Play d'eau - my heart still aches....

[Piers]

Although it's been 2½ years since I sold our Fleming 55, Play d'eau, my heart still aches.

New in 2003, we cruised thousands of miles, cherished her, lived on her, maintained her, upgraded her and added many toys, We know every fraction of an inch of her. But with Brexit and Covid, we made the head decision to sell her.

And now I see she's up for sale again. Ouch....

 

[harvey38]

The decision has been made for you then.

GO FOR IT ✔

 

[Whopper]

Your v39 also for sale on the Shannon! Has been going strong and looking well for years!

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Boating is a bug. Or an addiction. Not surprised to hear you feel this way, especially given the time you spent with her.

 

[Oscar24]

Saw Play d'eau earlier this year having a load of work done to her @ MDL marina in Holes Bay Poole.
She was very tidy

 

[Bouba]

If you sold her at the peak of post covid prices....you should be able to re buy her, including all upgrades from the new owner, and still be in profit.
This could be the very first time since the Vikings that buying a boat made commercial sense....you owe it to posterity

 

[MapisM]

And now I see she's up for sale again. Ouch....

Here's a thought: buy her, bring her to the Med on her own bottom, and leave her here - wherever you like - as your Med home.
I heard many folks regretting to have done this or that with boats, but never, ever, anyone who did what I'm envisaging.
Happy to help with suggestions, and I'm sure many others would as well.

 

[DavidJ]

Interesting location at the moment

 

[john_morris_uk]

Great boat. I recently delivered a 68 and appreciate what fine boats Fleming build.

 

[Dino]

There’s an immaculate 55 tied beside the marina office in Palma. Seems like a nice place to retire.

 

[jfm]

Go on, buy her back Piers. Makes perfect sense.
I've spent some time on one recently, in the same berth in Jersey where we had a beer on PD a few years ago, called m/y Voyager. It was the Southampton show boat in 2022 (iirc) - owner is long standing friend. It has just done UK to Palma on own bottom, without missing a beat.
Life is short - re-acquire her See you in the Med in August then

 

[jfm]

There’s an immaculate 55 tied beside the marina office in Palma. Seems like a nice place to retire.

That's Voyager. The one mentioned in my post above. Superb example, built by a good friend/colleague who knows his onions. It has an awesome money-no-object spec.

 

[DougOut]

Saw her in St Kats just a few weeks ago. Looked just as good as she always did

 

[volvopaul]

She was in StKats last time I saw her , I messaged you as I didn’t know she wasn’t yours , great looking boat .

 

[Piers]

Thank you so much for all your encouraging replies.

In the 2½ years since we sold her, she's clocked 64 engine hours, mainly in delivery trips from Fleming Europe (Swanwick); to Beaucette; to Bucklers Hard; to St Kats. I'm unaware of any upgrades in that time so she's really as I originally sold her.

Will we buy her back? Sadly, no, not the least that she's up at such a super high figure.

However, for whoever buys her, I'm happy to advise on her operational and nav systems. I have everything, including her maintenance history and Check Lists & Ops Manual, stored on my laptop.

 

[Piers]

One of our last trips as a family was to Shell Bay, Herm.

 

[Bouba]

View attachment 179450


One of our last trips as a family was to Shell Bay, Herm.

She’s certainly a beautiful go anywhere vessel...obviously you miss her...if it were me I would be grieving. Could you contemplate going back on the water in a boat that isn’t as grand ?

 

[Piers]

She’s certainly a beautiful go anywhere vessel...obviously you miss her...if it were me I would be grieving. Could you contemplate going back on the water in a boat that isn’t as grand ?

We've thought long and hard about just that, but the answer is no. It (obviously) just wouldn't be the same, and wouldn't feel right.

 

[Bouba]

We've thought long and hard about just that, but the answer is no. It (obviously) just wouldn't be the same, and wouldn't feel right.

I respect that

 

[Bouba]

I used to enjoy reading your adventures in the magazine (written by Mrs Piers, I recall)