Work has had me distracted for a little while. So I haven’t been keeping up with all that’s going on in the cruising and sailing world. A couple of things happened though that gave me cause for concern. The recent earthquakes and subsequent tsunami’s in the South Pacific and then the pirating and kidnapping of an English couple in the Western Indian ocean. Now, I know about these events but I don’t know details so I’ll keep my comments to myself. I do know that I had friends in the area of Samoa when the waves hit and all are well. They had already left the area and headed for New Zealand when the second quake occurred.
One thing that dawned on me today is that the yachting/boating/cruising industry doesn’t move quite as quickly as the technology industries I’m accustomed to. There’s something to be said there. Here’s one theory as to why: the industry pace has been set by those it markets to. That lifestyle is perhaps a bit slower than the techies. That bit of “slow down” may not be for some but I could definitely use a dose or two of taking a deep breath and stepping back to watch the world go by for a little while. Ok, a long while.
Taking a break from things also has allowed me to think harder about what it is we really need when it comes to a cat. I’ve gone back to the Fountaine Pajots and the Lagoons. I still like the Salina 48’. There’s something about its shape and size that appeals to me. Could its design be improved? Sure. There’s a lot of things that could be changed to improve speed, performance, interior room, VENTILATION, etc. But, I don’t know that I’m willing to spend the $ and wait the time for a custom yacht. Then again my opinion on that may change as time goes along, who knows. The other is the Lagoon 500. Maybe it’s from growing up around sports fishing boats but I really like the fly-bridge. I know it has its drawbacks like exposure to wind and weather, increased height of the boom and lack of easy access to the main salon and cockpit. But, remember, most of our time onboard will be spent sitting on the hook and not at sea. Don’t think for an instant that I’m sacrificing seaworthiness, I’m not. It’s a process, and there are tradeoffs. I’m just trying to find the sweet spot.
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