We have a new boat!

We managed to sell our previous boat (a Maxi 87) and went on hunting for a new one. I was browsing the ads almost every day even before that, just to get familiar with the market. The Maxi was our first boat and the only thing we focused on when buying her was the layout with a dinette and two separate aft bunks for the kids. Which was a good start. But as it's usually the case we learned about all the other important things in a boat on the go and started to understand our own needs. So for the next boat a list of requirements were made. The most important things were:

• not larger than 35 feet as we want a boat that we can manage and maintain even shorthanded
• no deep draft ( <1.8m) so we can reach the shallower anchorages
• quality solid GRP laminate hull, no blisters
• partial rig that's easy to handle: roller furling, lazy jacks, all lines to the cockpit
• wheel steering
• no teak deck, less maintenance and less leaks to worry about
• wider space on deck for moving safely (the Maxi 87 had a really narrow side-deck and a deep step into the cockpit which made it difficult to get in and out)
• engine in a good condition that can serve at least 10 more years, preferably freshwater cooled.
• reliable heating system (it's cold in Scandinavia)
• watertight cockpit (no removable floors with difficult to access areas like on the Maxi 87)
• lots of storage space
• layout with a separate toilet aft (with a holding tank)
• L or U shaped settee layout in the saloon that's convertible to a double bed. A thing we really liked in the Maxi 87. We like to sit together and play board games and it's good to have the option of an extra bed if we have guests onboard.
• chart table that can function as a workplace
• L shaped galley, it's easier to use while underway 
• separate and spacious aft cabin with a double bed
• and of course it should be within our budget (skip loans) and in Scandinavia (skip all the hassle with importing).

I know. It's long. But we started to look around and match boats to the list, ready to make some compromises. The best match we found was the Scanmar 33 (plenty on the market) and the Hunter 320 (only one for sale, it's not common in Europe). We also looked at the Dehler 34, Maxi 33/34 and Jeanneau Sun Shine 34. Bavaria and Beneteau boats were usually over our budget and we think they're not worth it. The Hunter was sold almost instantly, we had no chance to view it. We checked an Albin Stratus, but it had a bit deeper draft than desired and the layout was less than optimal for us. We also viewed a Jeanneau Sun Shine but it was in a very sad condition, needed a major refit in the interior so we skipped it. 

We liked the idea to have a Scandinavian boat and not a mass produced "charter" one. After we've seen a Scanmar 33 for the first time, we knew it's close to the perfect fit for us. So we traveled the country to check nearly all of them on the market and almost bought one, but it was a bit overpriced and the seller refused to negotiate. Then by accident we spotted an ad of a Scanmar 35. It was badly phrased with no boat model mentioned in the title, almost no details about the boat and only with a few pictures of the exterior. It was on the market for a while, possibly due to the bad ad (not many found it). The model however looked very good (even better than the 33) so we decided to give it a chance anyway.

It was love at first sight. We loved the center cockpit and the spacious aft cabin, the overall condition looked good and she fulfilled basically all of our requirements. The owner seemed to be a nice guy, talked a lot and showed the details.

We decided to give an offer (~20% below the asking price) with the condition that we want a haul out and inspect the bottom and everything for a second time. It was accepted! So we did the haul out, looked at every detail as thoroughly as we could and as we found her to be in a fair condition, we made the deal!

Now it's time for boat projects. There are always things to do, upgrade, rethink or add for exploring the Baltics and maybe eventually even the world. 

That's where we are now. With a big boat (for us) and with big plans. We started this blog to document the projects and our voyages as we go, so stay tuned for more content.