So we always knew that Delmitch was our "transition" boat, a stopover on the way to purchasing our next cruising boat.
Even before we bought Delmitch in 2003, I was busy trying to decide on what our next boat would be.
When I had access to the internet, the majority of my time was spent surfing the internet version of a boating porn site, otherwise known as http://www.yachtworld.com/ . If you are looking for a boat, sail or power, $2000 - $20,000,000 , this is the site you want to look at.
When I first started "looking" at boats, the Canadian dollar was around $0.65 to the US dollar. There are a limited number of crusing boats available in Canada/Ontario, and they usually go for a premium, so I was looking mostly at boats in the States, typically Florida and Maryland, the two largest markets for used boats. In reality, with the exchange rate what it was, our chances of being able to afford a boat were pretty slim, but that wasn't enough to deter me!!!
"Look at this one Lisa!".
"Now this is a beauty ,dontcha think Lisa ??".
"I think we'll end up with a Morgan Classic ".
"I think we'll end up with a CSY44".
"I think we'll end up with a Beneteau 38".
Everytime I came home from work poor Lisa was dragged down to the basement so I could show her the "boat I have decided we will go with".
Sorry Lisa!!
Anyway, after about 2 years of this I read about a 34' catamaran called a Gemini105. Hmm, never really considered a catamaran before??
The more I read and researched, the more I liked.
-34' long (not bad when you consider docking is paid by the lineal foot)
-14' beam (not excessive, so shouldn't be an issue with regards to docking or hauling)
- 18" draft with boards up (shoal draft, something we came to appreciate with the Macgregor)
- 2 double aft cabins plus a queen master cabin (kids get their own cabins, I WANT THIS BOAT!!!!).
Unfortunately, at the time and based on the exchange rate (very rare to find a Gemini in Canada), the cheapest Geminis I could find ran between $110,000USD-$130,000USD.
Wayyyy too much for our budget!!
So I kept researching Geminis, going on the Forums, Googling and trying to learn as much as I could about them. After much more research, a strange calm came over me (and oddly enough over Lisa as well). I (we) had found the boat I (we) wanted!! I had finally narrowed my search, found a boat that fit our needs exactly and could stop dragging Lisa down to the basement.
The only think left was to actually get aboard one, and we were fortunate to get a tour of a 1998 Gemini while we were anchored in the North Channel.
Of course we still couldn't afford one, but hopefully that would change soon.
Then the USD started to tank against the Canadian dollar!!!
The search was on, but of course now not only had I decided I wanted a Gemini, I wanted one with outboard engines.
A brief summary on the Gemini105M.
- Performance Crusing Inc (http://www.performancecruising.com/) build only 2 models of boats.
- In 1996 they started production of the gemini 105M, an updated version of the Gemini 3400 (which was based on the 3100 and before that the 3000)
- From 1996 to 1998 twin outboards or a single outboard were options, in addition to a diesel with out drive leg.
The biggest complaint I have heard about the Geminis is the Sillette out drive leg (the Westerbeke engine is fine). I decided I wanted the simplicity (and redundency) of twin outboard engines, so that's what I was looking for.
One night while searching on Yachtworld, I came across a 1996 105M for sale in New Jersey (closer than Florida, easy to get back to Ontario), and she was equipped with twin Evinrude outboards!!!!
Under the guise of getting away from the kids for a weekend, I convinced Lisa to take a drive to New Jersey with me. We made arrangements with the broker and went to have a look.
"Indulgent Wife" (yes, we changed the name!!!) had been little used, but also somewhat neglected for a couple of years. She was pretty basic as far as gear was concerned, and the asking price reflected this fact (sort of, they were still asking too much).
After a bit of back and forth we settled on a price. We knew we would want to replace the engines before heading south, but felt that we basically had a solid boat that admittedly needed a few upgrades and came away satisfied with the deal.
No comments:
Post a Comment