benjenbav
Well-Known Member
This is a story which might be of no interest to anyone else. I'm not looking for sympathy; just thought I'd mention my own sailing odyssey.
I grew up with sailing boats but owing to work/marriage/children etc I had not sailed for nearly 20 years when I was invited for a few days sailing in August 2001 and remembered what I had been missing.
By this time we had found out that both the youngest and the middle one of our 3 children were mentally handicapped and I was trying to find a leisure activity in which they could participate on a more or less equal footing with other children and which would be something which our eldest (then 10) would also enjoy, without feeling that this was yet another instance where his life was constrained by his sisters.
Sailing suddenly seemed the obvious solution and so we looked for and found a suitable boat which was duly surveyed, bought and moved to Chichester, with great pride in ownership.
In 2002 and 2003 we had many enjoyable day sails in Chichester harbour and the occasional venture over the bar into the Solent, with the girls safely harnessed via running lines from their lifejackets to jackstays. But by last summer both girls had developed Houdini-like abilities to extricate themselves from any known safety device whilst having no sense of danger. Increasingly, we found that any time spent on the water was more stressful than the stresses we were trying to get away from and, of course, the boat was used less and less.
Finally, at the start of this year I decided to sell. I felt that the boat owed me nothing, but couldn't see the point of continuing to rent the hole in the water.
I agreed a brokerage deal with Opal which I thought was reasonable and was pleased with the way they kept me in touch with enquiries right up to the point where a decent offer was received last week.....which I turned down.
During this summer I have had a number of magnificent days on the water just sailing with my son who is now 14 and big and strong enough to pull ropes, steer and be fully involved. We've also managed a few trips to the marina with the whole family to fettle things and just to potter about.
So, hopefully, more of the same this autumn and next year onwards. Thanks to Opal and apologies if it was you who made me an offer, but for the time being...not for sale!
I grew up with sailing boats but owing to work/marriage/children etc I had not sailed for nearly 20 years when I was invited for a few days sailing in August 2001 and remembered what I had been missing.
By this time we had found out that both the youngest and the middle one of our 3 children were mentally handicapped and I was trying to find a leisure activity in which they could participate on a more or less equal footing with other children and which would be something which our eldest (then 10) would also enjoy, without feeling that this was yet another instance where his life was constrained by his sisters.
Sailing suddenly seemed the obvious solution and so we looked for and found a suitable boat which was duly surveyed, bought and moved to Chichester, with great pride in ownership.
In 2002 and 2003 we had many enjoyable day sails in Chichester harbour and the occasional venture over the bar into the Solent, with the girls safely harnessed via running lines from their lifejackets to jackstays. But by last summer both girls had developed Houdini-like abilities to extricate themselves from any known safety device whilst having no sense of danger. Increasingly, we found that any time spent on the water was more stressful than the stresses we were trying to get away from and, of course, the boat was used less and less.
Finally, at the start of this year I decided to sell. I felt that the boat owed me nothing, but couldn't see the point of continuing to rent the hole in the water.
I agreed a brokerage deal with Opal which I thought was reasonable and was pleased with the way they kept me in touch with enquiries right up to the point where a decent offer was received last week.....which I turned down.
During this summer I have had a number of magnificent days on the water just sailing with my son who is now 14 and big and strong enough to pull ropes, steer and be fully involved. We've also managed a few trips to the marina with the whole family to fettle things and just to potter about.
So, hopefully, more of the same this autumn and next year onwards. Thanks to Opal and apologies if it was you who made me an offer, but for the time being...not for sale!
