Mirabella V Arrival

Welcome back, thank you for update, some questions if you can....

How long did she take to come back from the Med, it only seemed like late last week she was leaving, what is her cruising speed?

I asked in another thread but it disappeared under other subjects, is there any chance she might make an appearance at the London boat show, as a northern git I don't often get the opportunity to get to Portsmouth, but I would love the chance to see M5. As I am sure many who only come dan sath for the boat show.

I would have thought Schroders would welcome you in as a show piece. I do not even want to traipse my muddy size 10's on her decks, I just want to appreciate her size. And, it would make even the biggest Fairline on the pontoon look like a tender/forums/images/icons/smile.gif.

Think of the advertising opportunity. You could even rent rooms for those who would rather stay over. Come on Joe, say yes......

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>Woof</A>
 
Jeez, what a bunch of creepy crawlers!

OK, so let's have a question answered. A bit boaty, but not TOO boaty. Actually, very boaty indeed, but you must surely have an idea...

So...there you are in 1997ish or 1998ish. You/family had owned Mirabella and and Mirabella 3 a bit later for some time. Yeehah, fab boat, plus fab spare boat, both of which are 140 feet long. Quite spectacular craft it must be said but THEN ... you/your family commissioned MirabellaV!! Aargh! How the heck did that happen?

I mean, did one or more of you say "tsk, what a pain, it's such a blimmin squeeze in this damn teensy weensy dinghy-like 140' boat? And we're always in the scummy end of Monaco whereas the ferries get MUCH better berths. It's high time we got a bigger boat!" ....which admiitedly happens to lots of peeps, tho only when the current boat is 20-40 feet, not flippin 40 metres?

OR did other people laugh and point "Har har look at them on that teensy 40-metre Mirabella plus er Mirabella III which is following close behind which belongs to them as well, ho ho, how laughably small!" This sounds a bit unlikely, praps?

Or perhaps wasn't there enough storage? Which is an excellent and very valid reason to upgrade, usually, but surely er sort-of couldn't really apply, surely? Unless praps you had perhaps lost all your stuff somewhere on board Mirabella or Mirabelle 3, can't find it, so heyho what the heck, buy another boat, maybe?

OR.. some flippin salesman cajoled you all into it during a very very very very reckless expensive session at another pub? Hey don't be shy LOADS of boats get bought like that, as i know to my (relatively speaking, inconsequential) cost.

OR dad is a bit well, mad/ambitious, and just started doodling on a napkin and all of sudden people started taking him seriously, sawing up bits of wood, and then he didn't have the heart to say er hey look erm when i sed Mirabella and M3 boats are too small that was heh heh erm a joke oh er never mind, carry on....etc etc

Do tell, if you can :-)
 
Hi Joe

Glad M5 is home. Just thought I would let all know that I will be moving my Vega 27 (feet not metres) from Fawley to Fareham next week. I'll expect Fosters at Fareham Sailing Club (only £1.65 a pint to members). Glad all has gone well and M5 will lighten up the Solent for a short while before she hops off to sunnier climes. The only time I went to BVI was when I was in the Army and was paid to be there, didnt stop me getting hangovers, having to paint the local school and ended up having to visit the Medical Officer about a certain disease.....

<hr width=100% size=1>Albin Vega "Southern Comfort" V1703
 
Re: Jeez, what a bunch of creepy crawlers!

your being awfully nosey Matt, anyone would think you are female./forums/images/icons/wink.gif


<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie
 
Re: Jeez, what a bunch of creepy crawlers!

Oh here we go again...

In a word, claustrophobia. Don't you ever listen? Whole family suffers from closters, and now you've dragged it out into the open.

Shame on you!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
She actually left on Monday. The reports I saw had her running at an average of around 10.5 knots. This is around normal on one engine. Weather was kind most of the way, so they made it in 8 days, which was the plan.

London Boat Show? Well if they moved it around 30 miles east, and brought it forward by around 3 weeks, then maybe! Sorry, but she has to go back to work, so the boring Caribbean beckons. Don't forget she can't make it under the Dartford bridge (QE2?), nor any bridge, anywhere for that matter.

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Hi Joe. Welcome back. Thanks for the update on M5. Hope she is fully fit very soon.

Any update on exactly how the keelbox repairs will be done (from inside or outside) or is that dependent upon inspection in dry dock?

Does she just motor along on one engine on delivery trips?


<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Blimey- I sailed under the QE2 bridge a few weeks ago in my humble 31 footer. I can really picture the scale now if M V cannot go under that bridge - Wow. Its a big bridge - I reakon I could probably fly under it if I was feeling particularly reckless!

Even if Mirabella V could fit under the bridge I think city airport may be a teeny bit irate if you stuck that mast outside excel, right in the middle of their final approach path!

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Welcome back, Joe. Good to see you posting and I hope to read more about Mirabella V whenever you have stuff you can share with us.

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://aflcharters.co.uk>Dream Dancer</A>
 
Re: Jeez, what a bunch of creepy crawlers!

Presumably the answer to why build M5 is that it was a 'simple' business venture. Certainly if I had the choice between trying to make money in, say banking, or building and operating cutting-edge boats, I know which I would choose.

Having said that, and having looked at the pictures, I must say I personally am left completely cold by the size and opulence and would have no desire to spend any long period of time on her. I would far rather know I was sailing not living in a hotel. But then I am not in the target demographic.

I wish success to M5, and if the owners can also make money from chartering her to confused people with too much loot, then good on 'em.

<hr width=100% size=1>

There.
I've posted on the subject of Mirabella, does that make me proper SB regular ?
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Benbow on 20/10/2004 12:11 (server time).</FONT></P>
 
I've got a generator and an angle grinder kicking about somewhere. If you sail her up the Thames, I'll wait on the QE2 bridge and make it fit under but only if I can keep the bit I cut off for the scrap money.

Welcome back BTW.........

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
I'm sure there are many people who would be pleased to see you take an angle grinder to the QE bridge but for those of us who use it regularly the prospect of returning to using just the tunnels is not so attractive.

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple>Ne te confundant illegitimi.</font color=purple>
 
First post on this site...been lurking since last month though (know nothing about boats though). I was on holiday in Cap Ferrat at the time of the incident, and it all happened right in front of me....and me being with big camera, decided to snap away.

Just in case anyone is interested....I've got all the photos on my site here:

http://www.sleepy-fish.com/mirabellav.htm

I thought I'd wait until now, as its now history, and I was waiting for Yachting World to publish a couple of them :) p.22 in the November edition.

No intention of offending or upsetting anyone by posting these pictures, its simply in case people want to see the photos of the whole thing, including the Ecstasea and Big Roi attempting to help. Some great pictures in the sequence.

And I'd like to add, what a stunning yacht, staggering in size. Done some reading about her since I got back to the UK....incredible engineering. Hope all goes well with repairs and back into action asap.

All the best,
LB

<hr width=100% size=1>
 
Top