tcm
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We started looking at catamarans, ideal for long-term loafing, and the alliaura p495 seemed better finished than many. There’s one for sale in the uk, nicetest sail, the only drawback being it’s “galley-down “…but in late December a galley-up version was advertised in the Caribbean, by a broker based in St Martin. The boat isn’t in St Martin, it’s in Martinique which sounds the same, but isn’t.
Oddly the boat is only 3 months old – seems the owner took it across the Atlantic and thought “ooer no thanks”, and hence it’s for sale. Bit odd, but (with massive help from French speaking friend, thanks again) we establish that yep, it is for sale, otherwise he’ll sail it on to Australia and sell it there. The broker initially indicated the price was firm, but later it seems they might be a bit flexy, a couple of percent off. It’s only been for sale for a week or so though, so I suppose that’s understandable. I mean, are we serious or what?
We book flights. Actually we first booked flights to Antigua, with hopper to Martinique – but suddenly the early hopper not available and a later one wd take 8 hours! Arg. But British Airways won’t refund. They will change the date tho, so we puttemback to march. If we buy the boat, we could probably use them then, harump. Then we bought more flights to Paris orly, and connecting direct to Martinique, and confirmed same to broker.
The timescale for the purchase is a bit tight, but doable. The owner will be in carib on 18th, and really wants to know if it’s sold by 20th to know if he needs flights and so on. Hm, ok. Our flights land 17th. We tell broker we’ll see him 10am on the 18th. He asks transparentish questions about finance etc all by email, but fair enough.
17th bright and early we are transfering through Orly, and everyone is French. If you ask questions of these airport people they stay speaking French and just speak louder, just like many brits do with non-English speakers.
The Air Caraibe flight takes off at midday, and once airborne we are asked if we’d like a whisky or perhaps Pastis? Sounds a bit much this early, no ? Ah, it’s lunchtime – it’s an aperitif! Lunch is very serious stuff on a planeload of frenchies and the stewardesses rush around with bread, and more bread. Heehee. We’re the only brits on the flight, as confirmed by quick check that only swmbo is blubbing at the film “The Queen” and nobody else, which they probly wd do if brits.
We land at Martinique, quickly thru airport, get hire car and off to the south of the island to the marina port of Marin where the boat is.
Martinique is pretty smart and very lush and very nicely looked after – few scruffy gardens and no crummy roads like in Antigua. Martinique is actually a department of France, so it isn’t a bit *like* France –it actually *is* France, same style signs and everything. One good reason it’s nice and smart is that you all paid a bit to smarten it up and you did no such thing for the British Virgin Islands or Antigua. How so? Cos some of the building projects in Martinique are proudly signposted as being partly funded by the EU! Arg…
No hotels in Marin, but little rental flat has a pool, and is walking distance to the marina. Late that night we walk the pontoons hoping to catch a sneak preview of boat, with them washing it or whatever heheh. But we can’t find it, altho didn’t cover it all.
Next morning we finally meet the broker. Who tells us that the boat isn’t here. Dang! In the evening, the broker calls to say the boat has arrived in the bay. Phew. We’ll see it on the19th then, Thursday. Thursday morning tho, another call, says it has people on board, who will be off after lunch. Whatever, okay.
Eventually on Saturday we see the boat is all pretty fine, nice and new. In the bar, we know that time is short. Supposing we do a deal – we have to surely lift and drop the boat to check the props and although not a real survey it’s a start. I can make it and offer conditional upon a survey I suppose. But the boat has no space in the marina – it needs that as well. There’s no time for all we need to do. Ah well.
So unfortunately I didn’t buy it, but we’ll see. The owner seems a nice guy anyway.
Oddly the boat is only 3 months old – seems the owner took it across the Atlantic and thought “ooer no thanks”, and hence it’s for sale. Bit odd, but (with massive help from French speaking friend, thanks again) we establish that yep, it is for sale, otherwise he’ll sail it on to Australia and sell it there. The broker initially indicated the price was firm, but later it seems they might be a bit flexy, a couple of percent off. It’s only been for sale for a week or so though, so I suppose that’s understandable. I mean, are we serious or what?
We book flights. Actually we first booked flights to Antigua, with hopper to Martinique – but suddenly the early hopper not available and a later one wd take 8 hours! Arg. But British Airways won’t refund. They will change the date tho, so we puttemback to march. If we buy the boat, we could probably use them then, harump. Then we bought more flights to Paris orly, and connecting direct to Martinique, and confirmed same to broker.
The timescale for the purchase is a bit tight, but doable. The owner will be in carib on 18th, and really wants to know if it’s sold by 20th to know if he needs flights and so on. Hm, ok. Our flights land 17th. We tell broker we’ll see him 10am on the 18th. He asks transparentish questions about finance etc all by email, but fair enough.
17th bright and early we are transfering through Orly, and everyone is French. If you ask questions of these airport people they stay speaking French and just speak louder, just like many brits do with non-English speakers.
The Air Caraibe flight takes off at midday, and once airborne we are asked if we’d like a whisky or perhaps Pastis? Sounds a bit much this early, no ? Ah, it’s lunchtime – it’s an aperitif! Lunch is very serious stuff on a planeload of frenchies and the stewardesses rush around with bread, and more bread. Heehee. We’re the only brits on the flight, as confirmed by quick check that only swmbo is blubbing at the film “The Queen” and nobody else, which they probly wd do if brits.
We land at Martinique, quickly thru airport, get hire car and off to the south of the island to the marina port of Marin where the boat is.
Martinique is pretty smart and very lush and very nicely looked after – few scruffy gardens and no crummy roads like in Antigua. Martinique is actually a department of France, so it isn’t a bit *like* France –it actually *is* France, same style signs and everything. One good reason it’s nice and smart is that you all paid a bit to smarten it up and you did no such thing for the British Virgin Islands or Antigua. How so? Cos some of the building projects in Martinique are proudly signposted as being partly funded by the EU! Arg…
No hotels in Marin, but little rental flat has a pool, and is walking distance to the marina. Late that night we walk the pontoons hoping to catch a sneak preview of boat, with them washing it or whatever heheh. But we can’t find it, altho didn’t cover it all.
Next morning we finally meet the broker. Who tells us that the boat isn’t here. Dang! In the evening, the broker calls to say the boat has arrived in the bay. Phew. We’ll see it on the19th then, Thursday. Thursday morning tho, another call, says it has people on board, who will be off after lunch. Whatever, okay.
Eventually on Saturday we see the boat is all pretty fine, nice and new. In the bar, we know that time is short. Supposing we do a deal – we have to surely lift and drop the boat to check the props and although not a real survey it’s a start. I can make it and offer conditional upon a survey I suppose. But the boat has no space in the marina – it needs that as well. There’s no time for all we need to do. Ah well.
So unfortunately I didn’t buy it, but we’ll see. The owner seems a nice guy anyway.
