Meeting our marine surveyor.
The buzz of seeing and sailing the 56′ Oyster yacht yesterday was still lingering. Read about our sea trial here: 11. Sea trials and the survey – the night before we meet our dream yacht
The day after the sea trial we woke at 7 am, showered, got dressed, and made our way to the broker’s office. Hubby and I had a coffee next door while we patiently waited to see the boat again. Like a drug, we just couldn’t get enough of her!
At 9 am we met our surveyor, a dower Scotsman, and boarded Pear Fisher once again. After a general chit chat, the survey began and we helped our broker prepare the boat to slip lines. The only time-sensitive task was to have the boat craned out at another marina at a set time. We hired a surveyor to make sure that we were buying a boat that was seaworthy, solid, and ready for a family interested in sailing around the world. Similar to when you buy a house, getting a survey provides the added benefit of having an expert check her out before you formally commit to buy.
The biggest boat crane I’ve ever seen!
After a short motor, we arrived at the crane area and easily navigated into the hoisting. The boat was lifted up a bit, we were let off, and then she was lifted way up to clear the keel. The survey was to take place while the boat remained in the hoist. We did it this way to save a substantial amount of money. The quote was around £1,000 for the hoist and £850 for the survey. And these are costs building up before we commit to buying the boat (not to mention the plane tickets and hotel bill).
Once the boat was set off to the side, we walked under her, pretended to know what we were looking at, and then decided to get out of the way. Hubby and I headed to a nearby cafe and both enjoyed salads. The sun was shining, the sea was blue and the Palma Cathedral made the perfect backdrop.
After a bit of food, we made our way back to the boat. By this time the surveyor did all the outside hull tests and was back in the boat. He made a comment that the hull was in excellent shape. There were a set of scraped off areas along the hull – I assume he was testing the GPR for osmosis.
Taking a few moments to lay down and dream of the future that’s coming.
We used the ladder and climbed up to spend more time on her. I felt exhausted so I laid down in the aft cabin and thought, ‘This will soon be my new bedroom! It’s utter bliss! I wish it was here now…I wish it was time to set sail now!’ I laid on the bed for at least a 1/2 hour dreaming of all the adventures yet to come.
Hubby went around checking all the cupboards and lockers again. He excitedly came back to me and announced that there are fishing poles the owner is leaving on the boat.
I can’t wait to catch fresh fish and cook it ourselves. I bet it doesn’t taste anything like the stuff you get at the grocery store! Fresh fish, fresh vegetables, and fresh fruit – sounds like more bliss to me.
Time to get the boat back in the water
Around 2 pm the boat was lowered back into the water and a few more tests were conducted. By this time the surveyor broke off the handle on one seacock, found a small leak in the front toilet system, a leak on the hot water line, and some carbon in the engine. Apparently, none of these things are deal-breakers.
We slowly motored back to the berth and new that our time with the boat was coming to an end. But there was no doubt about it, we’d be back on her as soon as we possibly could.
The boat was moored and our surveyor explained he had a few more hours to go. Our broker gave us the indication that he was heading out so we felt it best to make our way.
Time for some Paella?
Hubby and I headed back to the old town to find some paella. We were both exhausted. The stress of the trip finally caught up to us and we felt a bit of a letdown. Another thing ticked off the massive list to make our dream a reality. Phewwwwww.
We’re now sitting back at the hotel bar waiting until it’s time to catch our 9 pm flight back to England. Gosh – I’m not sure how I’m going to stay awake. We have a few hours to go, then a 2-hour flight and a 2-hour drive home. Poor hubby – I hope he can stay awake. I’m not sure I will!
I can’t wait to wake up and see my daughter in the morning. I’ll go through all the pictures and videos so that she feels fully involved. We’ve talked often about our plans but I’m not sure how much she really understands.
Extra: Sell Up and Sail Away Video – Sea Trails & Survey
Next Chapter: 15. After sea trials and the survey I ran a marathon (accidentally)
Previous Chapter: 13. Sea trials on the Oyster 56 were a success – we love her!
Or…if you’d like to carry on reading all about our journey from selling up and sailing away, you can purchase my book, ‘Changing Lifestyles – Trading the Rat Race in For A Sail Around The World,’
 | READER REVIEW Amazon Reader. 5 Star Review! "This is the story of a woman who was on multiple journeys; looking for a change in her life's course, learning the ropes of a new boat, and navigating what it is to parent a child as she and her husband embark on this journey. Great as an adventure story, but also got me excited to read it as a travel guide!" Cherie |
