Merry Christmas, H388!

Our dealer, BohusCharter AB, forwarded the first document we’ve seen from the actual Hanse Yachts yard! It’s saying they will start production of our new Hanse 388 in the first half of November, and have it ready for delivery in the second half of December. Wow. Second only to my VIC-20 (which I got when I was eight), this might well be the best Christmas present ever!

Next Steps

1. The “Auftrag Endmontage” was missing some key components that we actually had ordered: a VHF (which isn’t used so much over here, but still a must-have for safety) and the autopilot. (I suspect I know why they are missing but dearly hope that this will be easily resolved.)
2. They, the men and women (not to forget the machines and robots) working in the yard, will actually start making our boat! This is a very special feeling, that someone is actually starting to put together a new boat, just for us. (Charlotte and I send you all our very best wishes <3)
3. When the boat is ready it will be turned over for inspection by a third party (the dealer recommends a local company called YachtingGate).
4. If the inspection passes (don’t know what happens if not) we will accept delivery of the boat, and it will be handed over to us. It’s possible to accept delivery without actually being at the yard, but we will travel there anyway. It will be the (magical) first time we’ll see our new boat. Also, we want to perform a small naming ceremony and give the boat a name (no breaking of Champagne bottles, though, but certainly some drinking of the same!).
5. If the boat is delivered as scheduled, in December, it’s usually quite cold and icy over here, so it will be impossible to sail the boat home at that time. What we/they do is they wrap the whole thing in plastic, place it somewhere on ground in Greifswald, and have it spend the winter there. Hopefully not all alone, but together with some other Hanses, they also waiting for spring and the sunshining smiles of their happy owners.