So, just a few weeks after getting our new boat to Finland, it was up on the ground again. We wanted it to “go all the way to eleven”, and there was just one final push over the cliff (onto land) to make that happen. (If that previous sentence felt partly like nonsense, forgive me, but do check out the Spinal Tap movie!)
Tag: Buying a new Hanse
Handed Over
A while ago Torbjörn (the dealer’s representative) left and now I’m sitting here alone in our boat. I’m drinking some champagne and eating strawberries while writing this. A moment ago I poured a bit of the champagne outside on the bow and said (quite quietly so that only the two of us could hear): “Your name is now Charlotte.”
Prima Vista
I was standing on the walkway, next to one of the new Hanse yachts in the Greifswald marina, when I saw a man walking in my direction.
A Lot to Pack!
I’m getting a bit nervous. My flight for Germany is in three days and the todo list keeps getting longer, not shorter! Also, the pile of stuff I have to bring with me, that is growing as well.
A Few Final Touches
A while back I listed all the stuff we will need in the boat to be able to sail her home. Now, we have placed most of the orders and are patiently waiting for the deliveries. (The things are shipped to two different countries with some picked up from a third!) Additionally, there are a few items we didn’t think of beforehand that have also been added to the todo list.
The Life Raft Story
This week we finally ordered a life raft for our Hanse 388! The decision process took over a month (!) in calendar time (and who knows how many hours in googling time), but now it’s finally done. The obvious choices turned out to be less than obvious, though, so hopefully our little story will be of some use to other 388 owners.
Dates Confirmed, Sort Of
Our dealer sent us dates confirmed by the commissioning yard! On the 29th of April s/y Charlotte will be launched into
The Name!
After a lot of back and forth with our dealer, we’re still not sure when exactly our handover in Greifswald will be. We had planned to go there beforehand with Charlotte and have a naming ceremony. Unfortunately, that probably won’t happen either.
Some Day In May
Maiden Voyage is the name of a jazz tune by (the legendary) Herbie Hancock. I used to play it a lot in my previous life as an aspiring jazz pianist, but little did I know that one day I would actually embark on a maiden voyage for real, on our own boat. It’s wild. We have speakers in the cockpit, by the way (!), so if the rest of the crew approves, Herbie might come along for a while as well.
Only a Few Hundred Things Left Until Our Hanse 388 Is Ready
The weather in Greifswald is looking good! I just checked the forecast and temperatures don’t seem to drop below freezing anymore.
This means that a bunch of yachts, their owners (along with extended families and friends), yacht dealers and yard workers are all digging in and preparing for that mad dash in spring, when within a few weeks all the boats have to be woken up from their winter rest, commissioned, and finally handed over to their future adventures and adventurers.