think the feeling relates more to what the (lack of a) boat represents than to losing the boat itself.

Thoughts from others on selling their boats?

 

[Victoria Sponge]

Why are you selling her?

 

[bbg]

Why are you selling her?

Keeping a race boat ain't cheap, especially when you have to travel quite far, as I do, to sail her, and I didn't have any luck finding a sponsor to help with costs. The new owner hasn't even taken possession and he's probably already committed to nearly €3,000 just to get her back in the water and ready to sail for the first time. For a 21 foot boat.

Racing and training means time away from the family. The deal was that I got two years to do the big race, and now I have to turn my focus back towards home, which is fair enough (and something I want to do anyway). A lot of wives wouldn't have given their husband the time to do what I've done.

I've done my adventure - I guess I'm just a bit wistful that selling the boat means that the page has turned, and this particular adventure has run its course.

 

[Clyde_Wanderer]

Would you not buy another boat and sail her close to home and family and try to juggle the best of both worlds?
Best of luck.
C_W

 

[stav]

Wow what an amazing thing to have done, full respect not just for the sail but for putting it all together: I wish I was that driven. The last two boats I have sold I have delivered and found it the hardest thing, especially the last one it was my pride and joy but did not accomadate the family (according to the wife), still miss it and sailing it. By the sounds of things I guess you need to decide what is hurting the most, the end of the adventure or the boat. You must love sailing though so go out and get a banger and keep turning left to find a different adventure.

Good luck and don;t spoil the ride for the new purchaser and let him discover her for himself. After all you would not want your new girlfriend's ex coming along telling you what she like.....

Have a good evening.

 

[r_h]

Seeing as you got a very respectable result in such a high quality fleet, and a tough edition of the race, I can understand that accepting you won't be going back in 2013 to build on what you've achieved so far must be a great disappointment.

But don't give up hope of having another chance to do something similar, even if you have an extended break. Francis Joyon is in his mid 50s and Robin Knox-Johnston raced single-handed round the globe again in his late 60s after many years of mostly shore-based life.

 

[armchairsailor]

Thoughts from others on selling their boats?

One seems to spend a lot of time browsing internet fora...

But then again, you seem like the sort of person that relishes the challenge as much as anything, so I'm sure you'll find something else to turn your mind to that's closer to home. How about cruising as a family (and Weds evenings around the cans if you like)? It's what I aim to do when I get a boat, and I relish the opportunity to pass on my love of the sea to them.