Boat Show Fun and Surprises

Annapolis Boat Show - the largest in-water sail-boat show in the U.S. and for the last three years, a Thanksgiving (Canadian) tradition for us.  Let’s do a little recap:  2008 we made our first visit and toured boats and tents in awe; 2009 we met up with CYOA and amazingly (to us at least) set up the purchase and adventure with Mowzer; now in 2010 we’ve returned to see what fun the boatshow brings this year.

As we’ve found in the past, the weather gods have smiled and it has been spectacular.  Highs of 29 on Saturday and 25 today brought out the sunscreen and flipflops - what a treat in October.  The boats as always are the stuff of dreams but this time, now that we have our own dreamboat, we enjoyed checking out some of the smaller boats and looking for ideas that we might incorporate into our own setup in the future.  We also managed to get into a few of the seminars, this time a weather briefing with Lee Chesneau, a trip down the ICW reviewing navigation aids and lessons learned and finally a tour round the Abacos Islands in the Bahamas with Pam Wall.

Of great interest was checking out the changes to the Mahe 36 for 2011.  Dubbed The Evolution, these changes include modifications to the layout inside and in particular the change to a hard-top bimini and the traveller lifted up away from the cockpit.  The hull is still identical so this new cat looks exactly like Mowzer in her lines.  The Mahe is doing well in charter and CYOA has another owner joining with an Evolution that is currently in transit across the Atlantic.  Mistina has moved to another location but there will still be two of these great cats available to charter this season.

A highlight of the show was meeting up with the folks at CYOA:  John and Jo Anne, Nancy, Kirsten, Camille and Lonnie.  The booth on dock B looked fabulous and we were pleased as punch to see Mowzer front and centre on one of the display banners.  Earlier in the season, Mowzer and Mistina went out on a photo-shoot and the results are fabulous by way of great shots for advertising for CYOA.  So professional!  She’s even in a photo gracing the 2010/11 line of CYOA lip balm!  The crowds on Saturday were thronging, and on Sunday, while a little quieter, were only so in comparison to Saturday so we’re hoping lots of business will come to CYOA’s doorstep.

Finally, to really put the icing on the cake, we were delighted to see Mowzer featured in a story in the October edition of Sail Magazine. It was a little surreal but we could instantly relate to the fun and appreciation Adam Cort had for Mowzer as he and his young family toured around the USVI.  (Note the shot in the top right of the cover.)

(Pretty amazing, huh?  I’ll set up better links once I  get soft-copy of the article but this gives you the idea - or check out the October issue of Sail.)

We’re really on the count-down now, just six more weeks and we’ll be back aboard!

Boat Show Surprise

Annapolis Boat Show - October 2009

Well, the plan was just to visit the boat show to "look around", so to speak. I wonder how many folks have gone to the boat show, the car show, the home renovation show with a promise not to actually buy anything? We didn't even take the cheque-book with us!

We actually had one main goal, and a few smaller ones in mind as we passed through those hallowed gates of nautical lore and paraphenalia; we wanted to see the Seawind 1160, attend the Beth Leonard seminar, and I had a secret shopping list I'd been building for months (but more on that later.)

The Seawind indeed was there and we spent loads of time and many visits admiring its many features. What an awesome cat - I could just taste the salt spray and feel the warmth of the sun as we sped over the open ocean somewhere between tropical island destinations. I did say we were still in dream-mode, didn't I? Seriously folks, this is one well-designed cruising boat - galley with huge open view in one hull, massive saloon and cockpit area that increases in size when you raise the solid door up under the roof of the targa (bimini), the owner's version features a laterally-laid island queen-size bed and still there's room for guests. The only drawback, the price-tag. This is not a hugely expensive boat by catamaran standards but one thing we learned in the Beth Leonard seminar (yes, we did find time to attend) was make sure that you get the boat you can afford and still have $$ left over to get out there, otherwise, you'll never leave.

The other goal we had for the boat show was to investigate the various BVI (British Virgin Island) charter bases. We had an idea that we'd look into purchasing a boat, probably a catamaran, that we'd then put into charter for a number of years to build up equity in the boat. We arrived with our short list: CYOA (whom we chartered with in March'09), TMM, Moorings/Sunsail, Conch Charters, to name a few. We certainly did the rounds, but I guess once you've done business with someone and the experience was pleasant, it gives you a head start, so we found ourselves back at the CYOA booth checking out a surprising new development in their charter lineup. They must have known we were coming to visit because they'd decided that with the economy as it's been, now would be a good time to partner with a willing investor on a specific boat. The choice: a Hunter 40-something (monohull) or a Fountaine-Pajot Mahe 36 (cat). To make the opportunity sweeter, FP were there at the boat-show just two doors down so we spent ages going over the Mahe they had at the docks.

So, are we nuts or is there another explanation? I like to think we just recognize serendipity when she comes along. To make a long story short, we finished up the boat show with a deal with John J. at CYOA to purchase the Mahe 36 to put into charter sometime during the winter of 2010 for a five-year term - perfect for us, perfect for him - all the components of a good deal.

Here's the full scoop on this beautiful little boat. All the reviews that we've found to date are favourable, a quick little entry-level catamaran that's easy to sail, has ample room for a family vacation and the sea-worthiness to cross oceans. Yes, she is being built in France by Fountaine-Pajot at La Rochelle and will actually be sailed across the Atlantic to be delivered to St. Thomas,USVI. She'll be fully equipped with all the amenities for chartering as well as safety and navigational aids and will be based out of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, just a short day-sail away from the BVIs.

LOA: 11m / 36'
Beam: 5.9m / 19'
Draft: 1.15m / 3'10" (nice and shallow for places like the Bahamas)
Sails: Mainsail w/ LazyBag / Genoa on Profurl furler
Freshwater: 2 x 265 l
Diesel: 210 l
Galley includes 130 l refrigerator and 12v. freezer, 3-burner stove and gas oven
Each hull contains 1 double cabin and 1 bathroom with hanging and shelf storage
Helm has a double-seat and all control lines lead to the helm
Cockpit includes table and bench and door slides open to salon for easy access
Engines: 2 x 30 hp Volvo engines with 3-blade folding props
Dinghy with outboard on davits
Charter package includes galley, linen, snorkel and deck gear, TV & DVD

Are we excited, or what? More details to come...