Princess or Ferretti , what boat would you choose?

[BartW]

She looks fabulous Bart, well done!
How big is the RIB on the flybridge? Hopefully large enough for your diving expeditions. What happens to the skipper once you formally own her?

Thanks LJS !
The Rib is 4,1m, its bigger then I thought, It goes quite fast with only 30HP, the engine is almost new.
For the diving I would like one slightly bigger, but this one fits so nice on there, also visually,
so I will take my time to investigate other bigger or "wider!" options, and that's no priority now.

The Skipper has a new job, starting on 16th of may, on another boat (Rizardi 70ft), he promissed that he wants to help me whenever he is availble. At his new job he is not full time occupied on the boat.
He would have liked to stay on BA, he likes the boat and the new owners he say's,
but he wants to stay closer to his family in Italy.
Honestly speaking I can't afford him full time, he's quite expensive, but worth every penny !
after all, I prefer to helm the boat myself

 

[BartW]

but how did you manage to get her up and running so fast?

I'm not sure what you mean,
if its about Bleu Angel, she was in perfect condition,
if its about the paperwork, thats not OK yet, so I officially don't own BA yet,
nor have the Belgium registration,
so I'm theoretically not yet allowed to be on the boat

and yes I agree, I would need some fine underwaterlights,
but thats for later when the boat is lifted again, in winter probably

 

[BartW]

Where are you intending to finally base the ship Bart, you have mentioned SoF, but have you got a specific port in mind?

Options up till now are:

- Port Ouest Marseille, very close (10min) to Marseille airport, and less then 20nm from Cassis, moreover the harbour managers also own Cassis Harbour, so when I have a Yearly rental in POM, I can have a visitors berth in Casiis foc every now and then. (rental is approx. 1500 euro/month)

- Port Napoleon, one hour drive from Marseille airport, is affordable and lots of space also on the dry, and for working on the boat, not a nice harbour to stay in, but at about 30nm from Cassis, (approx 1000euro/month)
probably take this one, as the first year there will be some small jobs to do, and can leave the boat for a few months on the dry , = advice from the surveyor,
found this harbour thanks to a sugestion from Deleted User !

you must be an excited bloke about to cast off with this fine vessel.

you bet !!!

 

[MapisM]

don"t remember the brand name, wasn't a brand I ever heard about

Does Bitecnomare ring a bell, by chance?

Re. the comment from EME, maybe he was still thinking of the other C70 you told us about, which was in need of some restoration... Just a guess.

 

[BartW]

Does Bitecnomare ring a bell, by chance?

yes that might be right, will let you know when I am there again.
or come and show yourselve

Re. the comment from EME, maybe he was still thinking of the other C70 you told us about, which was in need of some restoration... Just a guess.

yes I thought the same

 

[AndieMac]

Does Bitecnomare ring a bell, by chance?

What does the 'omare' part of the word mean M, it's the same last five letters that are on our crane as well.

 

[MapisM]

yes that might be right, will let you know when I am there again.
or come and show yourselve

Thanks Bart, I'd love to, but I'm rather busy these days, and I have no plans for trips to Rome area in the immediate future.
But I'll surely let you know if any change of plan would bring me there!

Re. the passerelle, I'm not 100% sure by the pics, but if that's the brand, it's top quality stuff, a real connoisseur choice. Which isn't surprising, from a builder like Canados...
...Though in truth, the folding geometry isn't very practical. Safer than the typical sliding one, in some respects, but a bit odd to use.

Oh, and in reply to AM: "omare" doesn't really mean anything, it's "mare" that means "sea". Btw, Bitecnomare indeed builds also excellent cranes (also fitted on some military boats).
Are you sure it isn't the same brand? I can't think of another cranes builder ending in "...omare", though that sounds definitely Italian.

 

[AndieMac]

Oh, and in reply to AM: "omare" doesn't really mean anything, it's "mare" that means "sea". Btw, Bitecnomare indeed builds also excellent cranes (also fitted on some military boats).
Are you sure it isn't the same brand? I can't think of another cranes builder ending in "...omare", though that sounds definitely Italian.

Sorry M, I meant just 'mare', the crane is an Opacmare, I thought there were more o's in the word.

 

[MapisM]

Aha. I should have thought that.

 

[BartW]

...Though in truth, the folding geometry isn't very practical. Safer than the typical sliding one, in some respects, but a bit odd to use.

agree,
in some occasions it will be odd, the fact that you can't use the passerelle when its only 50% or 70% out

also the hight "range" is not that big, something like 0.5m, you would expect a lot more on such a long passerelle.


its a model with manual stanchions on both sides, no automatic stanchions,
on the pics, only the stanchions on the most exposed side are in place

do I sound like a conaisseur now

 

[BartW]

keep us all posted on your timing.

Originally Posted by BartW
itinery at this moment is:

leave Rome on 19 july
route via Giglio, Elba, Corsica to be defined
pickup guests in Toulon or Antibes area around 25 july
drop our kids in Toulon or other airport on 26 july
drop guests in Antibes around 29 july
and then some more cruising, route to be defined
to her final destination in Marseille on 12 august
plans might change, but period is fixed between 15/7 and 12/8

in wich period are you planning to go to Croatia in 2012 ?
perhaps in spring 2012 I might bring the boat back to Rome for some works
and then after that, spend one summer with BA in Croatia, and show her to my Croatian friends
hold on ! lets start with some smaller challenges !

My (current) plan is to cruise Menorca/Mallorca/Ibiza from 29 July to 13 August, so I'll hope to see you in a SofF anchorage the weekend before (22/8 approx). I can arrange for you to use my berth in Antibes while I am away (25m x 6m on mole sud), for the whole or part of that 2 weeks

Elba is beautiful - berth in Portoferraio for a night

I haven't decided when in 2012 to got to Croatia. Could be early season (May/June) or the last week in July + all of August

thanks for the offer of your berth, but pls warn your neighbours to put many fenders, as a unexperienced "big boat" sailer might come along

will keep you updated with our plans,
next step is to get full ownership and Belgium registration

 

[BartW]

He guy’s do you realize you encouraged and pushed me in to big boat ownership !!!
Yesterday we became the official and proud owners of Blue Angel, all Italian documents, and Belgium registration are finished, we’ve got the key’s of the boat. And we love it !!!

Realise that its only sinds 3 year ago I learned here on this forum who Fairline is
I realized that a Princess is not only the daughter of a king,
And that Ferreti doesn’t build the biggest Italian pleasure boats

Thank you all for so much advice, encouragement and assistance to go through this wonderfull journey, This forum is soooo good !
Hope to be able to make a “Blue Angel, Rome Marseille holliday / delivery trip” thread after summer.
If anybody from this forum is around, don’t hesitate to drop by and convince yourself of the wonderful vessel that we have got ourselves.

Yesterday we left Porto di Roma, for our first trip, without Alfonzo,
first fueling on a small quay went impressively good,
Half way to the island Ponza (60nm) we had some technical issues with one engine, (hydraulic tube from gear control cirquit disconnected and lost pressure) even that we were able to repair.
At this moment I’m on Bleu Angel, after the first overnight on anker, in Cala Chiaia di Luna, on the west side of island Di Ponza.
Last night we walked through that tunnel to go to Ponza village and have a perfect Italian meal and local wine
Then we fished a good part of a bottle of Scottish whisky, here on the cockpit, in the bay…….
So the real journey has only started now,

all this introduced a new era in our live i
Thanks again folks !

Next Tuesday a Belgium officer will come inspecting the boat for coding her, for commercial use. I hope everything will be ok, it’s a long list of items, but as the boat used to be RINA approved, I don’t expect too much trouble.

o yes, lets have another look at the film
http://www.amptec.be/ba/index.html

 

[davids0865]

Congratulations BartW and thank you for sharing the process, from which I learned a lot, and as you know got inspired to start my own.

I hope you have many years of fantastic cruising in BA, enjoy

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Well done, Bart. I hope you and Bleu Angel have many happy years together

 

[AndieMac]

He guy’s do you realize you encouraged and pushed me in to big boat ownership !!!
Yesterday we became the official and proud owners of Blue Angel,

that's right, blame everyone else if it makes you feel better

Big congratulations to the entire W family, having the attitude you do, this whole new venture will be just great!

 

[MapisM]

...and have a perfect Italian meal and local wine

Aha! There goes a former fan of Croatian food, eventually converted to proper cuisine...

All the very best, looking forward to your first cruise report!

 

[jfm]

Fantastic news Bart. Congratulations again. I just watched the video again and hope to see you cruising sometime this summer

 

[Hurricane]

Congratulations - have fun

 

[BartW]

This is my last picture post in this thread, as this wonderfull journey has come to an end, and the real enjoyment can have a start now.
Will soon make a new Rome Marseille delivery trip thread.

4 weeks ago we were on Bleu Angel and did some final arrangements :
We had to fix the new Belgium reg number on the bow.

We were without our favourite captain –shef, so the lady of the house had to cook her best dish, Stuffed paprica’s.
With some Italian flavor, and the Bleu Angel atmosphere, it was the best she ever made

Then we left for a trip from Rome to the island Ponza, and anchored in a bay called Chiaia di Luna,

With the dingy we went ashore

Its only a 10 minutes walk through a pedestrians tunnel in the rock’s, to the other side of the island, to bussy city Ponza, where we had a perfect Napolitan meal in a nice restaurant.

our first night on Blue Angel at anker was wonderfull

When back in Rome, we had one more day left before the Belgium inspector for the commercial coding came,
We installed some spare chairs I got from a supplier in my business

And we fixed the original Logo back in place, that we found somewhere deep down in the bilges

The inspection went smooth, the only remarks where that we need
Pictograms of the fire extinguishers on the wardrobes in the cabins, and that the home port should be noted on the buoy’s,
this was easily cured the same day.

A few weeks later we had the commercial papers for the boat.

last weekend we did again another trip, but now to the north, to Porte Ercole, Islands Giglio and Giannutri
Early breakfast

Here the boat is anchored near Porto Ercole

The lady was pleased to meet our favourite captain again, you can see the sparks in her eyes, while I am at work, fueling the boat

Alfonzo arranged for us to stay in the middle of porto Ercole, and he pointed us to the best restaurant.

Here I am heading to Isola Giglio, on auto pilot

And for those who fancy some romance

Small has to give way to large, am I small ?????

Here the boat is cruising at about 16kn,
Later at 20kn, but the dingy was not comfortable to make pictures from then

 

[BartW]

Does Bitecnomare ring a bell, by chance?

The passerelle is a "Angelo Gandola"

good to know that the brand still exists,
http://www.angelogandola.it

last weekend in Porte Ercole I spoke with a Guy who has exactly the same boat, sinds 16y, from new, he was very pleased with her, he only had a few issues with the passerelle he told me,
also Alfonso told me that he had to replace a cylinder a few times,
so lets be carefull with that.