From Travellers to Cruisers

After years of research and more years of looking, Bob and Eileen have made the transition from travellers to cruisers.  We have just purchased a beautiful Oyster 39, called Songster.  It has been quite an emotional roller coaster ride.

 

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Sonsgster sailing in Marmaris harbour

Bob and Eileen onboard

We first looked at Songster in early August while we were looking at several boats in the large marinas in Marmaris, Turkey.  We were quite impressed with the Oyster; good pedigree with proven blue water experience (5 Atlantic crossings plus a circumnavigation), centre cockpit ketch, lovely living space, lots of equipment but Bob was concerned about the age of the engine so we made a low offer, thinking we would have to replace the engine (a big expense), but the offer was rejected.   

 

Fantastically equipped galley

Comfortable and homey aft cabin

There were a couple of other boats in the Eastern Mediterranean that looked promising so we continued our travels in Turkey and eventually went off to Corfu to look at a Hallberg-Rassy 38.  This was a lovely boat in pristine condition and sailed like a dream although the living space was a bit cramped and old fashioned.  We nearly bought this boat until Bob had a sleepless night from a nightmare of being unable to reef in a storm with the in-boom furling system.  With the rationality of a daytime head we realised that we were a bit seduced by a beautiful sail, Italian hospitality and the lovely personality of the owner, Luigi.  The boat just didn’t have the blue water, live aboard features we wanted but Songster did.  So walking down the street in Gouvia, Corfu we rang up the broker in Marmaris and made another offer.  The offer was accepted and we made our way back to Turkey.

All this seemed a bit surreal.  Were we really about to buy a yacht in the Mediterranean? The short answer was yes and after lots of surveys, test sail, inspections, paperwork, international money transfer and hours of hand-over with the owners, s/v Songster is ours and we are living aboard her at Yat Marina, Mamaris, Turkey.  

 It is all a bit daunting.  Songster is certainly more complicated than our little Solar Mist.  Slowly but surely we are learning about all the systems.  At times we are overwhelmed but then some little switch or diagram finally makes sense and we chip away at our ignorance.  It truly is a huge learning curve.  Thus we begin our lives as cruisers.  

Behind these panels is Bob's nightmare of spaghetti wiring - 12v, 24v and 240v systems